The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-31
TAKING CHURCH PROPERTY.
IMPORTANT LETTER FROM EX-GOVERNOR DIX
coNDEAlNISG THE MOVEMENT.


proposition To impose a tax the worship of AL
mighty God unless IT is rendered in the open air or in
building already subject to taxation. No one
objects the taxation of any church property devoted
to secular 1t the imposition OF taxes on houses
of worship that is so objected PROCLAMATION of
that when should be held sacred.
One OF the advocates OF the commends to
the example OF the primitive Christians in regard TO
outdoor service If parallel could be drawn between
the climate of Judea radiant with sunshine and peren-
NAL bloom all the year round, and ours. in which Tex
traordinary exceptcd) are buried in snow
three months and pinched with cold. even when
under cover, two three
Another says that the Apostles achieved their
cesses without churches
But these references TO the habits OF the early fol-
lowers OF the Saviour manifest extremely super
fetal knowledge OF ecclesiastical history The Last
Supper was administered by Him In upper room,
and OF His teachings the synagogues The
Acts of the Apostles show that they preached in tho
Temple at Jerusalem whenever they allowed TO
do and in the synagogues at Antioch, Thessalonica,
Athens Corinth Ephesus and wherever else they
They used Jewish houses worship because they had
none of their After the ascension of their
Divine Master His followers for long period Of
time the objects of Jewish and Pagan persecution,
tanned by the temporal authorities aud their worship
was conducted in hiding places sometimes in cata-
combs in the bosom OF the earth. II they had been
blessed with tho religious federation which
ENJOY, and had possessed our wealth. there is every
To believe that they would have built
houses of worship as tasteful and costly as
The instinct OF all communities OF men Is
to erect for the worship OF their Creator cdhces
spending to their conceptions of HIS majesty and His
bencncence. There are us we all know, more mex
ponsive than expensive houses of worship; but il
because, in the great majority OF religious societies,
there is inability to do more 1t IL credtable TO
Christians OF all denominations that their
far ra Ipul Y le
mary means. We cannot doubt that the primitive
Christians entertained elevated views OF the dignity
OF the service due to their Heavenly Father their
lsrnelitic predecessors who built the Temple OF Jeru
salem. The Divine Founder of our faith gave an i'm
prcssve proof OF His conception OF the sacred character
oil edihces consccraed to the service oil God by driving
tile money changers out OF the templehe only act of
violence in HIS mock and compassionate HE; and
trust we shall nave courage ana reverence enough TO
initiate His example, and prevent the money changers
IRON getting a foolhod in houses OF worship aud
converting them into dens of thieves
As the primitive Christians ceased 10 be OBJ
ecs OF persecution and were protected by tber civil
rulers they began TO erect expensive houses OF wor-
ship; and from the of Constantine they converted
splendid pagan temples TO the service OF their Maker
There are now IN the city OF Rome eight of
these temples reclaimed from heatbenism and consc
Grated Christian worship From that day TO this
DURING The apse of nearly 600 yearsno government
has undertaken church edtices pay tribute for
the privilege of worshpplng God. Even the pagans,
through the veneraton in which they held the temples
dedicated to their idols manifest more reverence than
the promoters OF tins raid upon religious worship No
movement has given such encouragement and comfort
II
inent To the progress OF Christian teaching, this
proposal to tax church edlces. Sectaran discussions
have succeeded in driving religious instruction out of
the public schools; and cupidity and unbclicf
would break down the Sunday schools by pccu-
mary impostions upon the ediccs IN which they
held, and set communities and neighboThoods ut
work to calculate the cash value of religious worship
1t is difficult conceive that the proposition could
have had lis origin in any other breast than one
friendly to all church organizations, or one IN which
the love of money is the predominant passion If
those who have set on foot this movement want more
IN ct tobacco.
pictures last horses, dogs, liquor saloons, dance
houses clubs theatres diamonds equipages, every
thing short, which ministers TO their pleasures,
their tastes and their sensual indulgences. Nay es
them tax their seminares of learning, their institu
tons devoted to human science and even the grounds
in which UNCONSCIOUS bones of their
pose rather than invade with merccnary the
edil:es devoted to the worship OF Almighty God and
teaching OF duty to Him and neighbors.
