The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-31


or rainiiter whatfoevSs. Tie very .a,ae of
Inin'iter of the gofpe', would in fact have been
isranesr TO oar coDtti;ctioa and our laws, if The
| 18th 2rt. .. that initrument had not dec!are;,
them - incapable of hcing elected members of
either houfe OF afiernbiy, or the priv council,'
andfif It were not occafonallv introduced into
onr laws, for the purpofe of annexing penalty
TO an indecent interruption of their religious
worhD. S.
This political federation of the various fet1s
ofchriitauity, has merely ferved to remove that
| unsenerous determination of privileges and pc
ndlties which the governments of the Garth had
l1temptvd to eitabli!:, without equaling the
merits OF their di.icren. doGt-ines In tbs point
ut view, perhaps the members of the Protritlnt
Epfcopal Church are fcaiceiy inferior TO any
| OF their felow-la5ourers il; the vineyard. l an,
not now giving my OF mon as critical thcoio-
gian am not citing upon the orScuar tripod,
extracting from the fcriptures lin infallible fyem
| ut faith and examining by fach perfect tand.
ard all the formula of the Epifcopal Church.
But fpeak as n common ohferyer, who fcans
!, the obvious operation of their fcheme, and cal
culates the probable coniequenres of fucb
T, difcIpliDc and doctrine upon human life: and
| by this light, / do not heitate to fay that the
I-oteftant Epifcopal Church is certainly not very
inferior to others in the manner or matter of its
fyftem. t'-t
1t IS neither prophaned by the pomp ard
mumn,ery of the Catholic church, nor the
cant and overitained enthuGain of MANY OF
the diiienters. It's precepts are pure and CAL
culated to produce a rational and vigilant de-
pertinent. Some feels preach Up the doctrine
/ ot Intimate, prede timed grace. =" Ysn were
1orn to be favcd (they fay) and no act of your
lite, however mean or vainous it may appear
can forfeit the benefit of your birth-right."
Others inculcate the neaeliity of an original
: iniplrafion from the Deity. Having once re-
eeved this divi e influx, you may confummate
ny your virtues, but YOU never could have orr
ginated, the work of falvaton. What howe
yer do the protefant Epifropalans inculcate ;?
That the recompence of the Chrifian i'm ano-
Their and better world, is entireIp proportion
ed to the extent and vigour of his virtues in
this fcene of probation.
In ipite however of this admirable fyfem of
worihip, the proteftant epifcopal church of
Virginia is gradually declining in the yea! and
number of its PROTOTYPES. So long as parih al
fetinentS were levied for the benefit of their
church they derived an influence from theft. re-
1ources, which tupplied the place Of an innate
enthuiiai!n. Now thefe refources have expired:
and they have been thrown with all the Eatistv
and Incidence of old eftabiiihments, into fair
and fearful competition with the novelty and
zeal OF the prefent fe6ts. What other predict
ons then could have been formed, than that
they would gradually fee the profelytes of their
church patiing over to the communion Of more
animated though lefs enlightened miniaers !?
and when the court of appeals decided that e.
ven the corporate property ofthe feet, the glebe
/. lands and the churches, ihould be made liable
to conhication, who could not have auticipa-
ted the gradual downfall and ruin of the pro-
| teftant epifcopal church
The protpe6t ofthefe events, feems to have
lntpIred the Especial convention which fat
IN this city on the 7th infant, with an unufu-
al folicitude. They have attempted to devife
Tome expedients for regenerating the fpirt of
their church, and arreiting its final overthrow.
Iheie will fcarcely he effetiual in refifting the
torrent of innovation but fuch as they are.
they deferve to be made known to the curious
enquirer. They will be found to relate to
three principal topics the gie6e lands the e.
lection of an albfRant Bi/Bop !; and the appoint-
ment OF I!inera1f miGonarieJ. We give the refo
buttons on thefe iuhjeets as we find them in the
"JournaiS" ofthe Convention
I.CLEBE LANDS.
WHEREAS the great queGion of the title to the
Siebe lands belonging to the Protelant Epilcopal
Church, in the efimation of this commute. re,a;r.
yet undecided; and this committee corGd.ripp the
law OF this Commonwealth paGed in the wear 1900
author lung the overfeers of the poor to expofe 70 M
ali vacant globes, be unconstitutional as Interfering
"Ih title completely veited in the Epifcopa Church
ana iuoveriive OF private right and this committee
feeling ardent deGre to defend the riobts of tb
Church they therefore recommend TO the Conven
'on Tor their adoption, the following reGoutions
Relieved that the Biihop & Handing committee be
authorized and requeed Purfue to the end the de-
fence OF the rights and property of the Churches a.
forelaid
keloived that this Convention will endeavour be
contribution from the feverai parhes or otherwiir
70 rane fund Tor the PurPole of lefrayng any and
all expence', which may be incurred in the protea,-
on and maintenance of the rights aforelaid. -
lheie reiolutions after being read, were agreed to-
Q. ASSISTANT BISHOP.
Whereas the BihoP has repreiented to this convcn-
ton, that from want Of bodily rength and from fun
dry neceilary and Official occupations he finds himfelf
unable to dicharge the whole OF the arduous and I'M
Portant duties annexed to that Office. Reolved that
1t IS exdedient an ailittant BiihoP be appointed.
Reioved, that the nomination of an aiIiaant Bifhop
| ne nf.tlUN .I.t.~-