American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-08-16

""t" "" &c "e He Peopet ubu sVsuoW SH0H WS ~th
yon.' Jon xii g.
Surely the Watchman" and his party" must
contend at fearful odds against foe formidable.
|" His cap we'll lined with logic" and his head re-
plee with thoughts Of other men," he deals in tre-
mendous denuncations and overwhelming argu-
ments. "Facts' too are not wanting to prove,
what that he is "Stranger'' to himself as well
as to his subject His whole argument is drawn
from premises not granted, and not supported by
facts" (hstory,) scripture, nor right reason. He
takes it for granted that the establishment of Theo.
logical Seminaries is in itself audable. The posi-
ton is denied because LIST. The principle not sane
toned by the scriptures and the practice is contrary
to the whole tenor of the New Testament. end.
These Seminaries are not requisite to the forma-
ton OF real practical, evangelical ministers of the
gospel And Sd. Their ultimate tendency is to check
the growth and spread of vital pety among the peo.
ple-by establishing religious aristocraey, which
in every country makes more infdels and hypocrites
than real Christians. To prove my first position
will require very little argument. 1t would be
worse than idle to attempt to show any from
the New Testament for the establishment of Semi
naries to make ministers No authority, either di-
rect or indirect. can be found there in support of
this scheme. The disciples of our Lord and Mas
ter, were called Immediately by himself not from
among the wise and prudent of this world; not from
among the doctors of the Jewish law, who might, in
the estimation of the men OF that day, have been es
teemed the ittest instruments, for the propagation
and spread of new dispensation Of God 10 man.
kind but from the poor, despised, erate fish
ermen OF Galilee; the meanest ofthe Jewish nation;
that the gospel might not stand s. in the wisdom of
man. but in the power of God" The apostle Paul
was the only learned man among the first preachers
Of the gospel-but he had TO unlearD much of what
his education had taught him before he was fitted
Tor the work Whereunto he was called.
In support of my second position ! need not D.
tice the utter nsufciency of human learning for the
work of the ministry; but will appeal to facts !"
The society oil Methodiss are as we'll supplied, per-
maps as any other body of Christians, with pious,
devout, and jealous ministers OF the word. But they
have no Theological Seminaries =: they acknowledge
that God does by the out-pourng of his Spirit,
prepare and qualify, his faithful servants for this
important work, and that Spiritual call is the on
lily legitimate authority for minister of the gospel
and there are christian ministers, whose preach
ing has more sauary effect TO reform the profit
gate and reclaim the wanderer from the error oil his
way. The society OF Friends, too, aye an example
in point. There is believe many ministers a.
moDg them in proportion TO their numbers, as in any
other society OF Christans-not the letter, which
killeth--but of the Spirit, which giyeth life''
1t we consult the pages of authentic history from
the time Of the emperor Constantine, who first made
Christianity the religion of the State, down to the
present day, we shall find abundan; evidence of the
truth of my last position. The pretensions of the
bishops of Rome, who held the keys of heaven, and
Of hell, and the intolerance of the Romish clergy
generally, who acted in obedience to their spiritual
father, are sufficient evidence that the piOus and
learned clergy OF the middle ages stood opposed to
the growth OF vital religion in the people. Implicit
acquiescence in the faith and doctrine prescribed by
the piouS and learned prelaes of The church. were
thoh .,..N Nh,,
tian permitted to enjoy the light of the SUM-
From the numerous examples which history affords
of the intolerance and bigory of the religious orders
OF every age and nation, shall select one from the
history OF Spain, nation as well repenished with
educated priests as any on earth. 1t was early in
the 18th century that the consciences of these wor-
thy conservators OF the peoples fath thought good
to advise the expulsion of the Moors from Spain.
|" Among the ecclesiastics of those days who bore
distinguished part in this act of violence" says an
able historian was Don Juan de Ribera, Patriarch
of Antioch and Archbishop of Vaentia, an aged
preate, highly venera,ed for his pety and learning,
and eulogized by the Spanish and Italian historians
one ot the brightest ornaments that adorned
the christian church. The memorial addressed TO
the King on this occasion, by this SO much lauded
patriarch, breathes in every line the darkest spirit
OF ianatcism, and is the most outrageous violation
of the principles of humanity and christianity that
was ever penheu. ACcoruibS 10 INC piShop 3 uoc-
trine, even the Moors who had been baptized and
converted to christianity, were still to be considered
as dangerous heretcs." He carried his intoler-
ance and basphemy to such an e&travagant length,
as to state in his memorial I" In baptzing the Mo-
resco children therefore, our consciences are great.
ly disturbed with rhe apprehension that gull
i y of violating the commandment OF our Lord Je-
sus Christ, who has prohibited the giving of holy
things 10 dogs, and the casting of pearls before
swine" 1t was finally determined by Philip the Sd
with the advice of all his counsellors spiritual and
tempora that the Moors were to be considered as
obstinate heretics, and aposates from the faith -
whom the king, if he thought fit, might justly pun
ish with death that therefore there could be no