Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-08-21

4 -
ton, in our peculiar Situation, thar shalt not
have Il ret oSpectNe operation. Ills we ieCi
II cur duty To guard against IN the NEST care
| fu, manner.
| Z" The church. ofChris, is called ian Scripture
| his body, and is composed at believers vho
| are described 10y the Hoiy ChOsi ~ children
| OF the day aud OF hight, andin therefore com
/ manded To walk la the liynt and to Sltuu the
| unitnltiul works OF darkness; bur rather ie-
| prove them by letting their lisnj shine before
| nien, tnat Others seeing Their good works their
| chaSte walk, and godiy cOnversal,0u may lie
! constrained 10 glcrify God. The apostle, in
| Tie most impressive manner. asks, What fell
| lowship hath Righteousness with unri.hieOus-
| ness. what communion hath light with dark
ness i&c.
| Believers not only said 10 be the chill
dleii OF light, but L. be the light Of the world
| II t'iis BE true, and We trust tHai nom. win.
profess The Daiiit of Jesus wlli EG ionni hard,
enough TO dispute Il. nov improper must it bt
| oI any who axe thus nightly favored e i!.o
LORD, 10 hide HAT iiglt Ita0Vr a hEshel. T.,
ever?
| - The beloved disciple says. IF we say sc
| have fellowship with God, aud walk in Carl-
mess, We lie. aUd TO uoI Tie truth: bat - we
Walk IN the lsht as lac is il. the. hight, vo lave
| fellowship one with another, and the blosa OF
Jesus Christ his son ciol1stth Us all from size,
| l john 1. 67. And the blessed Saviour SASS
LAM come light into tie world. that nho,0e
yer beIieveth III IT, should uot abide III dark
| ness. john IL, 10Th. Wa are also command, a
| 10 put of the works Cf darkness aud being
| children of the isht, u waik in Tic light
| ihtse are few OF the many command
| iiientS OF the treat Head OF the Church
| mat we conceive nave a diItCt be.rj;l,s on iic
| snbJeCt, and who has said, il &c keep nav com
| mandments Se hall ahijc IN my love. is not
nus promise 'Jne sui5cient 10 animate us 10 the
discharge OF every christian duly. and 80 arm
ms with zeal and torttude TO with iau,i e, erN
encr0achmeni OF the works of darkness aud
against c57Jo'I.ify 10 this c9riI, hy winch our
religious affections viii be most certainly alie
| haled from the service of God, anu a back
"ardness 10 engage III the private, social and
! public duties oil rChslo be bSTO.te!i
| tnder tins vicH OF the subject, and ia ac
| GniCance "l'h 'he recommendation Ct tl,t last
! EiAhhtn ASSOCIATION, yoHr Committee recon-
! mend he following resolution for The ubser.
| vance and gosernuicnt Oi This clI,.vh.
| hsSotttG !hatthis chwrci; considers il in
| consistent with tic character and duties of Tie
! members OF tet boGS, hereafter 10 Ruiie them
| serves to tie Free iriaSOn, Ianmauy or other
| society, 'ie iTHcipie Of whose union is Secie
| ~; Oh VINO, haviu" thuS nniIej themselves TO
ANY such society, heleaitel to associate il, their
| secret meetings"
! Itls Report seems 10 be extremely scru-
puious aboni ,nN aiding The rights and pri-
| ViegeS q! either societies, and of indi, iun-
! as uHco'RettCdwIih themselves; bmt was no
respect due To hcrigiitS OF ihdiCidiiais cen
| Hccted with their church Ii any Bap,ist
| be conScieniIousiy of opinion HAT IL IL no
sin tor inAl 10 mingie with the society OF
Free MasOns, Is no respect 10 be paid TO
as rights and privileges Or does The
LexihSt"" Church maintain the eXtrava
CANT doctrine HAT The rights Of lis mem
Ders are extinct from Tie moment they
enter the pale of the church Ibat i,ey
have 80 rights OF conscience al all; and
That the church Ray rule lis members as
# they were absolute slaves 2. Away.
then. with the rights of conscience, viii
liberation, with The exercise at private
! judgment themes we so much boast Of
III this land of liberty.
he texts rcierred to, have scarcely Ec-
tore beenmterpreicd in The confined sens
TO which tlCy are here reduced. D0rkness
is generally supposed 10 mean sin--ihe
works or darkness, the works of sin or Sa-
tan but 1t is here interpreted 10 mean
secrecy only. The history of Masonic so
clelles proves That Il man may be deveut
| christian, benevolent man-nav, these
societies are formed upon a principle of
DehcVnIFncf, ana HAT many of their acts
have been calculated iOGo good Where
then is the Inconsistency ! hIay uoi a
Christian put forth his light to the world;
preach the gospel III all lis purity; strain
every nerve 10 demonstrate The goodness
OF God; and yet Unite himself with a Ma
sonic Society, whose principles are moi AT
war win religion, but as far as they are
| practised, tend 10 increase Your love for
Your ueighbor?
But, If all secrecy is 10 be prescribed,
! how lar are lis members 10 be restrained i!
Must they have no secrecy in the bosom
OF their families Must they reveal al
| disclosures which have been made 10 them
IN The confidence ofliOnOrable friendship I?
Must they lily from public stations, lest
! ,hey be compelled occasionally 10 hide
lier hgbi under buShcl LEST, IN Con
Sress, their lips be sealed by secret trans
actions; or IN HE Executive Cabinet,
some secrets OF stale should be uecessa-
My contided 10 their discretion!
The doctrine stiIlappoarst to us extreme
| ~ stfained-tlie infrinuemrnl on private
Judgment unnecessary and The rights OF
conscience paipabiy and distinctly vio-
lated.
We trust that the enlightened and libe-
! raj members OF tie BapiIst Church will
| review The DieasuTe--anI that a sect Which
lIas been particularly distinguished for It's
! love of liberty aud lis devotion lo repub-
bean principles, will be HE last TO coun-
ienamce this encroacineniupOn ilerigEts
Ol conscience.
We observe among the proceedings of the
house OF Commons. that Sergeant Onsloy
gave notice Of "a motion early HeNt session for
repeating lhe CSHy i1icS."
Z Ioii 10 employ JOaTRcta,Qn Tanner fog tl,r rn
S'ng ysat, WHO IS wei! acquainted w,t the business
70 "oIb II ny lanyard for which letal wages will be
g'Ven-toT terms, apply IL The subscriber.
JAS. l.. JEFFERSON.
scoiisyille, (Nlbcmarle) Aug. n att
4 the ilth Of this ouk nom on BOARD oil
- Nathaniel G0csby' b,at he 81 man Jim q parcel
OF IoOse tobacco about one hundred eight. This is
noce tor any person lUsi4g tObalC0 come aud zee
tls, prove ms right IT, pas the I, gal tharees and
,sbe IT away OF shall sell u To make Tue expenses as
VIC law dHects. WN. riGGOIT.
inspector 81 Bo0fs, L3c4 HarbOT.