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A Christian Nation

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 4, 1873

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 41, No. 8.

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A Christian Nation.

The Editor of the Banner of Liberty of Jan. 18, seeing the result of the effort that is now being made to constitute this a Christian Nation, by an amendment of the Constitution of the United States, lays the matter before his readers in its true light, and speaks out boldly in defense of the liberty of conscience, as follows:—
How preposterous then to talk of making the United States a Christian Nation by legislative enactments! Are those religious fanatics who from the commencement of our nationality have been so ardently striving to establish a hierarchy in our country, willing to be governed themselves by the laws of Christ? Do they love their enemies, and do good to them who despitefully use and persecute them? Are they ready to beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks? Do they indeed desire and breathe the spirit of peace on earth, and good will to man? Whatever may have been their professions, history brands them with very opposite proclivities. Behold, says God, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness. Is not this the fast that God approves? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Imagine what kind of a Christian Nation the Puritanic Pharisees would make if they could carry out their designs. With our National Capitol surmounted with the image of a pagan deity, and the interior ornamented with the god of war, and many other emblems of the idolatry of the people, with all manner of corruption, dishonesty in high and low places, thirsting for blood, and ready to destroy one another, yet, wonderful to think, that by a complimentary insertion of the name of God, of Christ, and of a Christian Sabbath, this sin-defiled country, with all its murders, its robberies, its suicides, its crime of every conceivable name and type, is to be transformed into a Christian Nation, by legislative enactment.
As we pass through our towns and cities, how many magnificent temples point their lofty spires up heavenward, inscribed to St. Paul, St. John, St. Stephen, and many other imposing names, in which not one of those saints would be allowed to preach the doctrine of God our Saviour, if they were here in the flesh. What splendid mockery, what garnished hypocrisy! Those who would as eagerly stone the prophets of our God, and shed the blood of the ministers of Christ, as did their fathers the prophets and apostles in the days of old, still crave to be called a Christian Nation, to take away their reproach.
But if it were different with us, even if in truth we could righteously claim to be the most upright, virtuous and blameless earthly nation and people on the face of the earth, still it would be sacrilegious, if not downright blasphemy, to assume the sacred name of Christian Nation. That the church of God is a Christian nation will not be disputed; but it is so because it is the spiritual body over which Christ presides as the head. His subjects being born of God, possess the spirit of Christ, and are called by his name. But if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his, and consequently has no right to be called by his name. The laws of Christ, by which all his spiritual subjects are governed, are inapplicable to worldly organizations.
If, for instance, the United States were a Christian Nation, none could be admitted as citizens except they were born of the Spirit, and on profession of their faith regularly received into membership as were about three thousand souls on the day of Pentecost. And should all the citizens be received by baptism, there would be no way to expel from citizenship or fellowship disorderly members but by the use of the ax or halter.
The efforts of an aspiring clergy to so change our Constitution as to make their religious dogmas a part of the organic law, betrays a desire on their part for a union of church and state, and the total abrogation of that liberty of conscience which our fathers intended to secure to all the citizens of these States throughout all time.
When human governments can represent their subjects at the bar of God, and relieve them from their personal responsibility to the eternal Judge, it will be soon enough for them to dictate by legislative enactments, enforced by pains and penalties, what shall be their religious faith, how, when and to whom, they shall pray, and at what altar they shall kneel.
Perfect freedom of conscience, and the liberty for every one to contend for his faith, from the pulpit and from the press, with protection to all in the full enjoyment of their religion, leaves truth free to combat error, and covers all the ground lawful for us to occupy.
What if our neighbors do not worship at our altar, or subscribe to our faith; and even suppose they profess or practice no religion at all; does that infringe upon or interfere with our rights? Certainly not. To God alone they are responsible. Surely the right is not given to any of us to
“Deal damnation round the land To each we deem God’s foe.”
The unhallowed union of secular and ecclesiastical power usurped by men, has in no country or age, from the days of Cain, failed to drench the earth with blood. Let us beware.
R. M. Kilgore.