RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION • A MOVEMENT ON FOOT DESTRUCTIVE OF CIVIL AND RE- LIGIOUS LIBERTY. 1.3041:=)3EK Ah.ir IT THE National Reform Association declares its object to be as follows : — The object of this Society shall be to maintain existing Christian features in the American Government ; to promote needed reforms in the action of the Government, touching the Sabbath, the institution of the family, the religious element in education, the oath, and public morality as affected by the liquor traffic and other kindred evils ; and to secure such an amendment to the Constitution of the United States as will declare the nation's allegiance to 7esus Christ and its acceptance of the moral laws of the Christian religion, and so indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all the Christian laws, institutions, and usages of our Government on an undeniable legal basis in the funda- mental law of the land. — Article II. of Constitution. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union has in- dorsed the National Reform movement, created a Sabbath Observance Department, and in national convention, 1887, said:— "The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, local, State, national, and world-wide, has one vital, organic thought, one all-absorbing pur- pose, one underlying enthusiasm, and that is that Christ shall be this world's king. . . . The kingdom of Christ must enter the realm of law through the gate-way of politics." The American Sabbath Union is another organization favoring the same kind of legislation, and with the National Reform Association and the Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union, is petitioning Congress to pass compulsory religious laws. It thus states its object : — " The object of the American Sabbath Union is to preserve the Christian Sabbath as a day of rest and worship." It will thus be seen that touching the subject of re- ligious legislation, these organizations are united. The success of one will be the success of the other. The following quotations are from official organs and representative members of these associations, and show that — — 2 — THEY INTEND TO COMPEL MEN TO BE RELIGIOUS. "Give all men to understand that this is a Christian nation, and that, believing that without Christianity we perish, we must maintain by all means our Christian character. Inscribe this character on our Con- stitution. Enforce upon all who come among us the laws of Christian morality." — Christian Statesman, Oct. 2, 1884. " Let those who will, remember the Sabbath to keep it holy from motives of love and obedience ; the remnant must be made to do so through fear of law. We have no option." — Christian Nation, Sept. 28, 1887. In a speech in a National Reform convention held in New York City, Feb. 26, 27, 1873, Jonathan Edwards, D. D., said : — " We want State and religion ; and we are going to have it. It shall be that so far as the affairs of State require religion, it shall be re- ligion, the religion of Jesus Christ." The affairs of State require no religion. The State asks for none. It is the church asking for the power of the State to enforce its dogmas, or support some tottering in- stitution. When the religion of Jesus Christ or any other religion is enforced by State legislation, that will be noth- ing more nor less than — CHURCH AND STATE UNITED. A union of church and State is a union of some polit- ical power with some sort of religion. It matters not whether that power be a republic or a monarchy, or that religion the Christian, the MohaMmedan, or the Confucian. Any religion joined to the civil power is church and State united, and forms a dangerous and an unholy alliance. Said Prof. C. A. Blanchard, in the Pittsburg conven- tion, in 1874 : — "Constitutional laws punish for false money, weights, and measure. So Congress must establish a standard of religion, or admit anything called religion." The monthly reading of the Woman's Christian Tern- ance Union, for September, 1886, said : — " A true theocracy is yet to come, and the enthronement of Christ in law and law-makers ; hence I pray devoutly, as a Christian patriot, for the ballot in the hands of women." The result of all this can only be disastrous, as is too painfully evident from their own testimony. It will — DISFRANCHISE THE IRRELIGIOUS. " To be perfectly plain, I believe that the existence of a Christian Constitution would disfranchise every logically consistent infidel." — Rev. W. 7. Coleman, in Christian Statesman, Nov. I, 1883. — 3 — ALL RUST SUBMIT OR HAVE TROUBLE. " You look for trouble in this land in the future, if these principles are applied. I think it will come to you if you maintain your present position." — W. T. Mc Connell, in " Open Letter" to the American Sentinel, in Christian Nation, Dec. 14, 1887. This means— RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. To the question, " If this amendment should be adopted, would not persecution follow ? " asked in the National Re- form convention held at Lakeside, Ohio, Aug., 1887, Dr. David Mc Allister, one of the editors of the Christian Statesman, answered : — " True Christianity will not persecute. False religions do per- secute, but true religion never. The State, if led by a false religion, will be a persecutor." No religion, either false or