Evening star., 1949-04-30
Maryland Tolerati0n Act Held
Limited Grant Of Religious Liberty
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MAFyianu lOIeFatlOn hct neiu
Limited Grant Of Religious Liberty
To the Editor OF The Star:
In your columns April 20, in a story about
Maryland's observance Of the Toleration
Act Of 1649, your reporter says:
THE State Departments International
Information Service is giving worldwide
publicity to the observance. The service
sent out feature story under the signature
@of Gov. Lane TO- an scRerseas outposts for
release tornnr01 distribute spot
news storieS tim0us4i vafiosls media. includ
ing Voice Of America hroadcasts.
That act, to which vas appended the
freemen have assented.' was the first legis
,lative decrea~ ~sanettsainesfre worship en-
acted ID Ar1sf5Ek u ny large country OF
] the world"
Most Americans admire Maryland. and
certainly am indisposed to deny Roman
Catholics any rights under the Constitution
or to belittle any Of their just claims to
acts leading to religious tolerance. State
wide observance Of the Toleration Act. how
ever. together with such reports as published
In The Star. raises certain questions which
are important in relation to history and
social attitudes. For this reason I may be
allowed to point out that there is grave
danger of misunderstanding in regard to
this celebration. The public, in all fairness
should be made aware of the entire back
ground.
Roger williams Priority.
DR.. Edward B. Willingham. pastor Of the
National Baptist Memorial Church in Wash
ington, called attention to a float In the
recent presidential inaugural parade. This
float, provided by the State Of Maryland.
depicted the Maryland Toleration Act OF
l649 as the start and foundation Of religious
liberty on these shores. DR.. Willingham de-
clared: with no desire to detract from
the glory Of Maryland or discredit any honor
due the Roman Catholics. the interests OF
truth and clarity demand that facts should
be known. Why should the public be al
lowed TO forget the well-acknowledged fact
that it was in the year l647 that Roger
williams established in Rhode Island gov
ernment which for the first time in all his
tory accorded absolute liberty of conscience
to all persons regardless Of creed? In
fact Williams political organization In
Rhode Island which provided for separation
of church and State with soul liberty for
every one. began as early as 1888 and pro-
ceeded consistently until consummation In
1647, two years before the Maryland Tolera-
ton Act. (See "A History Of Baptist
Churches In the United States by A. II.
Newman pages 74-79). This full religious
liberation proclaimed in Maryland.
"A brief examination of standard histories
will show that the first Lord Baltimore.
Roman Catholic. in 1852 obtained from the
King of England o charter to establish q
proprietorship over the area known as Della
ware and Maryland. His eldest son. Cecilius.
the second Lord Baltimore. took over after
his fathers death. and found 1t necessary
under Protestant England to guarantee pro-
lection for all persons so long as they be-
lieved In Jesus Christ. Though allowed
even against the English law--to receive
Roman Catholics. it was soon found that
the success of the colony depended upon
the admission Of Protestant settlers. Father
Whyte, Jesuit priest, one OF the colontsts.
wrote that the greater number were here
tics" that is, Protestants. Records Of the
English Province OF the Society Of Jesus.
seventh series. page 364) The body which
passed the Maryland Edict Of liberation
consisted of Protestant Governor. 16 Prot
estants and eight Roman Catholics. The
act was induced to enable the Roman Cath
olics to worship publicly. tSee Religious
Liberty and the Maryland Toleration Act
by Randolph II. McKim. rector of the
Church of the Epiphany. Washington. ID. c..
published in re1utation of claims made by
Cardinal Gibbons Unfortunately. the act
only allowed q certain tolerance and not
complete religious liberty. as provided for
In the charter Of Rhode Island The Mary
land Toleration Act did not permit Jews.
unbeIievers Deists or Unitarians 10 enter
the colony. This was not fun religious
liberty"
That many Of our Roman Catholic friends
should continue 70 claim priority in respect
V religious liberty - result Of the Mary