Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-10-26
Largest Circulation in the District
Reading Matter on Every Page.
WASHINGTON CITY:
sATURDAY...... October re, Is72.
A Test Question Regarding Religions
Belief

question Of interest and Importance WA
brought 70 a test decision IN. -ehe courts of
Maryland on Thursday. As set for III I'm tho
1HsTie0n the case was an action for debt, and the
defence objected TO a witness that was offered
byths prosecution on the ground of incompe-
tency because or want OF religious belief. The
objection was founded upon the " ell established
rale o. the common law excluding the testimony
OF such persons, a. well upon the provision
in the Constitution OF Maryland Declaration of
Rights, Art So, which saws; "Nor shall any
person otherwise competent be deemed incom-
Ietent on account Of religious belief, provided
he believes in the existence OF God, and that
under His dispensatiOn such person will 5e held
morally accountable for his acts and be re-
wsrded or punished therefor, either in this
world or the world to come"
Ii WAS shown by direct testimony in support
OF the objection that the party offered a. 4 wit
ness had, as FAR as could be ascertained, been
a disbelieyer in the existence of God and state
OF future rewards and punishments during his
whole life.
In rebuttal OF the testimony offered to inn
peach tie witness, it was given in evidence that
the witness did believe in a God in nature a
vital principle In matter by which all things are
governed; that there Is a soul in nature insepa-
rable from 1t, yet directing its economy. The
party himself was Intercepted by the court a.
to his religious belief, aud stated in substance
that he believed in the existence of a Great
Spirit in nature, "in the grass, in the moon, in
the snow-fakes and in the earth" that con-
uolled all things His views, "a accurately "a
can be stated, were that there Ii no God, but
spirit, law In nature, by which all matter is
governed. He did not believe in Q persoaal
God, who Is the maEer and Judge OF All things.
and who rewards and Furnishes in accordance
with a law which He Himself has establis,,aa
for the moral government OF mankind. He
could not conceive Of God, or believe in ons
as distinct from and independent of nature.
On this testimony the court held that while
the article In the Constitution, which has Already
been quoted, speaks OF the " existence OF GodD
and OF "His dspensation," yet these terms do
not necessarily mean a personal God in a theo-
logical sense. They would as well incIude a
Great Spirit, inherent in and controlling all
matter. The personal pronoun "His, in this
article IN the Constitution should not therefore
De Interpreted as having exclusively its usual
ana proper slgnihcation. Inasmuch, therefore.
as the party offered as a witness, while not
beIeVing IN personal God, independent of
nature, did believe in a Supreme Spirit per-
vading nature; and inssmuch as said party had
shown himself 10 De man OF more than ordi-
nary intelligence and culture for his rank in
society, his honor thought ne was a competent
witness, and would order him u be sworn.
AS the law IN the District of Columbia is. We
believe, the same a. that in Maryland regarding
this kind of testimony, we have, as a matter OF
interest, gwen in some detail the particulars Of
the above ruling. Ii our recollection serves Us
Alright, however, witnesses whose religious belief
WeIeef the same character asthat of this Bal,i-
more witness, have been excluded from giving
testimony in our courts.