Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-06-11
GoD IN I'M CONSTITUTION.

one u The prominent features Of tho
proposed Hawaiian constitution is the
formal acknowledgment Of God as the
Supreme Ruler Of the nation. The
fact may DO worth while noting, be.
cause an effort 10 incorporate a similar
clause In the Constitution Of the Unit.
cd States was, only few months ago,
gently killed by the Congrossi9ual
committee 10 which the proposition bad
been referred.
The idea Of regarding the Almighty
a. the highest ruler Of the ma.
lions Il undoubtedly theoretically
correct and II expresses fact
which ultimately will be- oonaum.
mated, no matter what human rulers
may do or neglect u DO, Bill, 10 a..
sumo that tn, human family has al
ready arrived nj point whore the
various branches of government rest
In His hands auG tho nations obey His
inspirations IL " assume too much.
The Wow IL conirAdiCiod ~ facts. Man
was by the Creator giyoua fior agency.
To some extent lie rellnquishtd the
government Of the earth 10 His chill.
dfon, 10 DO uaoi 10 conformity 20 His
will a. expressed from time 10
time. II cannot successfully be- denied
that tho privilege thus granted has,
during the ages past, been wooiully
abused, and NJ long a. this condition
remaius, the mere "fccognition" OF the
Creator IN legal document Ia out Of
place. IL IL worse than that. II IL
hypocrisy. AZ Tonga the Spirit Of the
Almighty is not allowed to animate
the laws aud their execution as well a.
all this inAnipulallons that are thought
necessary 10 regulate the Affairs Of n
nation, this mere framing OF a sentence
concerning God In the constitution
Ia iAlsohood.
This evil influences Of this idea are
plainly visible on the pages Of history.
II led to the assumption by thp popes 80
who claimed TO DO the yicegorents Of
God-5f all power, both ecclesiastical
and political, until crowns were given
away as rewards for personal fayors,
kings were Inundated anu nations
tremblod Tor the word OF one man. IL
led 10 bloodshed Ia the most cruel ana
bitter wars the world ever saw. when
the revolt came aud mnnTose against tho
tyranny, the fatal ialAohOOd, however,
was still retained aud the coclcsiastic-
al power conferred upln klugs and em-
porors, who assumed 10 rule Ia the name
Of God, though no, In any way obudicnt
to His laws Nations were still hurled
against nations In bloody combat, each
one praying to God Tor Victory, while
the monarohial heads Of established
churches led their armies on the
bAtllehelds. Is God responsible for
all such things, and shall lilo DO held
accountable for the misrule under
which many nations have been made
the breeding grounds Of anarchy,
of crlmos and rovolutlona2 Holy
writ has Il that the rule Of
God on earth will be characterized by
peace, prosperity, righteousness.
When the Constitution u the
United States was framed, the fac, was
recognized that purely religious matters
were not the subjoc. Of legislation. IL
was clearly seen that the evil Of oCclesi.
astical establishments such a. existed
In Europe had to be avoided and thort-
fore they wisely LETT out references 10
God us the nations ruler, The idea IL
correct one, lor IL means that each
| individual DO loit freo 10 make
his religious arrangements, aui
that citizenship Ia tho state II not
affected bY religious views. 10 means
that when God rules the hearts VI HH
children the state viii necessarily grow
In accordance with llls purposes, aud
also that the mere formal "recosnluou"
Is not worth the ink with which lt is
printed. The young republic iu the
western sea might, We think, proGtably
have copied the example OF lhe United
States aud omitted from he cousutu.
zion d phrase whion means nothing b.
] not msguIp'.