p. 53 | Untitled article

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · February 12, 1891

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 6, No. 7

God in the Constitution.

THE editor of the Argonaut, San Francisco, thinks the failure to recognize the Deity in our national charter is a serious omission to the extent even of being unconstitutional, because it is thereby a recognition of “the no-God religion of the atheist,” which is about as erratic a statement as it is possible for one to make. This doctrine of recognizing a certain thing because a certain other thing is not mentioned is a brand new idea, and it bounds out bright from the mint of Mr. Pixley’s brain. It is as absurd, however, as it would be to maintain that the President in his message recognized free trade because he failed to mention the tariff. We do not see why, upon this principle, this Nation does not recognize Christianity or the one-God religion of the Christian, because it has failed to put atheism in the Constitution. These Constitution tinkers not only give evidence of being in a poor business, but of having parted company with common sense as well.

The idea of recognizing atheism by failing to even hint at it is about as foolish

as could be imagined. It is as if we should say that an architect in drawing the plans of a building meant to incorporate a subterranean dungeon in the specifications because no provisions were made for an open court, or for light in the centre of the building. It would do no good to recognize the Deity in the Constitution. The people would believe him no more, nor would they honor him more in the national and individual life, nor would he be pleased with allusions to him, when respect for his authority would be no greater with than without them. God knows the heart and temper of nations, and it is not necessary to tell him how they regard him, nor in what esteem they hold him. It is safe to say that the people of this Nation care less for the Almighty than they do for themselves. They spend more money in the service of the devil than they do in his service. When the people spend $1,500,000,000 for whisky and tobacco and but $100,000,000 or less for education and the Christian religion, it is a poor thing to begin to make complimentary mention of the Deity in any such public way. As long as this Nation has such little practical faith in God it had best wait a while before it begins to parade its faith in him before the world. The Pharisees professed to have great respect for the God of their fathers, but in their daily lives they denied him. We want no national Phariseeism. There is too much in private.—Fresno Inquirer.