e of benevolent institutions, and the love of
virtue makes a people free. When these are absent tyrants are present.
When a nation becomes corrupt, liberty degenerates into parties and
factions until the stubborn necessity of the strong arm of despotism makes
its appearance to control the passions of men. If pride, selfishness, love
of gold, thirst for power and licentiousness, are not controlled liberty
will die. It may be truthfully said that the high-toned principles of
Bible morality are necessary to the good of all classes. These, and only
these, will unite a people in one grand national brotherhood, wiping out
its factions and hatred, extinguishing party spirit and bringing all the
parts into one great whole. Many minds are so opposed to the Bible that
they _are_ inclined to oppose any government based upon its contents. This
is a fearful current, and we should always watch against being carried
away upon its turbid waters. Ours is a Christian land, and we shall be a
free people as long as we remain a Christian people. While the Bible is
loved and honored our freedom will continue; beyond this there is nothing
to hinder us from _degenerating into slavery_. All great struggles in
Christian lands have been great _moral_ and political struggles.

LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.

This phase of the question rises very high in our estimation; for we have
been taught to regard the rights of conscience and to esteem them above
all other rights in a free country. There can be no civil liberty where
the rights of conscience are ignored. The teachings of the Bible are
opposed to all interference by law with man's religious faith and worship.
Religious liberty asks for no laws meddling with the rights of conscience.
Such laws, whether of tolerance or of intolerance, are always in conflict
with the spirit of the religion of Christ; for it asks for the soul's
free, voluntary service. As American citizens we ask, at the hands of our
Government, to be protected, in common with all other citizens, in the
free exercise of the rights of conscience. We ask no interference with
religion by law, and we apprehend none in our country. If our religion
cannot take care of itself, by the force of its own merits, it must
perish.

Rivers of blood have been offered upon the altar of a blind intolerance.
Look at Antiochus sacking the city of Jerusalem and laying the country
waste. Look at the slaughter of the infants of Bethlehem under Herod'