Some of the abettors OF this movement have had
the magnanimiIy to let us understand that they
ready to compromise with the Sovereign Ruler They
will make reasonable concessions They will allow
81, 900 of the value of each OF HIS churches to be
exempt from taxation, and only exact OF Him pay
mcnt the residue They may, perhaps so so far as
TO allow HIM 81 000-as mach as II would cost we'll
10 farmer house his horses and his horned cattle
There degree OF sublmity in this condescension
which bcggars all comment, and dismiss it With
those who think the Almighty sufficiently honored by
rendering HIM homage IN buildings better than
barns and outhOuses, matter how abundant
the pecunilry means Of the worsnippers and
who attach sanctity to one class
OF those odltccs than to the other, II would be
equally fruitless and numiatng to hold any parley
conference In manifold instances both in the Old and
New resaments house OF worship Is called the house
4 OF God, and II Is always named with appropriate
J expression OF reverence The universal heart
spends TO tins designation and no matter how humble
the edlce consecraled 10 HIS service all when
within its naOwcd walls feel scnsiby than they
do amid the turmoil OF the outer world that they are
the presence OF the Omnipotent Bong, by whom the
great OF the moved and controlled
and That by ignoring Hun they rcnounce all hope OF
higher state OF existence.
The scheme should be ropudiated and denounced in
all It's parts One can hardly debate it without feel
ing of amusement II Is not subject for human logic.
1t is problem proAt and loss, TO be argued by
religious obligation side and financial cupdity
on the other. Ii Is OF instinct, Unborn rev.
ercnce. OF the consciousness which every mind
prrverted bv the scphstcations of worldly science
has OF lis own immeaSurabo lneriority to tho Sove-
reign Ruler Of the universe and OF the homage II
HIN rs IT'S creator ana rcdccmcr. There rs something
revoltGg to the moral in its normal state IN the
idea making mcrccnary profit out OF an edince
sccrated 10 His service. When this inner Is
wanting argument rs iruitless.
The most attractive objects which meet us in
travels IN Europe the cathcdrals. Amid all the
wars the boodshed the baroarities, the desolation
winch nations have visited upon each other under the
! misgudancc OF their evil PASSIONS these monuments
OF their faith and their devotion come out from the
dark background Of the picture IN bright reei
cred tributes the Creator of the universe. No
stand beneath their domes and vauted roofs with
feeling that they atone Tor much OF tho wrong
committed by their authors, who lavlshed them
without stint the wealth thcy would otherwise have
wasted on DESTINATIONS qualifications unholy indu-
genccs Heaven forbid that the lesson of these
parativey uncivzod ages should DO lost ON US, and
tha m this day OF intellectual light and social refine
the gnthcrcr should be sent to h HIS bag of
lucre by lovyng contributions tho sanctuares OF the
! living Cod
/ do not believe that any community which seeks TO
throw It's secular expenses the worship OF God by
lcvyng contributions the cdces consccrated to His
long escape the chastisemtnt 1t provokcs
Ii - necessary look for special visitions OF III
manifestations OF H. sdisplcasure Cupdiiy, solshncss
rapacty the Proclamation OF things which should DO
held sacred carry with them, by the force OF mmu-
table laws the reributon denounced by the codes they
violate
/ All religious denominations have the interest
In preventing their houses Of worship from being
dcsccrated sccuarizcd by taxation. As beau
tiiuliy expressed by Nine dc Sael 'rhcir ceremonies
strongly contrasted but the sigh OF Distress
the petition Tor support asccnds to heaven from
ALI -
II TO that this whole movement Is cal
culatcd the breasts oil rejecting persons
feeling OF profound sorrow and unmtigatcd disgust
The proper mode OF treating is scout it out OF the
committee rooms, legislative halls and social circles
which It has dcnled by It's presence. To give II any