Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-05-05

1sssr
hath hidden him. there is too much truth
in his accusations. Nothing could be more
true than that in this time I'D place at
least the church is ''very far fallen from
primitive christianity" that "a religion that
does not make men honest is not worth
having" Nothing could be more true than
that ''religion consists in doing good,' or
that there is no sin against which. every
human being is not authorized to wage re-
lentless and internal war by tongue and pen
in newspapers and in market places, by
Votes and by pens and by the strong arm
OF the law and by every other righteous
means, may be welded. Thus much for
the true things in the articles in question
now for he false.
1. The force of these truths as they are
asserted in the articles before US, depend
upon the implied fact that they are new
discoveries, or positions that are discarded
by the body Of church members, and minis
tiers. Nothing could be more false. Who
knoweth not such things? Who ever de.
nicd them?
g. A church member insnuates that
ministers do not insist upon the rigid rules
of moral honesty; he never heard one
preach up such texts as Lie not, defaud
not &c. IknoS nc. whom he has heard
preach, but | know 6f sone whom be has
not heard and aver thai there Is moi
preacher in any evangelical protestant de-
nomination who does not habituauy insist
that men must be true and honest. j, is
possible that their preaching may not al
ways be as forcble or their choice OF texts
as searching as they mig be with the help
of "church members WISDOM" but to inti'
mate that they avoid the inculcaten of
moral duties docs not look to me like "Tu,h
or honesty" coming from protested
friend.
B. Then the intimation that church mems
bers as body are about ten times as bad
as other people is (as well it might be too
much even for you Mr.. Editor, with your low
estimate OF pely, 10 credit.
A man in trade might loose 800 in a
way that would impeach the honesty Of as
many individuals and then by the misfortune
OF two or three individuals, he might lose
nine times that amount. Now suppose the
unfortunate individuals are church mem
bers and the ohew worlds people, would il
be fair or honest 10 say have lost by dis
honest customers $1,000 and nine tenihs
Of this by members of the church. This is
am aware an extreme superstition, but no
one can doub, that there is some explana.
ton of this kind in the case before US that
would leave very different impression,
than that church members are ten times
worse than the worlds people or that the
latter are far ahead of any and all Of the
church in point Of honesty. | admit that
! hvpocrites are the wost class Of sinners, -
| will not apologize for the faults of any
| but if church member would exemplify
that regard ior truth which he seems to val.
ue SO highly he must not indulge such in
discriminate and sweeping accusations of
his brethren.
l notice but one more position taken in
these articles; and that consider a mon.
slrous and outrageous one for any Editor
to take in a christian community who does
not design TO take rank with scofers and
open coniemners Of all that is esteemed sa.
cred in piety The position that the piety
that qualities for church Membership has no
influence TO correct dishonesty or any wise
improve ones general character. What is
this more or less than declaring with mar
velous assurance that the religion of the
gospel is perfectly insipid and worthless
superstition? Who ever heard, you say, of
a man acqul ing new Standing &c, no
change is wrought &c, a fact sufficiently
manifest &c. Now ifall this is as manifest
as you assume then ii should be matter of
fact known to all the world that the NOR
ais of heather and savage nations are as
pure as these Of christian communities
The morals of those parts of our country
where there is no sabbath and no churches
pure as where these things are mos: iHflu.
entail. The morals Of that class who scott
at the bible as pure as of those who be-
] ievc il? There should be as many drunk.
ards,as many ganbleTs,as many lbcrtncs as
many convicts fom any given number Of
church members as there are from the pro-
portionate number of worlds people! And
what are the facts? WHY sir the as,onish
ment, the lond complaints that are always
so observable when church member is
guilty of any immoral conduct demonstrate
both that such things are more rare among
this class and that everybody expects more
they do Of others. Your seeming candor
in saying that you expect a church member
to be as good as his noighbors entities you
to very little credit Oh that score. The fact
is you do expect more or the immortality of
Church members would never attract your
notice unless it had become fragrant that as
a class church members were more immoral
than the worlds people. You may say we
have right to expect more because they
profess more. There you are wrong again
al least as far as the virtues which you
speak are concerned. Christians acknowl.
edge the precepis Of Christ to be their rule.
But with regard to speaking truth being
honest and generous, you will hear the
worlds people profess these things ten times
to church member doing ii once. With
one mouth and endless reiteration they tell
us as you do in the article before us be-
lieve in being homes. and doing good. 81
profess to do as | would be done by, and
that's my religion" The church member
ceufesses christ as his lord and lets his
works settle the matter of his honesty. The
worlds people disown christ and vaunt their