The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-06-14
RELIGION AND POLITICS.


The way to preserve the peace Of the church is
10 preserve The purity of fit.--I Mathew Henry
That state is best ordered where thewicked have
no command and the good have.-IPitachus'
We understand it is charged, probably
by some who are not very fAvorably DIS
posed to the Democratic party, that the
Roman Catholic Priests in several locall'
ties in Stark county at the late Democrat
ic primary meetings, actively interlered
and used their authority to compel their
members, at least those whom the Fath'
ers could control, to vote for one or two
gentlemen who were running for nomina'
lion. We cannot permit this story to be
circulated without at least saying that
Catholic Priest has the same political
rights in this country, that Protestant
minister has, and has the same right to
exert his personal influence. 1t is very
natural Priest or minister should favor
a true and devoted member ofhis church,
and pe, certainly, shall think none the
less of any one for so doing,
The Priest has the same political rights
that others have, and his members the
same that he has, Both are upon per-
feet equality in that respect, and any adj
vice or influence so exerted is only that
of one citizen to another If a member
is simple enough to regard the Priests
advice, or commands, in any other Light
it is his, the members, misfortune; and
only shows, that the public and political
schoolmaster must not let up in his et'
forts to getabroad, and around among the
dark corners.
The fundamental principle Of our po'
litical system is the right Of priOote jud9.
mert, and liberty of indjuiduaL action and
speech. Let every citizen then, church
member or not, act and do from the best
lights of his own judgment. Remem-
her,
He is a freeman whom the TRUTH makes FREE,
And all are slaves beside"
We cannot think lay members of any
church, in this country, are so lost to
manhood, so lacking in that spirit that
becomes free man and an American
SO much underlings and slaves, as
to permit dictation from that, or any 9TH
er quarter, as to their political action. JEFF
ferson said: 81 have sworn upon the
altar of God, eternal hostility to all
forms of tyranny over the mind of man"
Surely, no clergymen, or intelligent lay
members of any religious denomination
in this country, contemplate a union here
Of Church and State. The sad results ex
hibited in other lands, and now more
plainly manifest than ever, should be
essons of warning against an established
eli zion. To persons of ordinary infor-
nation, we need not name those dilapi
lated countries, some of them once
.mong the leading powers OF the world.
In addition, we may say that, no true
riend of religious liberty in this country,
would seek to have the denomination OF
which he is a membtr, move and act, as
unit, politically. Such course would, j
indicate a di position in the
angerous direction of Church and State.
We nave no fears Of this, and do not c
lean to charge anything of the kind f
ut we mention it by way of warning, f
hat no act may be done to give color
0 the charge of unity Of political pur- /
ose
Once let religious denominations adopt
be practice of acting as political units,
nd danger will impend. The only way
hen for all leaders of religious opinion
! this country, is, to get wisdom and
understanding, and perform their duty v
l a way worthy enlightened, true, and "
beral american citizens. "
In this way, and in this way alone, may 0
g keep this land sacred to religious d
berty, and act in obedience to our noble
onstilution which permits all to wor- =
zip God according to the dictates Of con- 3
,ience.
Let each, then, reason and judge for 9
imself, as freeman for he who will .
ot reason is bigot; he who dares not, II
a coward and he who cannot, is a :