The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-23
CHURCH AND THE LAW
The AdventistS' Idea of the Relation of
Religion to the Civil Government.
ELDER PALMER'S SUBJECT
He Contributes an Article to the
standard" Giving His Views
and Reasons for Making
the stand He Does.
ELDER PALMER'S SUBJECT

the subject of civil government in its
relation TO religion. and are very en-
phatic in their disapproval of any
thing that has the semblance of re-
ligion in politics. Elder j. r. Palmer.
who has been conducting services I'm
Butte for several weeks, in writing
for the Standard on the subject of
civil Government and Religion" as
regarded by the Adventists. says
There is a great necessity for study
ing these subjects at this time. we
hold these truths to be self-evident.
that all men are created equal that
they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights: that among
these are life. liberty and the pursuit
of happiness: that to secure these
rights governments are instituted
among men. deriving their just pow
ers from the consent of the governed
says the Declaration OF Independence
and article 10 Of the amendments to
the constitution says The powers not
delegated to the United States by the
constitution. nor prohibited by II to the
states, are reserved to the states re-
spectively, or to the people
when a person infringes on the
rights OF his neighbor and Injuries him
bodily, or takes away property that
does not belong to him, such neighbor
has no right TO follow and take by
force the property so taken, or ITO in
fiict punishment for such misdemean-
or without due process of law; because
these rights have been surrendered to
the state, and in turn the state has
sworn ITO protect and preserve to the
people these rights. Whenever any
person or persons not duly authorized
undertakes to recover damages, or in
nict punishment-though the act may
be just in itself-they are properly
called anarchists. When the state
makes law that will deprive indivfd-
uals of these rights Ii is an unjust law
ana ought to be repealed at once. Civ
IL government ought not to be based
upon any system of religion, because
would be impossible to do so and be
impartial to all its subjects. When
ever position is taken by the state
whereby II would favor one of its sub
Jects. or one class, above another in
matters or religion IL becomes oppres-
sive, and that too in matters of con-
science. When the state tries to con-
troll the conscience. or the intents of
the heart, the rack, thumbscrew, and
the torch are the natural result
Religion, In short. is to give allegi-
ance 10 supreme being; this too is in
the full consolidating down imagin-
atoms, and every high thing that ex-
alteth itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ
This principle permeates every form of
religion. The heathens have always
furthered their religion by force. ANY
man or set of men who seeks for the
arm of the state to advance the cause
of religion have divorced themselves
from God and are married TO the world
and have denied the power of God. II
is written Not by might. nor by power
put by My Spirit saith the Lord What
the world wants to see, and il ought
to see IL too. is a church imbued with
power from on high. Christ said, For
All they that take the sword shall per-
ish with the sword
"A few statements will show plainly
why we should study these subjects
carefully. By the United States su-
preme court decision rendered Feb. 90
1892. by Justice Brewer. in the case of
the united states VS.. the Church of the
Holy Trinity. New York city. IL was
decided that this is a religious nation.
ana that 1t Is a Christian religious ma
tion; ana from the history cited we
rlghtfully infer that IL belongs to the
Catholic church. Whence came the
authority of the supreme court to make
such decision? Since the supreme
law OF the United States SAYS. The
government of the United States of
America is not in any sense founded on
the Christian religion See treaty
made with Tripoli, 1896. Following
this decision OF the supreme court LET
us notice the actions OF the United
States congress. In the appropriation
bill for the Columbian exposition. there
was religious clause. and the minis
tiers OF the country sent I'm a flood of
petitions TO congress with threats So
strong that they Were denounced on
the floor OF congress as an abuse of the
right of petition; yet they had the in
tended influence was shown by
speeches OF several of the congressman
while the bill was under consideration.
The substance of which we quote from
a speech Of Senator Hawley: There Is
no use in endeavoring to escape re-
sponsibility. If the senate to-day de-
cides that IL will not close that exhibit
ton on Sunday, the exhibition will be
opened on that day, and you will have
offended more than 40, OO0. 900 Of people.
seriously and solemnly offended them.
NO wise statesman or monarch OF mod
ern times. no satrap of Rome. would
have thought IL wise TO fly i'm the face
Of a profound conviction of the people
he governed, no matter II he thought IL
a profound error. ii is not wise states
manship 10 do IL. Now II gentiles re-
pudiate this, If they desire to reject il,
II they deny that this Is i'm the true
sense of the word a religious nation, l
should like to see the disclaimer nut IL
in white and black and proposed by
the congress of the United States.
Write it, How would you write n?
Word II, II you dare; advocate IL. IL you
dare. How many who voted for IL
would ever come back here again?
None / hope.
Immediately following the decision
OF the supreme court. that this is a
Christian nation, and the act OF con-
gress in passing laws respecting reIi-
gton. we see what we would naturally
expect: a papal delegate sent to Am
erica to take charge Of the affairs OF
the government; but this Is not the
source from whence the greatest dan
ger is coming. A few statements from
leading men will suffice.
Rev II. II. George, who had sDent
the whole session at Washington as an
avowed Christian lobbyist, declared in