“Resolved, That, as the disregard of sound theory always leads to mischievous practical results, so in this case the failure of our nation to acknowledge, in its organic laws, its relation to God and his moral laws, as a Christian nation, has fostered the theory that government has nothing to do with religion but to let it alone, and that consequently State laws in favor of the Sabbath, Christian marriage, and the use of the Bible in the schools, are unconstitutional.

“Resolved, That we recognize the necessity of complete harmony between our written constitution and the actual facts of our national life; and we maintain that tho true way to eflect this undoubted harmony is not to expel the Bible and all idea of God and religion from our schools, abrogate laws enforcing Christian morality, and abolish all devout observances in connection with government, but to insert an explicit acknowledgment of God and the Bible in our fundamental law.

“Resolved, That the proposed religious amendment, so 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 these relations for itself, and not through the medium of any church establishment.”

Mr. F.E.  Abbott, editor of the Index, Toledo, O., who was present at the foregoing Convention, and presented a protest against its aims and efforts, says of those who stand at the head of the movement:—­

“We found them to be so thoroughly sincere and earnest in their purpose that they did not fear the effect of a decided but temperate protest.  This fact speaks volumes in their praise, as men of character and convictions.  We saw no indication of the artful management which characterizes most conventions.  The leading men—­Rev. D. McAllister, Rev. A.M.  Milligan, Prof.  Sloane, Prof.  Stoddard, Prof.  Wright, Rev. T.P.  Stephenson—­impressed us as able, clear-headed, and thoroughly honest men; and we could not but conceive a great respect for their motives and their intentions.  It is such qualities as these in the leaders of the movement that give it its most formidable character.  They have definite and consistent ideas; they perceive the logical connection of these ideas, and advocate them in a very cogent and powerful manner; and they propose to push them with determination and zeal.  Concede their premises, and it is impossible to deny their conclusions; and since these premises are axiomatic truths with the great majority of Protestant Christians, the effect of the vigorous campaign on which they are entering cannot be small or despicable.  The very respect with which we were compelled to regard them only increases our sense of the evils which lie germinant in their doctrines; and we came home with the conviction that religious liberty in America must do battle for its very existence hereafter.  The