The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-03-14
1EtsCc!lnneons.
Know-Nothingism against the
Methodist E. Church.

/ Az 1'thtobs ". D. hHtilCou seg . .
ave publ shed the startling fact some time
ago that acknowledgement had already d.
rected its machinery to the destruction of
the Methodist Church. Satisfied that they
had already sileneed the rights of concience
of all who are members Of the Catholic
/ Church, this monstrous foe to freedom Of
thought, are seeking with the rapacity Of
! Wolves, for other objects TO gIoat their in
/ quisitotial appetite. We mentioned in sup
/ port of our assertion that a pamphlet had
been Written By q member Of one Of the "A-
merican" order 10 prove that the Methodist
/ Church ought not to be tolerated in free
country. Some friend has forwarded us a
copy Of this pamphlet, which we will take
/ pleasure in loaniDg to any CT our Methodist
brethren. But to prove more conclusively
that we are right in our assertion we call
attention to tlse following extracts from this
pamphlet"
"But again the very organization Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church is dangerous
to the liberties Of free people. Suppose a
crisis to arrive in poli.ca action, in which
The hiearchy of the Methodist Church is in =
terested, From the dependence of all
parts on one great central power, i. is easy
to perceive how the suilrages OF most Of the
members may be controlled by the bishops
Let the bishops suggest to the presiding ell
/ dcrs that the interest Of their ecclesiastical
despolism win be subseryed by the election
of a certain set Of men to olice:--the pre-
sidleg elders use their influence over the
! preachers, the preachers over the class
| leaders, and the class leaders over their
class members, and thus the balance of the
power in political contest may rest in the
hands Of seven Episcopal Methodist Bish-
ops. There is as much danger Of tAis, as
there Is Of fRomlnism accomplishing sim
liar result; provided the occasion requires
it. Itmay be said that the members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church are too inde-
pendent to be thus influenced; but while
they submit to the degradation to which
have shown thcyare subjected in Church
matters let theuf hot speak OF independence
in political matter. Let them become &c.
clesiasticaly free, and then il may be ho"
ped they would dare to become politically
free if the Bishops undertook 10 prevent it.
81 have thus briefly shown that Episcopal
| Methodism is anti American in its spirit
and tendency, and that it is dangerous
Toe to rcpublicanism. l have shown that
it had its origin in asurpatIoN that its very
Organization provides for The support and
extension Of assumed power, and that this
power may be opprcssiyely exercised with
ont restriction. | have shown that Metho-
dist Epscopaey contains in itself the We
ny elements Of an absolute dcspoism, and
therefore must ultimately, unless checked,
subvert and destroy our republican ins!itu-
tons. In doing this, have uttered no
harsh cpithets. have insiDuated nothing
against the scripturalncss of Methodist doc
trncs, Or the picly aud goodness Of Matho-
dist members. have simply spoken of
the government Of the Church, have spo-
ken as an American citizen; aud | call ON
every true American in the Methodist
Church to use his influence to effect rad
icil reform in this matter. The time has
come when Americanism and Romanism
are arraycd in hostile attitudes. Rcmem-
Der that you are not prepared TO stand by
Amolicansm while YOU are the objects of
hierarchy. The taunt will COME with
| irresistible force from the vagsals Of the
Pope: sis despotism any more sinful or
dangerous in the Romish Church than the
! Methodist" O then be Amercans--be
freeman - throw off your ecclesiastical
chains, and then you will be prepared con-
sistentently to aid your fellow countrymen
in breaking the yoke Of ecclesiastical des-
potism with which Rome has bound her ig-
norant au4jects!"
The whole history Of religious p.rsccu.
ton shows that whenever one denomination
encourages the political prescription CT an
other, the same weapon is sure in the end
to be turned against itself. There ere per-
haps no religious societies against which
some plausible pretext might not be found
for political crusade.
NOVEL READING The following para
graph, which occurs in a sermon preached
by Dr.. Hawks, may have more salutary
effect upon many ofour readers thau an
essay on the same subject, wAich they
would not read: NO habilual reader of
novels can love the Bible, or any other book
that demands thought, or lnculcates the
serious duties Of life. He dwells in re
gion of imagination, where he is disgusted
with the plainuess and simplicity Of truth
with the sober realities ,hat demand his
attention as rational and immortal being
and accountable subject Of Gods Govern
ment.'
EE-The X. Ms. in the Pennsylvania Leg,
islature have addressed a letter to Georg.
Law, inviting him to becpme candidate fol
the Presidency. Blood and thunderl--
-- q =.