Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-04-15
For the Enquirer.
.,rr1nr MEADE AND HIS RENIEWER.


u,.ssr.. Editors 1T is not my province TO discuss
,a nn.ston whether or not "thc religious a1ricu!-
trrsI and political interests OF have all been
injured by the existence among u OF domestic SaVe'
ry" snail therefore. uphnli neither the affirmative
nor The negative of the propuSill"n But there are
some things in the first letter lately addressed in your
columns to Bishop Meade which are 5" strange mat
cannot resist the temptation ut noticing tli-in Inc
reviewer tells u> tha, 'rdelty little known ~
England till the day. Of Cromwell shortly Gi'T me
uboiaiou Of r.N.caogr." II hc will Rad the famous
old wurl; uf Edwards, entitled the "GangrTna, he
will be likely To conclude that intilelity became
rampant in the middle OF the seventeenth century I'D
consequence Of the general Reorganization ui soce-
~ which grew out of the overthrow of the establish
ed church Iniidclity developed rs the press be-
came more and more lcen,ious, and the clergy were
prohibited from exercising their lawful yocat!ons.-
AIN France aud in Western Europe generally, (says
he) icudal slavery was not abolished until hear the
end of the last century. Atheism and lnidclity III
every form burst in slavery Departed had sup
posed that the corruptions of the church in France
had combined with the corruptions OF ui arbitrary
government to produce, in that ill-starred country
atheism and intdelity. If avn wrong III my 'uppo-
stion trust the reviewer will endcavor, by proof to
convince me OF my error. "New England the Tells
usJ settled by The pious Puritans by men VINO
He'd from religious persecution to iound III america
strictly religious COLONY. They made the Bible their
common law and the ministers vi reiigion ther
Judges, executive anI legislators. They were, II
sometimes anatical, yet at all times the most moral
aud religious community on carli. 1ct ny lhe'r law,
not only Africans aud Indians, but all prisoners OF
war, might be enslaved. TIE most pt0nS " their
ciergy engaged in The african STARE tradt.' Most
unfortunate remembrance. Does he not know that
the different bands of Puritan immigrants differed rs
widely in their moral aud religious sentiments us III
their pursuits that the desposin OF New was as gall
ing as that of Old England; that my Lord Brethren
in Boston were eXactlug as my Lord Bishops III
London; that the treatment of the Indians by the
cuonists was cruel aud dsgrncetul aud that no peo
pie on earth since the days OF the PharIsees have
ever been 30 obnoxious to censure and rdicule us
they for inconsistency aud Discrimination The
cavaliers Of Virginia. We are told, were dts
gusted with the canting hypocrisy and cruelty
of Cromwell and OF many OF his party and be.
came, if not infides, neglecters and scotfers at
Christianity" Wherein beg leave to ask, did the
Paritans who belonged 10 CromwclPs party differ
from the remainder! CGinm, non dmtnum mntdnf,
gui trans carrant. 'lu New England says the
Reviewer) The most conservative, uorai auu reiiSl-
uus peopls in cLrslentom have, Immediately on the
abolition of slavery, become tainted with lnhdeilty,
radioalism and immortality" We who style our
selves ChwrchmsA think that the niidelty ana rad.
calsm of New England have proceeded from diff
fereut cause. We think that il the Puritan preach
ers had not promulgated the high.toned CaNinistic
doctrines of particular election and Reproduction, aud
had adhered 10 the Liturgy of the Church Of Eng
land 10 which many OF them protested to be attached,
there would have been no place for that re- action
which often consequent upon the ultra views OF
unbtided dogmatists. To sustain oar opinions, We
refer 10 the Protestant Episcopal Church e. the most
conservative religious body IN the United States
in England says critcl the clergy, even in the
Church to which You Bishop Meadel belong, have
very generally become tainted with socialism, and
socialism is the least refined, the most sensual and
animal form Of iufdc!ity. "Ihe Chartsts have i'm.
bibed Atheism in its most disgusting aud loathsomo
form" And he puts the question, whether il there
had been different state Uf things in Virginia from
that which now exists, the Episcopal clergy would
have "become, as in England, Socialists or Pasey-
ass! Ii these sentences were written IN good fatn
the author shows that he most deplorably ignorant,
DR. Pussy and his compeers are the determined OPP
ponents OF Chartsm aud Socialism,. No politicians
or re ritunists could be more They very well
knos, that Chartsn and Socialism would, 1t unre.
strained subvcrt the Church Of Christ and their ef
forte in sermons, pamphlets and reviews, have been
directed the great object Of preserving The Church
against the nsdlous attacks OF virtually nhdel ad.
mnstra,ions and at the same time OF increasing her
energy by multiplying her services and establishing
parochia oil schools throughout the Kingdom. Wonder
jul, that any reader Of English publications. should,
in the year 1885, class the clergy OF the Church Of
England with Chartists and Socialists "Ihe political
power o. the State (says DIR. MNEILE Of Liverpool,
who, while he is accounted Evangelical in doctrine,
takes Hteh. Chvrch ground in his Lectures, IS now
lodged in the middle classes of the people Ibis CAM
not be denied aud it is vain aud worse than
vain, to attempt to conceal II. They lar outnumber
the upper classes, and they possess the elective
franchise, to which is the last appeal of po-
li,ca power How can they be induced to WELD
this weapon in defence aud support OF our Tree nst-
buttons Their temptation is TO get rid OF all supc-
rurs. The nstigators OF their bad passions enlarge
OH the asserted rights of man. and preach equality
The indel crcula:es his poison saying that man has
nothing 10 look for beyond this world; why, then,
should ne be patient in lower sutton here, II he eau
combine with others like himself 10 pull! down those
above nm! Man i: but man; why, then, should there
be Il difference between man aud man !! Why should
walk and another ride sit Il! ease in warm,
luxurious house, aud eat and drink i'll abundance
without working aud another labor hard Ill the cold
fields, and have enough 10 cat alter oil IL IS
easy to smile contempunu.ly at the gross absurdty;
but we have seen and heard too much OF Socialism
aud Charlisn to be able join in either the contempt
or the smile And where is the andote' Only IN
your national ChriHiaaHy. In vain will you incul.
cate peace unless it he in connexion with holy aud
tranquilizng hope hereafter" ain vain shall the
conservative impore, if the Christian do not teach
In vain shall the government coerce II the chnrch do
not sanc,ify." "When / consider "the conneAion
providentially established between Eng land and the
world between Engand's church and the worlds
Chrstianty,-O that my voice could penetrate among
England commons and EIgland's peers, and Eng
lands royal council and awuly responsible e1ecu-
tive: yes, aud with mingled solemnity aud respect
aud earnestness Of afectonats enireay could reach
the throne itself, while plead for determined neas-
ures in behalf of Englands churcl.'-( Lectures on
Tie Chmrch Of England, PIP. ll3, 49,
4 CONSERVATIVE.