Government Is Secular

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 1888

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 3, No. 10.

Government Is Secular.

The National Reform Association held a National Conference at Philadelphia, April 24-26. In speaking of it, and the aims of the Association, the National Baptist, of May 3, says:—

“In their specific aims and methods, we find it impossible to agree. Their great aim is ‘to make the Government conform to the principles of Christianity. This they propose to accomplish by putting into the Constitution a declaration of religious belief. They hold that this was founded as a Christian Government, that Christianity is a part of the common law, and some among them hold that this is not only a Christian but a Protestant Government. They hold further that the public schools, founded and sustained by the State, must teach with more or less fullness the principles and practice of religion.

“From all these views, we dissent wholly. We believe that government is secular; it is designed for one express object, and it ceases to be beneficial and efficient for this object, just in proportion as it is used for some other end. The agency divinely designed for teaching religion is the Christian church, not the State nor the public school.

“The dictum that the Christian religion is a part of the common law is expressly denied by not a few eminent jurists. If the dictum were granted, it would be harmless only by being nugatory. If it means anything it means that no one but a Christian can have any power, or in fact any standing, under the Government. In a Christian church, no one but a Christian has any standing room. Does not the same hold if the State be Christian? But if a Jew were elected president would anyone claim that he must not be inaugurated.”