Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-02-20
From the Trenton True American

Itis well hnown that III this city, and in many
parts Of the State members OF the Methodist Episco.
pal Church have been dupcl into Know Nothing
Lodges It has been asserted that u.a:,y two.thrts
of the preachers al that dc1lIali1u ar.. members
ur have aided this secret combination agains the civil
and religious rights OF man. We have the charity to
believe that many of them have Joined this order
under misapprehension OF lis ultimate nnd wicked
Tendencies, and from our knowledge of the character
and devotion of this class OF christians, We believe
they will repudiate this unholy Combination and
"colo out from among then.
We published the startling fact some time ago that
Know Nothingsm had already directed liz machine.
nv TO tho destruction Of the Methodist Church. Su-
tisfed that they had already sienced the rights of
conscience Of all who are members OF the Catholic
Church, this monstrous foe to freedom OF thought
seeking with the rapacy of wolves for other objects
to yloat their inq usitorial appetite. We mentioned in
SUPPORT of our assertion that Il pamphlet had been
written by mombcr of ono the american orders
to provo that the Methodist Church o"gM not 10 BE-
tcl'rGted in G free ron'%rY.
Some friend tns forwarded a copy of this paluph-
let which VIC will take pleasure in loaning to any of
our Methodist brethren. But to prove more cuncu.
sive that we are right in our assertions chi, ntc-
ton to the following extracts from this r"raphlct;
BAT asaili--.he yeyy orcani3ation of the Metho-
Gl- Episcopal Church dangerous to the liberties of
Tree people; Suppose cslss 10 arrive IN political
a@on, in which the hierarchy ofthe Methodst Church
!" ihic:cated. from the dependence Ut all The parts
On On" great central power il is easy to perceive how
I SN"fh.os Of most fthe members may be control
rn Hy Inc bishops Let the bishop suggest TO the
a elders that the interests of their ccclcslasti.
n n'r, its,n will be sutserved by the election oi
~.a srl ii men to office the presiding elders
o,or ..0"cnce over the praachcfs tne preachers
80 ,'' S,ss ieaote and the c,asg ltier5 over tielr
nI..,1 @ ard thus the balance Of power in
SEy may rest in the hands of SEVEN Er;s-
eopAs 4MErAoblsr b'sHors, There is as mppA dan.
cor 9f this @ 'he'e 10 oi homaniSm acca,nplshng
similar result provided the OCCASION REQUIRES il. Ii
may be said that the members of the Methodist Ennis
copal Church are too independent 10 he thus nnen.
cod but, while they submit to the denrndat;on 70
which have shown they ure subjected !" 1;Srrrb
matters, let them no. spesh Ct ,ltsi.aSspo :" n no
cal matters let the become ecolesiSs,nIIy T fr.e
and then it may be hoped that they would Jarc 70 be
come POLITICALLY free fthe bishops undertook to pre-
vent it.
II have thus briefly shown that Episcopal Me,ho
dis s enti Amerpsn ip its spirit anu tendency, and
that it is dangerous foe 10 republcanism. / have
shown that Il had It's origin In usurpdt'on-that its
very organisation provides for the support and extern
sion of assumed poper, and that this power may o.
onpressiutly exe,ciSca iy!tso.t restriction have
shown that Methodist Episcopacy contains in itself
the very elements of an absolute despotsm and there
fore must ultimately, unless checked, 'ubvert and