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It is impossible； even if it were desirable； to restore the mixture of civil and ecclesiastical governments which obtained in the Middle Ages； and a total separation of church and state； even as corporations； would； in the pres… 416 ent state of men's minds in Europe； be construed； if approved by the church； into a sanction by her of political atheism； or the right of the civil power to govern according to its own will and pleasure in utter disregard of the law of God； the moral order； or the immutable distinctions between right and wrong。 It could only favor the absolutism of the state； and put the temporal in the place of the spiritual。 Hence； the Holy Father includes the proposition of the entire separation of church and state in the Syllabus of Errors condemned in his Encyclical； dated at Rome； December 8； 1864。 Neither the state nor the people； elsewhere than in the United States； can understand practically such separation in any other sense than the complete emancipation of our entire secular life from the law of God； or the Divine order； which is the real order。 It is not the union of church and statethat is； the union； or identity rather； of religious and political principlesthat it is desirable to get rid of； but the disunion or antagonism of church and state。 But this is nowhere possible out of the United States； for nowhere else is the state organized on catholic principles； or capable of acting； when acting from its own constitution； in harmony with a really catholic church； or the religious order 417 really existing； in relation to which all things are created and governed。 Nowhere else is it practicable； at present； to maintain between the two powers their normal relations。
But what is not practicable in the Old World is perfectly practicable in the New。 The state here being organized in accordance with catholic principles； there can be no antagonism between it and the church。 Though operating in different spheres； both are； in their respective spheres； developing and applying to practical life the one and the same Divine Idea。 The church can trust the state； and the state can trust the church。 Both act from the same principle to one and the same end。 Each by its own constitution co…operates with； aids； and completes the other。 It is true the church is not formally established as the civil law of the land； nor is it necessary that she should be； because there is nothing in the state that conflicts with her freedom and independence； with her dogmas or her irreformable canons。 The need of establishing the church by law； and protecting her by legal pains and penalties； as is still done in most countries； can exist only in a barbarous or semi…barbarous state of society； where the state is not organized on catholic principles； or the civilization is based on false 418 principles； and in its development tends not to the real or Divine order of things。 When the state is constituted in harmony with that order； it is carried onward by the force of its own internal constitution in a catholic direction； and a church establishment； or what is called a state religion； would be an anomaly； or a superfluity。 The true religion is in the heart of the state； as its informing principle and real interior life。 The external establishment； by legal enactment of the church； would afford her no additional protection； add nothing to her power and efficacy； and effect nothing for faith or pietyneither of which can be forced； because both must； from their nature； be free…will offerings to God。
In the United States； false religions are legally as free as the true religion； but all false religions being one…sided； sophistical； and uncatholic； are opposed by the principles of the state； which tend； by their silent but effective workings； to eliminate them。 The American state recognizes only the catholic religion。 It eschews all sectarianism； and none of the sects have been able to get their peculiarities incorporated into its constitution or its laws。 The state conforms to what each holds that is catholic； that is always and everywhere religion； and what 419 ever is not catholic it leaves； as outside of its province； to live or die； according to its own inherent vitality or want of vitality。 The state conscience is catholic； not sectarian； hence it is that the utmost freedom can be allowed to all religions； the false as well as the true； for the state； being catholic in its constitution； can never suffer the adherents of the false to oppress the consciences of the adherents of the true。 The church being free； and the state harmonizing with her； catholicity has； in the freedom of both； all the protection it needs； all the security it can ask； and all the support it can； in the nature of the case receive from external institutions； or from social and political organizations。
This freedom may not be universally wise or prudent； for all nations may not be prepared for it： all may not have attained their majority。 The church； as well as the state； must deal with men and nations as they are； not as they are not。 To deal with a child as with an adult； or with a barbarous nation as with a civilized nation； would be only acting a lie。 The church cannot treat men as free men where they are not free men； nor appeal to reason in those in whom reason is undeveloped。 She must adapt her discipline to the age； condition； and culture of individuals； and 420 to the greater or less progress of nations in civilization。 She herself remains always the same in her constitution； her authority； and her faith； but varies her discipline with the variations of time and place。 Many of her canons； very proper and necessary in one age； cease to be so in another； and many which are needed in the Old World would be out of place in the New World。 Under the American system； she can deal with the people as free men； and trust them as freemen； because free men they are。 The freeman asks； why？ and the reason why must be given him； or his obedience fails to be secured。 The simple reason that the church commands will rarely satisfy him； he would know why she commands this or that。 The full…grown free man revolts at blind obedience； and he regards all obedience as in some measure blind for which he sees only an extrinsic command。 Blind obedience even to the authority of the church cannot be expected of the people reared under the American system； not because they are filled with the spirit of disobedience； but because they insist that obedience shall be rationabile obsequium； an act of the understanding； not of the will or the affections alone。 They are trained to demand a reason for the command given them； to dis… 421 tinguish between the law and the person of the magistrate。 They can obey God； but not man； and they must see that the command given has its reason in the Divine order； or the intrinsic catholic reason of things； or they will not yield it a full； entire； and hearty obedience。 The reason that suffices for the child does not suffice for the adult； and the reason that suffices for barbarians does not suffice for civilized men； or that suffices for nations in the infancy of their civilization does not suffice for them in its maturity。 The appeal to external authority was much less frequent under the Roman Empire than in the barbarous ages that followed its downfall； when the church became mixed up with the state。
This trait of the American character is not uncatholic。 An intelligent； free； willing obedience； yielded from personal conviction； after seeing its reasonableness； its justice； its logic in the Divine orderthe obedience of a free man； not of a slaveis far more consonant to the spirit of the church； and far more acceptable to God； than simple； blind obedience； and a people capable of yielding it stand far higher in the scale of civilization than the people that must be governed as children or barbarians。 It is possible that the people of the Old World 422 are not prepared for the regimen of freedom in religion any more than they are prepared for freedom in politics； for they have been trained only to obey external authority； and are not accustomed to look on religion as having its reason in the real order； or in the reason of things。 They understand no reason for obedience beyond the external command； and do not believe it possible to give or to understand the reason why the command itself is given。 They regard the authority of the church as a thing apart； and see no way by which faith and reason can be harmonized。 They look upon them as antagonistic forces rather than as integral elements of one and the same whole。 Concede them the regimen of freedom； and their religion has no support but in their good…will； their affections； their associations； their habits； and their prejudices。 It has no root in their rational convictions； and when they begin to reason they begin to doubt。 This