Show Gre Great rep t Problems Discusser by Authorities A A r LEGALIZING RELIGION IN AMERICA By C. C S. S Longacre General Inter national Secretary of the Religious Re Liberty Association Reformers and lobbyists are working before American legislative bodies In the effort to pass blue laws Ill and enact other religious measures Mr Longacre declare In this article Ho lie sees Bet in these then moves a threat at the guarantee of our religious freedom The government of God and civil government rest rut upon different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent foundation foundations he insists The love of of- religious t liberty is one of ot the tho strongest sentiments God has planted in fn the tho soul of ot man The freedom which the conscience de demands demands demands de- de mands in tho the cause of ot religion transcends every o other outer claim upon the soul and inspires and prepares the tho human mind to assert its Us God- God given gl rights and to suffer and endure en- en duro dure as S In no other cause The annals annals an- an nals naU of ot history instruct us that the love and struggle for religious liberty liberty lib lib lib- erty have led men in all ages alres to look the sternest religious despotism and tyranny in the face faco and unflinchingly unflinchingly un un- un- un flinchingly o 1 for the tho natural rights of ot men to worship God in harmony with tho dictates of ot the Individual conscience I i LIBERTY'S PRICE Eternal vigilance now as ever er is tho the price of ot religious liberty Certain Certain tain forces forcel now no as ns In the tho past are clamoring for a n. legal religion and andare andare are seeking every el opportunity to enact their religious notions into law for the tho benefit of ot tho the whole race l Professional reformers and lobbyists lobbyists lobby lobby- lats are arc working persistently before before our lawmaking bodies to secure seure re religious religious religious re- re enactments Religious so IIO societies societies so- so are organizing combining federating and consolidating for the tho purpose of ot bringing pressure and Influence to bear ar upon lawmakers and are openly threatening with a a. religious boycott at tho the polls an any politician that refuses to help enact ennet their pet Iet religious measures s Into law This Thill ecclesiastical machine of great power and Influence Is III now operating upon the tho political Institutions Institutions of ot our land land and Is Ignoring the rights of or the minority to wor wor- ship God in harmony with the dictates dictates dictates dic dic- tates of conscience For years these religious forces have been working with the congress of the United States for lor a a. model Sunday law for tor District of ot Columbia which is later to become a a. law for tor the whole nation One of or two things is inevitable either cither Americas America's constitutional guarantees of ot civil and religious liberty lIbert and the tho principle of ot the tho to total total total to- to tal separation of ot church and state must bo maintained and 1 existing and proposed Sunday laws repealed and repudiated or religious bigotry and a l tyranny will destroy our free republican institutions To c continue con continue con con- n- n to maintain local religious statutes which are hostile to our fundamental law and which override over over- ride rido the guaranties of religious freedom freedom freedom free free- dom would be to destroy ultimately ultimate ultimate- ly all respect for tor the constitutional provisions adopted In defense of human rights TWO LAWS The government nt of or God and the civil government rests and operates upon the divine principle of ot love while the civil gov government rests and fu functions coons upon the principle of offo fo force fOlee ee Love Lovo Is tho the fulfilling of the law of God in the divine government government govern govern- ment while stern Justice is exacted by tho civil authorities A A. failure to recognize this distinction between tho the divine and the human government government government govern govern- ment between divine laws and civil statutes and between the obligations obligations obligations obliga obliga- we wo owe to God and the duties we wo owe to man has hns been the tho primary primary primary mary cause of ot all the r persecutions persecutions per per- in past put age under a achurch achurch achurch church and state union Copyright 1927 1921 Cosmos Newspaper Newspaper News- News paper Syndicate Inc Ine |