Religious Liberty in America
It is generally recognized that in America, of all countries, religious liberty has found its fullest and widest scope. Where did America obtain these principles? From Jefferson? From Madison? From Paine? In part, directly. But where did these men obtain their knowledge of these principles? Sometimes it is thought that these principles were born with American independence. Not so. They are older than America, older than the Reformation, older than the Dark Ages, older than Constantine. Nineteen centuries ago Jesus Christ announced the doctrine of religious liberty 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. He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him IN THE LAST DAY." John 12:47, 48.
This utterance needs no extended comment. It grants the fullest liberty to believe or not to believe. It places non-acquiescence in religion on the basis, not of privilege, but so far as man is concerned, of indefeasible, unalienable right,—the right to differ, the right to believe or not to believe, the right to worship or not to worship. And it is the positive declaration of Him who could read all hearts that He would not judge or condemn the unbeliever. Have His followers the right to go beyond this? Furthermore, He declares that whatever condemnation there is will be at "the last day" when God shall judge men for just what they are. Have His followers the right to judge now? On another occasion Christ drew a distinct line of demarcation between the duty we owe to civil government and the duty we owe to God. When asked by one who sought to ensnare Him whether it were lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not, Jesus said: "Show Me the tribute money. And they brought unto Him a penny. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto Him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, RENDER THEREFORE UNTO CAESAR THE THINGS WHICH ARE CAESAR'S; AND UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S." Matt. 22:19-21.
Here is divine guidance to him who would know. What stamp, whose image, whose signature? Is it a State tax?—It is paid by the money coined by the government for that purpose. Is it a religious duty we owe to God? Is it the Lord's Supper, Baptism, the Sabbath?—Each and all of these bear the stamp of God in their origin and law; render them to Him; civil government has nothing to do with their observance or non-observance. The observance of religious duties does not come within the purview or jurisdiction of the State; and whenever the State assumes such authority, and interferes as to their observance or non-observance, it is the right and duty of the Church emphatically to protest, and bid the State to remain within its own sphere, as it is the right and duty of the State to tell any ambitious religious body or combination of religious bodies to keep the place assigned by the Master. To do otherwise is to justify every religious persecution ever instituted. These glorious principles of religious liberty were grafted into the fundamental laws of the Federal Government of the United States. On the reverse side of the great seal of the United States was placed this inscription, "Novus Ordo Seclorum," meaning This new order was especially manifest in these two ideas: Government is of the people; and government is, if right, absolutely separate from religion. George Bancroft, the great historian, remarks as follows on these guarantees of religious liberty:— The Constitution establishes nothing that INTERFERES WITH EQUALITY OR INDIVIDUALITY. It knows nothing of differences by descent, or opinions, of favored classes, or legalized religion, or the political power of property. It leaves the individual alongside the individual. . . . Religion was become avowedly the attribute of man and not of a corporation. . . . Vindicating the right of individuality even in religion, and in religion above all, THE NEW NATION DARED TO SET THE EXAMPLE OF ACCEPTING IN ITS RELATIONS TO GOD THE PRINCIPLE FIRST DIVINELY ORDAINED IN JUDEA. It left the management of temporal things to the temporal power; but the American Constitution, in harmony with the people of the several States, WITHHELD FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE POWER TO INVADE THE HOME OF REASON, THE CITADEL OF CONSCIENCE, the sanctuary of the soul; and, not from indifference, but that THE INFINITE SPIRIT OF ETERNAL TRUTH MIGHT MOVE IN ITS FREEDOM AND PURITY AND POWER.—History of the Constitution, Book V, chapter 1.
Under these guarantees of equity and liberty, during the succeeding century, both government and genuine religion prospered as under no other government. And this was expected. Said James Madison at that time:— Every new and successful example, therefore, of a perfect separation between ecclesiastical and civil matters, is of importance; and I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WILL BOTH EXIST IN GREATER PURITY the less they are mixed together.—Letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822.
On this the compiler of "American State Papers" well remarks:— How different is this from the constant opposition of so many Christians to-day against every application of the doctrine. . . . If State chaplains are not hired, the early destruction of the State is predicted; if Sunday laws are not enforced, anathemas are pronounced against the whole nation;—and all this, too, when religion in America has prospered better, far better, under the secular principles of government than ever it did in any nation with all its religious teaching by the State. The words of General Grant should ever be remembered by the American people, "Keep the Church and State forever separate."—American State Papers, p. 77. "God is no respecter of persons" is a great Bible truth. "One is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren" is the utterance of Jesus. "Choose ye" is God's appeal to man, and even Deity will not enter the sacred circle of man's freedom to compel choice. "Not that we have lordship over your faith," is the declaration of the great apostle to the Gentiles. The evidence is conclusive that from the great Book of Christianity9the founders of this free land received the glorious principles of liberty which have made America great. They are divine. Reader, cherish them forever.