North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-10-21

under the Constitution and established code
OF their County:
do not know whether your band Of in
dignaht reprobationists ever saw my book,
published IN 1857, but you read At, because
| sent you . copy, and have your letter OF
acknowledgment, in which, while YOU dis
sented from some of my conclusions, you did
it with the courtesy of Christian gentleman
In that letter there is nothing said about my
| opnious Icing " UNIV orthy of any servant Of
Jesus Christ" and nothing of indignant
rrprobatlon." Blu, tempora mutantu', ct
nos nnutdmer in iHis.
Yes the times are indeed sadly changed,
and you have changed accordingly. For ma
ny years you have met IN brotnerlg council
with these Southern slave holders. You in
| vIted them TO the hospIaliuies of your house,
aud paid them special Difference. rhe new
light Of Eastern Abohtiomism had not Yet
risen within our Church, and If you then
thought as you now think. you took excel
lent care that no man anon st your South
ern friends should know it. Moreover, your
favorte Theological Seminary. only three
years ag', was the Virginia school at Alex
andris, raised TO great Prosperity BY Bishop
Meade a siQueholder--and am very sure
that nothing at variance with my BlbI@ view
OF slavery was ever taught in that institution.
Yes We may we'll say of you, as of many
Others, quuntum mutatus ab lilo! How
changed is the Bishop of Pennsylvania IN
three years from his former course of con
servatism, peace and Scriptural consistency I!
But the Word OF God has not changed :;
the doctrine Of the Apostle has not changed :;
| the Constitution of our Country has not
changed the great standards of religion,
truth and real civic loyalty remain just as
they w.re; and remain along with them,
notwithstanding this bitter and unjust az
sault from You and your clergy. do not
intend to initiate your late style of vitupera.
ton, for | trust that | have learned, even
when am reviled, not to revIle again. re-
spect the good opinion of your clergy, and
arm not aware that have done anything to
forfeit it. | respect your office, your talents,
your personal character, and the wisdom and
success with which, for manv years, your
Eplscopate has been conducted But I d.,
not respect your departure from the old aud
well settled rule Of the Church, and from the
Apostolic law OF Christian fairness and cuur
tesy. do not believe in the modern discov
cry Of those Eastern philanthrupists is who de-
ny the divinity OF our Redeemer and attach
no Importance to the Bible except as it NAV
SUIT themselves. do not believe that the
veperated founders oil our American Church
were igno, ant OF the Scriptures and blind to
the principles of Gospel morality. I do not
believe that Washington and his compatrIots,
who framed our Constitution with such ex.
press provisions for the rights of slavehold-
ers, were tyrants and despOts, sinners againS t
tie law of God and the feelings of humanity.
But do believe in the teaching of the in
sp'red Apostles, and in the Holy Catholic (or
universally Church which you and your clergy
also pro ess to believe. kno,r that the doc
tr ne of that Church was clear and unani
nous on the Laacfuiness Of slavery for elgh
teen centuries together; and on that puint
regard your protest" and indignant rep
rotation" as the idle wind that passes by.
wish you, therefore, to be advertised
that shall publish, within a few months, il
o gracious Providence should spare my life
and faculties, full demonstration Of the
| truth wherein stand" And shall prove
in that book, by the most unquestionable au.
| thorities, that slaves and shareholders were
in the Churc'. from the beginning, that sla
very was held to be coIlsisten' With Chris.
tian principle by the Father and Councils
aud by all protestant divines and commenta
tatnrs. up to the very close Of the last cenfu-
~, ami that this fact was universal among
all Churches and sec's throughout the Chris
tian world. shall contcnd that our Church
which maintains the primitive rule Of catho-
olic consent and abjlres all novelties, is
bound, by her very Constitution, to hold
fast that only safe and enduring rule, or
abandon her Apostolic clailns, and descend
to the level of those who are driven about
by every wind of doctrine" And I shall
print your "indignant reproba ton" with
its list OF names, in the preface to my book,
so that il / cannot give you fame, I may, at
least, do my part to give you notoriety.
That the nineteenth century is q century
of vast improvement and wonderful discove.
| ~ i'm the arts and sciences grant IA will
| inolv aa any man Rnf in relioioua frrth ~
reverence for the Bible, the age in which wo
1--we Is prolific in daring and impious innova
| tion. We have seen professedly Christian
communities divided and subdvided on eve.
~ side. We have seen the rise and spread
of Cniversalism, MIllerism. Pantheism, Nor.
moism, and SpirituaIism. We have .een ev-
en- our venerable Mother Church of England
sorely agitated by the contagious fever of
| q 4