Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1806-08-25

1 Al4SS~ VI Olll~i oCtlo tattN dNACitiillalhoais
l--had theyever attempted to pass com.
| pulsory laws as to particular articles o.
fifth, and to violate the sacred rights
of conscience; then, in truth, they
nirht be Gstlycensured by the friends
IF religious freedom. But nothing like
tits have they ever proposed. Have
not ali sects ofchristians been protected
nnder the federal administration Have
they not enjoyed equal privileges and
powers f? The Episcopal, the Congre-
gQfiorci, the Baptist, and the PreS5yte-
rion societies and churches stand onthe
same footing in the eye of the law and
Of the constitution. The federalists con-
tend only that the spirit of the Consti-
tuition be preserved, which provides for
the preservation OF christian institutions
and worship, in some form or other.
And for this they are severely condcm-
ned, not, | presume, by democrats IN
general /; bat by ambitious, antiehr1s-
a1n democrats, who wish and intend,
under the pretence ofsingular candour
and catholicism, to destroy christianity
ficrr the earth.
IF 70 oppose such raen as Thomas
Peine, and to condemn his blasphe-
nous writings against cur Saviour and
bis gospel-if to lament the prevalence
cfinhdelity in EarQfe, and to deprecate
its evils in y9merica---if to prefer men
Of religion and piety for rulers, to the
hcentious and skeptical---if to approve
ofthe constitutionofthis commonwealth
In It's provisions for the support ofchris-
tan worship and doctrines--If thus to
believe and dc, e intolerant and phari-
saical, then viii it be conceded, that
the federalists are either bigots or
hypoCrites. It is however, really to be
hoped, that the people are neither SO
ignorant nor so vicious as to be induced
70 condemn that class Of their fellow
citizens, who are DESTROYS of supporting
the gospel in las purity, and of preserv-
ing the religious institutions so highly
dear to Our Nrtuous ancestors.
Let those, whose prejudices are at
tempted to be excited against learned
christians, be assured, that, in all ages,
inhdels and skeptics have pretended to
be friendly to sectarians and to the IL
literate. The appearance Off ligion,
when associated with ignorance and
fervor, is peculiarly the object CT their
ridicule and contempt, tho professedly
they take the part of the more obscene
religionist And the reason of their
siding with the ilhterate In opposition
to those who unite erudition with re-
hgion, IS very obvious. They wish to
deprive christianity of al alliance with
reason and science and to have it sup
posed to be mere defusion, the creature
ofthe sma gination, incapable OF a ration
al defence. The infdel, would FIRST, if
possible, render the {rarzed cArieaan
Unpopular, that he might afterwards
advance his favorite opinion, that reIig
ion IS the offspring Of ignorance ard
superstition.
The common people are therefore
highly interested to be on their guard
against those praters about lib-raIity,
whose soul object is self promotion,
who wish to destroy the influence Of
real and well informed christians, and
who zohile they promise either ciUi or
religious freedom. 10 osSera, are thsD1-
selves the sIoves qfUice.
! know it will be said that God has
no need Of learned clergy 10 defend
the gospel, and that he viii support his
own cause. Why then, IT may be as
ked, can he not dispense with teachers
and instructors of every kind Why
not inform, convert, edify and save men
without the Intervention of any means
or instruments whatever Why not do
i by animmediatc exercise, ofalmighty
power, operating directly upon the
minds andhearts Of men If any means
: 49, 80 CO. th~s~ ',',rnnses. those best