The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-09-23

even his Aulhori.9 viii no, reconcile tai
Minds of IS the good Peope among u.s.
who are Friends to religious Liberty ana
und.raand what IS meant by the ExPrcAion'
to the Exercie Of it. ;,
But how, my dear Sir, you can " ev'ncs
that MIR. Adams is not iingular IN iuppoiae
that Paifor would not be guilty. OF violating
the Rale, of the Atform, fhou'd he, =" on J'mf
OeeaEons, di6ic;nt fJom the Votsi ft5e CSa,'0'
AMI b render them v.id and Of 10 EBe6T-
thus VOC chufc to exprels vourief J" BY &C.
fering to he Pra<7ite Of Mnlae-s' IN tor
mer Times, is to me extremel En'gmt ca
indeed. How car, you poai5lY know, SH'
that tholc i" godly NinjFHl" dad not 'a''"i'
snaEy violate the Rules Of The Platform
there having been gsdly Men, having "a
dorned thoie Churches" and their Names
being vene ated by the prefcnt Generation,
IA Psoof, by The Way, that good I eTgymsn
are not become dePieabis) will not certainly
prove the contrary, for even Minlitels OF
(uch Character have iometimes acted, IN
particular lnitances, much too arbitrarily
il moreover appears very itrange to me
that you ihould afign as Reaions for not
mentioning their Names, that they have rsq
ed from their Labour5, and that their Memory
is had in Veneratlon, when you think II
right to follow their Example, and are
profefcd Advocate for the fame P'aeticss.
| would jult mention, en- baDant, that Mi
niifers not fitting &C in Councils as CbH'eb
Offers" bu, merely" as CbHreb11:Dsngr'"
is thought entirely new to nae. ege'
conceived very differently Of The Matter be-
fore. Hence concluded arofe their Ere
cedeocy to Lay NJ Ringers which mott
Gncereiy thought, ,pobsn a0fmbied on .lPirifHHl
affairs they had an undoub ed Rgh' to-
Hence the Duty of Lay Mcfi ny IS TO ho'd
the Strip, and perform other menIa Ser"
ces-and hence deduced the Pop e'y OF
young Maiiers Names appearing at the Foo
of the Re(ult, in FAIR RoMANCAPITALs'
on the Right, aud the Names OF aged Lay
MeHengers on the Left, in Ettlt Furry IT,
ticks and the Duty of tbeReV0s"d SCRIBE
to order il 70 accordingly
You will allow me to be pleafant, my dear
Sir, for the Relief of my own Mad, in hi
Important Controversy
But 10 return to the Subject of the mega
living Power-Could it have been TAI
with Trutn that Mr. Adams was iinsusr
in his Sentiments, when Publilhed tho
Columns, it cannot now be affi med, iince
YOU have adopted his Opinions, and, viii
them, his Method OF rea(oning, where you
make il Matter Of Confidence, on lom,
Occalions, for Minfer to put Negative
on the V ties of Church. | FAY, put
Negative-for your TAX Of his IUitbbsH
ing bis Content only, is mere Cobweb Go
yering, and every Man of the leaa Penet'a
ton muit know, that Gentleman of YOU
good Seufe would look upon yourle'f as 1oor
~ employees in proving, what IS evident to
every Reader, that 6 Mr.. Adams is right"
(accordng to bis own and your Conception
of the Nature of the miaiiterial Office /
aHerting that the Mnifers not confenting
to the Vote of the Church puts NEGATIVE
upon il" for this plain Realon, becsule b..
will IefuGe to execute il, when he may be,
according to the general Opinion, iron
which It's probable, however, Some ma
diGent) " the only" Perfon" in the Church
that can" do it.
But where, Sir, is the mighty difficult
in the Mlniaer's being obliged TO carry into
Execution, as the proper Officer, eve',
Vote which The Church may pais, at Meet
ings regularly called, ard in which he him
elf pre6des profef to be 70 dull as NOT
to be abe TO Conceive of Cafe where, if
j was MinRer, it would be agai n m
Confidence to do it, after | had taken al
proper P4ns in the WAY Of Reaf0nirg anc
Perfualion, to prevent Vote's pafing. IT'S
I. L.