Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-05
ALLEGIANCE 10 DEItY ANDIO me
STATE.

In an address before the J lint session
OF the Utah Legislature yesterday
(Feb. ~ one of the speakers made n
prediction regarding the future in
Utah which evoked appliance from
the assembled thronR. 1t touched
upon vital question affecting the re-
lation Of religion and politics, church
and state. Mr.. Thaicher's prediction
was made in the following words:
The day must como in Utah whom he
who holds u higher allegiance than that
which belongs 10 the state must not be n
lawmaker IN the halls of the state.
II ever the misfortune which is de-.
ciared in the foregoing as one that
"must comet 10 our fair State does
operate, then il means that every
Christian, whether Roman or Greek
Catholic, or Protestant, or Latter day
Saint; every Jew, every Mohamme.
dan, and every peraon who believes in
and worships God as an omnipotent
being, will BE- disfrsnchised In this
State. There ia no getting away from
that point. Christianity, Judaism,
MohsmmedaniBm, and all religion,
inculoales allegiance to God as the
highest duty OF man; ana each per.
son who recognizes Deity as the
supreme ruler OF the universe, 10 that
relation gives TO Him the highest
allegiance OF which he ia capable.
Yet by the terms OF the foregoing
quotation he would be barred from
becoming ga lnwmaker in the halls OF
the State" That sacred place in the
civil fabric wouln be reserved Tor
atheists who know no higher rule OF
conduct than the will OF man.
In the light OF history, logic ami re.
ligioD, the situation lie easily demon
strsted. II God is the Creator and
Ruler OF the uhiversf; il He is
omnipUteDt in the Jurisdiction lie
exercises over His creations; II He Is
God, then He is supreme; and as such
the only allegiance that can be given
Him is that which attaches TO Him In
His capacity of being superior
to all. There cannot be two
supreme powers. The Infinite One
is supreme, or He is NOT. Aud
II He Ia supreme, to Him belOng5 the
highest allegiance OF which man is
capable. The demand that that high.
er allegiance which OF right ia His
should 60 to any other power is
denial OF the Supreme Being, OF the
omnipotenoe OF God.
The genius OF American govern.
ment, as displayed in the expressions
and conduct Of its greatest men, up.
holds the supremacy Of Deity. 1t was
in recognition OF his higher allie.
glance to the Almighty that
Andrew jackson DECLARED In his
inaugural address, that ga firm
reliance on the goodness OF that
Power whose providence merci-
iully protected our national infancy,
and has since upheld our liberties in
various vieissitudos, encourages me to
offer up my ardent applications that
He will continue TO make our beloved
country the object OF His divine care
and gracious benedictiou." So Thomas
efierson taught when on similar
occasion In his career he pleaded that
''thRt Infinite Power which rules the
destinies OF the universe lead our
councils to what IL best" They
recognized Power greater than ma
tions, and gave to 1t that higher
allegiance which osused them to crave |
the iavoTs OF that Power 10 behalf OF
their beloved country. And in his
inaugural address George Washington
set to his predecessors The example |
they have followed, Ia .heoc is2pres.
sive words:
It would be peculiarly improper to |
omit in This first official act my furyent !
applications to tina. Almighty Being |
who rules over the universe. who pro- |
sides in the councils pt nations, and |
whose providential aids can supply |
every human defec., that His |
benedictiOn may consecrate to the |
liberties and happiness OF the ueople OF |
the United States d government insi- |
u ed by themselves for these osscuua |
purposes, and may enable every iustru-
ment employed Ia It's administration to
execute vi IA success HE functions all |
lotted to His charge In tcnderiug this |
homage to the Great Author OF every |
public and private good, assure myself |
that it expresses youi sentiments no. less |
than my own, nor those OF my fellow |
citizens at large less than either. No |
people can be bound to acknowledge aud |
adore tho Invisible Hand which conducts |
the affairs OF men moro than those OF the |
United States.
II was this same allegiance to the |
recognition Of the Higher Power |
which Inspired the statement In the |
Declaration OF Independence that
meu were "endowed by their Creator
with certain innliens6le rights."
Being conferred by the Creator, those
rights were inalienable by the
government about to be Instituted,