, 1873-11-18
"GOD IN THE CONSTITUTION"
To the Editor Of The Chicago TRIBUNE:

TO the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
sIE: Tho Rev. DR.. Chaplin il reported Us hay
ing said, in his late Horn,on iu Ailtona Theatre,
that Christianity is too often "malntaincd as o
form rather than as conviction - aud TINT it is
"largely accepted IN the spirit Tint is much moro
ready to talk Gospel thnn to practice it,-n spirit
that might bo quito willing to put the namo Of
the Divine Author and Founder into tho Consti-
tuition Of tho United States or any other political
document, and yet remain, aH boforo, uninf1u-
onccd by its light and regardless Of it's condi-
tiona."
That there ia a spirit Of Journalism in religion
is q fact so universally admitted as to mako its
annuucntion moro truism; but tue reverend
gontlemanH illustration. is peculiarly inRpropoB.
Truo there might be spirit willing to put the
namo Of God into tho Constitution, and regard
less of tho conditions Of Christianity, but We
have no evidence Of its existence; md. In u field
no full OF live foes, it is unworthy Of Dr. Chaplin
to set up a straw image in ordcr to demollsh it.
The only spirit in this land which could rem
sonably DO suspected OF a Willingness to put the
nsmo OF the Divine Author Of Christianity into
tho Constitution ia that represented by an Gsso-
citation calling itself National Reform. OF which
Felix Brllnot, Chairman Of tho Evangelical
Alliaucc, is President, and which embraces
tens OF thousands Of members who aro
scattcrcd over nil parts Of the Union,
and nre principally clergymon md others
noted TOR practical plety. To scloct this
society, by naming the specially for which 1t is
universally known, md making 1t stand for TINT
spirit which is uniniluenced by tho light Of
deliberate purpose. Dr.. Chaplin ID not the right
man to take go narrow q Wow Of tho work Of
my claBB Of laborora in tho groat VINEYARD Of
tho Master, and is singnlarly unlike himself
when ho attributes IN unworthy motive where q
better ono might be inferred.
By what other mems than that Of awakening
majority Of tho people Of the Unitod States to
n berso Of their religious duties, could any one
hope to procure religious amendment to tho
Constitution It ID by infuHing the spirit Of
christianity into tile popular mind that these
men hope to insert its form in our fundamental
law.
National ncformers claim that Constitutions
are not made, but growi that they. aro
the character Of tho peuple who live under thon,;
and that T. Chrislan people should have a
Christian Constitution if they arc but nominal
ly Christian, their Constitution should be nonl-
inally Christian and that, wliatoyer their char
meter is. they should openly and formally declare
it.. This demand il on tho principle which re-
quires III American ship to sail under an An1ori-
can FLAG. II q minority Of the people OF tue
Unitod States boiiovo III God and Christ. and tlo
Blule h6 tAo rHlc OF actl0I tlley oHs!t " Ea3 ~
in TINT document by which tLoir character is
known to tllH world.
IT NO are a Christian people, To ought to have
q Christian Governmeut; and, If We arc not, 'Te
should stop all our Fourth-of-July parade aud
prosouso Of living what We are not. #, as a na-
tion, no owe our existence md allegiance
Say s'' 30 IN the hs"pa mout Z formal aud un ~
1niBtakable mannor. If woow0 Him no allegiance,
why did and do VIC insult Him by prating about
olr national ains and repentance Why did we
60 to Him In onr hour Of peril, u no decline to
bo known by 1liu nnme III tho day Of our proB-
perity?
Is tho Divine Author aud Founder OF Chris
tpnity to 1ls what tho Shark God is to tho Sand
wch island convert, tho power TO which no ap-
ply iu storm, while Vo1 Populi is our fair-
wenther toity?
All those questions, and many more, undorlie
that of "puttinl: tho nnmo OF God into Tho Com
stitution Of Tho Unitod Htatcs," From tho way
In wllioh this purpose III generally spoken Of,
ono might infor that aoro ono proposed to write
tho na1ue OIL several small scraps Of nnper cover
thoae OH both sides with wet nl,!claEo, aud blow
thom RgainBt tho face Of the Constitution, and
thou fold 1t up and return 1t to It's pgron-hole,
Ono might alao infer tint tho proposition to put
1t thero IN my way wah nj, unoAr'of act Of dos
potism md blind bgotry; whoreas those en-
gagged iii this movement, of all met, aro those
least likely to attach a11y cubAllBt!o yittuo to tho
namo Of tho Doity, and would ho R1noug tho Inst
to Interfere with rights Of conscience. They MIN
iptonco, not only M individuals, but M nation,
and TINT to Him We nro Indebted for cyory good
thing, for civil government ~ much as Tor day
brand, Thoy want to teach this people, first, to
feel thcgo great fundamental truths; thon to OK
press tilen. IN tholr fundamental law, Just
US lnsn, who noant to be- honest
nv nh1IrntInn TxnertengA YroysA TINT man ARA