--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is not a truth to be gathered from…" description: "\"There is not a truth to be gathered from history more certain, or more momentous, than this: that civil liberty cannot long be separated from religious..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c08/joseph-story-11919_certain_there-is-not-a-truth-to-be-gathered-from_457145.png" --- # There is not a truth to be gathered from history more… ![“There is not a truth to be gathered from history more certain, or more momentous, than this: that civil liberty cannot long be separated from religious liberty without danger, and ultimately without destruction to both. Wherever religious liberty exists, it will, first or last, bring in and…” quote by Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c08/joseph-story-11919_certain_there-is-not-a-truth-to-be-gathered-from_457145.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c08/joseph-story-11919_certain_there-is-not-a-truth-to-be-gathered-from_457145.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c08/joseph-story-11919_certain_there-is-not-a-truth-to-be-gathered-from_457145.png) > “There is not a truth to be gathered from history more certain, or more momentous, than this: that civil liberty cannot long be separated from religious liberty without danger, and ultimately without destruction to both. Wherever religious liberty exists, it will, first or last, bring in and establish political liberty.” [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civil liberty and religious liberty are inseparable; separating them endangers both and undermines political freedom. **In simple terms:** Freedom of religion and politics depend on each other. Key Takeaway Protect both liberties together. Themes freedom religion politics danger Mood cautious serious Type political legal When to use this quote - legal drafting - public policy - civil rights activism - education curricula Key Concepts social contract civil rights separation of church and state Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure both freedoms thrive? - What risks arise when one is prioritized over the other? A Different Perspective If one liberty is compromised, the other may be eroded silently. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-liberties/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-liberty/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The issue of religious liberty is absolutely critical. America was founded on three different types of liberty: political liberty, economic liberty, and religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/the-issue-of-religious-liberty-is-absolutely-critical-america-was/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [Politics must not be separated from religious values; religion must not be separated from political responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-hunter/politics-must-not-be-separated-from-religious-values-religion-must/) Joel Hunter > [“The Hudson Institute study found that religious liberty is powerfully associated with civil and political liberty, press freedom, economic freedom, and prolonged democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-shah/the-hudson-institute-study-found-that-religious-liberty-is-powerfully/) [Timothy Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-shah/) > [Superstition is an enemy to civil liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/superstition-is-an-enemy-to-civil-liberty/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [And when the time is right, I hope that African Americans will again look to the party of emancipation, civil liberty, and individual freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/and-when-the-time-is-right-i-hope-that-african-americans-will-again/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites…in proportion as they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/men-are-qualified-for-civil-liberty-in-exact-proportion-to-their-2/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/the-moral-principles-and-precepts-contained-in-the-scriptures-ought/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [The whole freedom of man consists either in spiritual or civil liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-whole-freedom-of-man-consists-either-in-spiritual-or-civil-liberty/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [That's when civil liberty suffers - when we think special times justify the diminution of civil liberties. And I'm not going to accept that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/that-s-when-civil-liberty-suffers-when-we-think-special-times-justify/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [ \[If you understood the natural rights of mankind,\] \[y\]ou would be convinced that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/if-you-understood-the-natural-rights-of-mankind-y-ou-would-be/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The commitment to civil liberty is going to be reasserted strongly. But the concept of liberty is under attack, and our definition of insecurity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/the-commitment-to-civil-liberty-is-going-to-be-reasserted-strongly/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Civil liberty can be established on no foundation of human reason which will not at the same time demonstrate the right of religious freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/civil-liberty-can-be-established-on-no-foundation-of-human-reason/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The guarantees of civil liberty are but guarantees of freedom of the human mind and spirit and of reasonable freedom and opportunity to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-f-stone/the-guarantees-of-civil-liberty-are-but-guarantees-of-freedom-of-the/) [Harlan F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-f-stone/) > [The most important civil liberty... is to stay alive and to be free from violence and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/the-most-important-civil-liberty-is-to-stay-alive-and-to-be-free-from/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/as-long-as-i-have-any-choice-in-the-matter-i-shall-live-only-in-a/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Joseph Story > [“One of the surest means of preserving peace is always to be prepared for war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/one-of-the-surest-means-of-preserving-peace-is-always-to-be-prepared/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [It was under a solemn consciousness of the dangers from ecclesiastical ambition, the bigotry of spiritual pride, and the intolerance of sects... that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/it-was-under-a-solemn-consciousness-of-the-dangers-from/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [This provision (the 4th Amendment) speaks for itself. Its plain object is to secure the perfect enjoyment of that great right of the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/this-provision-the-4th-amendment-speaks-for-itself-its-plain-object/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [ At the time of the adoption of the constitution, and of the amendment to it, now under consideration \[i.e., the First Amendment\], the general,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/at-the-time-of-the-adoption-of-the-constitution-and-of-the-amendment/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [Every successive generation becomes a living memorial of our public schools, and a living example of their excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/every-successive-generation-becomes-a-living-memorial-of-our-public/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [No man can well doubt the propriety of placing a president of the United States under the most solemn obligations to preserve, protect, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/no-man-can-well-doubt-the-propriety-of-placing-a-president-of-the/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [Be brief, be pointed, let your matter standLucid in order, solid and at hand;Spend not your words on trifles but condense;Strike with the mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/be-brief-be-pointed-let-your-matter-standlucid-in-order-solid-and-at/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity; but ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/the-real-object-of-the-first-amendment-was-not-to-countenance-much/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [It should therefore be difficult in a republic to declare war; but not to make peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/it-should-therefore-be-difficult-in-a-republic-to-declare-war-but-not/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [The state governments have a full superintendence and control over the immense mass of local interests of their respective states, which connect themselves with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/the-state-governments-have-a-full-superintendence-and-control-over/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [ \[I\]t is impossible for those, who believe in the truth of Christianity, as a divine revelation, to doubt, that it is the especial duty… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/i-t-is-impossible-for-those-who-believe-in-the-truth-of-christianity/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/the-powers-not-delegated-to-the-united-states-by-the-constitution-nor/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [Let the American youth never forget, that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils, and sufferings, and blood of their ancestors; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/let-the-american-youth-never-forget-that-they-possess-a-noble/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [Temporary delusions, prejudices, excitements, and objects have irresistible influence in mere questions of policy. 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