THERE are quite a number of people in the world besides Leo XIII who believe that they can, upon demand, speak with infallibility.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.2

THOSE people who think the government would be made better by professing Christianity, should remember that the very worst hypocrites do that.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.3

IF only the grace of God can enable even a good man to do right, what is there short of the grace of God that can make a bad man do right?AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.4

THE name of God put in the Constitution can no more make that a Christian document than can a crucifix make a Christian of him who wears it.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.5

THE devil doesn’t care how religious a thing is, so long as it embodies what is wrong and unjust. The most wicked of all evil deeds have been done under a form of piety.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.6

IF all the ministers in the land should take hold of politics, to “elevate them,” this would not at all change the nature of politics. Politics are what they are to-day because it is the nature of politics to become corrupt.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.7

IF the clergy were all in agreement upon the subject of religion, to which they have so long devoted their attention, we could with more assurance accept their dictum on the subject of politics, to which they are comparative strangers.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.8

THE idea that the state can properly teach morals is the idea that a man can teach himself morals; since the voice of the state is only the voice of the men composing it; and this is only the old pagan idea that a man can be his own saviour.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.9

“The New Leaders in ‘National Reform’” American Sentinel 12, 50, pp. 785, 786.

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THE Christian Endeavorers, who are now the leading National Reformers, have announced that they intend to present to the Congress now in session, one and a half million petitions for the passage of a resolution to amend the national Constitution so that it shall recognize God and the Christian religion.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.1

As these folks are following the lead of the original National Reformers, it is proper to raise an inquiry as to the character of those positions. Those who have gone this way before, have pretended to present the names of more than twenty times as many petitioners as they really had. A few were multiplied into thousands; one was multiplied into millions. As the Christian Endeavorers think they must now take up this matter, it is seriously to be hoped, even though their enterprise in this direction is decidedly bad, that they will at least conduct it honestly.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.2

Of all the people in the United States who desire legislation on the subject of religion, it is but just to say that those who propose to bring it about by constitutional amendment are the only ones who are entitled to any respect in this connection. Of these it must be said that however wrong and ungodly may be the thing which they attempt to do, the means by which they propose to accomplish it is strictly legal.AMS December 23, 1897, page 785.3

Amendment of the Constitution is a perfectly legal thing. The Constitution itself makes provision for its own amendment. Of the legality of such a procedure, therefore, there can never be any question. The Constitution is the voice and will of the people. Whatever the will of the people may be which they choose thus to express, whether civically it be good or bad, conservative or ruinous, yet legally it is strictly valid.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.1

Now no worse thing could possibly be done by amendment to the Constitution than to establish “the Christian religion.” No more ruinous step could be taken through amendment to the Constitution than this proposed recognition of God and establishment of religion. Yet if such thing were done by amendment to the Constitution it would be perfectly legal, and nothing could properly be said against it on that score. So likewise these people who want a religious despotism established in this nation; so long as they hold to amendment of the Constitution as the means of accomplishing it, it must be said that legally their course is beyond question.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.2

But when this is said, every concession, every allowance, has been made that can possibly be made in any way whatever in reference to that thing. The thing itself is evil and only evil, and that continually and continually increasing. So far also the methods of endeavoring to accomplish this thing, even legally, have been dishonest, hypocritical, and fraudulent. Therefore it is a thing sincerely to be wished that with the accession of this new element of Endeavor, square and honest methods may characterize their attempts to accomplish a purpose which, though legal in form, is evil in itself and ruinous to the nation.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.3

While the worst thing that could possibly be done by amendment to the Constitution, is the establishment of religion; still a worse thing than that is the establishment of religion without an amendment to the Constitution. To do it by amendment to the Constitution would be legal, though exceedingly bad. To do it without an amendment would add to its inherent badness the further elements of illegality and usurpation. Yet this latter things has been diligently striven for by the predecessors of the Christian Endeavorers; and has actually been accomplished by the government, in principle and in fact.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.4

