The Portland daily press., 1896-11-30
ACKNOWLEDGING MIGHTY GOD.
Rev. Mr.. Bean on the Proposed Consti-
tuted Amendment,

tuted Amendment.
The following is brief resume
of the address of Rev. Mr.
Bean Of West Congregational churon
yesterday upon the so-oalled "Christian
Amendment. :"
We, the people Of the United States
acknowledge Almighty God as the
source of all power and authority in civil
governments, our Lord Jesus Christ as
the Ruler of Nations, and His revealed
will as of supreme authority in civil
affairs, In order to form a more perfect
union, establish justice. ensure domestic
tranquility, provide fer the common de-
fense, promote the general welfare, and
secure the Blessings of liberty to our
selves and to our posterity. do ordain
and establish this Constitution of the
United States Of America. -
The above constitutes the Preamble to
the Constitution as it would be if the pro-
posed Amendment were adopted. The
amendment proposes to insert in the pres
ent preamble the following words: "Ac-
knowledging Aim lightly God as tho source
Of all power and authority In civil gov
srnment, our Lord Jesus Christ as the
Ruler of Nations, and HIS revealed will
as of supreme authority in civil Affairs
At first sight this would seem to the
Christian mind as eminently just and
proper, hut ] think that there are
weighty reasons for hesitating about
adopting such an amendment. Some OF
them are as follows:
First Mess this Amendment ia ut
terly meaningless, it Is a confession Of
faith not only in God but in the Diyipi-
ty of Jesus Christ ard in the authority
of theScriptures in civil affairs. This con-
fession incorporated into the Constitution
IN suoh manner th8t to swear to uphold
the Constitution would be also to swear
to uphold this body of doctrine. Now
do not needs in. the presence of this
audience, to affirm my unfaltering be-
lief in God. in His Son cur Lord and
Saviour, il the Scriptures as revealing |
His will, and as binding our Christian |
hearts and lives. But nm not ready to |
force that belief upon my fellow citizens
under civil pains anu penalties, neither |
am desiTous of making hypocrites by |
demanding that ali supporters of the |
Cor stituti0n profess to support this doc |
trine. l most heartily believe that the |
full, free, Intelligent acceptance of such |
doctrine on the part of all our fellow |
oitizens would usher In the millennium. |
but this cannot be produced ky pream |
blss or acts of Congress.
Second-This Amendment would rem
der necessary the adoption of the Chris |
tian Scriptures as the statnte law Of the |
land, and the Supreme court would bs-
ocIne the ourt of last resort as to "the |
mind of Christ" When the Clearing Oh |
this matter was held before the Judiciary |
committee of the House OF Represen ia |
tiyes, the following questions were asked |
the leader Of the Amendment forces: If |
this amendment were adopted would not |
che Bible TINS become the acknowledged |
law of the nation?' eyes; that would |
be Its effect '.Would NOS the Supreme |
court then give its construction to the |
Bible as law?n /" Yes; the Supreme court |
would have to decide in that case as 1t |
does now what laws are in harmony with |
the Constitutions. That is ali laws not |
in harmony with the Scriptures would |
be pronounced unconstitutional and the |
Supreme court would he tho only body |
possessing power to give III authoritative |
Interpretation of the Scriptures. | have |
considerable confidence in the Supreme |
court, but 1 do not care to take my in |
depreciation of the Scriptures from them. |
The speaker dwelt at some length upon |
this point quoting from the friends of |
the Amendment and showing the diff |
oulties and dangers of euch aD innovation. |
he also showed that there was no cum |
parison to be drawn bstween such leRis. |
alton and the reaognition of God and |
Christ which often marks the putting |
forth of Thanksgiving prcclamations of |
which President Cleyeland's latest |
Thanksgiving proclamation is striking |
and gratifying instance.
Ihlrd-Such an Amendment Is C<de- |
sirable because it exhibits an entire mis- |
conception of the genius of the Christian |
religion and of the kingship Of Christ. |
For instance such sentiments as the |
following are quoted In the literature |
sent out with evident approval: "Noth- |
ing can make this Christian state ex-
cept the Constitution. "We are not q |
Christian state and nothing can make |
rs "a Christian state except an amend |
ment tn the Constitution and there Is |
just where the fight is on" And this |
from their official documents: ''Is it |
not perfectly manifest, after all our
comparatively fruitless efforts to cure our |
fostering political corruption by other |
means, that the only adequate romedy |
is TO bring our nation into acknowledged |
subsection to the perfect and purifying |
law Of Christ" AS though this could |
be done by constitutional amend |
ment' How easy are some peoples
INGENIOUS Tor Fo26nefablng society,". f0SS |
an amendment, make new law and all
will be well. Why need we ever be pes
simistic, when all that il necessary to
the cure of political corruption is to adopt |
an amendment setting for til that the
nation believ. s in God, Christ and Scrip |
tuTe But are we then to despair of be-
coming truly Christian natione By no
means. We believe that Christ is king
ami is TO rule, but it must he through |
b carts and lives that have felt his regeu-
Grating power. He is to mould and fash
ion human society and human law, but
not in snoh crude and ready made |
methods as are here set forth. The Bible
IL not book OF statute law. it ia an in
spiration. A s its great truths get hold |
of human life and inspire and mould hu-
man action, the laws and customs of |
society become more and more Christ
like. The laws hut reflect the onward |
march of Christian ideas, or the lessen
ing force of Christian ideals. You can
never enforce the precepts of the sermon |
on the Mount by policemen or the mill |
tary, but these forces may be brought |
under the power of a Christian con- |
sceEce. And it is better that Christ |
should stand forsver as the conscience |
than ms the constable of tha state |