George Washington and Religious Liberty
THERE is no one characteristic which will give one a just conception of the character of George Washington. A British writer declared him to be "the pride of every model and the perfection of every master,"—terms perhaps too extravagant of any poor mortal. But among his many virtues and excellencies of character there shines out that of love of liberty for all; and we feel that we can do him no greater honor at this anniversary of his birth, February 22, or our readers no greater service, than to quote the sentiment below from a letter that he wrote to the Ephrata Community, August 4, 1789. That God-fearing community were seventh-day observers, and they wrote to Washington expressing the fear that religious liberty might not be assured and guarded by the Constitution, and this was his reply: If I had had the least idea of any difficulty resulting from the Constitution adopted by the convention of which I had the honor to be president when it was formed, so as to endanger the rights of any religious denomination, then I never should have attached my name to the instrument. If I had any idea that the general Government was so administered that the liberty of conscience was endangered, I pray you be assured that no man would be more willing than myself to revise and alter that part of it, so as to avoid all religious persecution. You can, without any doubt, remember that I have often expressed as my opinion, that every man who conducts himself as a good citizen is accountable alone to God for his religious faith, and should be protected in worshiping God according to the dictates of his conscience. The old letter is preserved as a memento by the Community near Philadelphia now. Its sentiments should be written in the heart of every American patriot.