Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-17

~. A. well might you discourse with blind
man on the beauty and variety of coiors, or
reason with an Asiatic despot, about the justice
anq equality OF Republic. as to argue against
( Cards, Theatres, and Balls. to an individual
pasSionaieil fond ot those amrsements.-Philo
Warcus gives rs an example of that deAterous
mani 'ment, which Is often practised by those,
WHO are hagd pressed by scripture authority,
md who haye too much good sense. or at least
p0hcY, 20 deny its au .heuticiiy.-He charges
nc witn deriving arguments from insulated
/ tcNt5 oi seftpiuIe, OF doubtful meaning, and
liHtlul- constr uciiOn. taken without regard to
tisfe, tQef, ps ,irciRStdRce, and opposed BIZ ma.
| avs oi c different ckaracter."-As to insulated
tNi" pSeciipfcre, aver, that there is scarcely
q ''nE.e page ih Tue New Testament, which
dOcs not contain some passage in unison with
those formerly quoted and as 60 time pLlce
ana circumstance, am at "a loss 10 comprehend
tue writer's measing, IL il is not that scripture
itself, was intended Tor the first half of the first
century Only, aud the ma tons then in Nisieuce
ami NO OtheTS.-Ihus for example I supnoSe
The epiSt!e OF Paul 10 the Romans, was intend.
| Ell tor the Romans only--Hi> epistles TO the
Corinthians, Tor the Inhabitants OF Cornth-
ihdt Ia the EpleSiasS, tor them only and So
| ou,-aHd ihus. would Phi!a Marcus have ms he
HeVe that because the good citzsus o. Viryi-
ma, are never once mentioned, tley are must
| happily excluded altogether from this reid
system al governmental babe in chriS ,iaaitv
| would know how TO meet this argument
Bni the G trOverSy between Philo Narcus
ana myself - narrowed 10 this questi0n-lfad
rue WmcheSter Convention, right, to adopt
.'e ,e'o'uuon complained Of. without 'iolairIg
ne iD"Ity OF conscience: llnsn "a, Ground
! VIII venture tOmcet this Goi!al-Has ever
heen Questioned, but that minSterof t!r sos.
pei rs most fully justified in expressing sscn.
| umehtS Jrfety. ana 6oidiy against the wees, ard
manners OF the times! Has il ever been consi
! oered, even by those differing with him IN opi.
mon, mat Ia the exercise OF his frfedom and
'";dness he IN ANY wise. infriuges the ri.his of
ONE III fhat, then, which is perfectly harm
- ,,..l,i
| on. minister III the pulpit. shall happen to pro-
ceed from twenty, assembled iu Il BODY and in
The shape OF a resolution. Instead of 4 sermon
by what logic, can il he shcwn that n is in the
! nature OF "Papal buil," and is "A t,raaujcal
uSurpdtion of power over the conscience, of
men tut IL will Se sill obiectet-that This
terrific resolution, whilst il bears on ills face
the niid 'ea;nre of exhOrtaton only i'm reali-
| ~ an inhexibe canon, and though ii NAV pro.
less To recommend. il viii i'm ali probability en-
force what 1t is designed TO produce.-ic ct it be
granted that IL Is of this character and that ii
VIII ne Tue uu'y of each miuisterto warn those,
who approach the holy table tha, they follow
not the practices prescribed nv the Couycn-
lion let II be- granted that tile resolution is
strictly Imperative /; that il is a canon of tie
chnrch; thai 1t is any thing which its enemies
would have IT, so far its binding authority
ana obligation, is characterized hat then,
Is II not an act OF clerical legislation; Was not
Phio Marcus himself represented in the con.
Veht'onf was III noi passed by an unanimous
Il
| lay depuiies' Is there any society. church. or
association In existence, that has not its rules
ana ordinances, which are binding upon all
thousn obn0NiouS 10 a .ew'-Goyernment itself
would be a inockery, and legislation vile des
poti5m, Vt the arguments of philo Narcns ve,e
well iounde6.-True, had he been a member
OF the Convention, and thought as he does now.
ne might with propriety have declaimed against
the tesolution-but il is now a rule and as spch
is binding upon the church. until reDg1i.d nm
less indeed, ii can be shewn that il is contrary
to the constitution of the Episcopal Church.
ana al variance with sacred writ. Let us pur.
sue then tor moment this last enquiry
Ihiln Marcus most earnestly contends thar
me resolution is contrary TO the real principles
OF lie episcopal church. | maintain the us.-,,.
i've OF this proposition. i refer my opponent
10 her liturgy, her articles aud her h0El!!ley and
| defy him or any other man Ia shew (wha tevri
tue practices of her dissOlute and abandon, 4
d'sc'pies may nave been ander the established
co"heNion with the state,) the. mo,t dss.Et
connttnance given to the tashiOnab.e pleasures
of the world. On tie contrary 7 tairt Ii !.
most easily shewh. that holiness OF heart .cjf
GENIAL and deafness To the world oiy al, se-
cniIar practices which she eutorSes upou :,t1-.
lessons. Unfortunate indeed Is il Tor thai ven.
cradle edihSe, reared d il amidst tire fires
oil persecution, Dy the bOldness ana sauctt1 .p.
tte great Saxon reformer, and cemcutel hy
lac blood of 30 many distinguished mdrt>r.
lhdt IT'S history and doctrines should Ue still
! liable 10 such perversion and aDuse. aud that
IT. true character should have sustained such
vital injury by its subservience to human am.
b'tIon vague and may add absurd nOtiou
prevails al this day, ami IN this cuuntry, that
ali VINO are not members of some other church
are episcopalians, as d thing of course aud no
matter how profgate a man NAV be if he
does not frequent some OF the " tabemacIes"
las fh'io Marcus sarcasticaliy calls All other
places at Worship he Is member of tie good
old church OF England. There are few men
mot actually atheists and deIstsl who do not
consider themselves as either born or educated,
within the pale ofsome christian church. Tn
fortunately our dina Mater has beer consider
ed as a kind of general pTOteCtress for all who
are cast of from other temples and who are
refused admission in them OH account of their
vices, and mmOralitieS.
Before conclude, beg leave TO call the
attention OF Pinto Marcus 10 some of those
| leading priEcpics upon which the episcopal
church Is founded, and shall for that pur-
! pose refer him TO some of the articles Of her
faith. They are in my opinion in strict coiuci-
| deuce with the volume of revelation and as
| such are entitled 10 the serious concern of all
| her real aud pretended followers. The 0th
| article treats of that dreadful disease OF our
moral nature, which has ragged from The crea-
| ton 10 the present time. Original sim il saws
| . Is the fault and corruption OF the nature oil
! every man, that naturally is eagendered of the
| offspring of Adam whereby iRda is ueiy far
gone from original and is Of hin ou
nature inclined to erH; so That fhe flesh bsfett
atiCdys contrary TO the spirit /; aud therefore in
erery person born IN this roTid it deserretk Gods
/ Wrah and dta,n1tiOn." This is solemn Ian
| guage bat presume Philo Marcus himself
| VIII not contest its authority. Let him not saw
| that he disdanS to be governed by human
| creeds he has voluntarily taken shelierunder
| the wings of the church. Besides, he cannot
| slew that this is not faithful Interpretation
| of scripture. But step further. The 18th
article reads that they" are to be had accursed
| that presume TO say that every man shall be
| saved by the law or sect which he prOfesseth,
| so that he he dillgent to frame his life accord.
/ IN hat md fh.I Holt
| holy scripture doth set out unto us only the
| name of Jesus Christ. whereby men mnst be