The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-23
rticn for The Dispatch.
rcre.ous Liberty In Virginia nnd sbe
Itenom inRs tons.

nt,r lcnd with much interest the re-
..r. Gwen III the Dispatch and other papers
.u,. hate Scmi-centennarv celebration by
Rar.i>! brethren, and particularly the
gr,,- ot Or. Curry, as reported.
~ fnr-, 4, we'll ~ IN a little book pub
-..h.I l,y the Rev. DR.. Biting on the sub
md III addresses and publications nil
- ~, STATE preceding the above celehra-
, ,,. rlaIm has been asserted for the
,...,i>t denomination that they have been
.....n the Ouakcrs. 80 far as | remember.
...n mentioned as an cNoeptionthc only
.. .ht, has uniformly maintained the true
. enc of "soul-ibcrty," by which are
..nt. a> | understand its u>e 10y these
.'~mrn. the freedom Of the Church from
>'+tc. and individual freedom OF con
aunr.
Sow. | am most willing TO CcnCede in our
,rhs"n ~ The Eortrst body all the credit
, 'u,m tor The consistent maintenance of
.,., ~ any other good principles. But
&c.,, -,rm tu forget that whether these prIn-
...,> W"rr AWAY, consistently niaiutaincd
.. ,hrgu ~ not, they were at times asserted
f r.ar'i ~ "thc Kirk " and liz individual
...nJri> hy scotch fresbvterians in the SIX
...utn century, and before this was ever
...,1, hy any Baptist of Great Britain. But
g, fru">t. nohic>t advocate of religious free
...i Ms that grea: and so much slandered
- cromwell for the great Oliver de-
I'D the doctrine (whcn he was AT tie
.a.iI Of power when. being in Scotland,
- "t~ attacked IN the Scotch pulpt>. he re-
e. III :" punish or inteIt"rc with the preach.
.-. nu The ground of liberty OF the pulpit
.' Nh,ry of speech. lie, denomination
rs. NJ IN independents.
4 tp religious liberty IN our old Com
E.. 1WraItb, Dr.. Curry, like Dr.. Biting,
..- lis some information that i> surprising
T.. ll,uy ui us when he SAYS that 1.-The Bap-
~ " achieved the great triumph brought
...u, The abolition of the establishment in
- MIA and the full Inauguration OF the
, Fl pl.~ "f religious fr~rdom and equality
-.r. tn" law in the enactment of the ccle-
a. ,i,I Hlii of Rights. and the legislation
= .n,,l,d with il. III the wear | ~.
nIs. .hil,i>un. ii he We're alive. would be
b 'uuIrd at these statements. and would
d rllt they robbed him of what hc con-
.,.'t , feather of his honor hardly sur
-.i ''y that OF writing the great Declara-
.s Md lis the Baptists were then, as
,.', h",iN knows. not the grand denomina-
. 'hE are now, but. a~ some 0i tntlr own
.. .l,r, have ri late 80 strongly represented.
'h way oi contrast 10 their present
..u.,h. uullc Il weak and obscure sect, il
.,.ni '"a something almost of the nature of
smutrululls IT. being such, they were The
'",r- ", these great civil changes. But
a... ,urly aud Biting. and their cuOpcra-
g. lu i!rlr nuhlc memorial effort, hay e
.n-,ly forgotten the part which their
- L Il
tL.H3,i. fUr if the BaptiatS began their
.. worthy though defensive efforts for
.l.,!,W 'Hd equality at the beginning of
h'.'wlwu, tie rrr&tltcrians were
We. .G ~ tt .tn. Tor they took formal aclion
'a. .Hi 1T III the Years lii3 and l114.
tuG ''o.. ri 'rt, Mcr" repeated 10y Han
.,f Il'.int'y," which represented all the
.. .Vi'Iiali,, "i Virginia at that time. in
',.r. aud memorials from them to the
,rt # Assembly,. ~ the wears 1II6, iii.
>.. h"l. .and l.SJ.
t..r. lh' gentlemen above mentioned
... yrr. to aay that "thc Pre-hyterianS
't'd J' one time. But the only appear
- ~ i,tl.Ilug Wa III 1854. when the
'i.Il ~ 1t nc!noral to the Assembly.
'rd ~ C,,>c II General assessment WAS
ap,.d through. tlla, the tax be paid
'l" Lrneiit oi The denomination of the
...a"i~ choice. II was entirely hypo-
'...i lh" very newt spring the Pres
!. .IN ANONYMOUSLY repeated its dcClara
7 ssaln.l any legislation on the subject.
!, ..I,rnIl"n of their people was held in
| 0'i"u ~ It, and a memorial sent up, on
| @n' idr. with 10000 signatures. And
-..n. rn, Prcsbytery. with Il final memorial,
4 r.rrc.emlcd before the Legislature itself
! 'Ist Distinguished member of their body
i,y. III. john L. smith, president Of
1 api'u sidney. who spoke for three days
n'hdi OF the freedom OF the Church
'a ~. rta,c; and Mr.. Jclcr:ou'S bill was
I'D.
'i Why Is the matter of deuominational
..'d"nrr on this question now made 80
H'mrnt. and ~ m,lrh effort made to show
"lhtr bodies OF Observation-Disclosures
.... Luthcraus. PrcSbyterianS, and even
"#yul>t> comparatively so recent Il
have heen guilty of holding to the
?srt ut religion by the state, and even OF
.'eUtlug IN som. Instances? Is the qucs-
anything but an old and dead issue !?
Denomination is to hc magnitied on thi,
it"n at ia" expense OF other denomina-
!.. then we must ask, Are the BaptiStS of
) day 10 hc deprecated on account of the
'rcIne>. even ui lire and sword, to which
Anabupti>t, nt the early Reformation
..pd carried their minerSioniSt and anti
iolrptist principles: Truth.
r,-.",. my having lost Il memorandum of DIR.
.,. o>act words; nut he fully claimed what is
-t,!l,d