The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-10-10

Will put Siiput tHoulhCaIoHo'
the same debasing subsection to human
authority, the same pervadirg Ignorance
of holy scripture, the same hostility 10
those who are without their own pale, the
same prominence and encouragement g.
ven to tene,s and ceremonies which are
destructive to the simplicity that is IN
Christ, and pcruicious to The best inle'
rests Of man.
The character of the hierarchy may be
considered as descriptive Of that of the
priesthood in general, where you have
all the intermediate varieties between the
mildness Of Murray, and the naughty ar
rogance of John, Archbishop of Tuam,
but most united determination to resist
all encrcachmen,s on the only :rue church.
There is an increasing vigilance to pre-
vent the diffusion of the truth, and an in
creasing assidrity to gain converts 10
Rome.
The late extraordinary impulse, pro-
ducing abstinence from ardent spirits and
all other intoxicating liquors must not be
overlooked To assign this reformation.
embracing hundreds of thousands, to any
spiritual or even moral principle, seems
Masses of mankind are not
thus suddenly affected; the extension Of
principle is generally slow and steady.
1t appears to be produced by variety Of
concurrent causes; as, the enormous mag
nitude of the preceding evil, inhicIing
accumulating miseries on the whole peo-
pie; the spread Of information amongst
them by the establishment Of temperance
societies; the persevering efforts Of por-
ton Of the priesthood to restrain The de-
structiye vice; and, above all, the incl
dental association of superstitious ideas
respecting the benefits attending the bene-
dictions Of the estlmable individual who
for some time conducted and promoted
this decisive measure.
1t may be premature to express con-
elusive opinion respecting the perma-
aence Of this mighty change when thus
produced, or the results which shall here
after arise; for the present it demands
our fervent gratitude, that intcmperance
should have received so powerful check,
and hope may be encouraged that the be-
nefits derived from the suspension of de-
basing indulgence will be so strongly felt,
as to induce a continuance in this good
cause. There is no apparent evidence to
connect any political design whatever
with this pleasing alteration, which, should
il continue, may prove an important auxi-
|iarv to the extension of evangelical
knowledge.
The established church Of Ireland in.
,ludes the next great portion of proies'
sing Christians; and great as the change
has been in the Episcopal Church in Eng
land, it is exceeded by that which has
taken place in this country. Instead OF
lamentablc ignorance of leading theologl-
cal truths, and great Indifference in the
discharge of their clerical functions, the
Ministers of this community have become
enlightened, active and laborious; adop-
ling without scruple, wherever practical
bic, the forms and measures previously
peculiar to Dsscnters, engaging IN Mis-
s;ons TO instruct and stimulate their own
people, and to ditiuse the light and the
truth of the Gospel. The candidates for
the Ministry are immeasurably superior
to those Of former and not distant Times,
but they are incumbcrcd and weakened by
specula,ions, and counterac-
ted by the idea of apostolicaI succession,
the way for the insidious pro-
gress of the more than semipopish ,encts
of the Oxford theology.
One distinct leading feature is the grow.
ing alienation of the evangelical clergy
from their dissenting brethren. This may