New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-28
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
cupIsrI,NI1y AND The STATE.


CHRISTIANITY AND The STATE.
A LETTER FROM OLIVER JoHNsON-Hls REtsONS
FOR APPROVING GOVERNOR HOYTs sUBsITU-
TioN or THE PHRASE COMMONWEALTH o.,
FrEEuEND FOR CHHIsIIAN COMMpNWEALIH.'
To me EdifOr OF Thc TrtbuHe.
SIR: ask space Tor few words suggested
nv vour p,raertph IN TnE Tribune OF sunday, N0Yem
Der a. IA which you refer to tie action OF Govern"
Howl OF PENNSYLVANIA in substituting tho phrase Com
monwoalth Of Frpemen" for "CInsuan common
wealth" in his Thanksgiving proclamation In deer'Hce
to the feelings OF his jewish ieOw-cIzens. 10 me II
seems that he Governor acted wisely ID m'NnH 'i'o
change aud | could wish that the President OF 'ne
Unttd States and tie Governor Of every STATE ID Inc
U,ou might take q hint from cOod m
examine and exclude from their official documents
every word aud phrase likely TO give Pr 10
any good citizen of whatever religious ialih Ihle -
not the slightest need Of using such phtaso ana GOV
eruor Hoyt las shown Us bow easy II IS To "Void lheW
without any sacrifice pgnuplc or any iniracuon OF
the laws of rhetoric. Considering the acSnowieCg'd
aims and purposes of the American Government the
words Commonwealth OF Frecmen' are specially ap-
propriate while tine words Christian Common"e'lth'
being Of uncertain meaning ut BEST are itD" 10 D
taken as invdious by many es'imaole citizens lie
Chief Magisr nc Of the Nau0n or OF STATE sD"uu en-
ploy In his official papers TECHNOLOGY That Is perfectly
impartial toward cizens OF class. and that does
the State with any form of religious falth.
| speak Christi n, and as one whose IAN III
Christianity is strong that II neither seeks nor desires
for Il any buttrcssng from any human government nor
coyctous OF any rhetorical ayors which IFS officers
NAV be inclined to besow. Christianity asks OF the
American Governments only that they shall fulfil the
requirement Of the United states Constitution in per
m ting and sustaining the free exercise thereof" IN
common with all other forms OF religious faith Beyond
ihat IL says Hands Off"
Tine phrase Christian Commonwealth" as applied TO
the National OF state Governments expresses
what l. in common with Christians generally, h0ld
to be truth and it may VOL enough be
emoloycd in ordinary DISCOURSE where the speaker
j. understood to be uttcring only his own CONVICTIONS
have often 80 used it, and should do again. but with
some care TO AVOID being misunderstood. But insist
that il should have no place the proclamatOns Of our
Presidents Governors who ough never to forget that
ours is a Government which has official relation with
any form OF religion with that OF the vast ma
orty of IL, cz u.s. but extends its protection Oh equal
terms to people o. every creed.
II the phrase " Christian Commonwealth were gen
orally understood to only that there Is much OF the
spirit of Chris itnIty IN our constitutions ana
laws 1t would be alike true and harmless; bun
II is often used IN a very different sense,
as impIviu. that there sort Of official connection
between G risuGni y and the Government, from Whch
other religions are excluded l1e jews OF Philadelphia
know that there society in Penusylyaum composed
OF men many of whom are eminent Ia ChrStiah
Incorporate iu the stuuon ~ lhc United STATE
fl ,t-tooted ndor.emeut not Of Christianity aone, but
of the orthodox Interpretation thereof. That JcWs
should keep watcIul eve upon such society, ana
b. Jealous Of any expression seeming to fVOr us IL
.iIu i'm the PROCLAMATION, Of their Governor Is NOT
srI4tugo; and Tor am glad That Governor HOyt
showed so much pcct To their scrJpcs.
While Il is true, rs ! nave SAD, mat our GoYerh-
rnc,t embOl cs something OF the spirit 81 lifis-
taulty, and in tnat sense may BE- called CHRISTIAN,
II Is sul more tIUphaticaly true tAat n -
fouuded upon PRINCIPLES cot justice and righteous
mes. as Old humanity ltsn I, Whlch we're revealed
v God IN tue hearts of fIs children from the day tnat
the first man drew the breath or LIE, and winch are
therefore the inheritance or tlc human race
Cbr~tIauity, doubt, has done much To 'rt these
pr ncplts a clearer sut and t. bring l'r-e portions
OF the human family mo arcr conformity % I'd pa;
but 10 did originate them. Jd We shall only Wcdhtn
its claims 10y sues au Affirmation.
TINS Is MOI tie rad .ca.ism OF tn present
gruer Iun but the oI tue "a hers OF the
RpnubIc In o.. arcnves of tue St1lr ID plrtuent IN
Washington may DE .OuId the original copy az treaty
made ,weeu tus DVcinmrnt ANA 1upO ln lf96 Just
alter ia. people htu adopted the antnsMeht 10 a."
Constitution WnIcu dec ares hat COnErc> s.d make
no aW pcctiu c-ta1l shmeui OF religion, or pro-
hlbluug the free thereof" l. ne clcNtnth
urtlce or that treaty. which bears re si-hdjufc OF
Washington. and was ratified hy The senate ot The
United states VIII Dc found TINS explicit dee ration:
1.-THE Governmental Oh, Untej stat Is not ID d.y seuse
founded on the Christian giOu' As Washington was
himself Curlsaa. and many eminent IaturJ we're
OF the same rain. Is not 10 De supposed tuat tins
dtcalat ON was .nded 10 dSparage Christianity or 10
.ouutruauce mild II Is o. bee Understood rather AS
AN Affirmation o. t.c tuih tnat lhe Government or ne
United rest. upon foundations ol L. own, clearly
ser forth the Constitution, AMI involving no nt"sc-
A.. ut of any form OF religion. OLIVER JOHNSON.
bCW- YORK., Nov. -, lSNO.