The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-20
WI. C. Nj. A. COURSE.


Last evening the Rev. G. W. Buck delivered
in the NJ. G. NJ. A. course, to large and inter-
ested audience, a lecture entitled 'God in the
Constitution" of which we present an abstract.
There is movement on foot at the present
time to have the Constitution of the United
States so amended that it shall acknowledge
Almighty God as the author of the nations ex-
istence. Jesus Christ as its ruler, and the BIZ
BILE as its rule of ,conduct add thus indicate
this to be Christian nation, and place Chris
tian laws, institutions and usages on legal ba-
sis. A second object is to make SUNDAY laws
and religious practices in schools constitution
AL" meaning by Sunday laws such as shall re-
late to religious observances, as other Sunday
laws are already constitutional. The workings
of these laws would lead to the enforcement of
belief in Deity, in Jesus Christ as ruler of the
nation and the Bible as the supreme rule of
action. The speaker proceeded to show that
the proposed amendment would not promote
godliness in the people, but that the attempt to
secure such an amendment was waste of en-
ersy which the condition of society loudly de-
manded should be used in other directions. In
stead of trying to ''put the name of God on the
people, these well-meaning persons might, with
Justice devote themselves to fostering godliness
in the people"
History shows innumerable cases of the dan
ger resulting from union of church and state.
The government of Cromwell (which consd.
cred religion its surest basis and religious dsci
pline its first duty, ended in heartless sensual:
ty, in the dissolution OF all ties OF honor and
morality" Not only does morality suffer, but
life is cheapened, cruelty is stimulated, and re-
1ioi0uS zeal 04OpnarataS amaze to become a
cloak for malignant passions. The greatest
blot upon the historic page is Just TINS usurpa-
ton, by human government, OF coos empire
over human thought"
If the desire is to make this Christian ma.
ton. the surest. and indeed the only route to
that end is through the electoral, not the docu-
mental constitution. For what constitutes
state? Men, high minded men," Make the
people Christian, and the state will need no
label to indicate its position. That making
Sunday laws and Bible reading in schools con-
stitutonal will not lead to the desired end, q
glance at some of the evils which most initiate
against our claim to be Christian nation WILL
show. Would the name of God IN the Consti-
tuition have sooner lead to the destruction OF
slavery? IF belief in the Bible as the supreme
rule of conduct had been in the Constitution,
would the stain of slavery been sooner re-
moved? The Bible was as impotent against
slavery as it is against intemperance Ire
name of God in the constitution
of slavery as it is against the danger
not to the wording buG to the pernanence
of the constitution, in the constantly widening
and deepening gulf between the rich and the
poor; in the threatening increase of the money
power which Mr.. Beecher says must in 20
years bring about either reformation or rev.
olution; in the neglect of children and the con-
sequent increase of ignorance ard crime, and in
the divided allegiance of Roman Catholic citi-
zens. The amendment which is proposed and
all the laws which would ont of If would
be pOwerless to stay the course OF the moral
evils growing out of an unsound currency, nor
could it restrain the rising generation from
catching the gambling mania
Neither would it be efficaclous in the depart
ment of theology Rev. DR.. Cummings plan
of having the atheist or infdel treated as
criminal, and restrained a scourge and
curse" would create ten nfidels where now is
one. If his doctrine is the legitimate outcome
of Christianity, away with Christianity!
The mention of these social ills which the
constitutional amendment could not remedy,
shows what wide field there is for phian-
thropic labor, and what waste it would be to
turn it in the direction proposed by these dog
matte persons. What means then shall be TAX
en- to ameliorate the condition Of the peoplef
First-Social Science must be studied with ref
erence to present need for that alone can an
swer the cry "What shall be done?" of that
numerous body of men and women, who are
thinking that something must be done, who are
ever trying to make out what it shall be, who
even sometimes make guess and act accord
ingy, as Carbonar or as Internationals, or in
other combinations. ut is wrong to regard
them as wanton disturbers of the public order:
they are sufferers, seeking relief" Something
must be done to help them and also to stop
war, pestilence, the increasing distance be-
tween rich and poor, and that most fatal form
of unbelief-unbelief in human virtue" An
other remedy would be found in wider use OF
Christian principle and method-the principle
of M and the p1athOd Of the Golden
rule-such cultivation of sympathy as shall
lead those above want to wish habitually-"f
only the nee1y were decently clad and fed.
"If religious thought could be in some measure
withdrawn from the grisly errors of the past
and the miserable terrors of the future, from
tradition behind and perdition before, to con-
template the pressing urgences of the everlast-
ing now, the gain would be great"
Edmund Burke says "When bad men COM
bine, the good must associate" SO if all per-
sons interested in the welfare of others would
combine, they could bring about compulsory
education, could change the penitentiary to
house of reformation, could hasten the time
when woman would accept her proper half of
the task of governing the country; in short.
would make themselves felt in all avenues of
focial activity, redeeming or regenerating the
nation.
Besides these methods of reform each one
can help ON in way best suited to himself.
Fortunately, all reformetory measures are CO.
operative-"Every valuable influence put in
operation is potent ally of every other."
The savors of society are of two classes-those
who work directly on the ignorant and vicious,
and .those who, by thought and study by
speech and pen, labor to foster the regenera-
tive tendencies of nature" For there is one
note with which the human mind is radically
in. sympathy, it is the note of progress"
Many may sound the note and die, unheard or
unheeded, but at last, humanity shall re-
spoud.
Hence it would be better TO educate God IN
the people, instead of migrating God on the
people.