St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-01-20
SIR. MrIIIiStc!.'s LcciHrc.

We were unable to attend tie lectue
at the town hall Monday evening, 10y
Rev. David HicAllistcr, but We under
s.anl it was scholarly, well delivered
ana we'll re,ciyeI. Tie lecturer airo-
Gates an amendment to the constitution
of the ni,cl States, which shall roco@-
nizc God and the Christian religion.
Mr. McAlli-icr has lately spoken 4; Bar
ton, and we copy from the .Siu"hod a
resume of the points lie made:
i. Tie nation is a moral organism,
not mere aggregation of individuals,
like Railroad corporation or a banking
company. This point hc enforced 10y
the fac; ihat all are born into a nation,
Ly ryi,rrm,c to he iailacy Of jefferson
that the nation changes lis identity with
every cen, ration.
>. This nation ought TO acknowledge
Gods authority over il. and the Chris
tian religion as its religion. We hrc nj
a PAGAN or Mohammrdan but Il
Christian nation The origin, tic hi>to-
nv, and the general sentiment Of the ma
ton proclaim this fact.
>. The constitution on which cur GOV
rrnmrnt rests ought to recognize express
ly God and his authority. The cou>,i-
tuition ought to cNprcs AL That Is c--ca-
tial and vital to tht religious sentiment
in the People, not TO have it manifest
itself in acts OF devotion. The supreme
law Of the land must contain the ;icknow-
Judgement Of God and of Christian mo
rality, to make this the uttcrance of tie
nalicn in its public character.
/. Dangers and evils 10 some OF the
most important Interests Of the nation
must How tie neglect ct THIS con-ii;u-
tioual expression. Day of ia~iin-. -
OF Thanksgiving. are dependent wholly
upon tie feeling OF the ruler. There i
nothing in the constitution that provides
for their proclamation. Chara'nS OF
congress of any national organization are
not warranted under an irrrligiuu> COM
pact OF government. Treaties that are :,
part 81 the supcGic law of tie land op Il
! tie door to any mu--ulnam, or !r,c-lov-
cr, or pagan To practice his roly@"rny.
or his all 'mnltiOn>. or hi> idolatIry uI
mu!cstcd. ard thuugh state laws may PM
| these things down - crimes. the supreme
law ol the land which before the su-
pIrmc court o,crii,lc- all state proceed
| in.e with which it conflicts, must iii ctn-
Si>,,ncv with itself justly linn III his 50
called religious acts The Bible il oar
schools has NJ ri.ht there il any obi It
who have Il religion which is ohuoNiuu,
To lis Teachings, The oath or aili~ma-
ton r,uuircl IN ar states before 4 man
can testify in Il case OF trivial Importance,
and which excludes from the witnys--
-tamt atheists and lhn~c who do not he
licyo that GrI will punish thcm il they
are guilty OF t,lScliood, cannot in c,ru-
sistcncy he enforced rlnl,r Il government
Whose constitution will admit that ,ame
person, ii otherwise quail Lifted. to the h'.h,
est Office in the gilt nj the nation.
). Objections sometimes raised 10 this
proposed Amendment are no: well found
ed. The purpose of those advocating ii
is the furlhest possible from concerning {;
union of the church and state. W" woult
have ,he state rc}iyoa~ and avowcdiy 80.
We would not connect it with the churcl
to the detriina,t of each. The civil rimht,
Of no person would be invaded, and tn,
political rights Of none abridged any fur.
tier than the safety Of Christian iil>titu
tions demand. 1t is not sought to bring
about this result Ivy any sud,ien or rcso,
lutionary process, but to bring the publ,
sentiment of tie nation TO bear upon gov
crnmcnt till this change shall be brough
about in the usual and constitutional way