National Republican., 1875-12-08
GOD THE SUPREME POWER.

IConttNuea yrowJ JUN Page.1
dumb 1900 idiotic; 1900 insane. and 10000
paupcrs. For the support Of such millions of dol
lars are annually appropriated, but there two
things IL @ State cannot and must not do-compel
the Church TO supply the funds for said appropra-
tions or distribute said funds through the Church.
To do either would be contrary TO our religious
liberty.
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
An intelligent citizenship Is Of greater import
ance in republic than under any other form OF
government An aristocracy of learning may
answer the purposes of the governing classes In
common mind must be taught to thfnE; the elt-
Eens must be educated TO understand the prlnei-
pies Of free government, the true sphere and re-
grapple icifh and triumph orer the schemes Of
corrupt leaders. Where the government is sub
cordng to the wishes OF the majority. the masses
must be intelligent. And the primary object of
| individual mind 10 think. If We have soldiers,
their bayonets must think; If we have sailors,
their guns must hink; If we have voters, their
And to secure the largest possible freedom of
thought.our public schools should be taught by
citizen and not priests politicians Sectarian
ism and = artisanism should be excluded in toto
and forever from all schools created and fostered
phatkally American schools, for the glory and
perpetuity Of cur Republic. Let there De taught
therein all useful science and art all national his
our Government and its administration, but ex-
clude theIefrom all ereeds, all priests and all
ueuaSogues.
RELIGIOUS FREEDox.
And 1t Is the solemn duty of the State to protect
each citizen in his religious opinions forms OF Wor-
ship and missions Of mercy toward his fellOwmen.
or shall mot believe: what he shall or shall not
worship; what Church he shall or shall not sup
port. In all this he should be absolutely free. To
this there is and can be but one exception, name
ly: As when q Hindoo, in the name Of religion,
shall main his person or murder his child; or when
n Mormon shall set at defiance the numerical
equality Of the sexes and have plurality ofwiyes
THE CONSTITUTION.
Against the limitations Of conscience and restric-
tons on the freedom Of worship the Constitution
of the United States contains these two provisions;
Congress shall make no law regulating an es-
tablshment OF religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof" IArticle Ii
"No religious test shall ever be required
qualification to any office public trust under the
United States" Article Q.
BY these two provisions religious liberty Is Sc
cured TO all American citizens. Under this broad
@gis the Mohammedan may rear his.mosque and
and read his Shaster: the Chinese may build his
temple and read Confucius and Mencius. Here
the Jew may worship the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob; the Greek may adore the consecrated
host; the Romanist may revere the Virgin Mary.
Hero the followers of John Wesley, of John Cal
vim, Of George Fox, Of Roger Williams, together
with the High-Chureh, the Low Church and the
Hroad Church Episcopalians may sing, pray and
preach, with none to molest or make afraid
Having made these provisions, the State can go
no further. 1t cannot be the propagandist of any
form Of religion or religious creed. 1t cannot en-
Ty,
The religionist 1tcannot support sectarian chari-
ties or literary institutions. IL cannot release
church property from taxation. To do otherwise
would be TO compel others to support n creed In
which they do not believe, and to maintain u
church in which they have NO faith. |
RELIGIOUS AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.
Not satisfied with these provisions, few citi-
sens & IN their zeal but evidently der with good intent
United States by an additional article recognizing
Christianity. Could this be accomplished, it
ha hnnNI (laA 10 sell
declaration rights, which is the vasis of our
Constitution, wherein are Incorporated the divine
principles Of TRUTH justice and mercy. God wants
his name written not on parchment, but on the
hearts of his people. Christ demands hearts, not
was written ali over the Jewish commandment,
and such was the pretended reverence for one form
Of His adorable name that its utteranee was for
bidden; yet the Jews crucited the Son of God.
The name of Christ was inscribed in every part of
the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great
nneej snd has om
the face of the earth. His precious name was en-
blazoned everywhere in France and if France did
not go to the devil, the devil went TO France.
Our fathers framed for US n government, which
Is HoR-religfoUs, but not irreIigfous 1t is nOn-
religious in the sense. it does not interfere d.
