Evening journal., 1893-05-23
ELDER JONES ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
to Establish Religious Laws Is the BE-
ginning Of Religious Persecution.

ginning OF "a heAikloua IoraecuNions
Elder A. r. Jones of Battle Creek.
Mich, editor Of the American Sentinel, 3"
lectured last night in the hall over
Crosby & Hills store. Market street, on
the subject of Religious Liberty" The
speaker began by saying:
Liberty in that which concerns re-
ligion was the great thing with those
who framed the Constitution, the Declar.
alton Of Independence being designed to
protect religious as well as civil liberty "
Elder Jones then spent some time show
ing how the various states had, at that
time, established religion, and how 10
was not long before the sects Wed with
one another to accomplish the recognition
of its own belief as national religion
finally making Supreme effort to con-
centrate on the establishment Of what
they demonstrated the Christian religion
The speaker urged upon all American
voters the necessity of studying Madi-
sons remonstrauce to the Virginia
Legislature against q government at
tempting to legislate upon religious
subjects, in which is clearly showed that
an attempt of governments to establish
religious laws is the beginning of re.
ligious persecution, and ultimately will
surely lead TO the inquisiiion-the be
ginning of the Papal horror being identi
cal with this-and the first step being
taken logically the last must be- The
bill which finally passed In Tie Virginia
Legislature, because of this remon
STRANGE, establishing religious freedom,
is the model for the constituents Of
every one of the forty four states of
the American Union, and also Of the
National Constitution. Not only this.
but TO make assurance doubly sure the
first Congress added the first amendment
forbidding Congress TO make any law
establishing or maintaining religion
Atterward President Washington de.
clared, for the people, "that the govern
ment Of the United States is in no sense
founded upon the Christian religion.
The aim of the speaker was to
sho that our government has no
legal or moral right to interfere in mat
ters Of religion. Further, all rights not
delegated TO the government are reserved
by the states and individuals. If religion
is not included in these delegated rights,
then Congress cannot trespass upon the
domain of religion; but as the first legis
lators knew the tendency of men to
usurp authority, they made IL impossible
to do so in the field of religion by eX
pressly prohibiting them from legislating
upon religious matters. There are
rights that an individual cannot delegate
to others. Among them is the right for
one TO worship God according TO the
dictates Of his own conscience.
Religion is the duty we owe to our
Creator and the manner we discharge it.
Can this be delegated to any body of
men on earthg Can We possibly relegate
our duty in this respect to anotherY
Such thing is impossible. Can any act
Of an individual transfer such a rightly
No; let him delegate as he will, his duty
remains the same. because the Creator Is
the sovereign and we the creatures, and
He defines our duties and how we shall
discharge them and man cannot change
this. Therefore, the declaration OF inde.
pendence shuts of our government from
ever touching religion in any form.
The elder then presented a grand argu
ment to show that God did not send
judgment into the world. for man was
self-condemned. but the Lord sent into
the world what man needed, aud that Is
salvation, leaving all free to accept, or
not, as they choose. III, then. God does not
condemn, or judge what right has any
mortal to condemn or Judge another9 AS
every one has a right TO accept or reject