Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-04

The religious opinions ol G''"' A
been recently the subject OF gross m'srePrsseus
ton, by those differing 10 sentiment Paf"ss nns
" in their report Of the Trial at Trenton Rao.
Iished in most Of the public papers, inc Co.o'
of the Gazette will confer favor upon SUD
...;her AZ well as render an act Of justice TO a
deceased and much abused individual, oy Puo'
lishine the following exposition OF his views from
under bis own hand.
CIR o,,.,;,. proposed 10 Elias Hicks, IN letter
rom Friend in Nep York, Nth T.. Hicks
.Ans,pers. ,. ,,,,
JERICHO, limo. 10th, 1899.
D,.. Ep,zNn:-Thy affectiouate letter have
duly received, and its contents were sra'e'u' ~
nav hest feelings, as they appear to be the result
of sincere friendship. But may acknowledge
II w.s really marvellous to my mind to think
how il could be possible, that thou, my friend,
should find any inducement to propose to me
such questions, as are comprehended IN thy hrst
queries, as should suppose that no person VINO
has had the opportunity thou hast had OF seeing
and Of hearing me, in public and in private, ana
who has kno sn my manner OF life for more than
twenty years would have given the least possible
credit to any Of those irrational and false reports
to which these queries allude; and although
consider them as unworthy Of my notice, yet
friendship induces me, as thou hast requested H.
| TO make a brief reply to them severally.
LIST 0ueru-Dost thou wish to be understood
BY any thing thou mayst have said publicly or
nriyately, that thou denies the miraculous con-
ception Of the heshly body OF Jesus Christ: or
| dost thou believe that Joseph was his father:
| .Ansusr-I have ever believed and asserted,
from my youth up, that had as full bel'ef IN
the miraculous conception OF the tieshiy body OF
Jesus Christ, as it was possible for the history TO
give belief And may now assure thee that
| never thought or said that believed joseph was
| his Father
End 0ueru-Dost thou mean to be under
stood, by any thing thou mayst have said PuD'ic.
Iy or privately, that thou denies the o'''n''y u
| Jesus Christ?
.4nsuer-As respects the divinity OF Jesus
Christ. apprehend no minister in the Society OF
Friends has more often in his public communlca'
tons asserted the divinity Of Jesus Christ the Son
| Of God, than have. assuring ny hearers tnat ne
was fully swallowed up into divine nature, and
the com plete divinity Of his heavenly Father But
| I never believed that Jesus Christ. the Son u
God, was the father himself, but that he was
truly the Son Of God, indued with power from
on hirh, BY which he was qualified to usher IN
and introduce the new covenant dispensatIon, as
prophesied long before by Jeremiah the prophet,
when all outward mediation should cease, as the
] Law of God was now to be written on the inward
table of the heart and not on tables OF stone, or
with pen, ink and with paper; after which no man
| was TO say to his neighbOr or brother, know the
Lord, for I" all shall known me from the least to
to the greatest This is the covenant that L &C.
know ledge, and I acknowledge no Other anu TINS
| | consider the ONLY real Gospel Covenant.
| Sd Query-Dost thou wish to be understood a.
o., -, no Scr nj 70 a N.
or as wishing to undervalue them; or would thou
encourage ali to the frequent, diligent perusa OF
them, as being able. under divine hium'na"oh'
! to make wise unto salvation!
Answer-As respects the Scriptures OF truth.
have highly esteemed them from my youth up.
have always given them the preference to any
| other book, aud have read them abundantly more
than any other book and would recommend all
to the serious and diligent perusul OF them. And
| / apprehend / have received as much comfort
and instruction from them as any other man.
Indeed they have instructed me home to the sure
Interchangeable foundation,-the light within, or
spirit Of truth, the only gospel foundation, that
Ieads and guides into all TRUTH and thereby COM
pletes mans salvation, which nothing else ever
has. or ever can do. But why need say these
| things. as all men know that have heard me, that
| I confirm my doctrine abundantly from their tes-
timony. And have always enuea'oreu' SIN
cerely TO place them in their true place and station,
but never dare exalt them above what they
themselves declare; and as no spring can rise
higher than its fountain. SO likewise the scrip
lures can Only direct to the fountain from whence
they originated-the Spirit of truth: as saith the
apostle, "The things Of God knoweth no man.
but the Spirit Of Gods" therefore when the Scrip
lures have directed and pointed US to this light
within. or Spiri. Of truth, there they must stop
it is their uItimatum.-the toPstone of what they
can do. And no other external testimony Of men
or books can do any more. And Jesus in his
last charge to his disciples. in order to prevent
them from looking without for instruction in the
things Of God, after he had led them up to the
highest pinnacle that any outward evidence could
effect. certified them that this light within, or
Spirit Of truth, by which only their salvation
| could be effected, dwelled with them, and should
br in them. And this every christian knows to
! be truth; and there never was christian made
by aRy other power than this Spirit OF truth; and
ave ~ thing that can be done by man without IL