The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-18

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tempt now being made to proselyte the
people OF Hanover 10 Mormonism IL en-
titled 20 much more than passing no.
,ice and the first thing to arouse atten-
ton Is the very natural inquiry. VINO ana
what is at the bottom of this mover IL
| costs money 10 maintain corps OF evan
relIsts doing the work that we are told
OF. who supplies these funds? And
what is there in ,he pas. Of tina. region
OF country which has suggested u an
| adorable field for :he sowing Of seed like
| this? 1t is true II is the "New-found
| river" region. and Mr.. Thos. y. Page
/ tells US that region wss much frequented
by Confederate deserters during tho war.
ard a nelghborhood which could tolerate
| and hsrbor dcserters from the Confedtr-
| ate army is entirely liable to be sus-
| ceptible to Mormon teachings.
! But there is manifestly a large rart
OF the population Of the neignborhood to
whom the teachings OF these Mormon
missionaries is entirely distasteful. and
a forcible expulsion. We most earnestly
suggest TO these gentlemen to reflect
seriously before they resort TO any such
measures. SO far as we know, there Is
nothing in the laws Of Virginia which for
bids these Mormon preachers TO do what
they are engaged I'm doing. To forcibly
arrest them. then. in the work they have
chosen is n form Of mob violence, and that
is no, TO be thought or We are a people
governed by laws. and what the laws DO
not prohibit is permitted TO an men, we
cannot forcibly deprive these people OF
their lawful rights without sanctioning
principle which exposes every mans life'
liberty and property to whatever marau-
der comes along. II the people of Han
over think this is a case In which they
should be protected by public authority
they must first come 10 the Legislature
and ask for the enactment OF law, and
when they get that they must be careful
TO enforce IL only as they enforce other
laws Of the State. This is as clear as day.
But, when they come to the Legislature,
they must also be careful to ask for
law which the Legislature may lawfully
enact. The Legislature can enact no
valid law which aims simply and solely
at forbldding Mormons to preach In VIZ
einia their religious doctrines. The peo-
pie OF the old world who settled this new
~
grows out of any sort OF union between
Church and State that it was adopted and
promulgated everywhere here that the
LEGISLATURE should hold hands off abso-
luteIv in matters Of religious belief. In
his work on constitutional limitations
Judge Cooley says:
"a careful examination of the American
Constitutions will disclose the TACT that
nothing is more fully set forth or more
Mainly expressed than the determination
of their authors to preserve and perpetu-
ate religious liberty. Whatever.
therefore. may have been their individual
sentiments upon religious questions or
upon the propriety Of the State assuming
slDeryision and control OF religious al
fairs under other circumstances the gen.
eral voice has been that persons OF every
religious persuasion should be equal De-
fore the law, and that questions OF re-
ligious belief and religious worship should
~ ouestions between each individual man
and his Maker
The universal sentiment on the subject
finds expression also in the Constitution OF
the United States, which provides that
mo religious test shall ever be required
as n qualification to any office of public
trust under the United States.
But to come down TO what more imme-
diately concerns the people OF Virginia.
our hill Of rights. DOW a part OF our Con-
stituuon, provides:
THAT religion or the duty which we
owe 10 our Creator. and the manner OF
discharging II. can be directed only by
reason and conviction, not by force or
Violence. and therefore all men are equal
" entitled TO the free exercise OF religion
according TO the dictates Of conscience;
and that it is the mutual duty OF all 10
nractice Christian forbearance, love and
charity towards each other.
We take this to be positive prohibition
TO the Legislature Of Virginia TO pass an
act forbidding Mormons TO preach their
religious faith.
But there is another view OF this case
that would authorize the Legislature 10
pass an act which would accomplish all,
we suspect. that the good people Of Han
over aim at They no doubt care very
little about the Mormons preaching their
religious creed. What they object TO is
their teaching OF polygamy. Now. poiyga-
nv is something which the Legislature OF
Virginia has forbidden and can forbid.
What the Legislature can forbid man
TO do, Il can forbid man to advise an
other to do. 1t can therefore pass
valid act forbidding the teaching Of
polygamy If, then, the Hanoverians Will
conhne their motion to an act to forbid
this only, they will accomplish what they
,tn at and in perfectly lawful manner.
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AIM Al THE RIGHT MARK.
We reprinted Sunday the following
editorial article from the Philadelphia
Evening Telegraph. written at the very