The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-11-06
An Atheists Oath.
H. S. BUNDY.

During the recent trial of criminal in
Nashville, Tenn, John II. Dix, Of the National
witness, stated that he did not believe that
there wrs a God, heaven, hell, a devil, fu-
ne isl me OF the
that the world and all in it was formed by
the infiexible law OF nature and that the hu-
various species of animals were descended from
the sea and air and earth. He believed that
when he died he would decay like other things
and that would be the last of him. He believed
in conscience, and that his conscience was his
Conscience would reproach him as long as he
lived. He had never told a lie in his life, new
er wronged human being, and was the hap
piest man on earth. He was asked if he beiev-
ed in the God of Israel, of Isaac and of Jacob,
answered. SV ar NO" Attorney eye General Washing
ton explained various beliefs in regard to God
and future punishment, and declared that Mr..
Dix believed in his conscience as God. Judge
Quarles announced that in view of Mr.. Dix s
statements, he would have to rule out his evil
dence
1t is wise for the atheistical party now assert
ing itself in the country to consider the ineyita
their principle. We may not undertake to say
that a nation of atheists cannot cohere and ex-
sort ever did haye standing on the face of the
earth. The ground taken by Judge Quarles In
courts, not on the basis of existing law, but be-
cause in the nature of the case an oath imPl1eS
lists of our day require the abolition of oaths,
| or the exclusion of atheism from the witness
stand, and from all Of1lceS Tor which an Oath is
| required. The only exception in regard offices
would be in the case of an atheist whose con-
science Qf he keeps such an article) would per-
init him to swear by one in whom he does not
believe.
We find the above in the Examin-
er and Chronicle. Such articles in re-
ligious papers are calculated to bring
the Christian religion into contempt.
No honest man, unless he is a fanatic
or fool, would prefer perjury from a
professed Christian to truth from an
infdel. Every lawyer, and every per-
son Of experience in such matters,
knows that perjury is the rule, and
truth the exception, in this professed
| Christian land
The Ironton Register has the fol-
lowing, ON this subject:
| MAKING OATH.
| Court is now in session, and the taking of an
| oath seems the most commonplace thing in
the whole business. The witness comes for
| than solemnity; is squared around by the Sher-
| iff SO to confront the Clerk; holds up his
| right hand as if there was a bag of shot in it,
while the Clerk, with the rampant clatter of
| the auctioneer, belabors him with the oath;
| drops his arm, lanSulQly taxes the witness
chair and feels the awful pressure of the oath,
| about as much as the lawyer on the other side
| who tries to make him say what he doesn't
mean to say.
There is, probably, perjury enough at every
court, to sink a navy. There is hardly case
| comes up but that two or more will swear dia-
metricalIy contrary to each other. Some time
ago, in passing the Court House during term
! time, we walked near to a lawyer talking to an
unfortunate client, when the man of law rais-
ing his hands in holy horror, exclaimed: "My
God, did you ever hear such swearing?" But it
| it is ever thus.
| We do not know that III respect to the virtue
| and power OF oaths, we are better of than the
ancients were, before the gladstone light of
Chrsta nifty gided the world. In the days of
| the Delphic oracle lived Glaucus, who tried to
| cheat some wards out of their little bounty;
but be finally consults the oracle on the pro-
priety Of violating his oath, and in these words