Untitled article by H. E. Phelps

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · September 18, 1890

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 5, No. 37

2. Preserve the Constitution.

By H. E. Phelps

At the present time, when some are lamenting the absence of the name of God in our national Constitution, and claiming that our Government is founded upon atheistical principles, and hence, a necessity for a change of that noble document, it certainly will not be lost time to study it a little more closely. Although it must be admitted that “our Government is in no sense founded upon the Christian religion,” I should not be surprised if, upon examination, we found the gospel and our Government were founded upon the same principles, both designed, in the highest sense, to make men free.

Compare for a moment, the Golden Rule and the Declaration of Independence, the one uttered by Him who “spake as never man spake,” the other by those who were familiar with the intolerance of the Old World, and who were determined to found a Government that would make free men of all its subjects. We admire the one, because if carried out in life, it would place every person upon a perfect equality with his fellow man. We love the other, because, under its principles, we have grown to be the greatest Nation in the world, and our land, “the home of the free.” The same spirit of equality and justice is breathed in both these documents. The words of the first are, “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” In the other we read: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” In sentiment, these are the same. No matter what position we occupy in life, high or low, rich or poor, black or white, these are rights given of the Creator, and can not in justice be taken away, or transferred.

Again, every man is sovereign in his own house, for the Constitution says, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.” And if this were carried out, it would be the principle of the Golden Rule. And in all civil matters, securing justice to all, peace among neighbors, the right to secure and hold property, and in everything adopted and framed into the Constitution, for the common defense and general welfare of the people, we see over and over again the principle of doing to others as we would wish to be done by. And in religious matters, a barrier of defense is built, that is imperceptible, if left as framed by our fathers. We read: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification for office of public trust under the United States.”

Again, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Thus forever placing all upon an equality in matters of conscience, leaving every person free to make choice of whom or what to worship; how and when, and where, and at the same time not to infringe upon the sacred rights of his fellow man. And here again is the same principle of placing ourselves in the other man's shoes, and then doing as we would be done by. These principles are worthy of our love, of our highest admiration. They are in perfect harmony with the principles of the gospel, the principles of Christianity. Thus we find the objects of the gospel, and of the Constitution, each in its place, perfectly agree, namely, to make men free. All honor to these principles, all honor to those broad-minded men, the fathers of our Republic. All honor to our national Constitution, and let us watch with a jealous eye, every suggestion to change that glorious document. H. E. Phelps, in Journal, Brainerd, Minn.