NO CHAPTER in the history of religion in our country offers more
complexities or more interest than that which deals with the Middle West in
the first half of the nineteenth century. The Westerner was ready to carry
his Protestantism through to its logical end, hence the West was the
fertile propagating bed for new divisions and sects. Separatists and
Puritans had come to the New World where they upheld the standards of
Congregationalism; as time passed, Congregationalists formed into orthodox
and liberal, Old Calvinist, and New Divinity parties. Other Puritans,
Presbyterians, already divided, further split into "Old Side" and "New
Side," and, in the West, suffered both the Cumberland Schism and the "New
Light" or "Christian" defection. Later they divided into Old School and New
School blocs. There were also Associate, Associate Reformed, Reformed, and
Welsh Calvinists. Many of the Congregationalists became presbyterianized,
while others became either Baptists or Unitarians. Baptists split into
Separates and Regulars, rejoined and became United, but still there were
General (Regular), Particular (Separate), Primitive (Hard-shell or
"Whiskey"), and Free Will groups of Baptists. Tens of thousands of Baptists
became Disciples, Disciples became Christians, Christians became Disciples.
Besides there were Lutherans, Episcopalians, Catholics, Friends (who also
split), Methodists, Reformed (Dutch, Swiss-French, German, for example),
Shakers, Brethren, "Millerites," Jews, Mormons, Universalists, various
types of Pietists, and many other religious groups.
Although revivalism and the question of freedom of the will precipitated
sectarian difference, there were really dozens of matters of dogma and
church organization and government which caused fission. Denominations
split along one line on one issue, along another line on another. So
numerous and complex were the schisms and crossings over and so illogical
were many of them, that groups and sects not infrequently found themselves
back in the fold whence they had started. So confusing did the history of
the Protestant sects become that no historian, church or lay, has been able
to make a clear and organized presentation of its course.
SOURCE: The Old Northwest, Pioneer Period, 1815-1840 By R. Carlye Buley,
Vol 2, Indiana University Press , Indiana Historical Society (1950) p. 419
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You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the US and a couple from overseas as well]
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.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
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USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
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