The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-09-22

deep attention The report OF the rom uittet "a
memufiais.in reply 60 the meuinfiai sent np to
the late general convention etrslofmers. held
in the CIV OF Bsli,morr, 10 NV. lsst sra-
per e,nanalng from the highest authority
/ known IN our poiiy, aud which NAV he re
garded rs speaking the deliberate views NJ
hat body On The subjects ~ issut--li denies
| in the most unqualified manner that the PEG.
/ pie have any right ~ representation, either
natural or acquired" AID asserts hal the sole
| right 10 govern the church j. dlvtnely confer.
red on the iiineraui MINISTRY. lis doGtrint 4,
| Ia our humble opinion, hy analogy, strike al
| the foundation of our civil liberties hut, dis
cardiug analogy. which may delnde, mud Tor
| getting. Tor n aeinenl, that Kindred depart.
| mcnt oflibefiy, winch II " Thought invIdious
/ 10 mention. --ita assumption mezt vial TO
their argument, Il followed up. ntnld lead rs
nn from the aris,ocr,Cy under which we, ms u
/ church. no" are, To the mesia izalnte, eccles-
siastiral despntism. Weconceise II high time
/ that the Methodist community We're HtVHkrn-
| ed up 10 an INVESTIGATION Of The princiules NJ
on which their pnlt'y "a unded, aud the con
| sequences Which may grow ont Of their per
! petuaIion. W. naIul,ir. in opposition lo iit
! Arguments oi ths report { Conference, that
| there is sirlci propricty IN the sppi,chtInn ul
| republican principles 10 the Administrations ni
anr religions insl,'rlonS for, should our re
| ligi'Is Institutions sanction principles and
! practices tnimlea % civil liberty aud rrpubli-
| can uuriIy the Wnull hAvra Tendency Ia
undermine grainallv the foundation Of our
present civil governments Thu history "f the
| wnrld sbnndtnily aucsts the influence OF the
/ former IN changing the comple Nion of The
/ latter --ORr republican government depends
/ Tor its stability upon public opintnH--wr
| should beware, ihrn, lest tbat epnion be- era-
! 'ualv corrupted by the admissinninio cur &c.
rlesiasteal councils of principles which are
autlrepubhrhn III their tendencr. Hut there
! is another aspect "i this nosiilon.-li is moi
unWnrthV al rs 10 beware how We otter men,
II rulehtvited lff'nd>, with pious incinntious,
! from jpiuiae our sot,etv, bv an eaions contrast
| to that Freedom which they enjoy IN every u.
! Their relation nj life, and NAV ENJOY in so mn.
Nv evangelical churches. 10 muininin the
! present torn oil government Is Ia hold that
! III. church Is mn assembly Of implicit follow
| erS, who hive attached themselves to the tin
| Grant preachers, the proprieiors ot right, of
| the WHOLE concerns of the RsspCiation, and
! thai il is hit brotherhood who have title
| not rulv In - we'll governed, hnt 10 he plea.
! sed with their government the idea that We
have no fehl fn demand change IN the
| forms 10 which we suhsCrlhnd would Huply
! 10 people undrr all Governments 10 which
! they have sworn alrgnnce but all mrn
1 NH'N 'bhi IiHiIlhl'NH hNl DlfiY lhHN ~ NFlf
consist WITH relnrUing spirit ms with sub
! mission. Nhat reason (, Ihrie that the same
m"u should assert thtIr cedom under one, hat
tunrlv suhnlli to sp'Cirs OF vsssnlaer under the
other Nckuow well enough where the divine
part at nuI politA endS aud he human begins.-
Vague term, aud Dose a. guneofs cannot blind
as Tar II II regard thu whole edifee rs con
| socratrd. Mr. have we Huiokrd the slightest
part wh,eh Is mol purely mHlter Of policy convc-
nience and pfpprleIy.
The Konsh system Of = supreme head Of the
church with priests au'hnrized hy that head
lone, loibil1rn In contract domestic relations
by marriage. aud drawing honnt, wealth aud
! 'pautnu frnm thencr alone. was an admirable
| plan toI cbu,eh Just planted among encmies,
aud that could be propaeated among rude ma
| TONS. hV lndicons. concerted action only. Bot
when this state OF things passed away the Il nrss
Of that system pas,ed assoc hnroh power Is
| no inject III ambui"n among plons men new
converts ~ tbeir charity, vii readily surrender
up e. any hands the temporal authority nt their
church ; hut, by aud bv II - found 10 hc an i'm
portaut facf, - increased plety and pnoI 'cll
| umong the mrrnhers 10 have an equitable div
son OF thai power which among salnts menus
! iutt, but auong ialliblc men mean : ours own
! viii. sometimes ,nislcd, sometimes even dish0n-
| est Responsible power J. odious. not because
the same r., asons that It WA bansbe1 thence.
! That there shonld hc some irreg ponsihln officers
perhaps the welfare Of the church might demand
nut that all The OH. rrS leg lsltye, judicial and
| executive, should br h'yond the cauttoul OF the
| membership, IS II condition OF things which. 50
! far from demanding argument Ia make its con
/ drunatiou Is wholly udrirusihie itself hy rem
sou. aud sctroeiv aimu, tue tl,e semblaoccs ol
/ sopbIStty to s6teid II OF course We speak 81
ouI church government a.. ~ by lar the larger
! pat Of human institution W. argne ibm the
| situation OF the church, rpspo1lablc, aud even
venerable lar is numbers OF p,ous members no
! longer hafrassed by per>ccuIon, nor lnthe unset
| lied Condilon of a newly propaghtcd fath, safely
admits OF a participation OF the church power
! being granted To the flock Itself and if safe,
we may demand II Irresponsible power W.
know, and hive felt, il not sale. True, tins
| church power in the ,tineiant prcaChtI nni,
| extends 10 recommendation at the utmost lea
| wing litc ard limb secure bnt Il /, moi lilllr
| thing that one man. irresponsible 10 the mrm-
| hcrship. shall be ablc &, dtTect The Indignation
| II ccu.urc al thu whole churt against whom he
! uleases Conscience ,nay uphold hln who has
h.cu unlusiy expelled, but II IS distressing to the
| upright TO be deprived Of 'he e9od opinion OF -
! single GOOD man-much m"ie, Of n large body
Of the people of God, who cpnhde implicitly IN
their iltncrant IulTr
Ca the score OF expedirucy 50 frequently used
nv our old side b,runru we are dirrcily al issue
with them. We MAINTAIN that II IS next to I'M
| possible 10 nake out cast N thr present state
! 81 the church. which shall Justify absolute inc
1ponsible power.--lt IS ahsiraelly aud meta.
! physically wrong, auI II IS also practically
wrong We are not dependent on abstract rra.
! sonlng alone 10 support our positlon-wc could
appeal TO facts. aud show tia, this power, Of
! which we con,plain roally Anomalous ia our
+ day, except IN the Roman Catholic church, is
exercised by the nudlclous and the designing
/ grrauv 10 toe di- Engagement and injury Of the
/ membership. The advocates for ecClesiaStCai
/ lhcrtg are prosrhhcd, declared Ia br " rncinies
~ haiers oi mfthodisrn," their motives are mI.-
represented, lhelr cha acters iraduced they are
! dis placed fom the smallest offices Of tie chu ch
the vcte,ens 81 years supplanled by children,
and men whose talents, integrity, and moral