(June 20, 1837\u2013March 28, 1910), was a Justice of the United State Supreme Court, 1889\u20131910. He had been appointed by President Chester A. Arthur as a circuit court judge, 1884; and served as Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court, 1870\u201384. His uncle was Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Field, with whom he serve 9 years on the bench. Justice David Josiah Brewer gave the court\u2019s opinion in the 1892 case of Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States,<\/i> (143 U.S. 457\u2013458, 465\u2013471, 36 L ed 226):<\/p>\n
No purpose of action against religion can be imputed to any legislation, state or national, because this is a religious people. This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation.<\/p>\n
The commission to Christopher Columbus \u2026 [recited] that it is hoped that by God\u2019s assistance some of the continents and islands in the ocean will be discovered \u2026 <\/p>\n
The first colonial grant made to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584 \u2026 and the grant authorizing him to enact statutes for the government of the proposed colony provided that they be not against the true Christian faith \u2026 <\/p>\n
The first charter of Virginia, granted by King James I in 1606 \u2026 commenced the grant in these words: " \u2026 in propagating of Christian Religion to such People as yet live in Darkness \u2026 "<\/p>\n
Language of similar import may be found in the subsequent charters of that colony \u2026 in 1609 and 1611; and the same is true of the various charters granted to the other colonies. In language more or less emphatic is the establishment of the Christian religion declared to be one of the purposes of the grant. The celebrated compact made by the Pilgrims in the Mayflower, 1620, recites: \u201cHaving undertaken for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith \u2026 a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia \u2026 \u201d<\/p>\n
The fundamental orders of Connecticut, under which a provisional government was instituted in 1638\u20131639, commence with this declaration: " \u2026 And well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union \u2026 there should be an orderly and decent government established according to God \u2026 to maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus which we now profess \u2026 of the said gospel [which] is now practiced amongst us."<\/p>\n
In the charter of privileges granted by William Penn to the province of Pennsylvania, in 1701, it is recited: " \u2026 no people can be truly happy, though under the greatest enjoyment of civil liberties, if abridged of \u2026 their religious profession and worship \u2026 "<\/p>\n
Coming nearer to the present time, the Declaration of Independence recognizes the presence of the Divine in human affairs in these words:<\/p>\n
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. \u2026 appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions. \u2026 And for the support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.<\/p>\n
\u2026 We find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth \u2026 because of a general recognition of this truth [that we are a Christian nation], the question has seldom been presented to the courts \u2026 <\/p>\n
There is no dissonance in these declarations. There is a universal language pervading them all, having one meaning; they affirm and reaffirm that this is a religious nation. These are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people. <\/p>\n
While because of a general recognition of this truth the question has seldom been presented to the courts, yet we find that in Updegraph v. The Commonwealth,<\/i> it was decided that, Christianity, general Christianity, is, and always has been, a part of the common law \u2026 not Christianity with an established church \u2026 but Christianity with liberty of conscience to all men. <\/p>\n
And in The People v. Ruggles,<\/i> Chancellor Kent, the great commentator on American law, speaking as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New York, said:<\/p>\n
The people of this State, in common with the people of this country, profess the general doctrines of Christianity, as the rule of their faith and practice. \u2026 We are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon Christianity, and not upon the doctrines or worship of those impostors [other religions]. <\/p>\n
And in the famous case of Vidal v. Girard\u2019s Executors,<\/i> this Court \u2026 observed:<\/p>\n
It is also said, and truly, that the Christian religion is a part of the common law \u2026 <\/p>\n
If we pass beyond these matters to a view of American life as expressed by its laws, its business, its customs and its society, we find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth. Among other matters note the following: The form of oath universally prevailing, concluding with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, \u201cIn the name of God, amen\u201d; the laws respecting the observance of the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all secular business, and the closing of courts, legislatures, and other similar public assemblies on that day; the churches and church organizations which abound in every city, town and hamlet; the multitude of charitable organizations existing everywhere under Christian auspices; the gigantic missionary associations, with general support, and aiming to establish Christian missions in every quarter of the globe.<\/p>\n
These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation. \u2026 We find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth.2789<\/p>\n
The happiness of a people and the good order and preservation of civil government essentially depend upon piety, religion and morality.2790 <\/p>\n
Religion, morality, and knowledge [are] necessary to good government, the preservation of liberty, and the happiness of mankind.2791<\/p>\n
A commentary on the 1892 case Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States,<\/i> summarized:<\/p>\n
Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.2792<\/p>\n
In his work, The United States\u2014A Christian Nation,<\/i> published in Philadelphia by the John C. Winston Company, 1905, Justice David Josiah Brewer wrote:<\/p>\n
We classify nations in various ways. As, for instance, by their form of government. One is a kingdom, another an empire, and still another a republic. Also by race. Great Britain is an Anglo-Saxon nation, France a Gallic, Germany a Teutonic, Russia a Slav. And still again by religion. One is a Mohammedan nation, others are heathen, and still others are Christian nations.<\/p>\n
This republic is classified among the Christian nations of the World. It was so formally declared by the Supreme Court of the United States.<\/p>\n
But in what sense can it be called a Christian nation? Not is the sense that Christianity is the established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it. On the contrary, the Constitution specifically provides that \u201cCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\u201d Neither is it Christian in the sense that a profession of Christianity is a condition of holding office or otherwise engaging in the public service, or essential to recognition either politically or socially. In fact the government as a legal organization is independent of all religions.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, we constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation\u2014in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world. This popular use of the term certainly has significance. It is not a mere creation of the imagination. It is not a term of derision but has a substantial basis\u2014one which justifies its use.2793<\/p>\n
In no charter or constitution is there anything to even suggest that any other than the Christian is the religion of this country. In none of them is Mohammed or Confucius or Buddha in any manner noticed. In none of them is Judaism recognized other than by way of toleration of its special creed.<\/p>\n
While the separation of church and state is often affirmed, there is nowhere a repudiation of Christianity as one of the institutions as well as benedictions of society. In short, there is no charter or constitution that is either infidel, agnostic, or anti-Christian. Wherever there is a declaration in favor of any religion it is of the Christian.2794<\/p>\n
You will have noticed that I have presented no doubtful facts. Nothing has been stated which is debatable. The quotations from charters are in the archives of the several States; the laws are on the statues books; judicial opinions are taken from the official reports; statistics from the census publications. In short, no evidence has been presented which is open to question.2795<\/p>\n
I could show how largely our laws and customs are based upon the laws of Moses and the teachings of Christ; how constantly the Bible is appealed to as the guide of life and the authority in question of morals.2796<\/p>\n
In the case of Holy Trinity Church vs. United States,<\/i> 143 U.S. 471, that court, after mentioning various circumstances, add, these and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.2797<\/p>\n
Associate Justice David Josiah Brewer shared:<\/p>\n
I Believe in Jesus Christ as the great Helper, Comforter and Saviour of humanity, and the Holy Bible as bearing to us the story of his mission, the rules of duty, the revelation of Eternal Life, and also the conditions under which the attainment of that life are possible. <\/p>\n
No Book contains more truths, or is more worthy of confidence than the Bible; none brings more joy to the sorrowing, more strength to the weak, or more stimulus to the nobly ambitious; none makes life sweeter, or death easier or less sad.2798<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(June 20, 1837\u2013March 28, 1910), was a Justice of the United State Supreme Court, 1889\u20131910. He had been appointed by President Chester A. Arthur as a circuit court judge, 1884; and served as Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court, 1870\u201384. His uncle was Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Field, with whom he serve 9 years … Continue reading “BREWER,
\nDAVID JOSIAH”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16005\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}