Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-03-18
Ought Church Property To b. Taxed I!

Ought NhurcH Properly W ~ I"Ac0
This oft recurring question is Of
vastly more Importance than the
casual observer will realize. Be-
sides the fact that tho taxation OF
all property Is the only .just basis
for it's operation, there cann0t be a
doubt that the including Of church
property would do more than any
other legislation to restoring the
church to its primitive simplicity,
purity, and efficiency, by restrain
ing its extravaganza. The incaease
of this class of property from "eighty
millions of dollars, to one thousand
millions in twenty-five years." Is so
greatly out Of proportion to the IN.
crease Of the general wealth of the
country, that it certainly ought to
receive the earnest attention OF the
people. If there was u correspond.
ingly improved state of morals and
religious sentiment, connected with
this enormous aggregation of church
accumulations, there would be cause
for heart felt congratulations; hut it
would be closing ones eyes to the
most palpable evidence, to the con.
tIary, to accept such II theory.
The "epidemic of crime" in the
form of torgeries, defalcations, brib.
cries, &C., &c, cannot be salts facto.
rily explained by the common rea
sons-i. Q. "increased population,"
"greater publicity" sc. The "bot'
tom facts" are to be found in the
vicious state Of society which ex-
acts such unreasonable and absurd
expenditures and it is sad TO con
template the fearful responsibility
resting on the churches in this con
ncction. Instead of rebukimg this
exravagance-this great source OF
corruption, we find no where a great
er desire to indulge in the luxuries
Of the age, or u more emulOus spirit
to excel each other in the display
of wealth than in all denominations
except those so small in numbers,
and so unpretending, as to be hard.
~ recognized as Christians. There
have been no more disgracetul fail.
ures-not actually criminal-than
those attending the erection of
church edifices. "Owe no man any
thing" SCENE to have no place in
the creeds of modern aristocratic
churches. In many instances, they
lave taken a wide departure" from
this principle; and, after exhaust
ing almost every expedient for rails
ing money, they adopt the worldly
recourse "a mortgage. A CONNER
cial crisis comes ; the heaviest men
fall; all values are deprecated. The
dedication OF mortgaged property,
does not save the church palace
from a foreclosure. Is it Il wonder,
that individuals are reckless, with
such examples before them ? Are
such OUTLAWS for temples and fur
nishings, salaries, &C., required by,
or in accordance with, the simple
teachings of our Master? DO they
in any instance afford the poorer
classes a better opportunity to hear
the Gospel? No! On the other
hand-like the richly endowed
"Dartmouth," which on the receipt
of half million bequest, it advanc-
es it's tuition twenty per cent. max
it's privileges more inaccessible.
1t is hard enough to have enor-
nous amounts of capital isolated
from the productive avocation of
the country, without having it ex.
empted from the expenses of it's
protection.
There is another consideration in
favor of universal taxation of prop
erty it would check the growth of
papal power in the nation. While
willing to concede Roman Catholics
all the privileges possessed by 9th.
er denominations, we cannot be too
apprehensive of the ultr amontane
Vaccinations Of the authorities of
the church. When the greatest liv-
ing statesman watches with eagle
eye, and checks every adva nee of
this, the most powerful organiza-
ton in the world, in Europe, it Ger
tainly behooves us to secure by all
honorable means our civil and religi-
GUS rights. Whenever Rome has the
wealth is its power-it
sets up the authority of it's "infali-
bic" head. Every paper, from the
Dominion, OH our borders, records
some outrage committed by this
power. Every rejecting Profess
tant ought to be reconoiled to any
that will tend to restrict
the arrogance and aggrandzment
Of this potent enemy of every form
Of freedom. T.G.