The New York herald., 1869-04-14
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT.

III. VitVi wv
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A meeting was held last evening IN the Reformed
Presbyterian church, Twenty-thrd street, between
Seventh and Eighth avenues for the purpose OF con-
siderfng the subject OF a religious amendment to the
constitution Of the United states. The attendance
Was small.
The meeting was called TO order by the election OF
chairman Rev. j. G. X. Mili9an nling that
ofice.
The proceedings were opened with prayer by Rev.
Mr.. Wilson.
The CnAIgMAS then addressed the meeting. He
said they had met TO consider the great question Of
religious amendment 10 the constitution and to Sc
cure such changes In the constitution as may be
benefcalto christs Church. The object was to give
10 Him Acknowledgements to whom acknowledgment
was due. The Christan believes that God is King OF
Kings, to whom every knee shall bend; that all kings
shall serve Him and all nations shall do Him homage.
The naion that despises God shalt be eternay con-
demned. The amendment proposed is one that
shall acknowledge tine Lord as the Ruler OF the
Earth. Whoever honors Him shall be honored.
HonoriDg Him, we shall be exalted; denying Him,
we shall be utterly cast down. The nation, in the
running OF the mails and keeping open the Post 0lee
on Sunday. desscrates the SABBATH. We wish to
amend the Constitution to the effect that when laws
are passed they shall be respected The Excise law,
Independent Of State legislatures, all prohibition of
Sunday traffic will be maintained by the supreme
Legislature Of the land. We hope to have the con-
sttution recognize that He who rules all the nation
is a just God, and that His commandments must be
obeycd. Every Christian loves the Sabbath, <nd
deserves to have government that he can obey in
eyerything-a government that he can sustain. He
desires to obey the laws that shall conform to
Gods. high claims. But when enactments con-
trary 70 Gods word are passed he cannot
give them his support and he lalnents the
necessity Which compes him to disregard these
laws. II government be wise and faithful to God
safety under them. We as members OF the COM
munlty lament tue desecration OF tine sabbath
Which prevails everywhere around us. Every one
lanlents the prevalence Of crime in every lass OF
the co,nmunlty. We are humbled BY the snthat pre-
II men in high places are guilty Of high crimes
is 1t q wonder that men say these are not crimes.
The result h, Christian men nave lost the conscience
which warns Laem OF wron2- and OF guilt AS the
Psamist says, ''Where' the viiest men are exalted
the wicked walk on every side. The Christian cam
not refuse to labor when he sees ChrLsG deSplsed
and when he that this government uder which
he lives Is not OF Cod Our Object Is 70 secure hpnor
to Christ to the sacredness OF the sabbath
aud to pus in power only the men who honor God
and obey Ills commandments.
Rev. MIR. SLOANE next addressed the meeting He
said at the beginning OF this year he met III the cars
u republican member or Congress. lie spoke 10
ann on the subject OF manhood reform and asked
movement. This was the man dlestlon at issue,
and Que which 1t behOoved them to understand iuy.
1t IS our object TO honor tne Lord Jesus Christ BY
giving him IN the government that place which be-
lonsed " hlm. But 1t was not an easy matter 10
answer o politician OF statesman or at ieast
TO- give them an answer tndt Wll cOnmeld
ite to the conscences OF these men, so as 70 make
It appear at all q practical question. lhe answer 60
theory Of the c, Constitution Of the untsd STATES
moral power or reig Gus power that VIII turn the
face The government against all manner oil Wicked
ness that deslI uctiye vi the government as such.
lie replied TO the Congressman III tns way:-iou
may one Of these days oe called npon 70 voie on tne
Stale OF this union Now III Titan there Is established
vile neathea system OF poygamy, destructive alike
religion and OF noradty, which Is destructive oi all
governments. Now, SAID, how can you constitutaol-
ally keep Utah out OF tue enlonY He at once adlaC-
tea that there was no sucn power IN the government
but he said he would vote against tine aimls iol oi
that state into The Union. replied 10 hum that he
could do so on under his own moral convictions,
not by any right lie found iu the consltutoa of the
Ualted STATES our idea OF THIS reform Is TO gel into
the constitution OF the United states such recog
nlton OF the Christian religion as VIII give
the government o moral power TO contend
as a government against all these enormous
and Overwhelming evils That are everywhere press
ing on the nation. mat the object Of this reform
movement. The first great object of government Is
the H vi"aso,ss s0 81 God,s law. aovernent must
educate the people, If 1t lia goyernnent'at all, in
some form or another, or elsee eseryboiy knows that
ernnent wIl be impossible. Crime Is the yioiaIion
OF law Tue heataen philosopher said that law was
only The reflection Of divine JUSTICE and no law Is
law that IL not reflection or divine j,lstice-a
transcript OF the law OF God himself 1ne natol
tn,.t unlie. axes without recognizing Gods law 70
punish Cline, assumes prerogaiive OF God an at
tribute OF God thai IS direct violation OF Coo Jaw
and Is guilty OF tle grossest bllspaemy IN thai re-
Without religion nation is like snip driving
across stormy sea without rudder and with
tnat ignorei religion was destroyed aud
the more irreligious the nation is tue sooner
1t II is certain that God win punish this nation tor
its rreleon and inideiity IN tue utnre, as Col has
punished It IN the past Tor ITS oppression OF man
recognize the Christian religion as the fundamental
law-Inust recognize God as the King OF Kings and
Lord OF Loras iDis Is great momentous and a
prac neal question. There never was more practi-
Cal question presented to the minds of man, aad it
only required imc TO let It fegnent. The question
was mole universally canyassed and discussed than
people thought. There was great uprising on tue sI-
and certainly no question ever came up be- ore the
people OF TINS country than this very one. The
movement had received great impetus and some
nation were rejecting upon it and studying now the
reiorm be besC promoted. Tney had, therefore,
every encouragement 10 persevere In the good work.
lie hoped there would oe turning back til they
han su ucceedei ~ enscing the great o0jsct to be
attained 10 get reception of region IN the gov
ernnient OF the couna
Rev. Dr. sCALLis. liz next addressed the meeting.
He SAID tnat with regard TO the question at Issue
diniculty arose. and which was always started In
reference 10 questions OF this nature-tle dicuty
OF uniting church and state-aud though in this
county there was no danger OF ja.ling into TINS
error as was the in ancient countries for the
reason that among the sovereign nations Of
OF couairies were .recognrzed as residing IN
the rulers, and hence the government took
its character from the character Of It's
rulers ia U remarkable degree II the rulers We're
good the government would oc of the sanse
cnaractcr. II tnl rdera were wicked the COVE IL
ment p9rtovk 70 great extent OF the same cnarac
ter. we want the Christian religion recognized in
the constitution az enanating from God, and OF
supreme authority. At prescnt thero were some
recoeniuons OF iegioa la the government We have
capians Ia the army ami Ia tue nays. and we have
cnapans IN The senate anu House oi Representatives
Hut these features, tney do not pe.ong 10 the
government as fundan. ntal principles We talk of
the power OF puptic sentiment IL u great power
but ~ cannot prevail against the act that tefe n
no law fOf the recognition o. ihe CHRISTIAN religion
among us. IL Is tue duty oi the nailon, as moral
bong, 10 demand that law recognizing tic Ciris-
Tim ..llgion Ehal bo embodIcd IN the cunslntlon;