WHEN this government was founded, its fathers prized the value of men. Many of them were religious, deeply so. But the great charters of our liberty were framed for the protection of men, not “for the promotion” of religion, or “for the protection” of religious institutions. The government was ordained by the consent of the governed, to secure the protection of man in the exercise of his God-given rights. The religious institution was left with its author and devotee. Believing as our fathers did in the equality of man, they could decide to do no otherwise. If they protected man alone, the law would bear equally upon all. But all men do not equally regard religious institutions. The religious institution is always the institution of a class; and if that institution be upheld, promoted, protected, by law, the law discriminates necessarily between classes, for the class who regard the institution, and correspondingly against the class who do not regard the institution. It makes one class appear to favor the government and sets the other in opposition to it, simply because of religious belief or opinion. These are among the sure results of elevating institutions above men. And yet there are thousands who are working, heart and soul, might and main, to elevate the institution to the degradation of the man. Many of these are Christians, the professed followers of Him who died for men. It is time for both Americans and Christians to return to first principles, to elevate men and let God by His mighty providence care for His own institutions. If religious institutions will not live, they are not of God, and are worthy to die. “O my brothers, O my people,
Let us choose the righteous side!”