A 95-year-old Maryland law requiring public officials to swear to belief in the Christian religion was declared invalid during the week-end by Circuit Court Judge Charles Marbury, of Upper Marlboro, who upheld the claim of J. Milton Stanford, councilman-elect of the town of Brentwood, to take office without taking the customary oath on the grounds that he is a member of the pantheist religion.
Earlier, Mr. Stanford was told he would not be seated by the Brentwood town council when he refused to take the oath which contains the clause, “I believe in the Christian religion.” A pantheist believes the universe is God but does not accept the doctrine of future rewards and punishments.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
