Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-06-11


settlements, III which the same
spirit Of religious exclusion, which
had been dominant in the old
world, was planted in this new
found land. there are three great
characters among those early set
tiers whose names viii never perish
from human memory so long as
there is left a worshipper at the
| shrine Of, religious liberty:
Roger Williams-the Baptist.
William Penn-the Quaker.
Cecilius Calvert. The Catholic.
These characters typify freedom
of conscience in the worship Of
Almighty God, and equality Of civil
rights under the law.
Other foundation can no man
lay for true civil liberty than that
of religious freedom. Liberty Of
conscience; freedom to worship
God according TO its dictates, is
the true cornerstone of a prosper
GUS and happy civil government.
Human nature is such, so fall OF
weakness, that man cannot be trust
ed as a keeper of his brother
conscience. Never has it been al
lowed but the power has been abus-
ed. In Gods keeping only can we
safely trust it and il He is not heard
IN the still small voice which we call
conscience, then are we, indeed, Of
all men the most miserable.
ROGER WILLIAMS.
| The men who, without fear, IA
vor or hope Of reward, conceives
some grand thought for the benefit
of mankind, which he feels it to be
his duty to enforce: who, through
reproach, prIvation and suffering,
endures for the cause, even unto
the end; that man Is entitled TO the
reverent recollection Of all future
generations.
He who tramples under foot big
Otry in every form, who aids in re-
moving the shackles from con-
science. and sets the religions mind
free TO follow its instincts, under
the guidance of Holy Writ, and
resists every form of intolerance;
such as a man is entitled to the
admiration of the human race.
Today we do honor to the sub
lime doctrine which he taught, and
the crowds of patriotic citizens, as
they survey the forms of the war
rlOrs and statesmen whose statues
adorn the Capitol at Washington,
look upon his venerated face, as
luminous with glory more bril-
liant than that which sheds its
halo around the heads of any of
the heroes, in all that marvellous
companship of historic worthless.
Such was Roger Williams.
WILLIAM PENN.
Lord Mansfield once said in a
case conscience Is not controlI-
able by human laws and answera-
bic To human tribunals /; prosecu-
tons or attempts to enforce con
science will never produce convic-
ton, and are only calculated to
make hypocrits or martyrs"
Other noble spirits have been in
spired with this conviction in early
days.
| In 1850 there was a man of such
mould, whose heart was filled with
so much Christian kindness that he
had endeared himself to all who
knew and heard of him. He was
type of the Reformed Quakers OF
his time, in England. Born to af-
fiuence and Of distinguished ances-
try, he devoted himself to this, then
prosecuted cause, and from it be-
came the most outspOken and fear
less advocate of liberty of con-
science and untrammelled religious
opinion.
Obtaining charter from the
King, he came hither in October,
1852, with his faithful followers
and established the settlement of
Pennsylvania.
His chief desire was to found a
State "open to the votaries of every
faith" and q refuge to all who, on
account of their religious creed
"were exposed to suffering and per-
secution."
That he made the right to wor-
ship God according to mans own
conscience a fundamental rule in
his settlement is amply proved by
the judicial records of Pennsylva-
MIA.
This religious liberty, of which
he was a true apostle, has been pro-
nounced by the Supreme Court of
that State, in IL Serg. & Rawle, as
part of the common law of Penn
sylvania.
christianity, general Christian
| ity, is, and always has been, part
of the common law of Pennsylva-
MIA. Christianity without the spir-
itual artillery of European coun-
tries-for this Christianity was one
of the conditions of the royal char
ter, and the very basis of its great
founder, William Penn-not Chris
tianity founded on any particular
religious tenets not Christianity
with an established church and
tithes and spiritual courts, but
Christianity with liberty of con-
science to all men,"
Such was the character and work