...purpose of the First Amendment was not to make government the adversary of religion: Probably at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, and of the amendment to it now under consideration [the First Amendment], the general if not the universal sentiment in America was, that Christianity ought...

...clauses as having been addressed to an America in which "the general, if not universal, sentiment . . . was, that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the state, so far as it is not incompatible with the private rights of conscience, and the freedom of religious worship."39...

...as well as of revealed truth. . . . Probably at the time of the adoption of the constitution . . . the general, if not the universal, sentiment in America...to receive encouragement from the state, so far as was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience and the freedom of religious worship.25...

..."Probably at the time of the of the adoption of the Constitution and of the [First] Amendment to it ... the general, if not the universal, sentiment in America...to receive encouragement from the state, so far as such encouragement was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience, and the freedom of religious...

...states: "Probably at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, and of the first amendment to it ... the general if not the universal sentiment in America...was, that Christianity ought to receive encouragement by the state so far as was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience and the freedom of...

...Court Justice Joseph Story endorsed this position, writing in his Commentaries on the Conititution, "The general, if not the universal, sentiment in America...to receive encouragement from the state, so far as was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience, and the freedom of worship."4 Other jurists...

...time of the adoption of the Constitution and of the amendment to it" — meaning the first amendment now under consideration — "the general if not the...Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the States so far as it is not incompatible once again with the private rights of conscience and the freedom...

...(1851): Probably at the rime of the adoption of the Constitution, and of the first amendment to it ... the general if not the universal sentiment in America...was that Christianity ought to receive encouragement by the state so far as was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience and the freedom of...

...in matters of religion and the freedom of public worship. He went on to say, "Probably at the time of the adoption of the Constitution and of the amendment to it" — meaning the first amendment now under consideration — "the general if not the universal sentiment...

...in matters of religion and the freedom of public worship. He went on to say, "Probably at the time of the adoption of the Constitution and of the amendment to it" — meaning the first amendment now under consideration — "the general if not the universal sentiment...