It is a curious thing, too, that the predecessors of the Christian Endeavorers in this matter actually endeavored to accomplish their purpose by both these methods at once. They tried to get passed a resolution to amend the Constitution so as to legalize legislation and governmental action on questions of religion; while at the same time by threats of political perdition backed by fraudulent petitions they were doing their utmost to force legislation and governmental action on the questions of religion. The curious feature in all this lies not in the fact, nor in the methods employed,—all that seems natural enough to these folks,—but in that they should be so blind as not to be able to see that what they were doing was self-contradictory.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.5

Their call for a religious amendment to the Constitution was, and is in itself a positive argument that without it any governmental recognition of religion would be unconstitutional, and therefore illegal and voice—a usurpation. Yet in the face of this positive argument of their own devising, they did their utmost to get the government to commit this very usurpation; applauded every item of such usurpation when it was committed; and even while applauding it, openly declared it unconstitutional.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.6

No greater effort to undermine constitutional government has ever been made in the United States than has thus been made by the people who have urged upon Congress and the government the enactment of Sunday laws and other acts of a religious character, without an amendment to the Constitution.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.7

And now that the Christian Endeavorers have taken the lead in this campaign and are calling for a constitutional amendment establishing religion, it is but proper to call their attention to the crooked and self-stultifying course of those who have led in this thing before, and ask that they shall not disgrace themselves by following the same course.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.8

To ask for an establishment of religion in the United States by the strictly legal course of an amendment to the Constitution is enough disgrace for any body. We really desire that the Christian Endeavorers may spare themselves the greater disgrace of demanding the governmental recognition of religion without such an amendment.AMS December 23, 1897, page 786.9

A. T. J.

“The American Sentinel for 1898” American Sentinel 12, 50, p. 799.

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THE AMERICAN SENTINEL is in the field to be that which its name implies,—a sentinel, to give warning against the foes which threaten the sacred rights and liberties of the people.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.1

As such, there is every evidence that it has a most important field of usefulness before it in the year 1898. The dangers against which it would warn the people are not imaginary, but are dangers which have already appeared in tangible form, dangers which have been met and fought in the halls of Congress, in the courts, and before the legislatures of the States.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.2

A zealous but misguided element of the people are bent upon substituting false and despotic principles of government for those upon which this government was established by the wise and liberty-loving statesmen who gave it birth. Within recent years there have been some sharp conflicts fought for the preservation of these principles in American government, and success has, in a measure, attended the efforts of the SENTINEL and the men who have stood as champions of the liberties of the people.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.3

But the crisis is yet to come. And now, the forces whose aim has been the subversion of the principles of free government, have returned to the attack, reinforced by associations which have suddenly sprung up with the church, numbering millions of members. This very month petitions are pouring in upon Congress, calling for a recognition of God in the national Constitution and for a Sunday law for the District of Columbia.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.4

Stirring times are before us; and now, as never before, it is necessary that the AMERICAN SENTINEL should lift up its voice like a trumpet and sound an alarm throughout the length and breadth of the land. The enemy have inaugurated a campaign of education by means of National Reform literature, which they purpose to have scatted everywhere by the Christian Endeavor and kindred societies, calling for the enforcement of Sunday laws and other religions legislation by Congress and by the States. Upon this line the battle for civil and religious liberty must now be fought. Now, as never before, literature bearing the truth upon this great subject must be set before the people.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.5

It is our aim to make the SENTINEL for 1898 a most effect agent for this work. A varied corps of contributors has been secured, which includes those of long experience as writers and speakers upon these themes. No pains will be spared to fill the paper with live matter, and keep it in touch with the latest developments of the times.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.6

The SENTINEL will be illustrated with original drawings, made expressly for its use. We feel sure this will be a feature that will be appreciated by all.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.7

A new head will appear on the first issue for the new year, which we think will be pleasing to our readers generally.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.8

Altogether, the aim of the publishers will be to make the SENTINEL for 1898 just what it ought to be to meet the emergency that has come upon the country. The SENTINEL offers every person a chance to work, and NOW is the time to do it.AMS December 23, 1897, page 799.9

December 16, 1897