National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-09-10
RELIGIOUS OPINION A CENTURY AGO
YaKy. T. J.. sAwrrR, u. D.

ny REV. T. J. skwyER, n. D.
Few chapters In ecclesiastical history pos
sess higher interest for an American, II SCENE
to US, Than that OF our own country during
the last hundred years. True, 1t has not been
marked by many striking external events.
The only ono, indeed, deserving special no
tce is tho adoption Of that article Of the Com
stitution Of the United states, by which the
establishment Of any form Of religion by law
Is forever forbidden, and the natural right Of
every man 10 ayow the honest convictions OF
his own heart and 10 worship according TO
the dictates Of his own conscience Is forever
secured. Il at once separated Church and
State; 1t remittcd religion, Is a matter that
lies exclusively between man and his Maker,
to the soul Of the individual, where II justly
belongs, and restored Christianity, which had
so long been treated by civil governments as
founding utterly incapable Of self-support
or self-protectlon, to lis original state OF
noble Independence, and left It to work lite
way and accomplish Its destiny by Its own
divine and native force.
That the founders Of our Government
clearly perceived the justice OF this novel
measure, we have no reason to doubt, but
that they foresaw all its bencacent influences
and Its grand results, Ia In the highest degree
improbable. Yet, whatever It's consequences
were to be, the step was demanded ny the
stern logic Of events. Tho love soi religious
liberty had been growing for ages, and here
in the New World II ripened rapidly Into en-
during fruit. A union OF the Stntes under any
other condition than that Of entire religious
freedom, was obviously impossible. And al
though some honest and earnest Christians
NAV at first have entertained fears for the
safety Of their beloved religion. when thus
denied tho powerful support and protection
happily been dissipsted., The experience Of
nearly century has demonstrated That mo-
where Is religion more respected, nowhere
Is It more honorably maintained, or Its pub
lie offices better attended. The voluntary
principle" as IL Is called, has been amply
indicated, and that, toe, under eircum-
stances the most unfavorsble, In new coun-
M amid s, sparse ss n aaS Be a
Of our civilization, It certainly cannot be
charged with being irreligious. In every
neig6borhood, especially In the Northern
and Middle States, the school-house and the
house for religious worship take their places
almost ut once On lbs nrst settlement and
thencetorward grow and multiply with the
growth Of the community. The American
MIMI, u uCotTNbo W W bptuSIAptt WIN VII SIC
inquisitivcuess and love OF novelty, and de-
sire for progress, does not naturally tend 10
skepticism and luldelity. Indeed, almost oil
the in6delity, whether vulgar, literary, OF
scientific, now In the country, Ia not only OF
foreign origin, but 10 constantly nursed by
foreign Influences,
But II our religious history has been
marked by few great outward events, lot
us not suppose that 1t must, on.that account,
"A AZ no md mi arpatinU
On the contrary, 1t appears to us that the
gradual change OF religious opinion and the
unquestlonabls amelioration Of popular be-
lief throughout oil the more Intelligent por.
tons of the country, and thls as fruit oil
free thought free speech, and consequently
| free discussion, Is Of itself fact well worthy
of the profoundest consideration, aud Il.
historical development could not fall to fur
nish theme that might well command the
ablest pens Of the age and the country. IL II
nothing TO have demonstrated to the world
that Christianity Gun live and prosper with
out aid from the civil power-apower that has
far oftsps, lipdered than helped the cause Of
true religion, and done more to corrupt and
palsy than to purify a4d tpylgorate IN Is i
when left entirely free, and when IL eppeals
alone to the minds and hearts Of menf Is 1t
nothing to have proved that Christians
may differ and yet cultivate mutual re-
spect and charity for each otherp In
fine, Is Il nothing to exhibit the great fact
thai out OF the warmest aud, II you please,
the bitterest religious controversies, aud In
spite of all that has ever been said of the
odium heologicnni, truth Aas RsaD gradually
brought forth, aud broader, nobles, kIndlier
views upon the whole subject Of religion
have gradually come TO be entertained
Upon this wide and interesting field II Is
not our purpose to enter. Our object Is o
much handler one. We propose In the pres
ent article merely 10 sketch the condition Of
religious opinion and faith here as Il existed
hundred years ago, and leave our readers to
draw their own conclusions as to the changes
which have been wrought since that period
BY comparing 1t with what they see about
them to-day.
IL is hardly necessary TO say that the
theology OF this country century ago was,
for the most part, Of the seyerest character.
Differing rs the people did In their Religious
professions, and especially their Views Of
Church goyernment.-.there being Romsnlsts,
Lutherans, Episcopalians. Dutch Reformed,
Presbyterians, Congrcgationalists, Baptlsts,
Methodists and Quaksrs-there was still o
greater degree OF agreement among them
than would at first be supposed. Tho same
general views Of human nature, the sama es-
sential conceptions Of the character Of God,
existed among them all. And these two
points, let US observe, furnish the great fac
Of man and OF God, and you tell US at the
same time all that Is necessary 10 determine
the salient features Of your creed.
l. In relation to man, II was almost pniver-
sally maintained by all sects and parties that
he Is by nature poor, fallen and ruined crea-
ture, who, on account Of Adams sin commit
ted In the garden Of Eden, Is now born Totally
avcrse TO all good and inclined TO
ali ayil II NINA haliayad that hq Ia n ntfs.Flv
corrupted In both soul aud body that he Is
not only indisposed, but absolutely unable to
think good thought or perform good ac-
ton; or II by chance he docs ever utter the
truth, exercise charity, or do any other act
required by the law OF God, 1t Is only for
mally right while at the core II Is corrupt
and In the sight Of God damnablel
How, with such faith, men could look In
each others faces, Is one Of the mysteries
past finding out. How the business OF the
world, which demands truth and honesty,
could be supposed under such circumstances
to go on, was unexplained and inexplicable
What people who entertained this opinion
meant by human virtue and moral goodness
1t Is impossible 10 conceive. What claims
duty could have upon such q creature, what
moral obligations he could be, under, and
how God, who Is at least just, could demand
services OF human hearts or hands which
they were wholly ineapacitated to perform,
we, of course, do not pretend to understand.
And finally, what God could find 10 such a
creature that Is worthy OF being loved or
worth being saved passes all human compre-
tension. The whole scheme was On ab- |
surdity that could hardly have been main |
tained moment anywhere else than In the |
Ology,
That man Is q sinner We hardly need q |
revelation to inform us. We are all con- |
'cious Of having done things that we ought |
not to have done, and OF having omitted what |
was imperiously demanded BY the voice Of |
iuty. But no man Is born sinner. Sin In |
Is very notion Ia not something that we |
,ring into the world with us as we do the |
'olor OF our eyes or the form Of our faces,