or religious rights; nor ought any person to be compelled to
frequent, or maintain, or contribute, unless on contract, to
maintain, any place of worship, or any ministry; nor shall
any person, otherwise competent, be deemed incompetent as
a witness, or juror, on account of his religious belief; pro-
vided, he believes in the existence of God, and that under
His dispensation such person will be held morally account-
able for his acts, and be rewarded or punished therefor
either in this world or in the world to come.

Art. 37. That no religious test ought ever to be re-
quired as a qualification for any office of profit or trust in
this State, other than a declaration of belief in the existence
of God; nor shall the Legislature prescribe any other oath of
office than the oath prescribed by this Constitution.

1Art. 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 succes-
sion, 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 De-
nomination, without the prior or subsequent sanction of
the Legislature, shall be void; except always, any sale,
gift, lease or devise of any quantity of land, not exceeding
five acres, for a church, meeting-house, or other house of
worship, or parsonage, or for a burying ground, which
shall be improved, enjoyed or used only for such purpose;
or such sale, gift, lease or devise shall be void. Provided,
however, that except in so far as the General Assembly
shall hereafter by law otherwise enact, the consent of the
Legislature shall not be required to any gift, grant, deed,
or conveyance executed after the 2nd day of November,
1948, or to any devise or bequest contained in the will of
any person dying after said 2nd day of November, 1948,
for any of the purposes hereinabove in this Article men-
tioned.

Art. 39. That the manner of administering an oath or
affirmation to any person, ought to be such as those of the

1 Thus amended by Chapter 623, Acts of 1947, ratified November 2, 1948.