true, ever persecuted with- out first, gaining power to do so. Every religion that ever persecuted, claimed to be the true one. And every relig- ion that ever persecuted, has been denominated false. But true religion never asks for the aid of the State to enforce its claims. It works by other means. The best evidence that a religion has lost its vitality and become corrupted, is its asking for the aid of civil power. The State should be led by no religion. The State is an institution organ- ized by the people, and for the people, — the whole people, — and not by some religion, or for some religion. Upon being informed that strict Sunday laws in certain States had already worked hardships to those who con- scientiously observed another day, Dr. Mc Allister re- plied : — "It is better that a few should safer than that the nation should lose its Sabbath." Rev. M. A. Gault, a district secretary, and a leading worker of the National Reform Association, says : — " Our remedy for all these malefic influences is to have the govern- ment simply set up the moral law, and recognize God's authority behind it, and lay its hand on any religion that does not conform to it." — Christian Statesman, Tan. 13, 1887. [See Acts 5 :17,18.] This shows that persecution is pent up in this move- ment, and will manifest itself if it ever has an opportunity. INTOLERANCE. In a speech made in New York City, Feb. 27,1873, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, after classing atheists, deists, Jews, and Seventh-day observers all together as atheists, and remarking that these all are, " so far as our amendment is concerned, one class," said : — — 4 — " What are the rights of the atheist ? I would tolerate him as I would tolerate a poor lunatic, for in my view his mind is scarcely sound. So long as he does not rave, so long as he is not dangerous, I would tol- erate him. I would tolerate him as I would a conspirator. The atheist is a danger, us man." Thus it is evident that whatever does not accord with these politico-religionists' ideas of religion will not be tol- erated. But every one knows that the members of these classes may be good, honest, and peaceable citizens, and that they have a right to their opinions. Mr. Edwards continued : — " Tolerate atheism, sir ? There is nothing out of hell that I would not tolerate as soon. The atheist may live, as I said, but, God helping us, the taint of his destructive creed shall not defile any of the civil institutions of all this fair land ! Let us repeat, atheism and Chris- tianity are contradictory terms. They are incompatible systems. They cannot dwell together on the same continent. — Idem. This shows that these men hold that all men, irrespect- ive of their convictions, should be required to profess Christianity or be banished; in other words, that they through the government have a right to command the con- sciences of men. Rev. David Gregg, in the Christian Statesman of June 5, 1885, speaking of civil government, said : — " It has the right to be, and the right to command the consciences of men." Such a theory when carried into effect can only result in the worst of tyranny. Said Rev. W. P. Gray, secretary of the Missouri State Sabbath Union, at Sedalia, Mo., May 22, 1889 : — " I, for one, do not believe that as a political maxim, governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. And I be- lieve with Mr. Gault on this, I think. And so the object of this move- ment is an effort to change that feature in our fundamental law."— Christian Statesman, 7uly 4, 1889. Prof. C. A. Blanchard, in a Sunday-law convention held at Elgin, Ill., November, 1887, said : — " In this work we are undertaking for the Sabbath, we are the rep- resentatives of God." When men get the idea that they are divinely appointed to run the government and teach religion by law, John 16 : 2, 3 is the logical result. THEY INTEND TO COMPEL ALL TO KEEP SUNDAY, AND TO MAKE RELIGIOUS TESTS. Dr. W. W. Everts, of Chicago, in the same convention, said : — -5— " This day is set apart for divine worship and preparation for anothe r life. It is the test of all religion." Then what can the enforcement of Sunday-keeping be but the enforcement of a religious test, which is not only unchristian but unconstitutional ? It is their intention, however, to make this a necessary qualification for holding political office, as will be seen from the second resolution passed at this convention :— " Resolved, That we give our votes and support to those candidates or political officers who will pledge themselves to vote for the enactment and enforcing of statutes in favor of the civil Sabbath." Said Rev. M. A. Gault, district secretary of the Na- tional Reform Association, in a letter dated June 3, 1889 : — " We propose to incorporate in our National Constitution the moral and religious command, ' In it [the Sabbath] thou shalt do no work,' except the works of necessity, and by external force of sheriffs we pro- pose to arrest and punish all violators of this law." GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE KEEP IT RELIGIOUSLY. " The experience of centuries shows that you will in vain endeavor to preserve Sunday as a day of rest unless you preserve it as a day of worship." — 7oseph Cook, in " Boston Monday Lectures" of 1887. " A weekly day of rest has never been permanently