The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-21
IN THE CONSTITUTION

"CHHlSTIAN" IN THE CONSTITUTION
One of the most animated passages
in the Virginia Constitutional Conven-
ton so far was brought on by the eff
fort to have the word Christian" ELI
minated from the fundamental law.
Those who moved for the striking out
of the word justified their action by
the argument that what was desired
was to eliminate.al question of creeds,
and thus show an Acknowledgement
of the equal rights of all religions in
Virginia-the Jewish, the Mohamme-
dan, the Confucian, the Buddhist, etc,
as well as the Christian. They pointed
out that religious freedom was one of
the foundation rocks of the govern
ment of this country, and that to rec
ognize any religion specifically, above
the others, was to contravene the spirit
of the great principle that moved the
reclaimers of the country from the will
derness and the savage and the found
ers of what has grown to be the great
est and freest government of the earth
They made no attack upon Christiani-
ty, Of course; most of those who fav-
ored the elimination of the word are no
doubt themselves believers in and fol-
lowers of the Christian faith. Their
stand, as they put it, was merely for
the purpose of securing a constitution
in which all religions would stand upon
precisely the same footing, without the
recognition specifically of any.
1t appears that christian" will be
retained in the Virginia constitution.
1t is said that If 1t We're stricken out
there would be grave danger that the
whole work of the convention would
be rejected by the people. The ques-
ton appears to be one rather of senti-
ment than of anything else. There is
not the slightest degree of danger of
anything like religious oppression in
Virginia, with or without the special
mention of Christianity in the consti-
tuition. Jews and Christians. Confuc-
ians and Mohammedans. have worship
ped there in the past unmolested, in
accordance with the dictates of their
conscience, and they will continue to
do so.
Virginia, as a matter of fact, was the
very first organized commonwealth in
the world 10 guarantee to her people
absolute religious freedom. There had,
of course. been religious tolerance. But
it remained for Virginia. under the
brilliant leadership of Thomas Jeffer-
son. to pass the first statute law con-
ferTinO tho hnnr ~ foIf0fn.re
upon mankind. This act was passed
in 1855, under the title of IAN Act for
Establishing Religious Freedom" And
the spirit of that act is immortal. 1t
has governed since. and will govern in
future. Mr.. jefferson was so greatly
impressed with its Importance and
value that he regarded its adoption as
one OF the GROWING achievements of
his life. II was one OF the three things
that he desired should be forever re-
membered I'm connection with his name.
The epitaph on his monument at Mon
ticello, written by his own hands,
reads: Here was buried Thomas JEFF
ferson. author of the American Declar-
! alton of Independence, of the Statute
Of Virginia for Religious Freedom.
and Father OF the University OF Vir-
ginia."
Adherents OF the other religions have
nothing to fear from the retention of
Christian in the Virginia constitu-
ton. IL means a guarantee of tolera-
ton and progress. IL does not suggest,
IN the slightest degree. any union be-
tween church and state. The majority
Of the residents OF Virginia are fol-
lowers OF Christianity In the
sense OF majority. therefore. Virginia
Is a Christian state. That is what the
language Of the constitution means.