Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-13

Truth requires US to say that the Epis-
able with the many laws which were
passed during the administration Of
Nathaniel Johnson in reference to re-
ligion. Neither was 1t done by any
act of the Episcopalian members Of
the assembly that passed the act most
destructive to the rights and liberties
of the majority of the people. Sew
eral of the Episcopalian members
voted against the act, and the Rev.
Marston was called "the pest of the
country" because he declared, in sew
eral sermons that the assembly had
usurped to themselves unrighteous
powers. The Rev. Marston was the
successor of Samuel Marshall as pas
tor of the Episcopal church in
Charles Town. The passage of the
act filled his soul with righteous in
dignation, and for his opposition to
the course of the usurpers he was
made to- answer. His salary was
withheld. and he was otherwise made
to suffer.
The acts passed are too long to
quote. To give the reader an idea Of
their general character, we will tran
scribe some portions Of them. Sec
ton II of the act ratified May 6, 1904,
was as follows:
Whereas some persons scruple the
receiving the sacrament of the Lords
Supper, for reasons they fear they
are not rightly fitted and pre-
pared to partake of that ordinance,
who do, nevertheless, out Of real
choice, conform to the Church Of
England, as established by law, and
do sincerely profess the same, and
do not abstain from the sacrament Of
the Lords Supper out Of dislike to the
manner and forme Of the administration
thereof, as used by the Church Of
England. and prescribed in the COM
munion office in the book Of common!
prayer of the said church; be 1t there
fore enacted by the authority afore-
said, That every person, that after
the ratification Of this act, shall be
chosen a member Of the Commons
House of Assembly in this province,
in case that he hath not received the
sacrament of the Lords Supper, ac-
cording to the right and usages Of
the Church Of England, as is before
prescribed by this act, then every
such person, before he votes In the
said Commons House Of Assembly, or
sits there during any debate In the
said house after the speaker Is chos-
en-, SHALL upon his oath, taken on the
Holy Evangelist, declare that he is
of the profession of the Church Of
England, as established by law, and
that he doth conform to the same,
and usually frequents the said church
for the public worship OF God.
The first section Of this act made
1t incumbent upon each member to-
have taken the sacrament Of the
Lords Supper. as prescribed by the
Church of England, within the last
twelve months previous to his taking
his seat. Section ii is kind Of pro-
viso to meet the case of those Epis-
copalians who had conscientious
scruples about their fitness to partake
of this holy ordinance. Section Nv of
the same enactment absolutely for
bids any one, except an Episcopalian
to take his seat as member Of the
assembly, although duly elected by
the votes of his fellow citizens. The
penalty for such presumption on the
part of a Dissenter, was for the first
offense, two hundred and fifty dollars,
and fifty dollars day for each repe-
tition of the offense. This was tyr
amy in its worse form. There was
something mean in it also. Half the
fines were to be paid over to Gran
Vile, the Palatine, and the remain
ing proprietors; and the other half
to be disposed of by an ordinance
of the general assembly. 1t seems
as if the proprietors were determined,
i'm some way or other, to make money
out of their poor, dissenting ten
ants.
To further show that the acts hav-
ing for their avowed object the
establishment of the Church Of Eng
land in South Carolina was not an.
ecclesiastical movement, a bench OF
high commissioners was created, who
had granted them all tile powers OF
the Bishop of London, under whose
control the American churches were.
These commissioners were granted
power to cite any minister before
them and proceed at once to try him;
and If they saw fit. to silence him
from preaching. This was assuming
unheard of authority. The names OF
the commissioners were Nathaniel
Johnson, Thomas Broughton, James
Moore, Nicholas Trott, Robert Gibbes,
Job Howes. Ralph lizard, James Ris-
bee, George Logan, William Rhett,
William Smith. John Stroud, Thomas
Hubbard, Richard Beresford, Robert
Seabrook. Hugh Hicks. John Ash
ley, John Godfrey. James Serurier.
alias Smith. and Thomas Barton.
The character of most Of these In
dividuals is known. The names or
some of them are covered with dis
grace. The pastor Of the church OF
Charles Town testified that most OF
them were irreligious men; and we
know from the previous acts of some
of them, that they had not the fear
of God before their eyes. Moved by
ignorance and prejudices, they deter
mined to reduce to a state Of vassal-
age the greater number of the inhab-
itants of the colony. The spirit OF
persecution is manifest in all their
acts. This bench Of lay commits
soners met, and the Rev. Marston,
rector of ST. Phillips, was forbidden
to exercise the functions Of his Of
flee any longer.
During this period, the dominant
party was jubilant Everything was
working as they desired. A scheme
far reaching and malicious, although
clothed I'm the language of religion,
had been devised and inserted in a
body of laws. which would effectually
stop the mouths of the people and
vacate the pulpits Of the province.
A law had been ratified on the 9th
day of May, 1903. excellent in words,
but a goat in sleeps clothing. 1t
was a trap set to catch DisSenterS.