Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-06-17
The Progress Of Religions Liberty.

lbAuJg bOctohyt kuu kOVok0Q00L upon bQem.
Let the resolutions be entered upon the re-
cords Of this Court.
The Progress Of Religious Libersy.
REV. RPHKR wHITAKKR's ADDRESS BEFORE IHE
ArHENKAS SOCIETY OF DEL AWARE coLLEax.
The following is an abstract Of the address de-
lvered before the Athenean Society Of Della
ware College, which we could not find room for
| yesterday
Gentlemen Of Tie Aaienaan, LADIES and Cen
| teme,i-
On returning to 4 seat of learning, after
| twenty years absence, one ia conscious Of pecu-
Lar emotions, we feel grateful reoollccdons Of
| the past OF society enjoyment, Of intellectual
| culture. of the growth of scientific thought
and OF religious liberty and progress We feel
| the tide how strong from the fountains of
YOUTH Al we breathe the genial atmosphere of
| the place where our powers were framed. Our
| hearts beat with happiness, because divine pro-
violence has permitted us to enjoy these advAn-
| tages.
But the grateful cannot guard against sad
ness, and our eyes fn with tears as
| the tongue begins to si.ig, We think
| OF those gone before, and the absent
oyerpowers the present 1t is well to feel the
| follow them.
This anniversary will not prove fruitless to
| those who are present this evening. Let us re-
| new the influence Of Graham-he who had =
wan suohBer tnAn auamant, BensibilitieS liner
| than woman's. There we're others. Bell and
| toote, Chamberlain and McNeal, with their
| compeers-some gone from Gods ministry on
| earth to meet their reward in hesven-snd
McCrea, who died for us, for the stars and
stripes, which were more precious to him than
| life.
We are called to make life effective for no
| ignobe purpose, and this demands Of us the
best OF our power. Duties must be met and dis
charged by this generation now entering life,
| Let not the yOuug think thar fhara has haan
settlement OF all the great issues Of civil and
| ligious liberty. There yet remain questions OF
| government OF finance, of education, which will
| be for your consideration. When Charles Sum-
| ner first entered Congress, Thomas Benton lsaid
to him, you have come on the stage too late.
| All the great men, Webster, Clay, Calhoun have
passed away all the great issues arc settled"
Isn nem'on ona ,'S %S t., one H OF our greatest
pied period Of 80 years, but he could not foresee
| that the issnes in which Sumner was to take
part were more momentous than any that had
,gitated the Union, in their effects upon free
dom in church and State.
| The Declaration Of Independence Ia our pro-
per point of departure The speaker then spoke
| OF an immense boulder he had seen on the line
of Howe's march from the Elk TO the Brandy
wine, and after specializing at length upon It's
antiquity, and its nothingness, proceeded TO char.
acterlze the Declaration Of Independence a. one
of the great stones in the Temple of Liberty rest-
ing upon and upholding others. Strike this
i hpSh hu0 fou ruhittI Olutib.
The speaker then commenced special plead
ing for Presbyterianism- That Declaration was
| the point of union for many convergiDg lines
One of these lines led through Geneva The
speaker proceeded to describe the various reso-
lutions which convnlsed that city until at least
Calvsnism (hs synonym for liberty triumphsd
| But not yet WAS religious liberty gained. Beset
| by ferocious enemies, Geneva had to fight for
her life. Religious liberty had to wait until the
Hugusnot, the Puritan and the Calvanist hsd
| laid the foundations OF great empire.
The speaker then turned his attention to 9TH
| er lands. He sharply reviewed the administra-
ton OF Louis Quaiorze, and denounced what he
| termed q merciless persecution of the Hugue-
| nots He claimed that the Huguenots we're al
| ways faithful and that in the name Of religion
| 500, 600 OF them had been sent to their graves
| because they wished to worship God in their own
| way.
The speaker then passed to England and &C.
| lected Milton as her foremost name. He eulo-
| gized him ss man who studied the distinction
| between religion and civil rights, and one who
had excited . salutary influence upon Reprbl-
| canlsm. England has never yet fully fgotten up
| to his position. The last decade has brought
| her nearer. The extension OF the ballot the
separation OF the Irish Church from the IStste
are steps up to Millions visions.
Returning to France he remarked that the
| Declaration of Independence was an incentive
| TO the French Revolution He then spoke Of
| the comparatively short time since, when all
over Europe, excepting Sweden and Switzerland
M
| the Union OF church and State had control and
| there existed but the bare toleration of dissent
Asia aud Africa were an unbroken despotism.
| Now the chief countries Of Europe have consti-
tutional governments and most OF the persecut.
ing governments are swept ont of existence.
| Magenta and Solferino, Nolturno and Montana.
| Gravelotte and Sedan were scenes of propress
The reverend gentlemen now dweit on the
prosperity OF the lands, where he claimed an
| open Bible existed.
Where that one man or Pontf power exists,
there will be found the lesst progression in gen.
ersl knowledge. Italy and Austria have been
compelled to change their governments, Mexico
and Brazil are yet struggling. Prussia is free
| ana advancing, while England and Hol-
land, with their open Bibles, shed
swide influence and with their colonies are Civ
ing ciyli snd religious liberty to one-s1th of the
earth. Northern Europe and North America
lands of open bibles, are the most prosperous
regions OF the earth, and spread protecting in
fluence over one quarter OF the hsbitable globe
The time is not far distant when this country
would hold population of over 200, 600 0o0 and
| rldlculed Csrlyles idea that cheap land wss the
| reason. II was the Declaration of In.
\ dependence that msgnetzes the mass
| ot the civilized world and draws the millions
| hither. This declaration declares that liberty
snd equality are God giye1 hAts. This Declsr-
ton Of human rights, the publication which OF
sent s thrill through the earth, springs not from
heathen philosophy. but frcm the Bible and
comes to every man, born as they are in the same
manner redeemed by the same Messiah and
| travelling TO the same grave.
| 1t is generally known how our ancestors
gained their independence and how they gsined
| civil freedom but 1t is not well known that it
required 50 years to gain religious liberty. The
| speaker now turned his attention towards the
sad condition OF Presbyterians in colonial times.
Prosecuted by all, sheltered by none, he de-
| picted It ss very psrish among sects and de-
| clsred that it grew up in spite of oppression.
| He traced the change after the Declaration Of
Independence and the demand OF the Virginia
Presbyterians for their rights. The speaker
concluded by stating that the day Of trial for
| tins freedom is near at hand. and said he Men
who love their country should mark the signs of
l the time.