secured in any land except on the basis of religious obligation. Take the religion out, and you take the rest out." — Rev. W. F. Crafts, Field Secretary of the American Sabbath Union, before Knights of Labor, in Chicago, Sept. .ai, 1888. These statements show that this movement is all in the interests of compulsory religious legislation. People are to be compelled to rest, but for what purpose ? — Religious worship. As the rest cannot be permanently secured with "the religion out," the religion will necessarily have to be put in. And they intend to carry this movement at all haz- ards, even if they have to resort to the most extreme measures. MUST YIELD, FIGHT, OR EMIGRATE. Said Dr. Mc Allister, at the convention at Lakeside, Ohio, August, 1887 : — "Those who oppose this work now will discover, when the religious amendment is made to the Constitution, that if they do not see fit to fall in with the majority, they must abide the consequences, or seek some more congenial clime." Rev. E. B. Graham, a vice-president of the National Reform Association, in an address delivered at York, Nebraska, said : — " We might add in all justice, if the opponents of the Bible do not like our Government and its Christian features, let them go to some wild. -6— desolate land, and in the name of the Devil, and for the sake of the Devil, subdue it, and set up a government of their own on infidel and atheistic ideas, and then if they can stand it, stay there till they die." — Christian Statesman, May 21, 1885. WILL RESORT TO FORCE OF ARMS. "Whether the Constitution will be set right on the question of the moral supremacy of God's law in government, without bloody revolution, will depend entirely upon the strength and resistance of the forces of Antichrist." — Rev. M. A. Gault, in Christian Statesman. At a meeting at College Springs, Iowa, the same rever- end gentleman said : — " Do n't think we are advocating war; but if we are not faithful in the use of these other means, as it was with the anti-slavery question, after they had agitated and petitioned, and used the ballot, they drew the sword ; so shall we as a last resort be compelled to use the sword and the bullet." Reader, are you ready to join in with such a move- ment ? Are you ready to adopt such sentiments, and turn this fairest and freest of all lands into a place of religious intolerance and persecution ? Some in these organizations may profess much more pacific intentions, but that does not cancel the statements of those who are not only their associates, but are among the most prominent in these organizations ; and what is more than this, it does not destroy the fact that they all are favoring a form of gov- ernment which admits of the worst of intolerance,— the enslavement of conscience. Is this the sort of government you are in favor of, reader ? Are these the kind of men you desire to see placed in official power ? These are professedly Chris- tian men, claiming to be followers of Christ, and to have the true religion. If this is so, then certainly their words and ideas ought to harmonize with his. Compare with the foregoing THE WORDS OF CHRIST : — " Put up again thy sword." Matt. 26 : 52. " My kingdom is not of this world : if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight." John i8 : 36. " God is a Spirit : and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 4 24. " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matt. 7 : 12. " Love your enemies." Matt. Paul says : — "The weapons of our warfare are, not carnal." 2 Cor. Io : 4. And in his enumeration of the Christian's armor the only sword he mentions is the "sword of the Spirit," which he says is " the word of God." 5 44. WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE SAID. Every man who conducts himself as a good citizen, is accountable alone to God for his religious faith, and should be protected in worship- ing God according to the dictates of his own conscience." — George Washington. " Almighty God hath created the mind free ; all attempts to in- fluence it by temporal punishments or burdens, or by civil incapacita- tions, tend only to beget liabits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the holy Author of our religion, who, being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercion on either, as was in his almighty power to do."— Thomas 7eferson. " Religion is not in the purview of human government. Religion is essentially distinct from government and exempt fro n its cognizance. A connection between them is injurious to both."-7ames Madison. " Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contribution. Keep the State and the church forever separate."— U. S. Grant. " The whole history of the Christian religion shows that she is in far greater danger of being corrupted by the alliance of power than of being crushed by its opposition."— Macaulay. " Many t:-,us imagined that the doctrine of the gospel requires the support of the civil power. They know not that it advances without this power, and is often trammeled and enfeebled by it"— D' Aubig-ne. "Secular power has proved a Satanic gift to the church, and eccle- siastical power has proved an engine of tyranny in the hands of the State."— Dr. Phillip Schaff. " Proscription has no part nor lot in the modern government of the world.