The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-06-09
Examination of Judge fuckers
System ola Religious Establish
ment.
no. II.

IN tnc remarks winch nave been already
made on this flbiea, it will be recolleGSed that
two diitin6t que.tions were propoied for eXam-
nation 10. Is it proper for the Legislative body
to authorfeSany a!iea:nent upon the indvdu-
ais Of a county for the fIpport of Z" tearb,,,5 Of
religion caiy" !? end {: Is it proper for them to
authorize this Allotment, for the iupport ofthofe
mini0ers, on whom the additional duty is de-
VOWED of inftructing brhic /fbooi; II was OBJ
ieryed, that the propriety Of legislative interior
ence in either of tloie ways, could only be de-
tcriiired by the cogRifuii2aniity and esbedisary
of Inc meafure. Iattemptcd to prove, that the
legiNata.re had no eoEFitafionai right to Law any
aiieirnent for the fupport Of teachers ofreiig;on
onLr 1; becduie it was contrary to the 18th arti-
Gle of our Bill of Rights and bccaufe it was
unsupported by the general contraction which
Judge Tucker has given OF that part OF it.
which relates TO "the dictates of confidence -
and the particular elucidation of this liberty of
confidence which nc has borrowed from the a,t
ofc6ih Dec. 1875. proceeded to examine the
erpedisa-y Of tie meaiure; and under this head
to enquire whether UiMiRerS, competent TO teach
the morals doctrines OF religion, could De expect
cd 10 fpring up under the ipontaneous influence
OF the preient fylterrl, or whether II would be
mott eXpedient to cultivate them in the hot-bed
of legal Allotment. found it neceiary to en-
curt; what were the principal qualities which
entered into the character OF a eon,tet.ut rn;nif
ter; and was led TO infer, from the hiftory OF
all religious Establishments, and OF al new Eet9s,
and from the holy nature of the protection it.
fclf, that an active enthufat;n in the cauie of re-
Ieion was one Of TIE qualities which no co;nbe-
fent minifter could properly dfpenfe with.
have yet to mention the influence OF 0no.5er
motive, which eagerly combines with this &C
tive enthuhaim, and infpircs ninifter with
iuitabie zeal. It is motive, which is not con-
hned to the bofon ola minifter only, but which
extends its influence to All the occupations of
life. To its powerful inipiratior, genius, per-
haps, ftauds indebted for many ofthe e!ilcove-
rieS which IT has made, and valour for mott of
Embellishments which it has performed. The
iage, who waites his midnight lamp" in the
la6our OF thought; and the unhappy warrior
who could not feep from melitating on
the trophies of Marathon have equally ac-
knowledged its fecret force. Need / obferve
that this powerful motive IS the love of Ciif;nGti-
on? Need alert, that this itrong and almoft
inexphcab!e deiire OF acquiring the praife and
iynpathy of others OF fonetimes extending
the reputation of Our name even into remote
countries and difant ages; is found 10 animate
the eyetions Of rliiniter OF the goipel Each
days experience is fufRcient to denonfrate.
that the preacher when he puts on the coniecra-
ted CARO- OF the miniitry, does not always di-
vett himtef Of the common pafions of hu-
man nature. Ambition with the RET is found TO
sfcend the pulpit well the throne. Let
him have taken up the croGs from the mott holy
and virtuous enthuGafrn, his fituation is adm
rably calculated to call forth its latent force No
man can probably eXercife a commanding in
huencc over the paiiions OF others can make
their fenhbilties to thrill with all the varieties
OF Paiu or cle7fure, with eager hope or anxious
ten who does not experience 4 fec-ct DELIGHT
at viewing the extent OF his power; ard who
does not indulge an increaing defire TO exert its
influence The cOnlc;ouinefS OF poGeG;no
power gradually expands into the deGre of
making others perceive and acknowledge The
triumphs of our fituation But the Gtr-
alton OF a miniiter of the golpeI is emil
nenty calculated to nourifll this proDcn-
isy. The topics, on which he is accu(.
toned tc expatiate, while they touch the moi
iecret ipi1ngs OF the human heart, are as mex
hauitbe as the powers Of his own IMAGINATION.
1t is his familiar Office to explain 10 his conore-
CATION tie myfterious attributes of providence
They require the aid OF his enlightened resfDn
III difcer1ing the fubt;ie connection that f,bGas
between the body and the fprit. # is hiq in
ipired imagination that is 10 draw back The in
penetfa5ie veil, which conceals the future world
from oui view, and difclofc 20 our dim vifon al
TIE 2toI1es OF parable, or The awful Drecir,ce
OF perd!tion. The miniftcr, as he advances in
his iub'ect, cannot but contemplate with nm
tufe and e%utation the rifing emotions of his
congregation. Unacquainted with the exaff
rate o. ther feelings when he commenced his
dtcou,te, ne is wiling 10 attribute alrnof tbe
whole effect to his own ir1pafEoned cioauence,
rather than to the divine prccepts which he es,
plansor the exqnifte icnlibilisies of his7udicrcc
They adopt the fame niGake, and thc merit of
the performer is thus confounded with the ma
gic OF his theme. He oolerves with Escret de-
light the number of his profelytes increafng
Ee anticipates The aufpicious period, lyhen be-
ih&ii be halted as The Respectable fhcDherJ Of an
extenlive flock. His alteration of Cod nov
Tnngies itfelf with the refpe6t of men. when
ne numbers UP the fouls which he has f,yed
nom perdition when ne coniders how rnanv
Converts ne has brought over 10 the divine ,,rc-
cePts OF religion, who would ofher7yiGf hav4
fallen the miferable victims Of temptation and
I'm; he conceives that even God himf.If has
regarded all bis exertions with complacepcv &,
appreciation, and win reward them wild, ,foGe
exquihte Pleafure9 With " no eye hatb fen. M
ear hath heard, and no tongue can AZ. ouateIy
tclit' IL as fome picture of this kind. which
has invited many men into The laboura of the
nmltry, aud which continues to animate the
Efforts Q, ~ many minifScrs.
II then proper degree of eecf he noceGarf,
to suaiity miniiter to difcharqe the onf;eo
OF This holy Office, and if this decree Of
zeal may principally be expected from the one.
ration OF two powerful motives, IN enthneagi,.