The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-02-14
Rtgister
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY IA, 1871.
The Proposed Religious Constitutional
Amendment.

We admit to our columns commune
cation entitled us above, although some
of the fppaut illusions to God are hard
ly reverential, because the main question
is one that may give rise to honest differ
ences of opinion. No principle is more
dear to the American people than that of
religious liberty. 1t was for this principle
that our fathers braved the dangers of
ocean and endured the hardships and
privations Of the wilderness. This liberty
has been jealousy guarded according to
the value attached to it, ever since.
Their prosecutions arose from the unity
of church aud state, and we have been
accustomed to regard any governmental
patronage of the church as dangerous in
the extreme. And so it is Hence it is
not strange that some should regard with
alarm the proposition to amend the
Federal Constitution by inserting a clause
recognizing God as the Supreme Ruler
This communication reveals such a state
of feeling on the part Of the writer. He
assumes that this proposed amendment
would be an entering wedge for the dan
gerous union of church and state. We
think our correspondent may be assured
that however favorably this proposition of
amendment may be received, there is no
ground for apprehension as to its effect
upon that liberty of religious opinion and
worship which we all alike cherish as the
most valuable of our possessions. In the
first place, the only dangerous union of
church and state is the union of the
government with particular phase
or class of religious ideas as embodied in
church organizations. No injury can
possibly result from governmental rccog-
milton of religious idea common to all
classes of its citizens. If there are per-
sons in the United States who do not
believe in the existence of Supreme
Being, the number must be exceedingly
small. Even the Indians and Chinese
hold this belief in common with us. Ex-
listing differences Of religious sects, all
jealousy guarding their own tcnets, are
of themselves, sufficient guaranty of the
utter impossiblity of any governmental
patronage to any religious body which
does not first secure a controlling power in
the government by the legitimate influence
of superiority in numbers. If such con-
trolling power should ever be obtained
by any sect, we shall be at the mercy Of
that sect in this regard ; though not more
so because Of any constitutional recogni-
ton of religious principle accepted by
all in common. We do not apprehend
such result, Suppose this proposition
were to be followed by one more object
ionable there is no occasion for alarm.
There are too many interests involved for
the possibility of success to any scheme
abridging religious liberty.
Although we can see no possible evil
to result from Incorporating the proposed
amendment upon our constitution, neither
can we any good likely to result from it.
1t amounts to nothing. The constitution
now recognizes the Divine Being. The
whole spirit and tenor ofthe instrument i.
in accord with the Divine law as reveal.
ed in the word of God, and evidently de.
signed from it. This movement undoubt.
edly originates in devout spirit, but it
seems to us that too much is made of a
formal and outward recognition which
may or may not be accompanied by a
corresponding feeling of the heart.