A Recognition of Religion.
REV. MR. GREGG, the pastor of the Park Street Church, took the ground in his sermon on Sunday that it was the duty of Christian citizens to insist on a constitutional amendment which should give the Christian religion a recognition in our great national charter. It does not seem to have occurred to the reverend gentleman that the omission a hundred years ago of all reference to religion may have saved the people of this country from an enormous amount of trouble. We do not believe that it would have made the American people any better, that our standard of morality would have been any higher, that religion would have been any more respected, or that any of the troubles from which we have suffered would thereby have been averted; but it is certain that if religious tests had been applied, we should now be confronted with that serious problem that is engaging the attention of European statesmen; that is, how to reconcile official expressions of religious faith with the conflicting opinions of the people. Mr. Gregg's constitutional amendment would conflict with the honestly entertained religious convictions of several millions of his fellow-citizens. How would he treat these? The Constitution is as much theirs as his, or those whom he represents. Their religion cannot be legislated out of existence, and they would have the same dislike to supporting a Constitution framed in accordance with religious ideas in which they did not believe, as Mr. Gregg would have to supporting the Constitution framed in accordance with the creed of Mahomet. Is it not a proof of the good sense of the framers of our Constitution that they avoided this cause for contention, by giving to every man entire religious liberty, and allowing the civil government to remain absolutely neutral?—Boston Herald.