The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-26
THB sEPARATION az CHURCH
AND STATE.

THE SEPARATION OH CHURCH
AND STATE.
The Sunday closing Of the Chicago ex-
position, so far - congress was concerned.
was in violation OF the first amendment to
the constitution. which declares that con-
Gress shall make no Law respecting an
establishment Of religion or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof Prot. Stephen
b. Weeks. Of Johns Hopkins university.
shows that this limitation on the powers
Of con gress was largely due to the course
taken by North Carolina. which refused
to adopt the Federal constitution unless
supplemented by this important amend
ment North Carolina Was determined 70
reserve TO itself as state the exclusive
right Of regulating religion. The Church
Of England was by Law established in both
North Carolina and Virginia up to the out
break Of the Revolution. and was abol-
ished In each state by the convention called
20 form constitution. The majority Of
the inhabitants Of North Carolina wee
dissenters. and IL IL believed that the
promptness Of North Carolina to join the
revolt Of the colonies against the king was
due more to desire for religious freedom
than for political Independence. John
Adams always held thatft was this dread
of the tyranny Of the Anglican church
that really gave the movement for indie
pcndence such vitality in New England
and Pennsylvania.
Tho strength Of our Revolutionary armies
was composed of men who feared the es-
Enlistment Of tho Anglican church ~ Q
state church In New England and Penn
sylvania. The Scotch Presbyterians and
other disscnters OF New England. Penn.
sylvania aud North Carolina were in
tensely bitter fighters against the king. not
because Of the stamp act, but because
they hated the state church where ii ex-
lated or feared its imposition where it did
not already exist. John Adams says
that on the mere issue Of resistance
60 the stamp act the American
colonial revolt against the king would have
heen Of but abort duration: that IL was
the hate and dread Of state church i'm
posed by the crown that filled the armies
Of the Revolution with tho men of New
England. Pennsylvania. Virginia and the
Carolinas. The bill Of rights and state
constitution adopted by North Carolina in
December. i77t. asserted the natural and
inaiienabie right Of men ID worship Al.
mighty God according To the dictates Of
their own conscieuces. 1t was further laid
down that there should be no establish.
ment of any one religious church or de-
nomination in the state o! North Carolina
IN preference to any other. Neither
should any person. OH any pretcnsc. be
cosnrclied TO attend any place of worship
contrary TO his own faith or judgment, or
DO obliged to pay for the purchase of any
gebe or the building Of any house Of wor.
ship. or the maintenance Of any minister.
contrary 20 what he believed right. or had
voluntarily and personally engaged to per-
form. ON the contrary. all persons should
be at liberty to exercise their own mode of
Worship.
North Corolina in this enunciation of
religious freedom and federation wa.
ahead Of Massachusetts,. where Calvinis,,
enjoyed peculiar privileges. Nevertheless
this North Carolina constitution Of i.-s
contained tho following section. which
Was evidently aimed at the Catholics:
Ne fcrsoa Who shall deny the heias Of Cos: n,
the Truth ol the etsstsat religion ar the aiyin.
authority either Of the ola ar New Te.;smen.
or shall bold religions principles ineamnnuh,s
wtth tae 'feeiom ant safety 81 the state sh.u
be capable OF haising sny efice or place Of ,.u,,
OF profit In the civil department. within TIA
ssate
This provision became a. once ade al
letter. for Thomas Burke. 4 proses.ins
catholic. vas 4 member OF the continental
congress. an1 VAS elected governor in
iTSi. Catholics were chosen % nrbl..
Offices high sni los. William CASTOR
who had been excessively = member Of IN.
state senate. n representative in congress.
ana Justice 1T the ssais supreme court
WAS s'holic. r:o: Weras saws ,hs,no
complaint ~ A. made when Judge ,;.xta,
assumed his seat upon TIE beaca. Never.
shcscs,, IL vas thought bes, - amend IA.
section IN a1cs''oa ~Aen he matte: came
ur In the constitutional conxen,io, =,
lisa In the constitution 90 North Caro-.
lima. framed ard adopted then. IN. no.,
'th:issian' VAS substituted FOR .rro,c,
tani. and thus. ~ the words uttered hv
Judge castor At the time. vas she c.r..,.
cf the 'ns remnant Of religious persecution
inferred. lest It's pcs,ilsntisl eisavss shout,
poison the atmosphere of freedom"
The amendment TO the Federal cons,i.-.
tIoa prohibiting the establishment, OF $
state religion MAS discussed Ia The Ms..s.
ehases;s state convention. and is shlss:
defenders we're the ah'es, elerSymen in the
Convention.