The San Francisco call., 1896-03-02

ton for our free institutions against all eccle-
siastical encroachment, whether Roman or
Protestant, upon the state and schools OF our
country. We can't afford to swap OFF Roman
popery and open the door for Protes ant popery.
Roman Pope is quite as admissible as Bap-
tist or Presbyterian Pope. But we prefer TO
have no Pope, and in the enjoyment OF Ameri-
can citizenship and full religious liberty let
every man and woman be kings and priests
unto God
And the attitude of liberals on the subject of
God in the constitution of the United States,
Sunday laws and the Bible and religious usage
in the free schools has been for many years
standing protest, and at almost every session
of Congress the liberals OF America have sent
in their petition of protest against the passage
of the bill of religions amendment to our Or
ganic law, and the unanimity OF sentiment
among liberals in this City on this subject was
obvious on last Sunday night in our audience
in securing 400 signatures to defeat the re-
Igious bill before the present Congress.
This Protestant movement TO 1nfuSe religion
into the state rests upon the claim that this is
Christian country, and they argue that our
Federal constitution is goddess document
and must be amended. They claim that this
Is n Christian Nation simply because We have
lures hospitals and prisons; the exemption Of
church property from taxation; the Bible and
worship in our schools; the appointment of
fast and feast days by the official au thorlty of
the state; the name OF God Oh our coin.
And Protestant Christians claim that these
longcontinued Christian usages make this
Christian country. And that our constitution
being purely secular is defective and must be
amended, as it gives liberty to all religions
and treats all alike, but indorses no religion.
And when such brainy men in this Protestant
movement as Rev. Jonathan Blanchard, Rev.
Mr.. Edwards Rev. Mr.. Tyne, Rev. A. A. Minor
and scores of able men in the pulpit and lead
ers of the various so-called reform associa-
tlons, speak out, they are entitled TO q candid
and res pectful hearing. These people are in
dead earnest, and their success means the de-
structlon OF our guarantees OF freedom and The
subversion or American liberty. And we meet
them by affirming that this is not Christian
tan nor anti-ChrIstlan, nor Jewish, nor Mo-
hamme edan, but simply secular, with equal
rights TO all and special privileges to none;
ana that these religions customs aud usages
now practlced in our state schools and Ma
tional Government should cease, and thus
conform our usage in every department OF our
Government and schools 10 the constitutio of
our country as it is in letter and spirit.
The- nine demands of American liberalism
formulated about twenty years since by Francis
Abbott, end which are the bass upon which
this society, founded in 1892, and all other lib
eral and free thought unions are organized
throughout America, England, Australia and
the Canadas, are as follows:
THE DEMANDS OF LIBERALISM.
l. We demand that churches and other ecclesi-
astlcal property shall be no longer exempt from
Just taxation.
?. We demsnd that the employment of chaplains
Congress. in state Legislatures in the navy and
militia, and in prisons. asylums and in all other
institutions supported by public money shall be
discontinued.
3. We demand that the public appropriations
for educational and charitable institute ons of Sec
tartan character shall cease.
4. We demand tnat all religious services now
sustained by the Government shall be abolished:
ano especially that the use OF the Bible IN the pub
lie schools, whether ostensby text book or
avowedly as book of religious worship, shall be
prohibited.
5. We demand that the appointment bv the
President of the United States or by the Governors
OF the various Staes of all religious festivals and
fasts shall wholly cease
b. We demand that The judicial oath in the
courts and in all other departments OF the Govern
ment shall be abolished and that the simple afir-
nation, under The pains and penal ties of perjury
shall be established in its stead.
Z We demand that all laws, directly or indi-
rectly, enforcing the observance of Sunday as the
Sabbath shall be repealed.
8. We demand that all laws looking to the en-
forcement OF Christian" morality, as SUCH shall
be abrogated and that all laws shall be conformed
TO the requirements of natural morality equal
rights and impartial liberty.
r. we demand that not only in the Constitution
OF the United States and OF the several states but
also in the practical administration OF the an me-
no sprlvilege or advantage shall be conceded to
Christianity or any other special religion; that our
entire political system snail be founded and ad-
MN nnlnislered on purely secular basis: and that
Whatever changes shall prove necessary to this
enc shall De consistently, unfiinchingy and
promptly made
And as liberals, organized on the nine de-
manos OF liberalism, we ask that our entire
political system shall be administered on
purely secular basis. The reasons are many
ana OBVIOUS, when we consider how wide
apart are the realms of church and state and
mat the state Is simply realm Of force while
that OF the church and religion is purely a
realm of persuasion. And the history of re
II sion IN all the past shows that any religion
that reaches beyond its natural limit and is
backed by civil power becomes a cruel despot-
ism.