The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-06-06

Exanine t'is hiitory Of the church from IL,
eariief epoch. You behold foiitaly being
poileiied OF Extraordinary erdowments, and tra-
eng his detccn even up 20 heaven, founding
new religion. You behold him aiIociating him
teit with 6!h1rT;'-n and carpenters, end enlih-
ing his mott diltinSuiihed apoities in the loweli
orders OF ioclcty. No holy halo beams around
his head. No magniicepce accompanies his
iteps. None OF the attributes of power or
wealth are called in to aililt the progrefs ofb;s
faith. His diicip!eS wander through the world
to extend the number Of their profelytss, with No
other dhitinttion than the fimpiicity oftheir ap-
pearance, with no ether weapons than their ho-
~ epthuulim IN the caufe CT religion. The ci-
wi arm is railed aganit th>n, but perfecs,tion
and m2rtyrdom only ierve 20 multiply the num-
Der OF their PROTOTYPES. The ezra at length ar
rives, when the holy enthu!iafin ofthe Cbrifiian
obtains Its reward, by 'eRabliihing his faith on
the throne of Conitantins. TIE purity of his
religion is gradually contaminated ard weaken
ed by temporal emoluments. Its Biihops and
PfeibyteTs are now elevated TO the hirheh dir
tinetions, and the mott fpIendid endowments.
Alter various revolutions and ich!ins in the
CHURCH, the nations Of Europe at length fubmit
their coutcience ard their power TO the direG1i-
on of the Roman Pontih. This mighty fabrc :
or a religious efG6ii&D,eEt was defined howe
yer TO totter and TO decline, by the rrrefitibc
charms of that fpirit of religious cnthuiaIn,, TO
which it had owed IFS elevation. Who could
have iuppofed it poAible for fich an hnmh!e in
dividuai as Luther. to introduce the reformation
upon the ruins of this mighty sftab!iihment
Yet the ipint Of ii:ch men will make their
way through every difficulty, and Will gradual
ly triumph over the mott fold fabric OF a nation
al religion. All the changes which have occur
red ince the reformation, have originated in the
fame undaunted enthuiiafim. The HiRorv of
England has dehneated the triumphs of a Fox
IN propagating the feet of Ouakers of Whit
held and Welley in advancing the cauie of Me-
thodlim. In our own fate the Protefant Emf.
copal Church has been gradually declining, in
ipite or its endownents while the fs9 of Ram
Tits, Whole minifters were formerly compelled
to preach their doctrine from the grated win
dowS or ourjails, have derived new vcour from
this legal periecution.
The whole hiitory of the Church then, iufti
fes the conclufon, that the propagation of any
religious doctrine, ard the Influence of any rcii
sious mniitef mutt principally arife from all
ardent attachment to the cauie itlelf That
mans zeal requires no fupport from any pecu-
mary contribution, who earneitly believes that
he IS advancing the caufe of God. i is this
ipirit which has infpired the Chrifian with fuch
heroic refolution, in the nnidft of torture and
perfecution. 1t is this fpirit which 8: tips the
tongue" OF an ordinary preacher with that
ruftic but fervid eloquence, which the more po-
liihed orators OF the pulpit would in vain at
tempt to initiate.
lie addreiies 4 congregation too, who is re-
neralY ditpofed to receive with reverence, the
eftuiions of his foul. They do not perceive any
motive, which animates his efforts but a I,
earnef and overwhelming folicitude for the fuc
fets of the facred caufe which he has efpoufed.
lie makes his way at once into their hearts, from
the friendly and anxious approximations which
he eXpreties for their eternal falvation. Difie-
yer this a1ociation in their minds between the
enthuhaim ofhis manner ard the fanctity of his
motives /; infil a fecret belief that this man
is a deGguing impoftor, or let them per-
ceive that he is an eftabliihed minifter,
put there for .Ae purpoie OF reading 70
many prayers, or of delivering a fermon of a
particular length; and you take from his elo-
quencs more than half its charms. In the repre-
ientatlons or the Theatre, the audience willingly
iubinits to the dsiNfon, that is innpofed upon
them they fhed the Sympathetic tear over a
fallen Cato; they reward the humour of fone
imaginary Falftaff with convulGve roar of
laughter although they perceive that it is a mi
mic representation. But exhortatons of the
pulpit lofe their higheit effect, when they are
tuppofed to mingle with delulion: in fuch an
interefting affair, we feem to expect that the
minifter who wiihes us to feel the proper pafii-
on, fhould not affect to feel, but fhould really
feel it hmfelf.
Wbafeper. lgfem therefore, is calculated to qUea-
ken this genuine Lirit Of religion in TIE Minister,
and TO i5fass into tbeir eongregatioa5 n Jf6icion
Of this religious ardoar, is ID far PrsHdiciGi to
tie moral influence efrciigion.