Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1947

136 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEteacher, according to the best of my ability and in accordance withthe Constitution and Laws of the United States and of this state. Sohelp me God.(Signature of teacher)Sworn to and subscribed before me on this day of-, 19(Individual authorized to administer an oath)Most teachers do not object to the taking of such an oath once.However, it is desired that members of the Covenanter Church whoare required to take a teacher's oath should do so with the ExplanatoryDeclaration in conformity with the specifications of our Synod,and with the help, if needed, of the Committee on Religious Implicationsof the Oath. Requests for information may be addressedto Dr. R. H. Martin, 209 Ninth St. Pittsburgh 22, Pa.In response to the questionnaire our Committee sent out; wehave received responses to date from 14 congregations. They containthe following information:The names of eight foreign born unnaturalized members not includedin new list sent out. Three of these have made applicationfor naturalization. One has taken out her final papers; another's caseis now before the Judge in an Iowa Court, the immigration officialshaving recommended she be not naturalized, with the ExplanatoryDeclaration; another writes for copies of the Explanatory Declarationto be used in taking the oath required of those Teaching School.One name not on the list sent out, of those who had taken theoath with the Explanatory Declaration for Commissions in theNavy, was sent in.Also the names of persons not on our lists, who had taken constitutionalOath with the Explanatory Declaration in civilian warservice—one on the War Production Board, one on the RationingBoard, one for American Red Cross; also one to be used in securinga passport to Canada.With respect to the foUowing recommendation adopted by Synodlast year:"That special attention be given to studying the recent decisionof the Supreme Court on April 20, 1946, of the Naturalization casewith reference to its hearing on our oath problem". We regret thatour Committee does not have anything definite to reoprt on thisrecommendation, except that we have endeavored to secure informationon this matter from members of the legal fraternity eminentin the field of Constitutional Law, but to date we do not have anythingto report, though we hope to have something before long.The case referred to is the Girouard Naturalization case. Inthis case Mr. Girouard, a Canadian who, wholly on religious grounds—that is, because he put his allegiance to God above the allegiancehe would give to the United States—refused to take the ConstitutionalOath with the understanding that he would swear "to takeup arms in defense of the United States", was granted naturalization;thus reversing the same Court's decision in the famous Macintosh