The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-07-18

Ia celebrate the victory OF Will
liam H. over James IL. at
the Boyne. In all the glorious his
tory of the British Empire there is
no record of achievement of such
far-reaching advantage to the COM
mon people as this great and
notable triumph of the forces Of
William III There have been hum
dreds Of battles fought and won by
British soldiers in which greater
numbers were engaged, where
heavier loss of life were involved
But there is no battle in all the
annals of Britain's wars that was
fraught with such momentous issues
as the struggle which took place on
the banks of the little stream in
Ireland.
It is not with a desire to stir up
amin osities, nor to recall the unwar-
ranted aggressions of King James
and those who surrounded him, but
rather to give thanks for the victory
achieved that day that we review the
circumstances OF that struggle.
For over a hundred years the peo-
pie Of England had been fighting for
freedom from ecclesiastical tyranny
and oppression with varying degrees
of success. From the time of Henry
VIII. down through the reigns of
Mary, Elizabeth, James T., Cromwell,
Charles I. and IT,, till the time of the
second James there had been no re-
ligious peace in the country. Oppres-
sion was practiced by one party or
by the other as they happened to be
dominant in power. The idea of
mutual federation did not exist.
There was but one thought in mind,
Protestant and Roman Catholic, and
that was their own ascendancy, from
which point they honestly believed
they were warranted in tyrannizing
over their religious opponents.
1t is not necessary, in cOmmemo-
rating this great event, to seek to
adjust the balances of religious per-
secution through that dreadful
period in English history. We are
concerned more to bring out one or
two essential factors of present day
civilization which are applied to
British government as result of
the Battle of the Boyne.
1t was a sanguinary struggle be-
tween the two religious extremes.
The army of William believed in the
right Of private judgment and
denied the temporal authority of
Pope Or priest 1t was a principle
for which they were ready to lay
down their lives, as many of them
did. They entered into the battle
with cheerful hopefulness that they
might be able to establish that
principle of religious independence
in their native land On the other
side were encamped the hosts of
James H., who, living in fear and
superstition, endeavored to uphold
the pretensions of the papaI power
and it's chief agent, James II.
If James had won the day the
doctrine of divine right of Kings
would have been fixed for another
generation in British practice Papal
authority would have become SUI
preme throughout the kingdom.
Protestant prosecutions would have
been resumed, and the worst days Of
Mary would have been surpassed by
the cruelty of which James II. was
admittedly capable. But fortunately
for the British people, and for their
descendants, and for the cause of
humanity, the issues of the day
were in favor of that gallant Prince
in whose name we are organized and
whose memory we cherish as the
great deliverer of Professionalism
from the thraldom of the papacy.
The victory of William put an
end forever to the belief that Kings