Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-09-11
Our Foreign Church.
ny EUdENE LAWRENCE.

The Romish Church is the only religious
sect among us that is wholly foreign in its
character. No sooner did our people form
themselves into a republic and separate
from all European alliances than the Pro-
testant denominations followed the exam
pie of the state. They FASTENED to enter
upon new system of Church govern
mcnt, were organized under common
law, and shared in the progressive i'm.
pulses of the rising nation. Presbyterians
discovered their connection with the Gen.
eral Assembly of Scotland, and declared
their independence of all the trammcls Of
royal supremacy; Methodists, then in
their feeble dawn, rejected the control in
political and ecclesiastical matters Of their
founders; even Episcopalians, still touch
ed by lingering faint Of loyalty and an
almost abject devotion to their parent
church, thew aside the traditions of the
past, asserted their own right of self gov
ernment, and revoltcd wholly from the
control Of the Archbishop Of Canterbury
and every European power, Holander
and Lutheran, Calvinist and Congregation.
alist, united in this timely movement and
our various Protestant bodies, with gener-
Gus solfsacri6ce, and at the cost of sever.
ing many natural ties and wounding many
bitter predjudces, joined in urging on.
ward the progress of freedom, and mould
ing our people into simple and sclE-reliant
republicaDism Much Of the success of
our institutions is due to this patriotic de-
votion of the rival churches much that
they have never clamored for political
power, and have ever submitted peaceful
ly to the most tistasteful requirements of
the law.
Another eminent religious body has
shown sincere patriotism not surpassed
by the Christian sects. Industrious, fru-
gal, charitable, intelligent, the Jews,
from the founding of the republic, have
endeavored to perform the part of good
citizens, have accepted, We are assured
by their teachers, with gratitude and Joy
the generous gift of perfect equality, and
have strivcn to repay by their loyalty the
beneiactions of the state. They have
come to us burdened with many disadvan-
tages. In the Old World they had known
ceaseless persecution. The influence Of
Romish prejudice had made them out
casts and exiles. They had often learned
to look even upon Protestants as blgoted
to strange excess. Their religion, rigid
aud exclusive, separated them from any
intimate association with the people among
whom they we're thrown. Yet with that
good sense that springs from their general
the Jews have forgotten the
past to throw themselves boldly into the
the tide of American progress They
have obeyed the laws, however opposed
10 their own usages they sustain the pub
lie schools without murmur; they attend
Christian colleges, and listen respectfully
to religious services alien to their own
they keep their poor from the almshouses.
and practice a general industry; and as
they advance in a knowledge of Cur poll
tics 1t is certain that pure republicanism
VIII have no more resoute defenders than
that Semitic race that has wandered to
cur shores 10 search of peaceful home
Yet one religious body has ever held
iloof from its fellows, and still maintains
4 dangerous isolation The Romish Church
.lone refuses to separate itself from its
European masters, to conform its govern-
meet and cts organization to the require
ments Of freedom. 1t still remains al
together foreign church. Its supreme
ruler is in italy its nronerto and nr;ast