A State Religion by W. F. Martin

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 25, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 25.

A State Religion

By W. F. Martin

By W. F. Martin, Religious Liberty Secretary of the North Pacific

VERY strong efforts are at the present time being put forth by prominent men to form a union of all the great religious bodies of the country. Back of this is the purpose to gain a prestige in the nation, that will secure a recognition from the Government, and that will compel the lawmakers to legislate in favor of certain tenets held by the dominant body of Christians.

Among the men who are seeking to bring this about, are many who are capable and honest. They see the deplorable condition of things, the almost universal disregard for Christianity, and have a sincere desire to remedy matters. In this desire, they have forgotten the history of the past. They do not take into account the fact that there is one and only one remedy for the existing evils. That remedy is the power of the Holy Spirit. When a body of religionists

turn to the power of the civil government for the support of their tenets, it is a sure sign that they have forgotten the great source of their power.

Besides this, there is a grave danger connected with such a movement. It means that some one has a desire to force some one else to worship, not as he may wish, but according to the dictates of a dominant party.

A noted jurist once said, "When the church descends to asking civil power to aid in its support, there is something dangerously carnal in the purpose."

When our Government was in its formative period, steps were taken that were intended to shut out forever the possibility of religious dominance. During the debates over the adoption of the first amendment to the Constitution, Mr. Madison, who had introduced this amendment, said he feared that in time "one sect might obtain a pre-eminence, or two or more combine together, and establish a religion to which they would compel others to conform." These words give the actual reason for the adoption of this amendment. It was to prevent any religion or a combination of religious bodies from dictating the policy of the State. Mr. Jefferson said of this some years later, that the adoption of this amendment "built a wall of separation between the church and the State."

In view of all this, all true citizens should look with disfavor upon the effort to form a combination of the great churches to secure a recognition from the Government. So surely as this aim is accomplished, it will result in religious dominance and its attendant persecution.