America and Religious Liberty
By Charles Miles Snow
V—Swinging into Line in the March toward Oppression
By Charles Miles Snow, Author of "Rise and Fall of Religious Liberty in America" HE principle of religious liberty, or soul freedom, was enunciated by our Lord Jesus Christ in these words: "If any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John 12:47. In that declaration the Author and Finisher of our faith recognized the right of choice in every human being, and that even in the matter of religion. Says Inspiration again: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve." Joshua 24:15. It was necessary that in religion men should be free if that other declaration of the Scripture were to be fulfilled, "Affliction shall not rise up the second time." Nahum 1:9. In the clean universe of God, among the redeemed children of God, there will be no occasion for dissatisfaction. They who are there will be there by choice, and not by compulsion. The worship and love which they render to the Father and to the Son will be a service of glad free-will. In order to make that possible, the service which God instituted on earth was to be based upon the same principle. Compulsory worship is mockery in the sight of Heaven, and springs out of a heart of hatred and rebellion. The seeds of that evil tree will be destroyed in the fires with which God will renovate His universe when the tragedy of sin is finished. But as previously pointed out, ever since Cain slew his brother, some men have been seeking to make other men offenders because of their religious preferences. This is antagonistic to the principles of the true Gospel, and if permitted to be carried into the new earth, would bring in another reign of sin, sorrow, misery, and death. The principle of soul freedom has grown nowhere in this world without a terrible handicap of oppression, persecution, and martyrdom. Freedom in religious things is a principle so opposed to the kingdom of darkness, that, so long as that kingdom exists, the warfare must continue. Religious liberty was established in America only after most strenuous opposition on the part of the established order. It finally found a place in the Constitution of the Federal Government in spite of the fact that every State of the original thirteen save one, adopted constitutions that were opposed to it in principle. Therefore, in view of the fact that nearly all the original States of this nation are, at the present time, committed to the opposite principle through their own constitutions or legislative enactments, it should not surprise us if history should repeat itself in this country, and religious oppression be again the order of the day. The National Reform Association
I have spoken in a general way, in previous articles, of the principles of oppression for which the National Reform Association stands. I shall speak more specifically in this article, quoting its own authoritative declarations, and shall also show upon what other organizations it is depending for the accomplishment of its purpose in turning the nation backward and outlawing the consciences of the people. Some of the advocates of National Reform principles see the logical results of those principles and frankly admit them. Said Prof. C. A. Blanchard, of the National Reform Association: "Constitutional laws punish for false money, weights, and measures. So Congress must establish a standard of religion, or admit anything called religion." To set up a standard of religion for the nation, is to establish a national religion; but according to the basic principles of the American Government, Congress has nothing to do with religion. The Government has forbidden Congress to set up any standard of religion. That association thus stands opposed to both the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Said Dr. Jonathan Edwards at a convention held in New York City in 1873: "We want State and religion, and we are going to have it. It shall be that so far as the affairs of State require religion—the religion of Jesus Christ. . . . We use the word 'religion' in its proper sense, as meaning a man's personal relation of faith and obedience to God." From this it is clear that the purpose of that association is to have the nation regulate a "man's personal relation of faith and obedience to God." But that is the fundamental principle of the Papacy of medieval time, and this would be a reproduction of that. Dr. Edwards declared all opposers of this program to be in the same class with atheists, and then stated how the association stood with reference to that kind of atheism. He said: "Atheism and Christianity are contradictory terms. They are incompatible systems. They can not dwell together on the same continent." These were the principles which actuated the colonial governments of America when they expelled from their midst, or hanged, or whipped all who opposed their intolerant attitude toward all religions or creeds which differed from their own. One of the vice-presidents of the National Reform Association, in a speech delivered at York, Nebraska, and published in the Christian Statesman of May 21, 1885, said: "We might add in all justice that if the opponents of the Bible [that is, the opponents of their ideas in reference to religious things] do not like our Government and its Christian features, let them go to some wild, desolate land, and in the name of the devil, and for the sake of the devil, subdue it, and set up a government of their own on infidel and atheistic ideas; and then if they can stand it, stay there till they die." This remarkable utterance had as its general theme such a reformation of this Government as would change it into a practical theocracy, making the law of God the alleged basis of its legislation, and regulating the religious affairs of men by civil enactment. Those who oppose this program are denominated "opponents of the Bible," and recommended to exile. We are not left to depend upon inference in reaching the conclusion that the National Reform Association is seeking to establish a theocracy in place of the republic. Said the Rev. J. M. Wylie, one of the vice-presidents of the association, in an address at Winona Lake, Indiana: "The people are not afraid of a theocracy. The fact that civil government controls the education of our children and even the lives of the citizens, demands that it be placed under divine law and that God's spokesmen shall utter His will. The prophets understood better than the kings the fundamental law of the land, and kings were compelled to consult them." Said the Rev. J. S. Martin, general superintendent of the association, in an address at the same place: "The association proposes that there shall be a recognition made in our nation's fundamental law that