The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-10

and without script, has preached salvation to
the multitudes who came to hear him, heed
less of whether their dresses were of the
latest styles or the Oldest, Of gros grain silk
with founces or calico with the narrowest
kind of hon, and needless, too, whether tho
organ turned with crank or had two hun
bred tops, or whether there was any organ at
all or not. Some of the states in the Union
exempt n certain amount of property for ey-
cry church congregation from taxation, thus
keeping their accumulation of property within
bounds. For instance, if thelsw SAYS that ev-
cry Baptist congregation in the state shall own
exempt from taxation, lots large enough for
II church building and ,rsonsge with gar
don plat Of reasonable size, the whole
worth not exeeeiing $1,000, and church
edifce and its furniture and parsonage
building worth not exceeding $4,000, making
total OF $4,000, why, all property that
congregation would own in excess of $4,000
would be taxable and properly enough. If
there is to be no limit put to the amount of
property church Gu own exempt from tax.
alton, why, the time may come, and it is not
unreas onable TO expect it, when the churches
will be so rich that they will own the bulk
of the property. We have the teachings of
history on this point. We know how tho
Catholic church in Europe owned immense
al ntn oil
how the Church of England came
into possession of the Catholic ESTATES
in England, aud held them by
mortmain, (the dead handy, and paid
no taxes. The danger of just such a
course of action on tho part of the churches
in this country is not SO insignificant as some
people might suppose. What is to prevent
church organization accommodating money
and investing it in real estate and acquiring
\ big rent roll? If all the property of a
church is TO be exempted from taxation
would not, under sucn course, the burthen
of taxation on the people become too onor-
Gus to submit to? Strike the happy medium
and allow no church organization to own
any property not in exclusive use or for ex-
clusively church purposes, fee from taxa
ton, and even that restricted to reasonable
amount in value. 1t is right that nil eee-
mosynary institutions, the property actually
used for charitable, benevolent, humane pur.
poses be exempt, but we can SEQ no good
reason in e1empting the property of
schools, where tuition is charged; or lunatic
asylums, whore patients have to pay their
way; or inebriate ssylums; or lNying.in hos
pitfalls; or invalid sanilariums, where charges
are made for services recdcred. If any
church has established and maintains with.
out cost of any kind to the govern nent, any
orphan asylum; any rcformStory institute;
any school or college where all orphans or
oil in need Of reformation, or all DESTROYS of
an education may 60 without money and
without price, we think it is money in the
treasury of the state to exempt any such
property, so used, from taxation. Remem.
boring that the church is to the stat but as
any other corporation, or Sc an individual
and wo see where it becomes the duty of he
state to hold the church under some ohliga.
ton to it, for the protection it affords it.