The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-01
A CHRISTIAN CONSTITUTION.
Meeting of the National Convention
TO Promote Religious Amend.
ment 70 the National
Constitution.
Address Of Judge Hagans-.The Plat.
form OF the COnyenIiOnists.

CINCINNATI, o., January 31.-The Ma
tional Convention to secure a religious
amendment 10 the Constitution met TO
day at Thomas Hall. About two hun
dred and fifty delegates were present iron
different States. The Convention WA
called to order by Prof, o. NJ Stoddard
OF Wooster University, Ohio. The objecl
Of the Convention was fully Stated BY Mr.
D. McAllister, Secretary, Prof Stoddard
read the call for the Convention. NIB
Hagans, one Of the Judges OF the Superior
Court Of Cincinnati, was chosen President
Vice Presidents, Rev. B. p. Aydelotte, D.
D., Prot. o. N. stoddard, Rev. L. Audley
Browne, d. D., Rev. ]. r. w. Sloane, d.
D., Rev. E. d. Morris, D. D., David
Boyd, Esq, Rev. B. Helwig and Rev. A.
Ritchie. Secretary, r. II. II. George,
Judge Hagans delivered an address on
taking the chair. He congratulated the
delegates that they had met peacefully,
without regard to sect or party, to discuss
questions Of much moment. Hc welcom.
cd them to the State and city, the heart Of
the nation. lie firmly believed that a
vast majority OF the people Of the United
States approve Of the scope and end Of
this movement. The explicit acknOWledg.
ment ot God in the Constitution Is but
the recognition Of an obligation on the
part OF State as binding on the national
conscience as on that Of It's Independent
members. The nation is not a compact
and does not live by the will of man. II
mas It's foundation in mans nature, and
existed before the constitutions or laws.
The people Clamor for legislation against
evil, but forget the insidious forces tend
ing to national ruin, and find strength In
the TACT that the temple which the nation
mas built does net blaze with the
glory OF the inetfable presence; nor
does its garments, made with It's own
fingers, simmer with the halo of its
divine origin before the people so casting,
and rejecting the influence Of the State on
the people and the people back on the
State. The process Of decadence may 90
on to the utter ruin Of the nation and lis
temple. lie would not speak Of the
methods for attaining the end desired by
this Convention. The agitation of this
question he felt sure would not end until
rightly settled, ior we have learned from
our own history that in the long run the
people are right
Letters were read from Judge Strong,
OF the U. s. Supreme Court; Prof J. q.
seely, OF Amherst College; DR.. Patterson,
OF Chicago, and Others, expressing regret
at their inability to attend.
Secretary McAllister read report of
his doings since October, 1871. Informa.
tion' had been received Of thirty organiza-
tons with a membership Of between
two and three hundred, besides there
has been much public discussion. With.
in the year over two hundred public
meetings were held, a National Conyen.
ton was deemed advisable and .Cincin-
natl selected as the place, because it was
the scene of the agitation Of the question
OF the bible in schools. Experience con.
firms the belief that the progress of the
movement depends on the thoroughness
Oh its presentation to the minds of intelli.
gent citizens. A schedule of the topics
tor discussion at the Convention, with the
names ofthe leading speakers, are as fol.
lows:
Relation OF education to religion, Rev.
A. D. Mayo; Moral character and &C.
countabllity Of the nation, Prof ]. r. w.
Sloane; Neutrality Of State In morals and
religion thing impossible Prof. Taylor
Lewis; Relation Of the written constitu.
ton to the lite, character, and welfare Of
the nation, Professor w. j. Soddard the
practical value and effect OF the proposed
amendment, Rev. T. P. Stephenson.
The Secretary suggested the pub.
heati1n OF the proceedigs in order to
stimulate the lecturers, and tn keen the
discussion before the people. He believed
that, in the language Of the distinguished
Judge who presided over this Convention,
the Christian sentiment in regard to the
government in this country Is crystaliz.
ing, and this amendment Is the form it
must take. 'r a.4. .l.. .- a..#-g4 .. f,l.4..
The disturbing element came by notice
being given by +. e. Abbott, editor Of
the Toledo Weekly Inder, a paper de.
voted to the interests Of free religion, that
he desired to utter remonstrance against
the object Of this Convention. Objection
was made, and he appealed to the Chair
to say whether or not he could utter such
remonsefance. Referred, after discussion,
TO the Committee on Business pgsH y
Addresses were delivered by Rev. AID!
Mayo'and Prof. Sloane. ~ pat
The Committee on Resolutions report
cd q series Of resolutions which were laid
over for discussion. They declare the
State, exercising Jurisdiction over millions
OF human beings, as sovereign arbiter
Of life and death, and as an educating
power, has necessarily moral character
and accountability OF It's own: that It Is
the right and duty OF the United States,
as Q nation settled by christians, with
christian laws and usages, and with chris.
tianity as its greatest social force, TO &C.
knowledge itself In its constitution 10 be
a christian nation; that the failure OF this
nation to acknowledge its relations TO God
has fostered the theory that the govern.
ment has nothing to do with religion but
TO let It alone, and that State laws In
favor of the Sabbath, christian mar.
riage and use of the Bible in the pub
lie schools arc unconstitutional; that we
recognize the necessity OF complete har-
mony between our written constitution
and the actual facts of our national life,
and the true way to effect this harmony
Is not to expel the Bible and abrogate the
laws enforcing Christian morality, and
abolish oil devout observances in con-
nection with the government, and all
idea OF God and religion from our schools,
butto insert the explicit acknowledgment
Of God and the Bible in tho fundamental
law, that the proposed religious amend.
ment is directly opposed to the union OF
tie Church and State,
The Convention will close its sessions
tomorrow.
The Custom House Inquiry.
NEW YORK, January 3l.-The Custom
House investigation was resumed this
morning Communication r,ran ,.nn 4