The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-11-19

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priests. whom they see them daily forfeit
Ing that confidence by the grosscst ucis
Of hypocricy and the most open viola.
tion OF the law. Priests have for years
past, been considered as the very orsclos
Of God, exempt from sin, aud in fact,
the inlaliible apostles Of the son of rigll-
teousness. Now there doubtless are
some, the purity Of whose thoughts and
intentions. Morality herslfwould not i'm
peach but there are others, many 9TH
ers who are in reality" wolves in sleeps
clothing" Disgusting by an outward saue-
tity the blacklist crimes, and screen
ing thsmse!ves from. suspicion, by the
office they SO hypocrtically pretend TO
sustain.
Tojudge of men by the professios
which they pursue, is perhaps, sometimes
just but TO apply this criterion to
priest, and adjudge him moral, because
of the Office he sustains. and that too.
in proportion TO the dignity and nppar-
ent devotion with which lie ofiiciates, 10
the height of injustice and bigotry. For
such as possess common sense. and oh.
serve any thing Of daily occurrences, can
easily see the assumed dignity and air of
superior consequence which priests and
stripping divines almost invariably affect,
md which is SO admirably calculated to
exalt Themselves and render the ignorant
their more willing and submissive sateI-
lites. In fact, this. together with a
due shsro of impudence, is altogether
requisite in order that the shepherd may
end fat fleece, and tho sheep submit
more patiently to the shears. ] am a.
ware that in thus questioning the 6deIi-
" of the clergy, incur the anathemas
ofa host Of bigots. am aware too.
that shall be decried nm in6dsi. and
others will consequen ily.. be urged to
shun my society. ("For Why" asks an
Episcopal clergyman but fortnight
since "why shall the believer assoc ciate
with the inidel 1'') But assert, moth
ling savs that of which have ample
proof, nothing but what few moments
reflection will demonstrate to he true.
But there are some prejudiced or rather
bigoted persons whose minds are 20 tram
msled by priestlinsss, that little short
+ of direct revelation from Heaven
would dispel their prejudice, and induce
belief. To such, facts speak louder
than words.
| We refer them to facts which have
lately occurred in our own stats-factss
which from nearness Of locality and evi-
uU" tesrimUny In shrir support csnnot be
gainsaid. We refer them TO the msp
who sacrificed his religion at the shrine
of mnmhnon uniting in marriage, those
whom common deccncy, the csnoss Of
his church, and the law of this state, all
declared to be disqualified; who has been
arraigned by justice, and whose petition
for release is now pending before our
legislature, We refer them to Ephraim
Avery, who before the long cataIogae of
his dsmoniac crimes was opened to pub
lie view. stood in point Of character aad
confidence co-equal with any Of his
brethren /; whose inward wickedness has
at length been brought to light, md
whose leeds Of horror we forbear to ex-
patiate. We refer them to that cslebra-
ted Doctor Of Divinity, who,in the traDs-
port of passion. a. it vere murdered
his own child la child too who had
scarce attained Ahe ago of eighteen
months-imprlsoned in single spsri-
ment. Ill! through hunger and exhsustios,
i,s frame was almost emstisled, and Ma
ture had already resigned her simplest
functions.-and oil this, because the in
FAINT would not receive bread from the,
hands of a cruel and unfeeling father.
At such an act humanity rsvolts, tnd
with its perpetator parental tenderness
spurns any alliance.
4 These are but few amsng the cha
ritabls acts" of the clergy TO which wc
might advert. We might mention the
! apostacY. the thcfte. and u0rse than