Maryland has the honor of being the first country to establish the principle of religious toleration to people of all faiths. George Calvert "was the first," says Bancroft, "in the history of the Christian world, to seek for religious security and peace by the practice of justice and not by the exercise of power; to plan the establishment of popular institutions with the enjoyment of liberty of conscience Inspired by the same feeling that had moved the Puritans, he sought to establish a refuge in America for men of his religious faith, who were persecuted in England. With this purpose he planted, in 1621, a Catholic colony in Newfoundland. But the unfavorable soil and climate, and annoyances from the hostile French, soon ended his hopes in that quarter. He next visited Virginia, but found there a religious intolerance hostile to his purposes. The charter given to Lord Baltimore, unlike any previously granted, secured to the emigrants equality in religious rights and civil freedom, and an independent share in the legislation of the province. The colony was formed in 1634 by two hundred emigrants, mostly Roman Catholics, who entered the Potomac and purchased of the Indians a village on the St. Mary's River, about ten miles from its junction with the Potomac. The policy of paying the Indians for their land, and their subsequent equitable treatment, inaugurated peaceful relations, though these did not remain long undisturbed. The treaty of Calvert with the Indians, though less dramatic, resembled in principle the celebrated one made many years afterwards by William Penn he dealt with them as with men whose rights had a claim to respect concerning religion act: 1644 (1649) principals of religious liberty made maryland an exception to most colonies which in fact outlawed various religious groups that rulers deemed dangerous or disruptive. MARYLAND STOOD OUT AS THE EXCEPTION EST. 1632 calvert hoped protestants and catholics could live in harmony. principles of toleration milestone of religious freedom belief in God, jesus as the son, and the holy trinity "And whereas the enforcing of the conscience in matters of religion has frequently fallen out to be of dangerous consequence in those commonwealths where it has been practised, and for the more quiet and peacable government of the Province, and the better to preserve mutual love and amity among the inhabitants thereof. Be it therefore enacted.... believers in the above shall not be troubled, molested, discountenance for or in respect of his or her religion nor in the free excersice thereof, or compelled to believe or excercise any other religion agains his or her consent. financial penalties, public whipping, imprisonment.... ------------------------------------------------- SPEECH TO MASS GENERAL COURT - 1645 John Winthrop , gov Puritan settlers who were protestants who believed Church of England had too much Catholicism. wanted right to worship and govern themselves in a 'christian manner' FREEDOM nothing to do with toleration or unrestrained individual behavior PURITAN CONCEPTION of Freedom 'natural liberty' - acting without restraint, total freedom, will to do evil moral liberty- to do only what is good. obedience to religious and governmental authority, following god's law, and the law of rulers fears that american's becoming selfish and immoral and trying to impose their moral standards on society as a whole. "the great questions that have troubled the country, are about authority of the magistrates and liberty of the people." election meant "we have our authority from god'' and have been chosen by you, passions like you our faults are nothing but the same as yours, and you need to bear with us, and not severely censure our failings because they are "like the infirmities" in yourselves and others. 'WE SHALL GOVERN YOU AND JUDGE YOUR CAUSES BY THE RULE OF God's laws and our own" to our best skill magistrates are unskilled, you must "run the hazard of his skill and ability" but if he fail in faithfulness, his oath, he must answer to it. if he is judged a failure , it is an error not of skill, "but in the evil of the will" but if doubtful about the case or rule, the public must "bear it" the great mistake about liberty in the country: two fold liberty Natural - "common to man with beasts and other creatures" he has liberty to do "what he lists", a liberty to do evil as well as good. incompatible and inconsistent with AUTHORITY and cannot accept the least restraint of the most just authority. this makes men grow more evil and in time worse than beasts. great enemy of truth and peace, and all ordinaces of god are bent against to restrain and subdue it. civil or federal/moral liberty- recognizes the covenant between god and man, moral law. "THIS liberty is the proper end and object of authority" and cannot subsist without it. whatever subverts this ideal is not authority, but "a distemper thereof." liberty must be maintained and and excercised in a way of subjection to authority, the same as which christ hath made us free. WOMEN: choice makes a man her husband, and so chosen, he is her LORD, she is subject to him, in liberty not of bondage, a true wife accounts h er "subjection her honor and freeom" and wouuld not consider herself safe and free but in subjection to her husband's authority "Such is the liberty of the church under the authority of CHRIST, her kind and husband. if she does wrong, if hubby accepts or rejects, she must be "instructed by every such dispensation of his authority over her" "if you stand for your natural corrupt liberties, and will do what is good in your own eyes, you will not endure the least weight of authority, but will murmur, and oppose, and be always striving to shake off that yoke" BUT, IF YOU will be satisfied to enjoy such CIVIL AND LAWFUL liberties, such as christ allows you, "YOU WILL QUIETLY AND CHEERFULLY SUBMIT UNTO THAT AUTHORITY WHICH IS SET OVER YOU, IN ALL THE ADMISTRATIONS OF IT, FOR YOUR GOOD" IF WE FAIL, we hope to listen to the good advice of any of you, or in any other way of GOD... "so shall your liberties be preserved, in upholding the honor and power of authority amongst you" "the contempt and violation whereof hath been vindicated with examples of divine vengeance" ------------------------------------------- the Quakers suffered most in Massachusetts and Plymouth, and comparatively little in Connecticut and New Haven. It was only in Massachusetts that the inhuman law inflicting capital punishment upon them was ever carried into effect. --------------------- ANNE HUTCHINSON CASE: sedition "a classic example of the collision between established power and indivdual conscience" SAID that most ministers were guilty of faulty preaching a "covenent of works" for salvation. when they distinguised saints from the damned based on their church attendance and moral behavior rather than by an "inner state of grace." winthrop " your conscience you must keep, or it must be kept for you" “You have stepped out of your place, you have rather been a husband than a wife, a preacher than a hearer, and a magistrate than a subject.” banished, imprisoned, exiled She is the only woman to have co-founded an American colony, Rhode Island, together with hubby and Roger Williams. founded Portsmouth husband william , though she convinced him to resign,,seeing magestry as unlawful. he died a short time later, 1642 killed by indians in ny home invasion, statue erected at boston state house "COURAGEOUS EXPONENT OF CIVIL LIBERTY AND RELIGIOUS TOLERATION " officially pardoned by DUKAKIS in 1987, 350 years later