The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-12-27
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dreary wilderness was soon quickened
with the swarming life and activity
of prosperous settlements; the Ro-
man Catholic who were oppressed by
the laws of England were sure to find
peaceful asylum in the quiet harbors
of the Chesapeake, and there, too,
Protestants were sheltered against
Protestant intolerance. Such were
the beautiful auspices under which
Maryland started into being. *** Its
history is the history of benevolence,
gratitude and toleration.'
ION April 2, 1649. the General AS
sembly of Maryland passed the fol-
lowing act, which will reflect unfad-
ing glory on that state as long as
liberty is cherished in the hearts of
men: Whereas, the enforcing of con-
science in matters of religion hath
frequently fallen out to be of danger
GUS consequence in those common
wealths where it has been practiced,
and for the more quiet and peaceable
government of this province and the
better to preserve mutual love and
unity among the inhabitants, no per-
son whatsoever within this province
protesting to believe in Jesus Christ
shall from henceforth be any ways
troubled or molested for his or her
religion, nor in the free exercise
thereof, nor any way compelled to
the belief or exercise of any other re.
ligion against his or her consent
Upon this noble statute Bancroft
makes the following candid and judi
cious comment: The design of the
law of Maryland was to protect free
dom of conscience, and some years
after it had been confirmed the apollo
gist of Lord Baltimore could assert
that his government had never given
disturbance to any person in Mary
land for matter of religion; that the
colonists enjoyed freedom of con-
science, not less than freedom of per-
son and estate, as amply as ever any
person in any place of the world. The
DISTINGUISHED friends of prelacy from
Massachusetts and the Puritans from
Virginia were welcomed to equal lib.
erty of conscience and political rights
in the Roman Catholic province of
Maryland
"In conclusion / thank God, my
brethren, that we live in a country
where liberty of conscience is respect.
ed and where the civil Constitution
holds over us the aegis of it's protec.
ton without intermeddling with &c.
clesiastical affairs. And perhaps at
this moment there is no nation on
the face of the earth where the
church is less trammeled and where
she has more liberty to carry out hel
sublime destiny than in these United
States.
The question arises, which is the
best arrangement, the official union
of church and state or the mutual in.
dependence of both? l have nothing
to say in regard to other countries,
but our own friendly relations OF
church, and state without official
union is best for us. A Scotchman
once remarked to a fellow country.
man: Sandy, Sandy, believe me. hon
esty is the best policy. I know this
is true, Sandy, for I have tried them
BOTH
The church has tried official union
of church and state and she has tried
friendly independence In adhering
to the first system she has often been
hampered and restrained in her di
vine mission by encroachment of des.
potic governments. AS far as our
own country is concerned, prefer
our American system, where there
are friendly relations and mutual CO.
operation. where both move in par.
allel lines without clash or conflict,
each helping the other in the mission
it has from God.
For the same Lord who gives au.
thority to spiritual gives authority to
temporal power. 1t is, therefore, the
duty, as it is, happily, the custom, for
both powers to aid and strengthen
one another in their divine mission
for there is no authority but from
God. 0
For my part l much prefer the
system which prevails in this coun
try, where the temporal needs of the
church are supplied by voluntary con
tributions of the faithful, to the meth
cd which has obtained in some Euro
pean countries where the church was
supported by the government. thereby
making feeble reparation for the
gross injustice done by the wholesale
confiscation of ecclesiastical prop
erty."