The weekly Placer herald., 1855-07-14
Know. .E"tking Attack on Methodists
and Hrstsstant Denominations.


We have before remarked that the assault
upon the Catholic Church, by the Buntlinites,
would be followed up by demonstrations Of
hostility against other denominations so soon
as the leaders supposed the organization had
grown sufficiently powerful to commence an
indiscriminate war Of that character. The
consequence of the movement, should it sue
Fceed. would evidently be the oppression of all
but one Church, which would become Gov
ernment institution; or the demolition of all,
and the inaugurationo of an era Of Infdelity.
Many honest christian bearted men have SYM
pathized with this movement, believing that
it would operate prcudicially to the Catholic
denomination, not rejecting that when the
current of religious intolerance begins to roll
onward, it will not be in their power to check
it, II. is no difficult matter to~put in motion
the elements of revolution, but who can
control them? The attack upon Methodist
and Episcopal Church tenures in the New
York Senate are pregnant signs of the times.
The vote secured in that body for repeal of
the laws which authonise the present regula-
tions of church property, was strong begin
ming. The feeling evidently does not lack
virulence." + N
| In this connection, we ask attention to the
following extract from a pamphlet written by
q member Of the Order, approved by his
Council and announced for circulation by the
True -7meriean, a know-nohing paper:
"The very organization of the Methodist
Episcopal Church is dangerous to the liberties
Of a free people, Supposing crisis to arise
in political action in which the hierarchy of
the Methodist Church is Interested. From the
dependence of all the parts on the great CEN
tral power, it is easy to perceive'how the suf
frages of most of the mpmbers may be con-
troled by the Bishops. Let the Bishops sug-
gest to the presiding elders that the interests
of their ecclesiastical despotism will be sub
served by the election of certain set of men
to ofice;-the presiding elders use their in
aucnce over the preachers, the preachers over
the class leaders. and the class leaders over
the class members, and thus the balance Of
power in political contest may rest in the
hands of seven Episcopal Methodist Bishops.
There is as much danger Of this as there is Of
Romanism accomplishing a similar result;
provided the occasion requires it, 1t may be
said that the members of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church are too indcpendet to be thus
influenced; but while they submit to the deg
radiation to which have shown they are sub
jectcd to in church matters let them not
speak of Independence in political matters.
Let them become elesiastically free, and then
it may be hoped that they would dare to be-
come politically free if the Bishops undertook
to prevent it. ~
81 have thus chiefly shown that Episcopal
Ncthodism is anti-Amercan in it's spirit and
tendency. and that it is a dangerous foe to
Republicanism. l have shown that it had ito
origin in usurpation-th that its very organiza.
tion provides for the support and extension OF
assumed power, and that this power may be
expressly exercised without restriction.
have shown that Methodist Episcopacy con-
tains In itself the very elements Of an abso
lutte despotism. and therefore must ultimately,
unless checked subvert and destroy our re.
publican Institutions
Petitions are already being circulated and
pytpnsiyelv Si0noh thrOu UhOut the State. DfRV~