Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-09-26
BRITISH house OF CoMMoNS-Ju,y l.
OF WORKS HOSTILE TO
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

b"TiSH HOUSE OF COAiEONS.-Juiy l.
fhooEGUIioN or WORKS HOSTILE TO
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
Mr.. HUME rose for the propose of presen,ng :,
pel,iion which Je considered OF great importance
o.tors he did so, he begged to correct an error
winch nnu 60! abroad respecting what lac had said
,tst nghi lie hid heea made say in one pnblica-
'Ion, thai he disappo,ed Of dissenters aloe ether
~hen, in TACT, he only expressed his disapnromt,ou
q. that sect To which an Hon. Member belonged
lNr. ouiierworih) His acquaintance iyinp ye,y
much nm"ne dls>enieis, many of whom, lie knew IN
De- Intelligent md yiriuous men, he should have hell
eu ms own experience II lie had said So lie was of
Opiuion iiii general ceMsu,es were ALWAYS ,y,on,
and as his feelings had heen more excited On Tho ,,
nasoo TO which he alluded, by the intolerance dis
p'yeu Wy iha sect OF which alone he spoke he took
.he opportunity OF this cooler nluue emf tn pxui,u ~ hat
he had SAID Having done So, he would add he re-
seiisd that any pers"n should nave presumed 10 ar
rnigh bis CONDUCT, aud 10 have designated him a, the
advocate oil pet sou WHOSE Dpinous he was so far
from ad;pcaiing that iT that pc, son had lis,.ned IN
s's advice, he would long ago have aLstuin,d C,oo,
pahiislmg them. lie was well convince ed ,ha, 10 All
tack prcIutices IN the way Nj. Carle had attack ed
VIVA, he considered prejuiices, was the hest means
OF d'iins'ng and strengthening ,hen, The Petition 10
whlci ue now called the aiIeniisn of the House was
s'Soeu ny %,Vli persons, members Of Christian con-
gresalions, OF whom % were ministers, amons ,h.
batter we're names which The House would noree
we're ent''ed 10 considerable respect such IA hose
g. Dr. Esans, Dr.. Jones, Dr. Reece Or CirLe
2ir; BARCLAY, Mr.. Roscoe, aud others
Tue Feu'o", winch was as follows, was accord.
tpgb brought up and read .
utt III
HiFEh hiNGpoI OF GRBtr BRITAIN AND lar
!, lAEp, IN PARLiAMEgr ASSEMBLED
Inc stumble Petition of tho under signed Ministers
hDd Elembers oi Christian Congregations
:, Showeii-ilat your Petitioners are sincere be
lIevets ~ the Christian Revelation from ne,.on,I
Coh',cuo- o" examination OF The evidences on lis
bessli and ara thankful TO Almighty God for the
unspeakabe blessing OF The Gospel, which they Ia
ga as the most saCred sanction the best saleyuard
ana he most powerful moive uf n,orali;y-3s th.
tInsst support and most e.ecIna relief ,r,,f,s III
lT 4 his
rs lhs surest ioupdaton OF he hope of life 20 com.
"hch hope they consider to be in the Licest degree
eonuAc'e 10 lhe dignity, purify and bappiu.ss Of So
cIeiy.
g That with these views and feelings ysur Peri
',oneis oeS ieaVe 10 STATE 10 Your Honourahe House
.N 'ey pehoid with sorrow and shame the q, Osecu-
o"s"gns' Iersons WHO have printed or publi he'd
ooohs which are, or hre presumed 10 be, busiiIe TO
i"r Chrihan rei'Son, troai The full persuasion thar
snch prosecutions are inconsistent with, and contrary
to oo'h the spun aud the letter OF the GospeI and
moreover, that they more favourable IN the
spresu OF nideity, WHICH they intended TO check
lhap 10 the support oil the Christian Faith which
they ara prolessedy undertaken 10 uphold
Your Petitioners cannon bnt consider all Chris
cams oo"pd 10y their religious profession TO bow with
reverence and submission 10 the precepts of ia.
