American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-08-11
From the Jackson (Miss.) Mercury.
The Testimony of John Wesley.


The Testimony of John Wesley.
ag John Longslreet, in his diatribe against the
American party,.aunted his brother Method
lists with tamisEing the name of their great
leader, John Wesley. Following the hint,
, the anti-American orators sometim invoke
s"the shade Of Wesley, who founded church
amid prosecutions and expressions" to re-
buke the American party. 'A'F3a"'tE,f
Summoning Wesley in defence of Roman
ism Can brazen assurance go further than
this Let him speak for himself, with his
accustomed words of wisdom, to his follow.
ers, and to all thinking men in this country.
The subjoined letter was written by Mr..
!. Wesley, addressed to the editor of the Dub
lin Freeman's Journal, and originated in
controversy that sprung up on the English
Toleration Act. Ii may be found in the
Miscellaneous works of Wesley, volume 5,
page SIT. Read it, and, to borrow the words
of the great author, "answer it if you can
...l LETTER OF JOHN WESLEY. ... .
"Sir Some time ago pamphlet was
sent me, entitled 'An Appeal from the Pro-
testant Association, to the people of Great
Britain A day or two since kind of an
swer to this was put into my hand, which
pronounces its style contemplate, lis rea-
soning futile, and its object malicious On
the contrary, think the style Of it clear,
easy and natural; the reasoning, in general,
strong and conclusive; the object or design
kind and benevolent. And in pursuance of
the same kind and benevolent design, name
ly, to preserve our happy constitutional shall
endeavor TO confirm the substance of that
tract by a few plain arguments.
with persecution | have nothing 10 do
i prosecute no man for his religious prin-
Ciples. Let there be as boundless freedom
,sin religion as any man can conceive. But
this does not touch the point will set re.
ligion, true or false, utterly out of the dues.
g. ton. Suppose the Bible, if you please, to
be liable, and the Koran to be the word OF
God. | consider not whether the Roman
religion is true or false--I build nothing or
one or the other supposition. Therefore a.
way with all your commonplace dec lama tion
about intolerance and persecution for relie.
ion Suppose every word of Pope Plus
creed to be true-suppose the Council OF
Trent to have been infallible. Yet insist
upon it that no government not Homar
Catholic ought to tolerate men of the Roman
Catholic persuasion.
prove this by plain argument tlet
him answer it that can)-that no Roman
Catholic does, or can give security for his al.
legiance or peaceable behaviour. prove
IT thus II is n Roman Catholic maxim, es.
,,ablshed not by private men, but by public
4 councils, that "No faith is to be kept with
heretics." This has been openly avowed b,
the Council of Constance bu, it was never
openly disclaimed. Whether private per
: sons avow or disavow it, it is fixed maxim
4 OF the Church Of Rome. But as long as il
is 50, nothing can be more plain, than tha,
the members Of that Church can give nc
reasonable security TO any government fol
the'f allegiance and peaceable behaviour,
Therefore they ought not to be tolerated BY
any government, Protestant, Mohamedan OF
Pagan. You say, "nay, but they take an
oath OF allegiance" Tue, five hundred
6alhs; but the maxim, "no faith is to be
Kept with heretics,n sweeps them all away
as spiders web. So that still no Govern.
ors that are not Roman Catholics can have
any security Of their allegiance.
Again, those who acknowledge the spir.
itual power of the Pope can give no securitv
OF their allegiance to any government, bu,
all Roman Catholics acknowledge this; there
lore, they can give no security for their ale
elance. The power of granting patdons for
all s'ns-past, present and to come--is, and
pas been for many centuries, one branch of
MS spiritual power But those who acknowl.
eoge him to have this splfiiual power can
give no setutity for their allegiante since
,ney belieye the Pope can pardon rebellion,
h.gh treason and all other sins, whatsoever.
'ne power OF dispensing with any promise,
oalh or vow, is another branch of the spirit
nai power Of the Pope; all who acknowledge
ms Spiritual power must acknowledge this.
- Do' whosoevef acknowledges the dispensing
power OF the Pope, can give no security for
a"y aiegiance 10 any government. oaths
a"u promises are none they are light as air
=" o'Spensation makes them nnll and void
Nay' not only tho Pope, bot even 4 Prizes,
has power TO pardon sins This is an essen.
t,a' ooc'fIue OF the Church OF Rome. Bu,
W'y mat acknowledge this cannot posebty