RELIGIOUS TOLERATION. [From the Sydney Atlas.] Washington, 10th July, 1843

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 29, 20 December 1845, Page 4

RELIGIOUS TOLERATION. [From the Sydney Atlas.] Washington, 10th July, 1843

' Dear Sir :— The notice which y.m mention in your letter of the 3rd inst., has been only called to my attention by your reference to it. I presume that it is nothing; more than a contemplated assemblage of certain officers of the army and navy, in their character of cnizeus and Christia is, having for its object ihe inculcation upon others, of their i el gious tenets, for, as they believe, the benefit and advantage of mankind. A similar call, on the part of any other religous sect, would be alike tolerated under our institutions. The Goveruient has nothing to do with the puhlieaiion; uor ha* it issued Irom any one of the departments. Whether General Scott is to preside over the meeting, I am not in any way oiher than through your letter, informed. If he attends, it will not and cannot be in his character of General-in-Chief in the army. He will necessarly, lor the tune bein-f, lay aside his sword and epaulettes, and appear, it is true, as a distinguished citizen, but m no other light than as a citizen. Wts he a Hebrew, and of the same tribe with yourself, his right to preside in your synagogue, if pernu.ted or required by your laws, would iv no manner affect him in his military character ;norwould ! it make him obnoxious to the censure of government for so doing The Unitel States have, adventured upon a sreat and noble experiment, which is believed to have been hazarded in the absence of all previous precedent— that of a total separation of Church and Slate. No rfcligous establishment by law exists among us. The conscience is left free from -all restraint, and each is permitted to worship his Maker alter his own judgment. The offices of the goverment are open alike to all. No tithes are raised to support an established hiearchy ; nor is the fallible judgment of man set ttp as the onlysure and infallible creed of faith. The Mahommedan, if he were to come among us would have the privilege guaranteed to him by the Constitution, to worship accoiding to the Koran ; and the East Indian might erect asinine to Brahmin, if it so pleased him. Such is the spirit of toleration inculcated by our poltical ins itutions. The fruits are visible in the universal contentment which everywhere prevail*. Christians are hrokm up into vaiious sects, but we have no persecution, no stake, no lack— no compulsion or force, no fuiious or bigoted zeal ; but each and all move on iv their selected sphere, and worship the Great Creator according to their own forms and ceremonies. TheHebiew, persecuted and downtrodden in other regions, takes up his abode among us with none to make him afraid. He may boast, as well as he can, of his descent from the Patriarchs of old — of his wise men iv council, arid strong men in- battle. He may evermore turn 1 his eye to Judea, resting with confidence on the promise that is made him, of hts restoration to the Holy land, and he may worship the God of his fathers, after the manner that worship was conducted by Aaron and his successors in the Priesthood, and the iEgis of the Goverment is overhirr to defend and protect him. Such is the great experiment .woich we have tried, and such are the happy fruits which have icsulted from it; our system of free government would be imperfect without it. The body may be oppressed and manacled, and yet survive i but if the, mind, of man be fettered, its energies and faculties perish, and what remains is of the earth, earthy. Mind should beifree as the light or as the air. While I remain connected with the Government, be assured, sir, that so far as the Executive action is concerned, the guarantees of the Constitution in this great paticular, will know no diminution. For your kind expression of goodwill towards me personally, I beg you to accept my thanks, along with my best wishes fur your health and happiness.

JOHN TYLER.