In a Monarchy, such an evil is stopped by the monarch or his agents ; but there is the danger that the interference may ex tend to cases when no real harm could be done by the circulation of the book or the preaching of the doctrine, and to cases in which good would follow. In a free state, no man is convicted of the of fence of writing or teaching what is bad without the judgment of his fellow-citi zens—in England by a jury , and though a jury is neither always wise nor always impartial, no better means have yet been discovered of reconciling the free expres sion of opinion with the restraint of opi nions which cannot be broached without danger to the state.
The relation of Religion to the State is a question of vital importance to all nit lions, but to none is it of so great import ance as to those of a Republican form, those in which political power is distri buted among many individuals, and extends to a large part of the people in general, as distinguished from a privi leged class.
He who views a state rightly views it as a Unity : the sovereign power, whe ther it is lodged in one or in many, is that which gives a unity to all the mem bers of the social body. In the middle age history of Europe, we see two con tending bodies in a state, a body Political and a body Ecclesiastical, and the conse quence was anarchy. The states of Eu rope have long been Christian States, and the Christian Religion is inseparably blended with all European systems, and those of America, which have arisen out of them. In one state in Europe, the Papal State, the constitution is Eccle siastical, and the Political is merged in it. In some other states of Europe the Ecclesiastical body is now completely subjected by the Political ; in others the Ecclesiastical body still possesses large political power. The paramount import ance of Religion leads many persons to conclude that the Ecclesiastical Estate should have political power, or at least that it should have the sole power of re gulating all its own concerns. Those who maintain this proposition must admit that a state is not a Unity : it is a divided body, one member of which is to some extent independent of the whole body ; a monstrous anomaly which can only breed confusion and stop all social im provement.
If the state is to be One, must it be One as a Political body, or as a body Political and Religious ? If there is only one religion in the state, and no other allowed, the state may be Politically and Religiously one. Such a state may be
perfect in theory, but, in fact, its move.. meats will not be towards improvement, but retrograde. Experience has shown that the free exercise of the understand ing on all matters of speculation, on all matters of belief, on all matte's that ex tend beyond the limits of sense, is as necessary to the development of the un derstanding, as freedom from unwise restrictions on trade and industry is ne cessary to the increase of national wealth. If a state then allows each than to think, speak, and so write as he pleases, subject only to the condition that he shall not speak, write or act, as to attempt to over throw the power which gives him this freedom, the state must consistently de clare, the sovereign body by its acts of legislation must declare, that it is neither a Religious nor an Anti-religious body. The state is neither Christian nor not Christian. But it is objected—it has been admitted that all European nations are now Christian, and that Christianity is intimately blended with them. frue; and for this reason,—the state need not occupy itself about the matter. It is admitted that Christianity has rooted it self in all our social systems deeper than any legislation can do. It pervades all society, its influence is above law. Christianity is therefore recognised by all ; for as to the few speculative thinkers who do not recognise its truths, and as to the still larger number who are indif ferent, they do not affect the great mass. It is a truth indisputable, a truth which no man in his senses can deny, that mo dern civilization is Christian; and that if all state establishments of religion were abolished, Christianity would exist in the minds of the great mass of a nation, and would be taught and propagated by zeal ous teachers. Nay, were a state to oppose itself to all religion, to persecute those who profess and those who teach it, Christianity would only flourish the more. For a state is directed by a com paratively small number, and this small number, if it opposed Christianity, would be precisely in the same position as if one man should attempt to control by force a million.