The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-06
MORE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION.

More than one hundred thousand peo-
pie in England have refused to pay taxes
to support the schools of the Church
of England. A tax has been imposed
for these sectarian schools, and there
is widespread opposition to the pay
ment of the tax by members of the other
churches on the ground that it compels
them to pay for the teaching OF a creed
in which they do not believe. The OPP
ponents of this tax-or many of them
call themselves Passive Resisters" and
refuse, 'for conscience sake, to pay
the tax. More than 1900 Of them have
been served with summons, and sufficient
of the household goods of $50 has been
sold to satisfy the tax.
Sometimes we are RECALLED by Anglo
manacs with nice sounding stories about
the superiority of the English over the
American government. There are defects
here, but they are as nothing compared
with a system that compels men and
women to pay tax to support schools
Of church that teaches doctrines in
which they do not believe. 1t is good
sign that 100000 people make their pro-
test strong enough to join the Passive
Ressters" If they stand their ground,
they will ultimately win, for freedom to
worship God as one pleases without be-
ing compelled to pay for schools of an
established church, is a right which the
enlightened spirit of the world will force
England to grant.
An English minister who is in SYM
pahty with the movement asserts that
'th4 conscience and reason of the coun-
try are against the government and be-
hind the free churches. The govern
emnt, in carrying out its policy, has
overreached itself. 1t has legislated what
It cannot administer, and it seems prob
able that we shall witness another dem
onstration of the fact that no act can
be operative that has not the moral con
victions of the people behind it."
The Pilgrims and the Quakers and other
Dissenters left England scores Of years
ago to obtain religious freedom. II the
present plan of taxing men against their
conscience is persisted in there will be
another exodus of Dissenters from Great
Britain and they will receive a warm
welcome from America. Our government
rests securely upon the right of religious
freedom.
To show the extent of the organization
OF the passive Resisters," it is stated
that Mrs. Jemima Lake. author of one
of the most popular hymns in the
churches and Sunday schools, belongs to
them. This familiar verse from her
HYMN gives her claim to the affection of
Christendom:
81 think when 1 read the sweet story of
old, st" -p II
When Jesus was here among men,
How He called little children IS lambs
to His fold,
1 should like to have been with them
then. ...L +.
wish that His hands had been placed
on my head;
That His arms had been thrown AROUND
me,
And that I had heard His kind voice
when He said:
Let the little ones come unto Me- ..
She is now ninety years old, and it
! is said that some of her small property
is to be sold to satisfy the educational
rate levied against her. The Passive
Resisters" would do we'll to make the
issue clear cut in her case and show
the iniquity of the whole tax by making
the sale of her property an object les
sen. An appeal to protect such woman
in her stand for her conscience would
be far stronger than the abstract prop
osition for people can be more quickly
aroused by wrong against noble woman
than by wholesale wrong against COM
nlunity. 1t is strange that this is true,
but experience has shown that people
cannot be aroused unless there is some
individual persecution to resent.