Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of religious liberty. That religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals. That no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects on account of his religious opinions. That the legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbor. But Sir our constitution of government is not specific. Our ancient charter together with the laws made coincident therewith, were adopted on the basis of our government, at the time of our revolution; and such had been our laws and usages, and such still are; that religion is considered as the first object of legislation; and therefore what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the state) we enjoy as favors granted, and not as inalienable rights: and these favors we receive at the expense of such degrading acknowledgments, as are inconsistent with the rights of freemen. It is not to be wondered at therefore; if those, who seek after power and gain under the pretense of government and religion should reproach their fellow men—should reproach their chief magistrate, as an enemy of religion law and good order because he will not, dare not assume the prerogatives of Jehovah and make laws to govern the kingdom of Christ.”
On January 1, 1802, in response to the letter from the Danbury Baptist Association, Thomas Jefferson wrote:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between church and state. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.”
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