he principle first divinely ordained of God
in Judea."
And then, as though to emphasize the specific statements thus
made, the writer declares that thus "perfect individuality is secured to
conscience" by the United States Constitution. As a matter of fact,
in the realm of conscience there is no other right than the right of
the individual conscience. There is no such thing as a collective or
corporate conscience. There is no such thing as a sectarian
conscience. Conscience pertains solely to the individual. It is the
individual's own view of his personal relation of faith and
obedience to God, and can exist only between the individual and
God. Thus the right of religious belief inheres in the individual, and
is only the exercise of the belief of the individual as his own
thought shall lead him with respect to God and his duty toward
God, according to the dictates of his own conscience. And as this is
the inherent, absolute, and inalienable right of every individual, as
many individuals as may choose to do so have the right to associate
themselves together for mutual aid and encouragement.
If Mr. Bancroft's views of the national Constitution, as
expressed in the above extract, need any confirmation, it can be
furnished to any reasonable extent. It may, indeed, be well to give a
few facts further in this line, showing that as Mr. Bancroft has
expressed the sense of the Constitution in this respect, so upon this
question the Constitution expresses the sense of those who for
