The Washington herald., 1912-03-07

free.
Here, then. by the national constitu-
ton every citizen OF the United States
is absolutely free from all Sunday laws
as from every other form OF enforced re-
hgion. The remnants. relics. and repre-
sentatives OF the old religious despotisms
etill try to persuade free citizens OF the
United States that they are not free.
Who will any longer allow himself thus
tc. be hoodooed out Of his assured lib
erty?
Citizens of the United States are thus
assuredy free. The people OF the United
States have ordained and established It,
The Constitution declares and guarantees
IT, Let the people OF the United States
now and forever stand up and proclaim
and maintain II, and be free. Then all
will be free. There is no other way.
And there cannot be any other way; for
there Is no power in the government or
the Constitution above thar OF the people.
There is yet deeper sense In which
this issue Is the principle Of the Gospel.
IL was upon the principles upon which
the Gospel was first propagated' that this
American, constitutional. and Christian
religious liberty was founded. Jefferson,
Washington, Madison, and their compa-
tfiots. who made the nation, said:
Religion or the duty which we owe
10 our Creator and the manner OF dis
charging. can be directed only by reason
and conviction. not by force or violence;
and Is nowhere cognizable but at the
tribune OF the Universal Judge. There
fore, TO Jedge for ourselves, and to en-
gage In the exercise OF religion agreeably
to the dictates of our own consciences,
Is an unalienable right, which upon the
principles on which the Gospel was first
propagated and the reformation from
popery carried on, can never be trans
ferred TO another
las related to God and religion. the
principle, on which the Gospel was first
propagated is: Render to Ceasar the
things that are Caesars, and unto God
the things that are Gods II any man
hear my word and believe not, Judge
him not so then. every one of Us shall
give account Of himself TO God
I'm this matter OF the observance or
regard of a day, the principle upon
which the Gospel was first propagated 10:
One man esteemeth one day above an
other. another esteemeth every dA , alike.
Let every man be fully persuaded IN his
own mind. He that regardeth the day
regardeth It unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day to the Lord he
doth not regard it
Tn his own mind'-mark II. Fully
persuaded in his own mind; not by gov
ernmental force: rot by Congressional or
legislative enactments; not by judicial de-
cisions; not by police: net prosecution.
nor by persecution. But only IN his own
mind. by his 6wn personal choice. and
his own free thinking. upon his own
personal and free faith, and unto God
only That is the principle OF
the Gospel as to the observance or re-
garding Of a day. And that is the re-
ligious liberty that is the privilege and
immunity OF every citizen Of the United
States, ordained and established In the
Constitution; and now to be proclaimed
and maintained everywhere throughout
all the land by all the Inhabitants there
OF. 1t is all Of God, and is eternally
right.
America's Destiny.
Through its Sunday laws this princl-
pie OF the Gospel was repudiated, and
this liberty blotted out IN all Europe
by the world despotism Of the papacy,
that sunk the Roman Empire and car
ried the world to the brink Of perdi-
ton. In the reformation God again res
cued mankind. and called men to the
religious liberty upon which the Gospel
was first propagated. But not I'LL the
planting Of this newest nation did these
principles ever find any place OF recogni-
ton in government.
The principles had always been there
for recognition by every government
The principles were ordained Of God for
the recognition of governments and Of
men everywhere. But to this nation
alone in all the world befell the splendid
distinction OF taking this dlvinely Or
iained way Of genuine religious liberty
rs a fundamental governmental princi-
pie. And this religious liberty has as
sured in this land civil liberty in higher
degree and larger measure than was
ever known before on earth.
And by these two great principles Of
riligious liberty and civil liberty this
nation has led the whole world out of
The darkness and into the light. And
here she is, Columbia, Queen fsthe ma
ions; glorious in her goodly apparel,
md majestic in her beautiful form.
And now who wants to see her with
troubled countenance and tear-stained
lace, with bowed head and disheveled
hair, and her fair limbs marred with
at the tail end Of a dismal
newling procession enthusiastically led,
railing along the old and hateful paths
II despotism, back and down into the
lark valley of the humiliation and de-
pair Of mankind and-the world?
mo, no, no, Let her be devountly
Ioul, and spirit. forever free. And she
With noble head erect. and her face to
he light; her countenance radiant and
yes sparkling, her glorious tresses Joy
'usly tossing in the bracing breezes Of
eligious liberty, and she herself lead |
ng the grand march Of mankind and |
he world upward and onward to the |
ublimest heights OF the divine des- |
my.
why not? And IL not. then what? |
an the divine call, these divine princi-
les. and this divine opportunity and des-
my. all be disregarded with impunity?
"An that all of this means to any indi-
idual, 1t means to the nation. All that |
means to the nation. II means to the |
Thole world. With before them the open
ook of the awful story of the world re-
gious despotism of the papacy, the peo-
lie of these United States allow an on
ious meddling ecclesiastical combine OF
alse Professionalism TO turn this model
rec nation into a religious despotlsm In
he living likeness OF, and even in alliance
nth. that identical original one, then
hat possible language could too severely
sprHach that crowning folly OF the ages?
Should or could it then be thought
trange II the divine judgment stored up
or that great original should burst upon
9th together, in the vials Of unmingled
Trath poured out to the very dregs?
.ead Revelation, xiii to xvi. inclusive.
But, and IL in the blindness OF men that
wful peversion must be wrought. and
he supremacy of spiritual despotism and
vii must seize sway. then only the more
oes IL devolve upon all who will be free,
ther now or then, to hold I'D so high, SO
penly, so fully, and so true all these d.
Inc principles that have been committed