Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-10-15

from the perusal of history, whe,bb a boy. All
impression let me add, which the study and read
ing of ripper years, has only served to deepen.-
=. So amazingly (says Minor were ali fairs now
changed, that contcndings Emperor. courted the
favors of the poor prosecuted christ,ans!'' Vol.
2. page 80. From that period to the Reformation
the Church and State were indissolublc. Aud
how did the Church act, on the disruption ct this
alliance at the TIME of Luther and his associates:
Was any thing eouried-any thing solicited, any
thiog sought fer, beyond liberty Of conscience,
and protection IN us enjoyment? How was 1t IN
all the other governments whittier the Reforma-
ton spread? suppose she had courted such an al
lance, which | am not ready to admit-w"uld 1t
have been thought wrong at that time? Was it not
the doctrine all over the world, and had it not al
ways been so, by every civil government that such
an alliance ought to subsist? 1t is true, and no
christian will deny it, that in all governments
whittier the reformed doctrines extended, the
Church became speedily in close alliance with
the State. But is it not equally true, that the
State mrinrited, mnasked, unsolicited, took the
whole concern into its own hands, in most instan-
ces as a matter of course, and in some, perhaps
all, for the mere purpose OF gratifying Its own sell
fish and political views? If there be a scrap OF
authentic history to the contrary, let 1t be aduuc-
ed. and | will be the first to acknowledge it.
That, when corrupted by these alliances she has
sought to perpetuate her power, and has often
WELD ed it to the manifest injury OF individual
rights and even the manifest danger OF the State
itself, is a position, about which there IS no con
troyersy. But who in this, was most to blame!
The Church who acted out a corrupt and wicked
disno,i,ion infused into herr: or the State that ill.,
fused ita
But was not the Church weak and wicked by
closing in with the o~vertures of Constantine and
accepting the p%rofered alliance: We think so
perhaps: but at that time, when such al llances
we're universal. and when t" Y were known to have
been approved of, without, SO far we know,a DIS
senting. voice from the very foundation OF civil
GOVERNMENTS; could it then have been thought SO
even by the most holy and most enllghtened!-
The truth anquestionabiy is, that the motive Oh
the Church was good and sincere-not douot'hs
but that Ill increased amount OF influence, would
enable her to operate an enhanced amount OF good.
She was mistaken, and we are sorry; but 1t cannot
now be helped. All that we can do IS to guard
against the recurrence of a similar mistake
And in aid Of this, Old Times and !, will | trust
20 hand in hand. That the Church was to blame,
in Continuing the erii, is also freely aam.3ed.-
Al -. 40 ko, M rc,ys tnonuh mi a lnSflH f.
cation. A man, become corrupt Is not SO apt to
see it, as others; aud we certainty do'no' expect
m ordinary cases, that he should act as a per-
teeth righteous man, The grand source Of the
evil, is to be traced back to the cOrrupter. And
SO with the Church
And now q few words about Church and State
in this country, and for the present | am. done.-
Ecclesiastical domination. whenever the instances
have occurred to any alarming extent, may be
very easily traced up, to a deploraoie ignorance
among the iaify; aud whenever the PRIESTHOOD
mpnopulizing a large amount of science and IN
formation among ,hemselves--have unhappliy sue
ceeded -in excluding that from the
minds of others; they have experienced but Ut
tie difficulty in intertwinlng themselves wtth and
in throwing their letters around all Tue operations
Of the State. But where yer the sources OF Know
ledge have been thrown open i~ndiscriminately to
oil. and the most Jealous efforts made, that these
sources should be available by aiI:-then the
state of the case is completely altered. Then
this remark, and the idea. may mid some iliuslra-
ton, by those significant movements when are
now going forward, both IN Great Britain anu III
France civil aud religious liberty, are there be-
giunlng not only tc be rightly understood but pro-
perly appreciated: aud Tor the PLAIN reason' that
light and knowledge OH these interesting SUBJECTS
are becoming universally ditfusive. And how
F~dificult it is,to keep the Church and State unit
ed, in the modem which that union has suOs's'ed
for many generations-notwitnstandIng the sup
posed wishes of both Tor that purpose-lt Is not
necessary for me to declare. And 1t these pre-
.mises be true-I know not how they can be con-
troverted-then, just so long as the priesthood
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