Original Americanism

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 17, 1911

Original Americanism

As Seen Through French Eyes

The Western Watchman, Catholic, prints an article from the Figaro by M. B. Van Vorst on "The Church and the Faith of the United States." The writer quotes from an old French author of 1784 who speaks of the religious freedom in America, and says:

"At the moment they drew up their Constitution, the Americans formulated their desire of religious liberty in the following articles:

"No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

"The result of this tolerance has been the rapid multiplication of the different sects. Between the Methodists, who count their followers by millions, and the Shakers, whose number only reaches 300 members, one can count 42 sects who are fervent enough in their beliefs to support their particular church."

And he truly tells us that "the absence of a religious organization officially imposed gets rid of all possibility of persecution, every form of anti-clericalism."

Wo worth the day when America yields to the politico-religious organizations and combinations so rapidly forming.