- The stake, the gibbet, and the rack, thumb-screws, swords, and pillory have no place among the machinery of civilization. Nature is diversified ; so are human faculties, beliefs, and practices. Essential freedom is the right to differ, and that right must be sacredly re- spected." — John Clark Ridpath. "There are many who do not seem to be sensible that all violence in religion is irreligious, and that, whoever is wrong, the persecutor can- not be right." --- Thomas Clarke. " Among all the religious persecutions with which almost every page of modern history is stained, no victim ever suffered but for the violation of what government denominated the law of God." — U. S. Senate Report, 1829. " Where legal enactment begins, moral suasion ends." — Christian Union. " Liberty of conscience requires liberty of worship as its manifesta- tion. To grant the former and to deny the latter is to imprison con- science and to promote hypocrisy and infidelity. Religion is in its nature voluntary, and ceases to be religion in proportion as it is forced. God wants free worshipers, and no others." — Dr. Phillip Schaf. " The national jurisdiction is confined strictly to this world. There are good citizens of all religions and of no religion. The only thing the State, as a State, is interested in, or has any right to be interested in, is the matter of a man's behavior, ;-'s a citizen, in this world. It is none of the State's business to engage in the work of saving souls in the next world. If it is, then it ought to decide which religion is true. Then it should adopt it. Then it should devote its first and chief energies to the conversion of the rest of this world. But America will probably think twice before it will decide to go back to the eleventh century. The - 8 - world's experiments in this direction are not over-encouraging." —Rev. Dr. Minot 7. Savage, in "Public Opinion," July 13, 1889. "It is not in the legitimate province of the legislature to.determine what religion is true or what false. Our Government is a civil and not a religious institution. Our Constitution recognizes in every person the right to choose his own religion, and to enjoy it freely, without molesta- tion. The proper object of government is to protect all persons in the enjoyment of their civil as well as their religious rights, and not to de- termine for any whether they shall esteem one day above another, or esteem all days alike holy. What other nations call religious toleration, we call religious rights. They are not exercised in virtue of govern- mental indulgence, but as rights of which government cannot deprive any portion of citizens, however small. Despotic power may invade those rights, but justice still confirms them." — U. S. Senate Report, 1829. "The only proper objects of civil government are the happiness and protection of men in the present state of existence ; the security of the life, liberty, and property of the citizen ; and to restrain and encourage the virtuous by wholesome laws equally extended to every individual : but the duty that we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can only be directed by reason and conviction, and is nowhere cognizable but at the tribunal of the universal Judge. To judge for ourselves, and to engage in the exercise of religion agreeably to the dictates of our own conscience, is an inalienable right, which, upon the principles on which the gospel was first propagated, and the reformation from popery carried on, can never be transferred to another." — Presbytery of Hanover, Va., 1776. " The real security of Christianity is to be found in its benevolent morality ; in its exquisite adaptation to the human heart ; in the felicity with which its scheme accommodates itself to the capacity of every human intellect ; in the consolation which it bears to the house of mourning ; in the light with which it brightens the great mystery of the grave. To such a system it can bring no addition of dignity or of strength, that it is part and parcel of the common law. It is not now for the first time left to rely on the force of its own evidences and the attractions of its own beauty." — " Should he [the ruler] persecute his obedient, loyal subjects, on any religious accottnt, this is contrary to all law and right ; and his doing so renders him unworthy of their confidence, and they must consider him not a blessing but a plague." —Adam Clarke, on Romans 13. " What, then, is religious liberty ? --It is that liberty or right which every man possesses to believe the gospel, to worship God, to profess and propagate religion, without human molestation. . . . Life, without this liberty, is, to a generous mind, a burden and a torment. What can be greater degradation to a rational being, endowed by his Creator with powers to think, judge, and decide for himself, than to become the prop- erty and slave of another, wearing the chains and fetters 01 the most in- famous bondage ? "—Benjamin Brook. "It is hard for us to learn that the same right to hold and express honest convictions of truth which we so fOndly claim for ourselves, we are in duty bound to extend to others who may differ from us however widely." — Anon. *** Published by the Nat onal Religious Liberty Association, 251 West Main St., Battle Creek, Mich.; 28 College Place, Chicago, Ill.; 43 Bond St., N. Y., and will be sent post-paid at $1.00 per too.