The New York herald., 1870-12-09
RECOGNITION OF DEITY.
The Proposed Religious Amend
ment to the Constitution.
Session Of the Orange County National Reform
Convention at Newburg g-Addresse,
and Resolutions.

On Wednesday afternoon and evening o conyen-
ton OF the clzcns OF Orange county in favor OF in.
cooperating the constitution OF the United States
what Ia known as the religious amend.
mentn was held at the Opera House, Newourg.
The attendance OF the clergy aud iaty
OF oil. denominations was very large. Rev.
DR.. Forsyth, or Newburg, was chosen president Of
the convention. In assu ling the duties of chair
man he said that tmmeGla!e se success vas not anti.
clpated for the movement, but that the greag
majority Of the people would be found to be in favor
OF 1t. and that 1t would ultimately succeed. Hd
quoted Washngton's views in regard TO the recogpl-
ton OF God in the affairs Of the infant republic when
the war OF the revolution was raging.
Rev. Il p. Stevenson, of Philadelphia, Secretary
OF the National Reform ASS citation, addressed the
convention giving statement OF the objects sought
by the promoters OF the movement, showing now,
tn ay could be secured ana what would be the prac.
tlcal results OF the adoption OF the proposed amend
ment This nation, he said, was In no danger OF
BECOMING TOO RELIGIOUS;
the danger was the other way-that 1t would be too
much Influenced by the sceptca spirit or the age
There was no danger that the movement would tend
to produce a union between Chnrcn and State; the
whole current OF the nations sentiments ana feel!
ings was Ia the opposite direction ana there was
little cause to lear tnat this coutry would be sad.
dled With any oi the exploded sectarlan establish.
length the question Of the Divine calm to tho
formal recognition OF a nation IN Its orga1lc law.
Tne next speaker was Rev. Wiila'l ii. Gleason,
OF Newburg. lie explained ana contrasted the two
theories OF government in volue-tle exclusively
human and what mig be called the dlvine-nuLan.
The
.DtvINE RIGHT OF KlNGs,n
he said, was only the true Id Of government exag
geratei aud carried 10 1t was based upon
the recognition OF God as the source OF government
tai authority but those VINO bore rule under IL mad
made 1t the CLOAK Tor all kinds or abuses and VII
lanies, ahd there nad been III consequence q re.
bound IN the opposite extreme-to tae exclusively
society was nothing but compact OF individuals
for material AMI not moral purposes gained
ground THIS theory was crlticaly examined bJ
the speaker and shown TO be Inconsistent with
mans hgh destiny as moral and spiritual
creature, VINO WAS 10 exist "iong as eter al ages
roll.n When our constitution was framed many OF
the fathers Of the repuDiic were under the tne innu
ence OF TINS infiei iie OF human society and gov
ernment, ana IL was not range that they omitted
recognition OF tle DIVINE Bel ~ IN that Instrument.
The speake er cndeag to reute he various Objec-
tions urged against the movement, ana c0mbaed
the Roman Catholic idea OF government, as recently
propounded by distinguished preates Of tnat de-
nomination. IN view or the Italian occupation OF
Rome and degradation OF the Holy Fataer from his
Other speakers at the afternoon session were Mr..
ii. A. Jones and Rev. George ). Bishop.
In the evening MT. James W iMayicr, M OF Newburg,
who would object TO the ado ton OF the amendment
recognizing God as the source OF government, Jesus
Christ as the Head OF the nation and the Bible ag
the nations guide In the patti o. right were indes
and desCs Nine hundred an ninety nine out OF
was land where the majority lued, and the mino-
r.ty-small and insignificant as they were In this
case-had no righl 10 Complain. Besides, tDe
amendment would not work harm even 10 this
small minority During the recent war no.
body was found brazen enough to cry ous
against the government in appointing ge eral fast
days In the times or disaster 10 the national arms;
ali were ready to oDtain help from whatever quarter
then and by the employment OF whatever means.
The nation was really Christian nation, though 1t
was not so nominated IN the bond Tne speaker
believed not On.y IN 'practicng what you
preached" but in the converse OF this-prelching
what you praciced Tue am sndment would pro-
claim to the nations Of the world that we were a
Christian people.
Addresses we also made by Rev. DR.. Wakeley
and Rev. Mr.. McAllister. The latter referred to an
interview Which national reformer recently hau
witn the edtor OF a New York daily. SAID tho
Editor, when asked to lend his aid In the agitation
Of the question OF national reform, This religious
amendment Is
AS DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL,
ana we don't near anything more OF IT," inc
speaker thought tnis editor was as iear to the
sounds Of the times the Old lady In Portsmouth TO
the sound Of cannpn. They fired thirty-two.
FOUNDERS near her, but she did not near them
al all. Then tire tried siXty-four-pounder5, when
abe merely remarked "Come in,n thinking 1t was
some one Knocking at the door. An atheist II
elected President OF the Unicd States, could de-
cline to take he usual oath the Bible, and by sim.
ply .afirmlng.n would be fully qualified, under the
the nation. And yet as the laws In many " the
States now stood, the evidence OF such man would
not be received in any OF their courts OF justice IN
cases where dola IS ana cents were involved
Resolutions in favor ol the religious amendments
were adopted, and the Orange County National
Reform Society," auxiliary to the National Associa-
ton, organized by the election OF officers, adop-
t0n OF constitution, &c. Mr. James w. Taylor
dents and secretaries IRON the several towns Of the
county were elected.