The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-23
ON CIVIL LIBERTY.
Armstrong; Lecture Under the
Auspices of the 2. O. s. A.
Division Of Church and State and Public
Schools are the Theme Of His
Discourse.

William Jackson Armstrong appeared
before rather 8 small audience last nightin
his lecture on ''Civil Liberty" He was
here under the auspices Of the Patriotic
Order Sons of America Of our city. The
weather was unpropitlous, and both the
lecturer snd the public were disappointed
thereby.
The stage was occupied by just fourteen
of the order in regalia, representing sJhe
thirteen original colonies and Utah.
Governor Thomas presided and intro
duced the speaker in q very neat address.
Mr.. Armstrong said: In all the civil
lied countries of the globe, two centuries
ago, there was not enough space for stand
ing room for the man who believed in the
liberty Of the human conscience.
One century later the fathers of our
country were produced, and the sole monu-
ment of all history, our constitution, en-
bodying the principle established by Christ
for earthly government WAS produced.
Thus it happened, in the stately language
Of Bancroft, that 1.-The new nation, the least
defiled with the barren scoffings of the
nineteenth century, the most general be-
lever in christianity OF any people of that
age the chief heir of the reformation in its
purest forms, when it cane to establish a
government for the United States, refused
to treat faith as matter to be regulated
by corporate body or having headship
in monarch or state.
Touch not religion with the state. Lay
not upon the state the finger of religion.
That is American doctrine-the doctrine
of the republic.
"Every man who conducts himself as a
good citizen is accountable to God alone for
his religious faitu, and should be protected
in worshiping God according to the die
tates of his own conscience"
That is what George Washington wrote
in reply to an address on the subject Of
religious legislation.
A government administered by universal
suffrage depends upon the intelligence OF
it's citizens, and for this reason ours has
established the public schools.
1t is the doctrine of an imperial state o.
this union. solemnly uttered by it's highes
civil tribunal, that "true christianity doei
not shield itself behind maiorities; that
form of religion that caunot live under
equal laws, ought to die"
The day on which discrimina alton for re.
ligious opinion is inaugurated in the ad-
ministration of this government, will b,
the day of the death Of the republican,,
failure of the American experiment-tht
funeral of civil liberty.
Slice the beginnings Of man the feature:
between two worlds, with instincts beyonl
life, and hopes beyond death, from thi
''bank and shoal of time" man has looked
with straining eyes towards the unseen
attempting to illumine with his frail caudl
of reason the halls of the eternal. Ever
faith that has given courage to our kin,
has been held sacred by its worshipers
Every doubt to the eye of mercy is We
more sacred than faith, for it gropes il
suffering. For the struggling tides of me
fellow workers and pilgrims on this mist
ridden shore-the wisdom that remains TO
this world is charity-the doctrine out @
Nazareth--the creed of love to all mankind
On American soil, century ago, we bull
for the hope of the world the political mon
ument of this sublime creed. Under IL
impartial shadow the worshipers of truth
whether in church, or wood, or mosque, G
synagogue, or temple, have known no di,
elimination for opinion. Let it be the oat
of Americans to guard that monument for
ever.