of
St. Paul_. (_Essays Ecclesiastical and Social_, pp. 157-158.) His
figures applied to the year 1853, but we have included the subsequent
increase of the clergy, and distributed the additional members according
to the best information at command. If it be objected that we have
classed too large a portion in the Broad Church, we reply, that if Dean
Stanley's intimations concerning the absence of orthodox faith in the
English clergy be well founded, we have fallen far short of attributing
to that body a sufficient number of members. See his article in
_Edinburgh Review_, July, 1864.

[231] Phillipsohn, Author of the _Religious Idea in Judaism, Islam, and
Christianity_. Translated by Miss Ann Goldschmidt.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE UNITED STATES: THE UNITARIAN CHURCH--THE UNIVERSALISTS.

The aspect of novelty in the religious and theological history of the
United States, is unparalleled in the history of any European nation,
and is traceable in part to the peculiarities of our political origin
and career. The founders of our government were wise students of the
philosophy of history, and it was their opinion that many of the
misfortunes which had befallen the countries of the Old World, were
produced by the improper association of temporal and spiritual
authority. They therefore made provision for the permanent separation of
Church and State. Their design, however, was accomplished only by
degrees. Previous to the Revolution, but two States, Rhode Island and
Pennsylvania, permitted religious toleration. It was declared in
Maryland in 1776, and in 1786-89 was carried out in Virginia. The
general government took the matter in hand in 1791; and, in that year,
an amendment to the Constitution of the United States was adopted, which
prohibited Congress in future from "passing any law establishing
religion, or prohibiting its free exercise."[232]

It would seem that our forefathers were almost gifted with prophetic
vision when they incorporated this statute with those other laws, which
have contributed so much to our prosperity. It would not have been in
harmony with their spirit, if, while constituting an independent
government, they had made the Church dependent.

The principle of the union of church and state presupposes a greater
degree of social purity than has existed in any nation. Moreover, the
Church is thereby led to assume an authority to which she has no claim
and which Christ never intended her to possess