The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-23

II wish we might learn 20 think
Of brotherhood, In America not In
terms Of pious sentiments but rath-
er in terms of one of the basic facts
Of American life," said Rev. DR.. John
G. Walker, Second Congregational
Church pastor, Sunday morning in
his sermon entitled, "In Praise of
Brotherhood"
DR.. Walker said IN part: 1t is too
late in the day for intelligent Amer
lean Christians to be led astray by
the crude and devilish religious
prejudices which have hourished
In certain European countries. A very
large proportion of those who came
to these shores to found the first
colonies along the eastern seaboard
were men and women who were
willing to make every possible sac
rifice for conscience sake and who
were determined to find religious
freedom for themselves and their
children.
We cannot say that the founding
fathers of colonial days were entire
ly devoid Of religious prejudices or
that they were as tolerant and as
brotherly as they should have been
but we can say that they were in
the vanguard as far as their day and
generation were concerned. Make
what you can Of the witchcraft delu-
sion at Salem and examples Of in
tolerance in Puritan New England
but do not forget to make COM
parison with contemporary Europe
where intolerance, persecution, ia
naticism, witchcraft decisions were
the rule and not the exception. We
can take some pride in the fact that
Roger Williams and those who la
bored with him established in Rhode
Island for the first time in history
civil state where men had full lib
ert yof conscience, complete separa-
ton Of church and state, govern
ment by the choice and free con-
sent Of the people. These principles
were later written into our Ameri-
can Constitution and set forth bold
ly and deflantly in our Bill Of
Rights.
They have become a part Of
American tradition, part OF our
American dream. They are a chal-
lenge to civil and religious tyranny
across the world so long as we are
loyal to our heritage. The very flrst
sentence in the very first article in
the Bill Of Rights relates to religious
freedom, Congress shall make no
law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free ex-
ercise thereof" It Is un-American to
suffer q State Church, 1t Is I'M
American to interfere with the free
exercise Of religious worship and
practice SO long as worship and
practice are kept within the bounds
Of common decency, so long as there
Is reasonable regard for the rights
and privileges Of others.
It Is American, and American In
the best tradition, to cherish not
only mild tolerance but genuine
respect for sincere and earnest men
who have religious loyalties other
than our own. Always remember
that man who is intolerant toward
the religious convictions Of others
must be suspected Of being not too
sure Of his own.
OF course I believe that the reli-
gious freed ON and the religious toll
ranc which has ben characteristic
Of America at its best must sooner
or later find acceptance abroad. 7
do not believe that any nation any
where can be safe and secure as
long as religious minorities are con-
demned and prosecuted. I believe
that we ought not only to make the
strongest possible protest on behalf
Of Jewish minorities in Europe but
that we ought to make representa-
tions on behalf Of prosecuted Prot
estants In Spain. I believe that
America which is predominantly