rccty or Indirectly in the faith and worship the
citizen 1t is not irreligiOus because 1t recognizes
God in His sovereignty as Creator. as Judge and
our Heavenly Benefactor. Thrice Is He reyerently
mentioned in the Declaration of Independence
as the Sod Of naturc;'' as the supreme Judge
of the world;'' as the ''Divine Providence"
wherein our fOrefathers firmly trusted for 'pro-
teetion.r The official acts OF the founders of our
Republic are the eloquent recognitions of the
On the 10th of March, lTTs, Mr.. William Liy-
ingston offered in Congress resolution, which
was adopted, designating the 18th day Of May
1776, ''as day of humiliation fasting and prayer,
that we may with united hearts confess and be-
wall our manifold sins and transgressiOns, and by
sincere repentance and amendment Of life aP-
pease Gods righteous displeasure, and, through
the merits and meditations Of Jesus Christ, OBJ
tain His pardon and forgiveness"
In hR Of q n
committee, consisting of Messrs WitherspOon,
Lee and Adams, reported the following resolu-
tiOn, which was adopted:
"Resolred, That Ii is recommended to all the
United States, as soon as possible, to appoint
of Almighty God the FORGIVENESS of the many sins
prevailing among all ranks, and to beg the eOntin
uance and assistance OF His providence in the prose-
cution Of the present just and necessary war. The
Congress do also, in, the most earnest manner,
recommend to all the members of the United
States, and particularly the officers, civil and
military, under them, the exercise Of repentance
and reformation; and further require Of them the
strict observation Of the articles OF war and par
profane swearing and all immortality, (which all
such offices are desired to take notice"
In the year Ill., on the 1lth of September, Con-
press adopted the report Of n committee on the
memorial of DR.. Allison and others, asking for
means to supply the Holy Scriptures to the Colo
mics. -.
"That the use of the Bible is so universal, and
the above to the consideration CT Congress; and,
If Congress shall not think it expedient TO order
the importation Of types and paper, the committee
recommend that Congress will order the Commit
tee of Commerce TO import twenty thousand Bibles
from Holland, Scotland or elsewhere, into the
different parts of the Union"
s1Wherefore 1t was moved and carried that the
Committee of Commerce be directed to import
/ trenty thousand copies ofthe Bible"
Unfortunately the embargo prevented the con-
summation OF the desired result; but in lS72 Mr..
| Robert Aitkin of Philadelphia, proposed to Con-
| gress to print edition OF the Scriptures. The
subject was referred to a committee who reported
| in favor Of the measure whercupon II was
Reioired, That the United States in Congress
assembled highly approve OF the pious and laud-
able undertaking Of MIR. Aitkln, subscrvient to
the interests Of religion well as an instance of
the progress Of the arts in this cOuntry and being
satisfied from the aboyer report of his and
L curacy in the execution Of the work, they recon-
mend this edition Of the Bible to the inhabitants
of the United States, and hereby authorize him
| TO publish this Recommendation in the manner he
shall think proper. tSee Peck's Great Republic,
And T thus. by this ..natIonai act IN behalf of the
Bible" the Holy Bible was recognized as the
only definition Of the religion Of the nation
Nay, more; When eur Independence was
achieved by the surrender OF Cornwallls at York
town, Congress resolved TO go In n body to the
| Dutch Lutheran church to return thanks to
| Almighty God for crowning the allied arms with
success, and issued proclamation appointing the
18th day Of December, 1881, as day Of general
Thanksgiving and prayer on account Of this signal
! interposition VI Divine Providence"
1 CHRISTIANITY .--I -r4
| And now let us inquire what Is the relation OF
4 Christianity to tho State In this country? We
do not ask what Is the relation OF the Church to
the State, but aEhat relation does CATfsffdHtfy
hold to cur Commonwealth hiSthe source and
| authority Of the sentiments of mercy, the prfn-
eiples of justice and the doctrines Of liberty en-
bodied I'm our CONSTITUTIONAL legislation- 1t de-
| fines and declares the moral character OF our
rulers II is the inspiration of that moral senti
ment which lies back OF constitutions, back OF
| laws, back of Administrations, and which Is the
| power and glory of ALI human governments. Our
splendid Government, the growth Of the centuries
/ the ripened wisdom Of the past, the purest and
| most benefcent on all the earth, would tall to
| pieces like q rope Of sand unsupported by the
moral sentiment OF christian people, who de-
mand that crime shah be punished and virtue
| shall be rewarded. 90 ~ aHs.y
this the Church should not go; beyond this tho
State should not let the Church CO. To create such
| moral sentiment In community is the divine mis-
sion Of the Christian religion. And to do this she
nyokes neither the sword Of the conqueror nor the
| sceptre of the monarch. Her conquering forces
are not swords, but arguments; not sceptreS, but
motives. The Heavenly Author Of Christianity
| was tempted by the devil and solicited by the
/ Jews to found His empire BY force and not on the
4 consent Of manhood. Shall 1t be BY coercion or
eonsent; by force or persuasion; by le9lon5 or ar
/ gunents? He decided for argument, persuasion,
consent. And this Is the secret OF tho unpar
aleled success Of Christianity in this country and
i is another proof Of the divine wisdom in sepa-
| rating,the state from the Church.