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it may clearly and fully represent the mind of the people on these points, they feel that it should also be so amended as to recognize the rights of God in man and in government. Is it anything but due to their long patience that they be at length allowed to speak out the great facts and principles which give to all government its dignity, stability, and beneficence?"

In the interest of this association there is published, in Pittsburg, a monthly paper called The Christian Statesman, in advocacy of this movement.

Besides this, a great mass of other literature is put forth by the association in the form of leaflets, tracts, and pamphlets. These are the very methods by which, in a country like ours, great revolutions are accomplished; and no movement has ever arisen, in so short a space of time as this, to so high a position in public esteem with certain classes, and taken so strong a hold upon their hearts.

Mr. G. A. Townsend ("New World and Old," p. 212)

says:

"Church and state has several times crept into American politics, as in the contentions over the Bible in the public schools, the anti-Catholic party of 1854, etc. Our people have been wise enough heretofore to respect the clergy in all religious questions, and to entertain a wholesome jealousy of them in

politics. The latest politico-theological movement [italics ours] is to insert the name of the Deity in the Constitution."

The present position of this National Reform Association, and the progress it has made, may be gathered somewhat from the following sketch of its history, and the reports of the proceedings of some of the conventions which have thus far been held.

From the Pittsburg (Pa.) Commercial of Feb. 6, 1874, the following is taken:—

"The present movement to secure the religious amendment of the Constitution originated at Xenia, Ohio, in February, 1863, in a convention composed of eleven different religious denominations, who assembled for prayer and conference, not in regard to the amendment of the Constitution, but the state of religion. Meetings (small in numbers) were held shortly after in Pittsburg and elsewhere. At first the association was called a 'Religious Council'; now it is known as the 'National Association to Secure the Religious Amendment of the Constitution of the United States,' and is becoming more popular, and increasing largely in numbers.

"The first national convention of the association was held in the First United Presbyterian church, Allegheny, Pa., Jan. 27, 1864, at which a large delegation was appointed to present the matter to the consideration of Hon. Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States. An adjourned meeting was held in the Eighth Street Methodist Episcopal church, Philadelphia, on the 7th and 8th of July of the same year, and another in the same city, in the West Arch Street Presbyterian church, Nov. 29, 1864.

"Conventions were held in New York in 1868; in Columbus, Ohio, February, 1869; and in Monmouth, Ill., April, 1871.

"National conventions were held in Pittsburg, 1870; Philadelphia, 1871; Cincinnati, 1872; and New York, 1873. The national convention which meets this afternoon [Feb. 4, 1847] in Library Hall [in Pittsburg, Pa.] is, we believe, the fifth in order."

From the report of the executive committee at the Cincinnati convention, Jan. 31, 1872, it appeared that ten thou

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sand copies of the proceedings of the Philadelphia convention had been gratuitously distributed, and a general secretary had been appointed. Nearly $1,800 was raised at this convention.

The business committee recommended that the delegates to this convention hold meetings in their respective localities to ratify the resolutions adopted at Cincinnati, and that the friends of the association be urged to form auxiliary associations. These recommendations were adopted.

Among the resolutions passed were the following:

"Resolved, That it is the right and duty of the United States, as a nation settled by Christians,- a nation with Christian laws and usages, and with Christianity as its greatest social force, -to acknowledge itself in its written Constitution to be a Christian nation." 991

They seem to be conscious that well-grounded fears will be excited in the minds of the people, that this movement, if successful, would be a gross infringement of the principle on which this government is founded, which is to keep forever separate the church and the state; and so they endeavor to blind the people to this danger, and allay these fears in the following adroit manner:

"Resolved, That the proposed religious amendment, sɔ far from tending to a union of church and state, is directly opposed to such union, inasmuch as it recognizes the nation's own relations to God, and insists that the nation should acknowledge those relations for itself, and not through the medium of any church establishment."

Of the fifth annual convention at Pittsburg, Feb. 4, 1874, J. II. Waggoner, who went as a correspondent from the

1In the present state of affairs in this world, there can be no such thing as a "Christian" nation; and any people claiming to be such, claims to be such a community as Christ expressly repudiates when he says, "My kingdom is not of this world." There is no need here to present any argument to show the sophistry involved in such claims as these. In what has been presented and what will be given later, the groundless assumptions of a false theocracy will be fully exposed.

Seventh-day Adventists, said, in the Review and Herald:

"This was a meeting of delegates, but was largely attended. The number of delegates holding certificates was 641; non-certified, 432; total, 1,073, representing eighteen States. Petitions to Congress, partially returned, as I understood, footed up over 54,000 names.

"It has been strongly impressed upon my mind that we have underestimated, rather than overestimated, the rapid growth and power of this movement. Those who think we have been deluded in confidently looking for a great change in the nature and policy of our government, could but be convinced that we are right in this if they would attend such a meeting as this, or by other means become acquainted with what is actually taking place in this respect. The reason assigned for calling a delegated convention is that no place could be found large enough to accommodate a mass-meeting of the friends of the cause. But it is proposed to hold mass-meetings in the several States, and have a general grand rally in 1876, the centennial anniversary of our independence.

"The animus of this meeting can not be understood or appreciated by any one who did not attend it. It was a large gathering of delegates and others, and for enthusiasm and unanimity, has rarely been equaled. This feature can be but feebly described in any published report; and I notice that some of the most significant and stirring expressions are left out of the most complete reports of the speeches yet given.

"The officers of the association for the coming year [1874] are, president, Hon. Felix R. Brunot, Pittsburg, with ninetyninė vice-presidents, among whom are four governors, five State superintendents of public instruction, nine bishops, fifteen judges of higher courts, and forty-one college presidents and professors, and the others are all eminent men; general secretary, Rev. D. McAllister, N. Y.; corresponding secretary, Rev. T. P. Stevenson, Philadelphia."

In his opening address, the president of the national association, and chairman of this fifth convention, said that their "cause had made the progress of twenty years in five;" and the general secretary, D. McAllister, said of the past year that it had "numbered a larger array of accessions to

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our ranks than any two, or three, or per

haps five, preceding

years."

Instead of a large

national convention in 1875, four conven

tions, more local in

their nature, were held

in different parts of

the country.

Of the meeting in St. Louis, the Christian Statesman of February, 1875, said:

"The convention of citizens of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and neighboring States, in the city of St. Louis, on the 27th and 28th of last month, was a triumphant success. In a city where there was but a small constituency committed in advance to the support of the proposed amendment, public attention has been earnestly drawn to the movement; a large audience was called out at all the sessions of the convention, and full reports of the able addresses delivered have been published in the city papers. Fully one thousand people were present at the opening session, and at least three hundred at the day sessions on Thursday. Three hundred and ninety-four names were enrolled as members of the convention. The address of J. C. Wells, Esq., a lawyer from Chillicothe, Ill., was marked by the same fervor of argument and fervent Christian spirit which lend so much power and attractiveness to his able little book entitled 'Our National Obligation.' Mr. Wells was also chosen president of the convention. The friends in St. Louis and vicinity are to be congratulated on this result."