Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-08-12
For tie Yorkville Enquirer.
FATAL ERRORS CORRECTED.


Mr.. Eaitor:-Having given the propositions
maintained by myself, permit me to give now those
placed on record by E. A. GaEssHAw. He says:-
FTta:-"I deny the moral obligation of Chris
tians to become members of any voluntary Society
among men atall." He excerpts the Church and
State, which he styles, "not voluntary societies, !.
Secondly:-'I demand the rule of right action
to be pursued, which makes This Goiniogs temper.
auce society my dutyip sight Of God for there
can beno moral right, nor wrong, without q rule
and in matters of morals, I acknowledge no other
rule than the 'oiH Of God- thus saith the Lord"
'Dutyimplies a rule Of right action to Constitute
it suct." ~~, -.N~&H- 91Tsz .--G""rtA
/ These expressions. frof, any indiridual.suppo
sed to. be familiar. with religion both natural and
revealed, and especially with controversial theolo:
gy, would readily suggest the inference, that ex,
press and positive preeepter example wusdemand-
ed. The gentleman, however, in his second .ar.
ticle, explains his emphatic and unguarded "ds-
mand," repudiatcs the reasonable inference. and
defines anew his position: which Isl.
TirdIy:-'1 held the will OF, God as revealed
in the Bible, by precept expressed, implied, or in
example, to be the rule-the only rule ofmora1 OBJ
legation on man." -. go,
This proposition still restricts duty to q wrltea
rule, notwithstanding the Presbyterian Confession
Of Faith expressly says: "That there are some
circumstances concerning the worship Of God, and
government Of the church, common 70 human ae.
ton, and societies, which are to be ordered by the
light of nature and Christian prudence, according
to the general rules Of the word, which ore always
to be Observed" The important consideration In
reference to the amended proposition, Is 70 ascer-
tain what the gentleman implies By the language:
''the only rule Of moral obligation" TO show
this we have:
Foarhly:-That '"the light and law Of nature
-fhe providence of God-reason properly exer.
cised-and conscience, as iths gifs Of God, and
law also," are "all a maize" (mase) 'tof bother
(potherl "and of nonsense" But 'flesthe pres
syterian brag," the gentleman explains, and am
plifes. - ='~' - - "
Efhly:-aNature is an assemblage Of Greeted
things, and persons. The law Of. the things 10 M.
ture Is from God; but not Of moralsort; the laws
of persons in nature, ore both natural aud moral;
yet, all are the .,uiu Of Goo Nature as seen by
man, may teach to him the being of God, % crea-
tor, preserver, and governor Of oil, yet this can.
not communicate to man the will Of God in moral
duty IN any giue1 case" From this explanation
of his belief. it is beyond all contradiction plain,
that E. A. CnENsHAw regards God as the natural,
but not the moral governor of the uorld-that God
created "things and persons y and having crea-
ted, he preserves aud governs them naturally,
but not moraHy-God is no moral governor! The
proposition further shows, thatthe works ofCres-
ton reveal simply, that there is q God, but this
revelation conveys to man no idea Of "moial duty in
any given cqse"-creation proclaims a natural Crea-
tor, Preserver, and Governor, but no moral Cres.
tor, Preserver, Governor. Lawgiver, and Judge
The moral nature ofman, which is 'fhe birthright
Of his being" according to DR.. FHoRSwELI, is III
the estimation Of E. A.. Crenshaw pother "aRa
nOnssase"-man comes into life-gazes on the
heavens, on the earth, and on himself, and looks
within, and feels no emotion-has no idea OF moral
duty in any easc!,! Such arc tbe avowed principles
Of the champion "of all christians" in reference to
God and creation. On the subject Of Providence,
he says:
Sirthiy 1.-THE providence Of God is a NANTES
tation Of his government to his creatures" (natu-
raj government) and reveals no rule FOR right ac-
ton to, man n IMMORAL matters IN any giper cas-"
However Observation-Disclosures It uproot ohristt-
snity, such is the. published language of E. A:
CRzRsHxw;, speaking for "alf christians" Twill
not OF this p~ointin.my examination of this extra
ordinary avowat ndduoe any passage Of Scrip
turr, embarrassing only from their number, to
confirm the reverse-or refer to the Pres, Confess
sion of Faith, and Gateohism ; but will give only
Q single remark Of Bishop BrFLEa: 'Gn the natu.
raj course of things, virtue as such is actuslly re-
Warded, and vice az such punished which seems
to afford an&ipstance7or example, not,only Of .goV-
erpmsnt, butof moral government, begun and es,
tahlished !; moral in the ~strictest sense, though not
in that perfection of degree, which religion teach
es ds to expeet"-hereafter. --
Ssusnthly.-"Reason in man properly exercised
implies smother rule to exercise it By" What the
gentleman does really mean by this remark, can
not tell. As he denies the moral proridGace aof
God, and-msn's moralaatare, he maymeanto deny
the existence of reason As an original faculty in
man. Be>his meaning what it may. it is some
thing beyond question very different from that of
the Apostle Paul addressing the Corinthians:
Judge in yourselves-Both not euen. nature iseB
teach you, that &c." What "ruls" had ARISTOTLE
and CIcEno ."to exercise BY" which enabled DR..
TuoRsBELL to affirm of them: 'aThere is 8 ten
fold nearer approximation to the teachings Of the
Biblei in ARISTOTLE than there isin PALEE-more Of
finity with the Gospel in CICERO than in the whole
tribe of utlitarians." Rev. DR.. ALEXANDER well
says: "Without reason there can be no religion"
This noble faculty was certainly given to man to
be q guide in religion, as we'll as in other things.
he possesses no other means BY which be can
form a judgment on any subject, or assent to any
truth and it would be no more absurd to talk Of
seeing without eyes, than Of knowing anything
without reason" But the champion Of all chris
tians "thinks for himself sometimes, reverses the
rule of such ''Divines' as THoRNwELL and ALEX.
AMBER, and makes reason o blank, until he places
her in a strait.jacket.
:Eighthly :-''Conscience in man, when unen.
ligh,ened by O moral rule, v~ariously decides on
duty in o given case ; and is at most a transcript
on the heart of man, Of the moral law as written