The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-02-02
God In tn q Constitution.
A LITTER FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON ON
THE SUBJECT.

LITTER FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON o.
THE SUBJECT.
The following correspondence be-
tween the "Presbytery Of the East
ward" and George Washington, dat
ed shortly after the adoption Of the
Constitution, shows that the same
ideas prevailed among certain class
Of theologians then as now, and the
reply of the Father of his Country
will be found q crusber. 1t was ta-
ken from the Massachusetts, Centinel
of December 5, 1850:
1.-The Presbytery of the Eastward,
convened at Newburyt ort, in Their
address to the President Of tho Uni
ted States in his late tour says:
Among the objections to the fedora
Constitution we never considered the
want of religious test--that Crane
engine ofpersccution in every tyrant'
hand But we should not have beor
alone in rejoicing to have seen some
explicit acknowledgement of the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, " hom He
sent, inserted somewhere in the Mag.
ma Charta of our country. We are
happy to find, however that this de-
feet has been amply remedied in the
face Of all the world by the piety and
devotion in which your first pnblic
act of Office was performed. by the
religious observance of the Sabbath,
and of the public worship of God, of
which you have set so eminent an ex-
ample, and by the warm strains of
Christian and devout affections which
run through your late proclamation
for a general Thanksgiving"
To the Minister and Ruling Elders
delegated to represent the Chnrch-
es in Massachusetts and New
Hampshire, which compose the
First Presbytery of The Eastward.
GENTLEMEN: The affectionate well
come which you are pleased to give
me to the eastern parts of the Union
would leave me without excuse, did
fail to acknowledge the sensibility
which it awakens, and to express the
most sincere return that a grateful
sense ofyour goodness can express.
10 be approved by the praiscwor-
thy is wish as natural to becomin Q
ambition, as it's consequence is fiat
tering to our self-love.
81 am, indeed, much indebted to
she favorable sentiments which you
entertain towards me, and it will be
my duty to study to deserve them.
"The tribute Of Thanksgiving which
you offer to the gracious Father of
Lights, for His inspiration of our
public councils with wisdom and irm-
ness to complete the national consti-
tuition, is worthy of men who. devoted
to the pious purposes of religion, de-.
sire their accomplishment by such
means as advance the temporal hap
piness of their fellow-men.
"And here, I am persuaded, you
will permit me to observe that the
path of true piety is so plain as to
require but little political direction.
TO this consideration we ought to
ascribe the absence Of any regulations
respecting religion from the Magma
Charta of our country. To the guild
ance Of the ministers Of the Gospel,
this important object is perhaps more
properly committed. 1t will bo your
caro- to instruct the ignorant and re-
claim tho devious. And in the pro-
gress of morality and science, to
which our government will give every
furtherance, we many confidently ex-
pect the advancement Of true relig.
ion and the completion of our happi-
ness.
I pray the muni6cent Rewarder of
virtue that your agency in this work
may receive its compensation here and
hurao s. or G WAsuvpcrnn