the law of God, as revealed through Jesus Christ, AND NOT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE, is the supreme law of the land." That would at once put the nation under ecclesiastical control; for "the preachers are the successors of the prophets," the expounders of the divine will, the authorized "spokesmen" of God. Under such a régime no law could be formulated without their authorization, or enacted without their approval. That would mean the overthrow of representative government, and the establishment of an ecclesiastical hierarchy to rule over the people. They had that during the Dark Ages and during the colonial days of America, and it created not a paradise but a purgatory. The president of the association, Dr. Scovell, declared, in an address at Winona Lake, Indiana, in 1910: "Uniformity [in religion] is essential both to peace and progress. The opinion of the majority must be decisive. Even in the matter of men's consciences a degree of uniformity is necessary. We would allow the greatest amount of individual rights of conscience CONSISTENT with the necessary uniformity." In this program, uniformity in religion is more necessary than individual rights of conscience. That would put human law, or human statutory interpretation of divine law, everywhere above divine obligation, as the individual soul sees that obligation. Against such arguments as that John Knox protested with a price upon his head. The Rev. M. A. Gault, a National Reformer, proposes the following remarkable remedy for diversities of belief and practise: "Our remedy for all these malefic influences is to have the Government simply set up the moral law, and recognize God's authority behind it, and lay its hand upon any religion that does not conform to it." That was all they did in colonial days; and the field secretary of the National Reform Association, the Rev. J. S. McGaw, declared at the Philadelphia World's Christian Citizenship Convention that the remedy for the nation's drifting away from God was "a nation-wide revival of our national religion," and "a Christian amendment to our national Constitution which will embody our forefathers' political creed, and thus set the nation right with God."8 This removes all doubt that the National Reform Association stands for the theocratic principle in government; for uniformity in religious belief under the force of law to compel it; for the re-enactment of the policies and performances of colonial days; and for the consequences of compulsion in matters of conscience, which is persecution. Combining for Sunday Laws
One of the very first movements for aiming the forces of oppression and leading them in a united attack upon the vital principles of the American Government is the movement for a compulsory sabbath, a sabbath enforced upon all the people by the strong arm of the State, wielded under the dictation of the united forces of religion. Concerning this endeavor the Rev. S. V. Leach, in an address at Denver, Colorado, which was reported in the Homiletic Review for November, 1892, said: "Give us good Sunday laws well enforced by men in local authority, and our churches will be full of worshipers, and our young men and women will be attracted to the divine service. A mighty combination of the churches of the United States could win from Congress, the State legislatures, and municipal councils all legislation essential to this splendid result." That is the power which they propose to wield to bring men and women to Christ. But our Lord repudiates such a program in these words: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself." Thus the failure rightly to represent and present Christ is made an excuse for Sunday laws to bring men to Him by a method which He neither instituted nor approved. That "mighty combination" of religious forces of which Dr. Leach speaks, and against which the Congress of the United States warned the people in 1829 and 1830, is now in full process of formation, and is beginning to wield its influence. In 1864 there was one obscure organization advocating those un-American principles. In 1888 there were three more,—the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, the third party Prohibition Party, and the American Sabbath Union, and each of these three was then capable of wielding a greater influence than the parent organization. There has recently been organized in this country a branch of the great organization now operating in England and Canada, known as the Lord's Day Alliance, which stands committed to many of the principles of the National Reform Association. This great organization is now doing all in its power to bring about legislation in all the States in behalf of a compulsory sabbath. Through this organization, identical legislation is to be introduced into all the State legislatures. That work has actually been entered upon. In addition to this, we have the International Federation of Sunday Rest-Day Associations, whose purpose is to oversee them all and assist in carrying out the purposes of them all; also the International Reform Bureau, which makes the securing of Sunday legislation one of the cardinal features of its operation. The great organizations of the Christian young people of the United States have also adopted the shibboleth of Sunday enforcement, and in their annual conventions are committing themselves by resolution to that principle. Said the Christian Endeavorers in their last convention, which was held at Atlantic City: "We urge also upon civic authorities the enforcement of Sunday laws WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION." Federation of Protestant Churches
But greater than all these, more inclusive in its scope, and if possible, more energetic and determined in its policy, is the great Federation of the so-called Protestant churches of this country. It proposes, by means of the very instruments against which Congress warned the country in 1829 and 1830—"combination and influence"—to create a force which "lawmakers and law-breakers will respect and heed." This organization, claiming to represent 18,000,000 communicants, not only advocates and urges a compulsory rest day, but refuses to recognize the right of a portion of its own constituency to observe the day of its choice. Thus the weight and force of all its power and influence are thrown into the scales against liberty of conscience and in favor of religious oppression. These are some of the forces which have set themselves against the fundamental principles of the American Government and against the religious liberty of the individual. In doing so, they have set themselves against the process by which the mighty progress of the nation was achieved, and against the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.