hTeat Founder oi ouI Faith and nothing ppuea,s
40 them palmer In the Gospel Than ibnI IL orbs nil
vo'en' measures for us propagation, and all ynaic-
I'VE measures Tor lis Justification and defence The
@nhor ana Fmisher VI Christianity has declared
'hdi his kiugdom Is not of his world and as in his
"wn example he showed perfect pattern of com
Plss'on towards hem Thai are ignorant and ont of the
Way OF Hhth, oi iOrbearince towards oiIecto,s and
al forgiveness of wiEul emamies-,o IA Is ,nr,,,
laws he has prohibited the Spirit thar would aiten,n,
20 1907 up speculative error ilb lie arm of flesh or
STAT would call down fire from Heaven to consume
fhe unbneVjas, and has comuauded The exercise of
hiesKness, tenderness, and brothery love towards
S maakini; as lie best and ouly nieans Of promoting
eSIse upon earth aud the most acceptable way OF
s'oiHJIhg ibe Urea, Father ot Mercies. who is Kind
even 10 &c xiItliauktul aid The evil
By these reasonable, charitable and peaceGd
is.as, ne christian Religion was not ouly establish
Ell originally, but also supported for the three first
centuries VI the Christian era, during ,ylcb il hi
umpbed over the uiOst fierce and potent opnosi,;on
sps1ed toy temporal power aud your Petitioners
humoly submit 10 your Hon. House that herein con.
ssis one OF the brightest evidences Of ie truth Of the
Christian Religion and that they are utterly al a
loss TO copceYe bow that which is universally ac.
counted 10 have been the glory Of the GospeI in IFS
beginnings, should now cease To be accounted lie
glory, or how it sbsuld day he less the mnx;m
Of Chi'suany, aud less the rule Of the conduct of
Cbrs'iaos, than IN the days Of those that are usually
denomDated the Fathers of the ChurcL-tbat !, is No
part Of religion TO compel religion which must be
'eceiyed, not by'torce, but Of free choice.
Your Petitioners would earnestly represen, IN
your Honourabe House, that our Holy Relip ION has
norno unInJured every test that reason aud earni,g
nave applied to ~ aud that lis divine origin lis pur
ats excellence and us tito 10 universal acceptaon
nave been made oi1re manifest 10y every new exam
ndiion and discussion Of IFS Baure pretensious and
ciims. Lett 10 itssu, under the divine bss.iuy ,h.
ftsonsDirness anJ 'nnaLe excellence OF Chrisnn,ty
r.
Standings aud hearts Of mankind but when tl,a' ~,
erf passions sU9ers 10 rise ~ It's prorcssed ,le
fence, these provoke the like passions ~ hostility 10
u, aud fhe question IS longer 0ne VI pure u1lI
Dot o. power on the Que side, aud Of the capacity OF
endurance on tho other.
" IL appears your Petitioners that il is aIooetbe
unnecessary aud impolilic Iecur to pena lI,va in
id ol sShrstiani,y. The Judgment aid FEELINGS Of
human ',sinte, testified 10y he history Of man m All
ages sud nations, iacline mankind 10 religion nod
" IS 1iy "hen ibey erTisgly associate religion win
fraud and injustice that they he bronri,t in any
rg' Honhrr to bear The evils Of scrptici.fn and IN
b'ieL Your Petitioners Acknowledge and l,n,en,
the vide diffusion amongst tie psople Of senfin,ents
unirieGdy The Christian Giti bnt they cango, 70
Tram from stating 10 your Honorable House the r
conyicion ihnf Us TnexHmpled stare Of Tie uni,l;e
mind Is Waiuy owing tie prgsccutiun Of The old
err AVID rOpagdtors of tnhdci upiDlons Obirc,inua
70 Chrisiia1By have thus become familiar 4, 1e |
readers Of ibe weekly aud daily jonrnas cu,iosit,
his bceu stimulated win sd to tho p1l,lica,ioys
prohibited, aJveniifious, unnyiural and dangerous
'mpoTispce b"s been gwen 10 scepucnl atgumenis y
suspicion iss eSced ~ ic tniads Of the multi.
thie iba tue ChsiiIu religion cau be upheld only by
pans aot ppDaliics. aud sympathy has been raised
on behalf Of the sufferers wioeI the uniformed and
urfisS tegtid with the reverence AID condolences
WIS belonged To The character of Martyrs 10 The
" SonI Peiitiy~eTs would remind your H5nnrable !
i'ase, h1' ~ history ,esiles the iuniy nl all pfos.
rcnous loT mere opinions, uslass snch prosecutions
i0ceod the iongth Ot exterminaiug the holders oil