◆ SpookStack

reedom Of W orshipy IThe curious and confusing coavolutiolls of the fag, couid easily be ertended to cym. Supreme Caurt in interpreting the First pelling oaths from persons who have Fe. Amendment are doubtless due to the 'com- ligious scruples against swearing. The prin. plexity of ths. problem raised by the sec ciple of regulating religious activity by li- taries callee?ehovah's Witnesses who for cense or taxation could, if it became ex- several years past have been providing the pediontybe directed agalnst almost every re. court with a series of troublesome test ligious body. The principle that a secular cases. The creed of the Witnesses is court may prescribe which actions do or do apocalyptic; they believe that Armageddon not constitute worship, is one that scarcely is close at hand when the righteous (mean. any religious body could accept. Such prh. ing themselves) shall triumph and their cipies, in fact, if once established in law. enemies be laid low. Their faith and their would modify the constitutiona! princigle methods are fanatical; they regard Jother Of freedom to one of mere toleration. religions not merely as heresies, but s sa- It may be granted, of course, that there tanical inspirations; and consequently have is a theoretic limit even'to freedom of little regard for the religious sensibilities of worship. - The limit would seem to be'pre. pthers. They consider the Government itself cisely at the point where the.freedom of one godless and rejoice in the thought of its im. religion collides violently and injuriously minent destruction, yet rarely hesitate to with established moralities. No one would Linvoke its protection. They appear to invite say seriously, for examyle, that ritual can. rather than to avoid repression or perse nibalism as practiced by the Aztecs or infant cution, and there is some reason tojbelieve immolation as practiced by tbe ancient that they welcome the publicity whicy their votaries of Moioch, or polygamy as practiced frequent conflicts with Iocal and stite au- in certain patriarchical socteties are entitled thorities have brought them. to protection under the law. But in the ab- The dilemma of the court lies in this: in Fence of overt injuries to persons or to ira- upholding local ordinances or State laws ditional moralities -and, as far as we know under which the Witnesses have been prose- no one has alleged either agalngt Jehovah's cuted, precedents may be established which Witnesse.--we should like to sed these cases vill ultimately react against other religions. dedided on the side of freedom. For if thiry rhe principle, for example, that school chil- one vital freedom is narrowly restricted, all dren belonging to the sect may be compelled. other constitutional rights wlll be I r Jeopartiy. 1 Jeven against conscience, to ofer homage to clipping from page of the q71 * 9 i9+4 Washington Post for Clipped at the'Seat of Government..