National Reform Physicians.
In his “clashing voices” department in the Christian Statesman of February 3, Mr. Gault quotes the following voice from James E. McGinnis, in the St. Louis Republican:— “This is not a Christian State, nor is it under a Christian Constitution, but one made for Jews, Mohammedans, Pagans, Infidels, and Christians alike; and that this may long remain the land of perfect religious liberty, is the fervent aspiration of every patriot and real lover of his kind.” True enough; but among patriots and real lovers of their kind your ardent National Reformer is not to be classed. And so Mr. Gault lifts his voice and causes it to “clash” against the one just quoted, as follows:— “You forget that it is impossible for our Government to show the same favor to every system of religion. It must discriminate in favor of one or the other. Christianity furnishes the only perfect system of morals, the only system that secures perfect liberty. This is why the Government does and must discriminate in favor of Christianity. For instance, if our Government would abolish Sabbath laws, it would disfranchise every Christian citizen. Such religious liberty is far from being perfect.” One peculiarity about the writings of M. A. Gault is that there is never any connection between his propositions and the proofs which he adduces in support thereof; between his premises and his conclusions. So in the above quotation; taken as a whole it is meaningless, but the detached statements may be understood. He says: “You forget that it is impossible for our Government to show the same favor to every system of religion.” We do not forget it, because we never knew it; and the writer in the Republican evidently is as ignorant as we are on that point, for he asserts that our Constitution as it is, does grant equal liberty to all religionists, and that therein its fairness lies. We would like to have some National Reformer demonstrate why this Government cannot treat all systems of religion alike. According to Mr. Gault’s statement, the National Reformers are working for what already exists. For, (1) He states that it is impossible for this Government to show the same favor to every system of religion. Then it must be that the United States does not show equal favor to men of all beliefs. (2) Mr. Gault goes farther, and declares that this Government does discriminate in favor of Christianity. If that is so, the National Reformers’ occupation is gone, for that is just what they profess to be working for. The story goes that a man was induced to believe that he needed a physician, and upon consulting one he was asked about his condition. In reply to questions, he stated that his strength was good, that he had a good appetite, and that he slept well. To which the physician replied, “Very well, we shall soon change all that.” Just such physicians the National Reformers will prove themselves to be for this country. There is freedom now; every man has liberty to worship God in whatever way he thinks God requires; but the National Reformers propose to change all that, so that no form of religion shall be tolerated except the one they think is right. When that time comes, then know that the ruin of the nation is at hand.