Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-08-17

equally worthy object
Popular Religious Leaders and Reform.
A few weeks since, Rowland T. Rob
inson, as Secretary of a Temperance Con-
vention held in Ferrisburgh, reported the
doings for the Vergennes Vermonter. On
the appearance, of the article, with his
name attached to it, in the paper, he dis
covered that the Editor, or the compositor,
or some other one had [lnnocently no
.Goubtl made an unwarrantable interpota-
ton, by foisting in "Rev." as prefix to
the name of some clergyman. Brother
Robinson addressed a note to the Yer
monter, making the correction, and giving
brief reasons why he could not consent to
stand before the public, according such
reverence to such men. This note was
copied into the Telegraph of July Goth.
Its appearance in the Vermonter called
forth reply, signed "Dwight.' The
Vermonter containing it went out of my
immediate reach, without the article being
read Brother Robinson's rejoinder below,
is copied from the Vermonter into the Tel
egraph, not as reply to Dwight. but as
a splendid and mastery calculation of the
subject on which he writes:
For the Tergearses Verna0nter:
In correcting an error, innocentIy made,
in an article over my signature, which
appeared ia your paper of the 9th inst,
and briefly giving some of my reasons for
wishing TO make the correction, it was not
my design to elicit any discussion upon
the character ofthe clergy, or the christian
propriety Of prefxing certain titles of dis
tnction 10 their names. But since your
anonymous correspondent has thought
proper to appear in their defence there
are few things in his article which |
wish to notice; and l trust you will in
dulge me with small space in your pa
paper for the purpose.
shall pass by the courteous and chris
tian insinuations with which my friend
Dwight begins and ends his piece, con-
veyed in such terms calumny and
vAuperation,'' "audacity and adraitness,'
" loose in morals and factious in politics. y
"weak and wicked" "giddy and goddess"
leaving the use of such language 10 those
who are engaged in the advocacy Of a
cause in which sober facts and sound ar
gumen:s would all be against it; aud the
consciousness of the want of better means
ofdefence, is the best apology can make
for the use of such epithets by one profess
ing great respectfor the christian religion
whilst defending what he PROCESSES to re-
gard as one of its most essential institu-
tons. .zs ea .-. 49,. - +. 81 --rs~
I The very first line of 'Dwighl's' EN-.
I braces the idea to which [ wished especi'
!, ally to call the attention Of the leaders Of
the Fermonter, aud affords an Illustration
oftae prinsrpal objection, in my mind, to
the use Of flattering titles applied to that
tc!!ass of men called "the clergy" He
Z" can hardly express his surprise. that the
Vermonte~ should become the medium
through which body ofmen, professedly
. | working for The good of their kind, should
be assaiied' &c. Here we have an index
to the public sentiment of the land. The
r conducl Of the clergy must not be scruti
uized The sacredness of the Office tc
! which they lay claim, .exempts them from
,, censure, however deserved, and the Edit
ors of Free Paper. must be called 10 &C
count for admitting an article which il
the least. questions the infl!libiiity Of til,
! order. The sancity and sacredness which
E have been thrown around the clerica
3 office, and which lis incumbents have al
ways taken peculiar pains 10 impress upol
the minds of the "taity,' as the peopl
O are called. 20 Distinguish their inferiorit,