, 1880-05-17
Recognition Of God.

fore Judge Cartier, in Washington, the
other day, and the rious Judge put him
through the whole formula, making him
'solemnly swear, in the presence of Al>
mighty God, the searcher OF all hearts.
etc, etc. IngersOll wince, little when
laughed at about it. hut declared it was
no more to him than if Judge Carter had
said, 'in the presence of the sun, moon
and stars or ill the presence o. all the
pious, dead and living"
Ingersoll had right to regard the in
vocation of the Divine presence as no
thing to him; 1t did not impair any of
his civil rights, subject his belief or non
belief to any test as requisite to enforce
his legal remedies, nor add to or dmin>
ish from his liabilities under the civi,
laws to the pains and penalties for per
jury Test oaths are discountenanced
and generally disused in all enlightened
governments at the present day, MS not
only useless but pernlcious, the conse-
quences being the reverse of the in,en
ton, impeaching only the credibIlity at
those who are too Conscientious to take
a false oath and admitting all who are
not restrained by any such considerations
The form OF the oath is another consid>
GRAFTON; while it makes no test and pre-
scrihes no form of religious belief, it
serves rs perpetual declaration that
God is recognized in all our civil instltu>
tions; that while our constitution and
laws guarantee perfect religious freedom.
of which Ingersoll is himself living
monument, the nation has not degener;.-
ted into heathenism- the twin Of barlar>
ism-or the more brutal doctrine of Athe
ism, which denies the existence of G,.d
or to man Il spiritual essence or immortal
principle differing from that of the brute
creation. Our Government, in common
with every organized civil government
ON earth, but acknowledges an over
ruling Providence
Father OF ali, in every age,
In every cline adored,
By saint, by savage or by sage,
jehovah Jove or Lord l.,
Every attempt to found a government
on the Atheistlc sentiments taught bv
Mr.. Ingersoll, has proved disastrous
failure. We need only cite the French
Republic, with Liberty, Fraternity anG
Equality" as its motto, and a glorified
harlet as its emblem, to illustrate the
model of government which would come
from the success of the teachings of NJ r
Ingersoll and his followers. Or we ma,
turn to more modern example in Mexi,
CO, where the "Liberals,' notably under
Juarez, proclaimed themselves as hostil,
to religion in every form, despoile ,h,
churches, outlawed the priests. broke ",
the missions, destroyed church schools
and drove back to barl,arism thousands
of the native Indians who had been re-
claimed by the Jesuit Fathers and wer,
peacefully and intelligrntly pursuing til,
arts of agriculture under religious disci
pline. There are valleys in Mexico OF
u hundred miles in extent, of UNSURPASSED
luxuriance, hut few years since abound.
ing in We'll titled farms, gardens and or.
char'ls, with comfortable homes occupied
by d"cile natives, with churches and
school houses at convenient intervals, all
under the care and absolute control OF
the priests through whose teachings and
labors these people had been reclaimed
from nomadic habits and Savage life
To-day the same valleys present nothing
but scenes.of ruin and desoation ruined
churches and school houses, homes and
fences, and the fields and gardens ever
grown with weeds and wild vines. til,
lew remaining inhabitants, principally
wsmen and children, squalid and miser-
able, the men having enlisted or been
pressed into military service by some OF
the guerr' la leaders WHO alternatel,
dominate the country. Religion. as bao
as that Of the Jesuits is represented, Was
the sole cause OF the civilization of tlla,
people; "Liberalism," which proiesseo
to emanclpate them from the domination
OF prIestcraft. was alone responsible for
re iuclng them again to barbarism. Thcle
Is not IN the history OF the world an in>
stance OF advance in civilization discun-
nected with religion; nor an instance in
which lnfide.i'y to religion has promoted
public order or social happiness. Vener-
afiQn Is a lSS.nIi.l xal....,..x,t