Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-28
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
Meeting Of the American Society of
Church History this Morning.

The first public meeting of the American
Society of Church History held in the
chapel of the Church of the Covenant to-day.
After prayer by Rev. DR.. Hamlin, pastor of the
church, the president of the society, Rev. DR..
Philip Schaf, made the Introductory address,
setting forth the object of the society as the
cultivation OF the science Of church history in
its broadest meaning. He spoke at some
length on this point, and made special mention
of the fact that it was not in the province of
the society to advance the interests of any
denomination. He then read his paper upon
the Acts of Toleration," beginning with the
first, under Constantine, and carrying the his
tory down to the present day.
AS soon as DR.. Schaff finished Justice Strong
who was in the audience, called attention to a
statement in the paper to the effect that re-
lgious equality and freedom of conscience
were secured by the thirteenth amendment to
the Constitution of the United States. He said
that in this particular we must look rather to
THE STATE CONSTITUTIONS,
since the thirteenth amendment had reference
only to the exercise of federal authority on
the subject, and gave several instances of
state constitutions of former years having
restricted the exercise of religious liberty
notably in relation to Quakers, who were re-
quired in several states to attend church.
u. n.
N. L. church, said he had intended to call at
tention to the same remark. He wished. he
said, to emphasize the thought that the Consti-
tuition of the United States did not secure re-
ligious liberty and freedom of conscience to
the citizens of the United States The Ian
guage Of the thirteenth amendment was: Con
gress shall make no law" &c. Thus the restric-
ton was by the federal Congress, and. as Justice
Strong said in commenting on the Constitution
the latter left the question entirely to the au-
thority of the several states As matter of
fact, similar provision to that of the thir-
teenth amendment exists in the constitutions
of the several states, but any state might if it
so desired. establish a religion by law, first
altering its constitution. The fact is that the
District of Columbia is the only spot in the en-
tire country where the Constitution of the
United States guarantees religious liberty-for
here there is none but the federal authority
and that is expressly prohibited from making
any law establishing any religion or prohibit
ing freedom of the press or of conscience.
The next paper was on ''Indulgences in
Spain," by Mr.. Henry c. Lea of Philadelphia.
In the absence of Mr.. Lea, Rev. Samuel NJ
Jackson. Joint editor of the "Encyclopadia of
Living Divines, &C., read the paper with much
force.
A paper entitled "a Crisis in the Middle
Ages by DIR. Moffat, of Princeton, N. j., closed
the morning session.
The association then adjourned until O'Clock,
when the program will include 'Meanchthon's
Synergism, a study in the history of Psychic
LOGICAL Dogmatics," by Prof. Foster, of Oberlin
college, Ohio. ''Some notes on Syncretism in
the Christian Theology of the Second and Third
Centuries" by Prof. Scott, of Chicago. ..In-
fiuence Of the Golden Legend upon the Prere-
formation Culture History" by Mr.. Richardson
of Hartford, and .Some notes on Missionary
photography" by Rev. Samuel NJ. Jackson, the
secretary.
The following is a list of the members pres
ent: Henry NJ. Baird, d. D., LII. D., professor
Of Greek, University of the City of New York; /;
Rev. Samuel Jackson, joint editor with DR..
Schaf OF .'Encyclop@dia Of Living Divines
history, Princeton, N. j.; Rev. Earnest C. Rich
ardson. librarian of Hartford Theological semi
nary; Philip Schaff, D. D., LII. D.. professor of
church history. Union Theological seminary,
New York; Col. Elliott F. Shepard; Rev. MIR.
McGifert. OF Lane Theological seminary. Ohio;
Prof. F. H. Foster, Of the Oberlin seminary,
Ohio, and number of clergymen of this city.