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of worship or any ministry; nor shall any person be
deemed incompetent as a witness or juror who believes
in the existence of God, and that under His dispensation
such person will be held morally accountable for his
acts, and be rewarded or punished therefor, either in
this world or the world to come; nor shall any person
be deemed incompetent as a witness on account of race
or color.
Art. 37. That no other test or qualification ought to
be required on admission to any office of trust or profit,
than such oath of office and qualification as many be pre-
scribed by this constitution, or by the laws of the State,
and a declaration of belief in the Christian religion, or
in the existence of God, and in a future state of rewards
and punishments.
Art. 38. That every gift, sale or devise of land to any
minister, public teacher or preacher of the gospel, as
such; or to any religious sect, order or denomination, or
to or for the support, use or benefit of, or in trust for
any minister, public teacher or preacher of the gospel, as
such, or any religious sect, order or denomination, and
every gift or sale of goods or chattels to go in succession,
or to take place after the death of the seller or donor, to
or for such support, use or benefit; and also every devise
of goods or chattels, to or for the support, use or benefit
of any minister, public teacher or preacher of the gospel
as such, or any religious sect, order or denomination,
without the prior or subsequent sanction Of the Legisla-
ture, shall be void, except always, any sale, gift, lease
or device of any quantity of land not exceeding five acres,
for a church, meeting-house or other house of worship,
or parsonage, -or for burying ground, which shall be im-
proved, enjoyed or used only for such purpose, or such
sale, gift, lease or devise shall be void.
Art. 39. That the manner of administering an oath
or affirmation to any person ought to be such as those of
the religious persuasion, profession or denomination of
which he is a member severally esteem the most effectual
confirmation by the attestation of the Divine Being.
Art. 40. That the liberty of the press ought to be
inviolably preserved; that every citizen of the State ought
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