The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-11
THE AFFIRMATION BILL.

Points in the Great Speech of MIR. Gladstone
on the Measure.
London Special,
l am convinced that on every religious
ground, as we'll as every political ground, the
true and the wise course is not to deal out
religious liberty by halves, quarters and
fractions, but to deal tout entire, and make
no distinctions between man and man on the
ground of religious differences from one end
of the land to the other. But 90 little
further in endeavoring to probe this conten-
ton which has been so well put forward by
honorable gentlemen opposite, and 1 want to
know is your religious distinction real dis
tinction at all? l will, for the sake of argu-
ment, go with you on this dangerous ground
OF splitting theology into slices, and ask you
where you will draw the line. You
draw your line at the point where the
abstract denial of God is severed from the
abstract admission of the Deity. My prop
osition is that your line thus drawn is worth
less, and that much on this side of the line
is as Objectionable as the atheism on the
other. If you call upon us to make distinc-
tions let them at least be rational; do not
say let them be Christian distinctions, but
let them be rational. | can understand one
rational distinction, that you would frame
the oath IN such a way as to recognize and
indicate not only the existence of the Deity
but mans responsibility to the Deity; but is
that your present rule? No; YOU know very
well that from ancient times there have been
sects and classes that have admitted in the
abstract as freely as Christians the existence
of the Deity, but have held that of practical
relations between Him and man there can be
none.
My reasons for supporting this bill may
be summed up in a very few words. If
were asked to put construction on this
oath as it stands, probably should give it
higher meaning than most gentlemen oppo-
site. 1t is my opinion, so far as I may pre-
sumo to offer it, that the oath has in it a very
large flavor of Christianity. 1 am we'll aware
that the doctrine of my honorable and learn
ed friend, the Attorney-general is, as be-
lieve, that other forms of positive attestation,
according to other systems of religion, might
enable the oath to be taken by the removal
of the words $50 help me God,' and the sub
stitution of some other word or symbolcal
act which should 60 to integrate the proceed
ing of taking an oath by introducing the idea
of Deity, and responsibility to Deity; but the
real character of the oath, according to the
intention of the Legislature is that it does
not consist OF spoken words alone but of
words accompanied by corporal act-that
of kissing the New Testament. What is the
IhedhlHS VI IIdI KISSING tne New Testament?
1t means the acceptance of the Divine revela-
ton contained in that book There have
been other forms in other countries in Scot
land, [ believe, the form still exists of hold
ing up the hand instead of kissing the New
Testament, which is, or was also the form in
France. In Spain, 1 believe, the form was
that of kissing the cross. In Italy, I think,
at one time the form was that of laying the
hands on the Gospels.
l have no fear of theism in the House. Re-
ligion is the expression of the divine mind.
and, however little our feeble vision NAV be
able to discern the means by which God NAV
provide for its preservation, we may leave the
matter in His hands, and we may be sure
that firm and courageous appl cation of
every principle of justice is the best way for
the preservation and maintenance of religion.
And must painfully record my opinion
that grave injury has been done to religion
in many minds-not in instructed minds,
but in those which are ill-instructed or par
TALLY instructed-in consequence of things
which ought never to have occurred Great
mischief has been done in many minds by a
resistance offered to the man elected by the
constituency of Northampton, which nor
ton of the people believe to be unjust
When they see the profession of religion and
the interests of religion ostehsibly associated
with what they are deeply convinced is injus-
tlce, 1t leads to questions about religion itself
which commonly end in impairing those
convictions and that belief the loss of which
believe to be the most inexpressible calam-
ity which can fail either upon man or upon
a nation.