Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1802-01-23

night of Legislators governing the worlhip of
God or religion, and mention being made in the
iebates, Of the oppreffions of the Pribyterans.
IN the commonwealth of MaGachufctts, and liv-
ing in that aate, fhall with difiidence offer my
rhoaghrs on si,e fame, to an impartial public.
The Legitimate deign Of government is TO pro-
tett the lives, liberties and property, Of the
ny units thar forrithe body polite. For ,heie
valuable purpofes, individuals have TO give up
!iuleof their liberty and property, and ~ certain
cafes to expofc their lives. 10 fecule the rea.
Bur the means Of parfuing wealth, cafe, and
comfort, the right OF private Judgment, and free
debate, and the Liberty of Confidence, are un-
alienable rights, and are not furrendered up to
the general will by individuals. By Liberty of
Coniciencc, mean the right each individual has
Of worihipping his God according 10 the die
tates of his confidence, without bcng prohibir-
cd, directed, or conrroued therein by human
Law, either in time. place, or manner; for if the
worfhip Of God is TO be contIouled by law, who
fhall make that law Shsu the y who claims
iniallibility. or the LegiGature, whole LAYS con-
cerning religion prove then TO be ialiible. But
in MaAachuietts they have undertaken the
folcmn work, but how have they fuccee,eds
One year make Las, and the next repeal or al
ter II. is God Interchangeable, and religion the
fame at one time as another /! II 70, how in
competent are chanscabe Een TO direct how to
worlhip an Interchangeable God. Before the re-
volution 10 France, at Calais a man muft fuffer
tor daring TO call in queRion the infsIibility OF
| the Pope at Dover, few miles diaance,
man muf take the oath of aojuration, curie
Pope and prelacy, or be proicribed from all 10
crative Offices. In Virginia londer the regal
government) all the Prefbyterians were obliged
| 90 pay the Epiicopal cieigymen. In Manachu-
letw, all dilenters 10 called) have had TO pay
| the Presbyterian preachers, &c. Theie things
have been eRablifhed by law. If truth, right
eouinefs, and the laws OF God, do not vary with
the Claims. then thefe religious law makers, ia
! attempting 10 build up rhe church by human
law, are only building up mythical Baby los. who
! is the mother OF Hariots. How jua is the re-
mark, that " religious opinions are not the OBJ
jctts of civil government. nor any ways under
IFS controul." If this maxim had beea attend
ed to in France, in the days of Charles the TX,
il would have p :ntcd periecution, in v hch
above $4,000 peIions fufFered death and in
Ireland, in the days of Charles the fra Of Eng
land, 10000 ProteRants were murdered. In
England, how many have loft their livings and
lives for non confJrmi,y. Had the frf iettlers
! OF Maiiachufctts, in the year 1855, attended TO
this maxim, they would not have psned fen
ience Of baniihment asainft Roger Williams, be-
caufe he oppoied the interference of law in mat
tiers of religion Nor would the pious fore
fathers of MaGachuietts las they are calledl ia
! the year I6Sl. and years afterwards, have i'm
priioned, whpt, and banihed the Baptias, and
nailed up their meeting houies, bccaufe they
bull, them without their licenfe nor would
they have hung the Qaakers in 1850. The re-
lisious laws OF Mahachuietts are frequently va
ryins, but legal force is always uied in directing
the worihip of God as if the main fpsing OF
the kingdom Of Chria, refed on human laws.
altho' he hath told US that his Kingdom Is not ct
this world. A religious law of Msgachufetts,
pailed 10 the year 1900, enatts, that all towns,
parilhes, precincts, religious focieties, and bo-
dies poli;.c, ihall have teacher of morality.
piery, and religion, three months in every fix
months, or forfeit for the frA offence not lcis
than thirty dollars, and for every offence after
wards not leis than Gxty dollars. As rhis law
is Of 70 recent date, ihall only obferve that
whatever penalty is recovered from any town
by ,his law, each taxable pcrfon r,uff pay his
proportion. of whatever denomination. have
no win to Gctai! to the pubic, all the darsGcs,
and faes of property, and impriionncnt for tax
es that have been made in this State, TO preach
ers, whom they did not wilh to hear, and on
whcie inaruttions they did NOT attend. Yet
leaN leaf fome fhould think Mr.. Green was un-
charitable to fuppofe there were any religious
oppreAions in this State at this time, fhall on
ly mention one inRance. In the year 1900.
about hundred dollars were taken from the
Bap'iRs in Patridgefeld, for building meeting
houfe for another denomination. To build
meeting-houfes for public worhip is convenient,
to reward preachers for their labors Of love, is
reaionable and fcriptural. Bot is this moneys to
be collected by legal force or moral obligation !
II BY legal force, then the cauie Of God is to be
directed and fupported by the laws of man; but
J would ak whether Jefus ChriR, or hi, spoffies,
ever called upon the rulers of State to make
Laws, to oblige people to 60 to meeting, to hire
preaching, or to build meeting. .houfes; If not.
then all iuch laws are anti icrip,ural.-Ye, if
Legislatures fuppofe they have right to make
laws binding 10 religious matters, why do they
not compleat their code, and enjoin on their
conituents, repentance. .faith elf denial. love to
God and love to man. Thefe are duties taught
in the new TeRsment and if the laws Of man
are to enjoin religious OF moral duties, thefe i'm
Portant ones ought not to be neglected. But
NAV we not expe6 the time foon TO commence