The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1868-01-30
OVer-Rfghte0uSnesS.

persons, representing various religious
societies Of Western Pennsylvania, have
annually met together to express their
desire and advocate the propriety of bav-
ing incorporated into the National Con-
stituton clause sack cknowledging God as
the source of all authority in civil gov
ernment, the Lord Jesus Christ as the
ruler among all nations, and His will re-
vealed in the Holy Scriptures as of su-
preme authority" Similar meetings, we
believe, are also held in other parts of the
country.
With the motives of these men, we shall
not deal. But the wisdom of the change
advocated, we impugn. So far from bold
ing it TO be wise, we regard it as a folly
and crime. We do not suppose such a
change will ever be made 10 our National
Constitution, nor in that of any of the
States, yet should it by any chance occur,
it viii be cause for deep lamentation
among all lovers of religious freedom
Our fathers established the principles of
our Constitution upon a very great truth,
a truth that arises not from the nature of
civil government, but from the genius
and express teachings of the Christian
religion. With the Jews, government
was theocracy. So, also, with the hea-
then. The same hand that upheld civil
order and administered civil justice, up
held also the ecclesiastical structure and
dispensed the Iites of religion. With
those religions, on the one hand spurious
and on the other merely preliminary
preparatory to the better religion that was
to follow, the course pursued was doubt
less the dictate of wisdom. Whether all
religions are false or not, the fact is patent
that no State has ever existed without the
aid Of religion, and with religion too
weak to be its own support it was better
that it should be upheld BY the State
than that it should totter to its fall. But
on the coming of the Christian faith, there
dawned new era. Then this alliance Of
Church with State was to end. Yet ever
since, there have been men anxious to
eonfound the two, who would have the
Church wed the State, and the State the
Church, iD as unholy union as that
which robbed heaven OF one-third Of its
angels
As 10 the present movement, the very
first words used to express one Of the aims
sought, include a sophism. Paul said,
The powers that be are ordained of God, -
and hence we should render them obedi-
ence. But Paul used the words when
under aud surrounded by heather civil
government, whose people he was earnest
ly striving to turn to the true Worship
These governments rejected and even
spurned the true God, yet Paul said they
we've ordained of Him. Evidently, then,
his enti:e meaning was that all civil gov
ernment was bv His sanction, His approval.
Our own Declaration OF Independence
says the people are the source of AL au-
thority in civil government. Yet there
IS no contradiction. All governments
should rule for the good Of the people,
and so ruling, are approved of heaven.
But this clause, if incorporated into
our Constitution, wonld establish taith,
an act in direct repuguance to the Consti-
,utiou. 1t would lay deep ard broad
basis for persecution. Let uc admit God
to be the source of all authority in civil
government. What of it Is He not
the source of all things? Why re-
strict the ackuow eds cement? What is
our Constitution but a compact, and II We
should make this acknowledgement in one
compact, why no: in al. If these men
draw bond or deed, or lease of prop
erty, do they go to the trouble OF making
all these ao.< acknowledgements If not, why
not ? The OILY difference is that the
bond, deed, or lease would be a coui2 2ac'
between two or three, while our Constitu,
tion is q compact between millions. Is
not Goa, too, :he authority 10 al! matters
Of moral rcctitude % necessary to the ex-
ccu;ion of all pledges
But these men would 20 Trther They
define the veyy God whom. they would
have thus cssnized, and clea rjy desig-
nate the religion which they would IN
cornorate into or Institutions. A CIVIL
Constitution declaring .Hat hum2ie ana
evcr-forgiVing NaZarene to be 'ne r1ief
among nations and His scriptures as "i
supreme authority an ciV1 government =
!. nc snnnose this change made