Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-12-17
Accommodation.

] w tANNNN hlk ~ ~ ~ w wv VRf"'A Hf
lions" aud inquiries Of X O Branigar
in your issue Of November 26th. rcla
ting to the Institute at CurwensviIie
feel this due the Rev gentleman
since he asks to be enlightened OF
certain points, and then too, 10,
should be made more tamiI ar viii
the Constitution Of the country il
which he lives, as not again, IN -
public n way, to betray bis ignounc,
OF that document. II is due the peo
Pile, also, represented 10y said Institute
that wrong impressions are not mad,
respecting the conduct OF the Institute
The burden of the Rev gentleman
observations" and inquiries is based
upon the fact that the Institute wa,
opened with devotional exercises -
a. r PRAYER Strauge that he should
object to such an exercise. since th,
masses. in this country, either in the
ory or practice, acknowledge the ap
propralencss and power Of prayer
/ will not. however, more than il
necessary, discuss the merits Of TIA,
case, Cmay do so again if needs be,
but simply notice the unchartabl,
thrusts ut what those, ia the "liberty
Of conscience" felt to be right Heai
him:
81 cannot understand how education Is to b.
promoted by an infringement on the right t
differ"
We ask, the right to differ on what
Answer, on prayer. But no one, a'
we know, dSked the right to differ, ol
gave any sign of difference. Hence
the Institute knel0 no difference as q
body, or through any Of its officials
Had the Rev gentleman teen present
thus manifesting an interest in th,
cause of education, and by sound rea
soning, showed that invoking God.
benedictiOn upon our proceedings was
''illcgal" and detrimental to the inte.
rests of education, devotional exer
cises" would have been dispensed Sith
But let us look at bis consistency
Suppose he, or others, would have ob.
iected TO prayer, others again would
have objected to him or themj here
would be- the "right to differ" Who
now shall decidey X OBJ. has decided
thus making himself guilty Of the very
thing with which be charges the In
stitute-viz: an infringement on the
"right to differ.
Hear him again. He asks; "ls
| this liberty of conscience Z" is what
| liberty of conscience 2 Answer "De
vo ional exercises" Yes either con
science or precedence in this country
taught these men it was right to pray
TO God in public assemblies as well as
in private. Conscience, what Is i'll
The testimony Of the soul which ap
proves of good, and condemning evil
Every man has conscience; and il
is ia accordance TO the enlightenment
Of tha; conscience that he passes judy
meut. No one man, or society o
men, dare assume the prerOgative Ia
dictate TO, or control that conscience
Liberty of conscience" " then, is Nh,
full. free, and untrammcied exercis,
Of the souls judgment IA all matter
of its iaith-a liberty which, as shall
presently show, the Constitution ui
the United States, Pennsylvania, aud
the school laws grant to every citizen
OF America, and which laws greater
than these-.the laws of God-givc "a
men. Now, thea, the mcnin question
feeling il to be the higheS enjoyment
Of that "liberty of conscience, and 10y
the sanction OF the sainled Paul, (good
authority in the church Of the Rev.
] gentleman who says we are to, "wor
ship God according to the dictates OF
our con-ciencos. aud also lcgalized
/ by the Constitutions pf the United
States, Pennsylvania. and the SchuO
laws, which Constitutions prufess t.
be based upon the Bible as given tu
the world by King James the First
did invoke God, blessing on the In
Sttute. not for q moment supposing
that G0d'S blessing would be deiri'
mental to the cause of education.
But the gentleman denies the con.
stitutionalily Of the proceeding He
asks:
"Can education be benefited by disobsying tn,
constitutions Of the United States, Pennsylvania
and the school laws y
We might, indeed, show most con.
clusively, that in some countries espe
cially, il would be greatly to the ad
vantage OF the people, morally and
civilly, wero their laws disoboyed in
reference to the education OF the
masses. 1t does not necessarily fol
low (in all eases that because a thing
is idwfui. therefore it is Just, or for
the h CHEST good of those for whom
enacted. But does tho gentleman
stale the fact when he asserts that
opening the Institute with devotional
exercises" was disubedience TO the
constitutions named 2 Happily, thank
God (L"po the ,-"-thy v O. y viii
not object to this ciaculatorv prayer
/ IL was no disubedience What say'
the United States Constitution ! IA
the Amendments, Article lst, we read
as follows:
Congress shall make no Law respecting an cs
tablishmcnt Of eigion, or prohibit the free oxer
else thereof &c.
This is the only reference made tc
religion, except in Article 9th, declar
ing that religions test shall not be
required as a qualification to public
office"
n W, the Rev Buckley, &c togeth
err with the members of the Institute
did assemble at given time and place
and did, at sundry times, in the free
exercise OF their faith, open their ses
sions with devotional exercises !
which X. Oh asserts, is "hsobtdi
ence" to the Constitution of the United
States, but which document declares
Congress shall pass no law, or pro
hihit the free exercise of religion.
The Constitution makes a declaration
X Oh declares jus, the opposite
There being, therefore, no law pro
hibiting prayer, there WIS no law dis
obeyed. consequently no disobcdicuce
Erg0-Educatiun must have been ben
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