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The Outlook

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 9, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 35.

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The Outlook

By W. A. Colcord

"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what He will speak with me."

THE CHURCH AND STATE CONTROVERSY IN AUSTRALIA.

At the time of the Adelaide Federal Convention petitions were circulated, asking the delegates to that convention to insert in the preamble to the proposed constitution for the Australian Commonwealth, a declaration of religious belief.
Counter petitions were also circulated, asking that the constitution should have nothing to do with religion or religious belief.
The constitution came from the hands of the delegates free from any religious declaration.
Petitions are therefore again being circulated, this time to the colonial Parliaments, asking that they shall demand such an amendment to the constitution as will embody the religious declaration desired.

A Church and State Petition.

One of the petitions being circulated reads as follows:—
"To the Honorable, the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of . . . in Parliament assembled:—
"The petition of the undersigned members and adherents of the . . . congregation within the Presbyterian Church of . . . humbly showeth: That your petitioners are earnestly convinced that in the Bill for the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia now before your Honorable House, there ought to be a recognition of the Almighty God as having sovereignty over nations and as supreme Source of all righteous law and equitable government. That this recognition could be easily and briefly effected by some such wording of the Preamble as the following: 'WHEREAS, The people of New South Wales, Victoria, etc., in dependence upon Almighty God, have agreed to form one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth,' etc. That your petitioners therefore pray that your Honorable House will make such amendment in the preamble to the said bill as will embody the desired recognition. And your petitioners will ever pray."
This petition, it will be noticed, gives no reason why its promoters are convinced that such a statement ought to be made in the constitution, or what good would accrue should such a statement be made.
The following are some reasons why such a petition should not be signed nor granted:—
1. It asks for a declaration of religious belief in a purely civil document.
2. A national constitution is the basis for national law.
3. A religious declaration in the constitution lays the foundation for religious laws.
4. But no civil government has a right to enact or enforce religious laws. To do so means to invade the dearest rights of man, and to restrict liberty of conscience.

A Counter Petition.

In the interests of the rights of conscience and of religious freedom, therefore, the following counter petition is being circulated:—
"To the Honorable, the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of . . . in Parliament assembled:—
"We, the undersigned adult residents of . . . believing that Religion and the State should be kept entirely separate; that Religious Legislation is subversive of Good Government, contrary to the principles of Sound Religion, and can result only in Religious Persecution, hereby humbly but most earnestly petition your Honorable Body not to pass any Measure or Amendment for the insertion of any Religious Clause or Declaration of Religious Belief in the Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth which might be taken as a basis for such legislation, but that in this respect it be allowed to remain as framed and adopted by the delegates to the Adelaide Federal Convention."

Reasons Why This Petition Should Be Signed.

1. Because religious freedom is right.2. Because religious legislation interferes with religious freedom. 3. Because a religious declaration in the constitution lays the foundation for religious laws, the enforcement of which means religious persecution.
4. Because faith is a voluntary act and can not be forced.
5. Because, to say in the constitution, which speaks for all the people, "We believe in God," would be to say what is not true, for "all men have not faith."
6. Because a religious basis to the constitution and laws of a nation would practically disfranchise every logically consistent unbeliever, but unbelievers have the same rights in civil government as believers.
7. Because only that which is Cæsar's is to be rendered to Cæsar. Religion pertains to God, and is therefore to be rendered only to God.
8. Because civil government can of right have nothing to do with religion.
9. Because, as all history shows, any legal connection between Church and State is injurious to both.
10. Because all force in religious matters is contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, which is to teach by persuasion and conviction, and not by law or force, and law means force.
11. Because Christ said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), and it is wrong, therefore, to attempt to make it of this world.
12. Because if a small concession is made to religious bigotry, more will be demanded, and intolerance will follow.
13. Because any movement in favor of religious legislation is contrary to the principles of Protestantism, and a virtual concession to the Papacy, which for so many ages has steadily warred against liberty of conscience.

Some Fundamental Principles.

Civility—or the duty to recognize and respect the natural rights of men as men—belongs to Cæsar. Religion—or the duties which men owe to God as Creator and Redeemer—belongs to God, and is to be rendered to him and to him only. "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Religion is not to be rendered to civil governments. This being so, with the subject of religion civil governments can of right have nothing to do.
Religion should be the basis of every human life. God should be recognized as supreme by every individual, as having first and highest claims to our service, for he made us and formed us men. But the effort on the part of the churches to put religion in the fundamental law of the State, tho many may not at first see it, is, really, a movement to unite Church and State, and give the churches a basis for enforcing religious dogmas upon the people by law. But this means trouble and religious oppression.

Gospel Freedom.

"Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's." "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not." "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God." "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth." "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." "We ought to obey God rather than men."
No man, no set of men, therefore, has a right to assume the prerogatives of Deity, and by law attempt to define what men ought or ought not to believe.
Therefore, in the interests of religious liberty, of good government, and of the rights of all men, let every one sign the petition counter, and keep religion out of the constitution, free and untrammeled. —W. A. Colcord, in the Southern Sentinel.