The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-05-01
DELICIOUS TESTS
,.,clcal Use of the Bible in
ps f'''i'La Law Courts.
If TIE HERALD:

ms Of THE HERALD;
p''' D%.s,achusetts Legislature at its
1h' ion undertook to pass a law
vt ' sgay with religious tests int in the he
5pg 'SI The bill was rejected two to
pur'S- rs;. practice of swearing on the
es snIding the hand up to heaven
BSs q lent nor Of the Inquisition, where
g iI' vas l.s forced to be witness against
,n'nn "' hut in reality it has become a
tin''nw1 Univ should the law seek to take
brce' ae Of peoples religious scruples
idI'n l'"p0srstition in order to convict
ID ~ In a free republic like the United
bsa' where person is not supposed
ia''' witness against himself, all the
pe ,,,ires is plain, palpable facts from
W., '-itness. and in case of perjury
De more does it need than fine and
sD'. .'onment? Why take advantage
npi siSss of people who are superstiti-
scIhSg tbsre is another class or
oasl rho cannot be scared by any
d'Iseib uoaboo? II man is wicked
s1cn !, IT. IL willfully lie, or steal, or rob,
n0!sH more than probable, wicked
Dc ~. ri To give false evidence. It'll is the
Ino stant peonle who are imposed on;
n ~ no terror for the wicked over that
u n' country where no religion is
LlanowIedged in the government, why
lAnV his test into the courts? / be-
.Is tbat there is not one person in a
E.T usd that believes the Bible in its
-.gEa,sstty-that all and every word was
s5'tstsd by the Almighty. Some be-
savs one part and some another; in
1s,S so much so that some religionists
w. HS affirm. Why not make the business
y. + and equal to all. This practice of
5,,sring heaven down to bear witness
.. iSa f2trigues, falsehoods, and wick
a,n ,s Of poor mortals is beyond COM
.,.bsnsion. What right has an officer
4 he law to go beyond the bounds of
si,oTn court2 If man is a notorious
=, his word should not be taken, if he
.ERoWn to be an honest, truthful man,
4, word should be as good as his bond,
rbstber he is a Bible believer, an infidel,
.1atbeist or any other belief How
M We to know whether a man believes
ma future reward or punishment. if |
1dN his every day life. Many pro-
tssed religionists have been found ex-
trsnely wicked, and atheists very good,
moral men.
officers of the government are put !
rnder oath to support the laws. Does |
nch an oath make them any more hon |
st. upright, or just, than if they had |
not taken it? l say no.
IthinKit would look much better and |
be much more honest to throw the
Bible cut of the law-and cast it into
The waste paper box than to make a
indtal affair of it, as it is treated here
b Utah. l am astonished that Jury
nen, witnesses. and others are not re-
gured to kiss the Bible in their wonder
hlzeal to put down polygamy and I'M
iEful eohabitation. These people are
Nuired to hold up their hand that God
illnesses their assertion to be true, that
ley will seek to find bills and verdlcts
ainst people who practice what God
is declared in the Bible to be his
lsasure-in giving polygamous wives
Ohe Jewish worthless. Men who are
unreasonable as to exact such, and
na who Voluntarily admit of such a
Ractce, must be extremely blind, pure
!ltheistie or dangerously insane.
the Bible and the teachings of the
Almighty therein are not consistent with
a.svs of the United States, judges
rtiuries had better fling the Bible and
fisachngS into the gutter, than to
NJ. up hash of the conflicting books,
ritaus show that they are honest
Ia, if not believers in the Bible. V.