Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-06-11

from whom they ioght obtain ceruIcatts ON The
old ian tney can easily obtain them now. This
Jaw has not been repealed since, though we
lave had % Legislatures of congregatonaIists,' to
use phrase 81 Your correspondent.
The Legislature have long been as ready to in-
Corporate Baptist ard Methodist societies, on ap-
pIication, as any Others, and have actually done il
in numerous instances as the laws of the state
will shew Yet from " the Baptist's' statement
would suppose that all petitions for snch pur-
POSES had heen rejected with contempt The laws
equal IN their provisions. They give no priv
ileges, no authority denomination more than
another. In any town. where the Bsptists or
Methodists are a majority, they chuse teseh-
OF their sentiments and tax all the Congre-
a'ionalists to ms support, unless they either form
another iOcety or as individuals avail themselves
ei alesa meiliad TO be freed from taxes. There
IS ;ioi az Individual in the state who is bound by
law to pay congregational minister, or yield him
any superiority v bniever, ifhe will only take the
very easy method which the law prescrhes 20 claim
~ lmpi.a unless Indeed person shonid be
found 20 unhagriy singular in his opinions that he
cannot fnd four more in his town OF neghbourhood
with whom be Can at all associate in religions wor-
ship. There Is no sense whatever in which the
nng re.-at i.lnalists are BY Jaw privileged ORDER
Neither is there any other, unless the Guakers nav
be So considered Ii may be asked, if there is such
an equality, " by do we hear SO much eiamor res.
tecling paying them, and none from lhem abo,t
paying other denominations. They wlu raise
claluor best know the grounds Of doing so bn,
will offer few reasons First, the Congregation.
alists are the most numerous sect in the state.
Secondly they are almost the only sect who cbuse
to avail themselves Of gal provisions in raising
support for their teachers. And thirdly, clanor
gaiDst them has been very convenient means of
working upon the avarice aud other corrupt pas.
sions of men, and excite them to measures against
religion, law. order, and the public good A
means which perhaps some have used through ig-
norance and prejudice, and without evil design
means which believe a numerous body 10 other
denominations would and do heartily disapprove--
means, which few designing men, like this pre-
tended Baptist" have used to promote some sin.
lister purpose.
IL, as we believe cannot be doubted we live un.
der just and equitable laws let manifest our graf.
itude by cult;vating peace, and allowing TO -uthers
the rights of citizens which we claim for ourselves
Let not the political and other chickering's Of the
times disunite any of the followers oil Christ
Let ms, az far our conscience aud convictions
of truth will allow, unite with those protested
Christians who differ from rs And even If We
sannat receive any particular persons or body Of
men as the friends of GOD without sacrificing the
Truth or connving at sn let least regard them
a. feila. citizens AID fellow men, aid use no weap-
ons against their errors but such as the Saviour
used.
A FRIEND To TRUTH.