The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-01-23

right 10 rule on their supcP.our goadResS
tl,en the most orthodox sect Of them has the
best right to rule, and the best saints OF that
sect have a right to all oihces--what scram-
bic would such principles make Here, at
once, we arrive al The saints reign ON earth.
This must he put off I'LL the millennium. Let
the world govern itself The Cambridge
platform and Saybrook platform are IN low
credit iof civil government at their several
hotnes--thcrc let them remain. Cor char
ter says, no person shall be called in question
for any mater in religion aud those who do
no. like cor charter may take the less OF IT,
"The Jusr are Heavens peculiar care
And none out ooD Knows who they are"
interviewer with the discriminating princi-
pies of your societies, will be found many te
nets inconsistent with your assuming, Us a re-
; ligious sect, the government OF any country.
Such are--your abhorrence, as civil rulers, a
gainst in.ermedding with any ah..irs Ut the
church--your encouraging prayerful and
devotional temper IN The professors OF chris
tianity, which leads you 10 retire from much
intercourse with men oil this world your de-
pendence ON immcdiote aid from above in
your publick religious exercises, 10 such a
degree as to less appreciate human learning
in your publick teachers your habit OF en-
quiring into every religious principle tor
yourselves without trusting TO otaers--ot
"gronudiay your conduct on your own ideas "
honesty, and uhon such frincifIes as your own
re@ on shaA have formed" and not ON what
others as faiIiblc As yourselves may please 10
dictate to you as [" immniable principles 0f jus.
nce," established by priests, presbyte'ies or
synods [in the opinion oil Civis this Is inh-
deity and finally, your adherence TO the
apostolick usuags Of preaching the gospel
freely, without availing yourselves Of the Gle
vii power, or oil any compulsory means tor
the maintenance OF your pu6iick teachers.
In principles and habits like these, civil
power is not nm enviable acquisition to you ~
Bapiis,s for a. such, you never can make
use of II for the advancement Of yeur sect |;
it's, however,, a great object to you TO de-
feat and counteract every other sect In their
pursuit of power, which will use It, and ac-
cording to the principles Of their sect, are
bound in conscience TO use II, to your injury
in excluding you from any participation with
sncm. Look around you in the other States
oil New -England, where a we'll known sect
prcyais--.are NOT your brethren universally
excluded from all offices, and from all author
ity, even in their Colleges and Universities
Your path is therefore pointed out, as with
sun beam a moral and candid inhdcl, who
has no fAvourite sect TO foster and advance, is
more 10 your purpose, than an adverse secta-
rian and bigot. Few men have faith, but
ell have works, and by their fruits ye will
know ihcm. Look at the life and character,
more than at the colour OF his coat, or the
religious creed OF your candidate. good
man, although he may not have received the
light Of the gospel, which Is the gift OF God,
whenever it is enjoyed, will make q better
magistrate than every hollow professor, who
believes in aggrandizing his sect by an ali-
aacc with the State and by temporal cmolu-
ments by compulsory laws in religious
matters and by legislature consisting only OF
his own sect, armed with those horrid en-
gnes of Satan, called religious tests. Grapes
aud figs grow not on sectarian thorns and
thistlcs.
The deplorable effects Of mixing religion
aa;l politicks--church and State-of exclud-
ins in6dels from Office, and vesting the pow
er Of government only in the hands OF the
Eithfw,, that is, religious partizans--of max
ing crccds and cramming them down with
penal laws and civil force, are TO be found
in all histories written in letters of blood
but you need not travel into prophane history
to learn this lesson. In ancient days, the
Je wish nation was under thcocracy. lis
legislator therefore had a right to prescribe
laws both civil and religious--a national re-
ligion was established, pointing to the person,
offices, works and character OF the great Shi-
loh. When he appeared; as the sun of right
eousness, he cclipsed all other lights. The
Jewish rites and ceremonies gave way to the
pure worship Of gospel times. Yet so blind,
80 fond of power, and SO bigottcd where the
Jewish Priests, that even miracles could not
unclench their hands from their hold on that
national establishment of religion. The sac
red historians of those days have left 1t on re-
cord, that tho scribes and rulers Of the Jews,
the Chief Priests AMI the Jewish Sanhedrim
rr Seventv Elders. with the High Priest al