American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-04-29
Eor the american Watchman:

The Editor apologies tor ms refusal 10 give IL 4
~ II his columns by ntimating that, the writer has
"nsIv misunderstood the design of his correspondent"
oH bcg leave in return, to assure Mr. Porter That he
4 r,.rf,y misunderstood tie object OF the writer
M was not to pry into the designs OF his correspondent
Iiob thought were sufficiently obvious) but to cor
and exppe his misrepresentation and prevent their
auence on the public mind.
April 96 1895
ron THE cHRISFTAN REPOSITORY.
"A Mn Epirog.--The Extract ola letter from a
.o,leman, lately resident of - on the PENN
ua" published in the last Repository has attract
nv attention. The profcssed design of the wri-
IN ;so excite Christians to do something to aid the
#rse Of Truth in that section of the country but
= primary object, it is obvious, is to bring the
Methodist Ministers into contempt, in the estimation
! the religious public.
i Your correspondent has represented the state Of
eigon and Morals, on the Peninsula, as awful in
red. Zion in a state of desoaon--the Church
baking retrograde motion-Presbyte rian Cler-
8ymen reduced to six-Churches closed--congre
alons almost extinct, and the Sabbath dsregarded
considered as day Of pleasure. all this
readful catalogue Of evils, it would seem is occs.
oned by the great want Of religious instruction."
nl that too in place where Methodist Minis
rs are considerably numerous" We are, however,
rayey told that many of those ministers are very
!erate from which the writer evidently infers
cir incapacity to preach the Gospel in its purity
power though men of undoubted piety," in
c estimation OF the writer himself
Now Sir, this inference amounts to serious
barge, namely, charging the Methodist Ministers
the Peninsula with aduheratng AMI rendering
Efficient the Gospel Of Christ.
The concessions that they are men Of pety, and
this tn ough ignorance or inadvsrtency, has no
ng to do with the subject. The inquiry is, do
e Methodist Preachers, i" not preach the Gospel
its purity and power ~ Until this is proved by
ter evidence than naked assertion, charge your
correspondent at the bar OF the religious public with
PvnfiSH falsehood and gross misrepresentation
Did We indeed preach, that men must necessarily
e IN sin all their days and that ADULTERY
MURDER would not endanger the Salvation
aman " once in Grace" nor cause the Cod OF
Priy TO take his Holy Spirit from him, we would
mll the validity of the charge but our doctrine
CFecIly opposed TO this. We preach against sin
every kind. We continually press upon sinners
necessity OF salvation BY grace through faith !;
A the love Of God must be shed abroad in their
a's oy the Holy Ghost; that justified believers
i'' continually grow in grace and in the know
Eeoi Jesus Christ; and that in order to this they
p' Watch and pray, and live by faith on the Son
"od. Is this adulteratng the Gospel Let
rIstan candor answer the question. But they do
preach the Gospel in its power What is its
wers Paul tells us it is the power of God unto
fat'oa This effect of the Gospel, as preached
Methodist Preachers, has been witnessed by hun
gus oil The members Of our societies on the PENN
a. VINO have died in the laith Many Of whom al
|" Win their dying breath, have blessed Cod that
ever heard the Gospel as preached by Metho-
reachers acknowledging them to be the IA
"a Instruments in the hand of God, of bringing
~ to the knowledge Of the truth.
o''he Peninsula, we have many thousands in our
cues, who own the Methodist Preachers for their
ritual Fathers in Christ Jesus. There are daily
'5o W out NhurCn ana nave neaIu
Jung OIL retrograde motion; unless your cores
'N'm means the Presbyterian Church only. II
ADMIT the fact in its full extent. would just
'''e 'nat misrepresentation is mean and inef-
wa OK peditn' to help sinking, (and in my iudg-
~ desperate cause. The DAGON OF Cal
." mas fallen, to rise no more on the Peninsula.
y" respect to the stale charge, of Sc very it-
W. gives US no uneasiness, as we believe it to
- 'nuch The p'erogative of the Great Head OF the
urch to choose his own instruments to effect his
''@' "o'o' as 1t was eighteen hundred years ago
V" nc called The GalliIean fishermen from their
a"a without any previous preparation in
"s'cai Aemnafies, made them fishers of men
: ''eh decided preference 10 all the regular.