The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-07-07
Published by request.]
SUPREME COURT DECISION.

-FStz Nigel
Published by request.7
SUPREME COURT DECISION.
It is q Usurpation of the Rights of the
People. .',-o
1t is now too late in the day. to warn
the people against union of church
and State in this country. The wicked
thing is already done. The national
reformers have all they have ever
asked, and that without the consent of
the people, or change of the national
constitution. On the 29th dav of
February, the highest legal authority
in the land, in the person of Justice
Brewer decided that this is a ssChrist-
ian nation, . and SO, all are Christian.
according to this decision, whether
they desire to be or not We will fol-
low his argument. He quotes from
the commission from ssFerdinand and
Isabella, by the grace of God, king and
queen, &c. Now these were Catho-
lies, and established the inquisition in
Spain, and confscated the property.
and banished all Jews who would moi
turn Catholics; and this because Spain
was Christian (?) nation. But as it is
the Protestant religion he desires to
establish, he quotes from the first
grant to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1884.
by Elizabeth Defender of the faith. .,
At that time Elizabeth was the head of
the church OF England; and as it will
not answer in this country, to give
preference to any one church, and so
be partial, he quotes from the compact
OF the Pilgrims in 1920, on the May
Flower where they say their under
taking was ''for the glory of God, and
the advancement of the Christian
faith" By this course of reasoning.
he establishes, to his own satisfaction,
what he calls the christian religion .
he then proceeds to prove that it is
right to use the civil power in ''the
discipline OF the churches;;'' this by a
citation from the compact of the
Puritans who settled in Connecticut,
Notyet content, he sets up the relig-
ious oath for witnesses, and the relig-
ious test-oath, as a qualification for
Office. Then from the constitution of
Massachusetts,, he supports the right
OF taxation for the support of religion
and religious teachers. But how the
wicked thing does grow! Still this is
not all. He sets up the requirement
OF all officers, of a belief in the Holy
Trinity and inspiration OF the scrip
lures. This is justified by quotation
from the constitution of Delaware in
l776. But what next? Why, logical
conclusion; that it is blasphemy to act
or speak against s'the religion pro-
fessed by almost the whole commune
ity." This he does by quotation
from the decision of Chief Justice
Kent, of New York, in which he as
sumes shat this is a Christian
nation" There is but just one thing
lacking to make this an exact image
and likeness Of the union of church and
State in the 5th century; that is the
direct and positive sanction of Sunday
laws. Indeed, even this is not lacking,
but is forthcoming in the following:
If we pass beyond these matters to
a view of American life, as expressed
by its laws, it's business, it's customs,
and its society, we find every where
clear recognition of the same truth.
Among other matters note the follow
ing: The form of oath universally
prevailing concluding with an appeal
to the Almighty; the custom of OPEN
ing sessions of all deliberative bodies,
and most conventions, with prayer; the
PREDATORY words Of alls well, In the
name Of God, Amen the laws respect
ing the observance of the Sabbath,
with the general cessation of all secu-
lar business and the: closing of courts,
Legislatures, and other similar public
assemblies on that day. : = \
These and many other matters,
which might be noticed, add a volume
OF unofficial declarations to the mass of
organic utterances that this is a Christ
ian nation. : Now the Judge quotes
from the constitution, and declares
these sentiments, and that document to
be in most perfect accord; that the con-
stitution declares the same thing.
sThere is no dissonance in these dec