DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 DURHAM, N. C. 
 
 Form 934—20M-—7-35 
 
OF 
 
 NEW-ENGLAND, 
 ON THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE RULERS 
 OF THE 
 
 UNITED STATES. 
 
 | BY A LAYMAN. 
 
 _ Ye are departed out of the way—ye have caused many to 
 stumble—therefore have I made you contemptible and base before 
 all the people.” Matacut. 
 
 ———eD 31> GD => ee 
 - CONCORD, N. H- 
 
 PRINTED BY I. AND W. R. HILL. 
 i 1814. 
 
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 ‘PREFACE. — 
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 a +h 
 THE subject of the following Address, printed ori 
 Hamesuiae Pararor, having excited considerable attention, 
 induced to give it a more permanent ferm than that in which - 
 appeared. His object in this address was not to effect any : 
 party politics ; but to attract the attention of the Clergy to a sense of th 
 real interest, and to a course of conduct-comporting with the reli; 
 profess, and to the duty they owe-society. He has done this, by ex 
 the impropriety of their mingling with the factions ef the times, 
 impolicy and wickedness of reviling rulers. He has septied a ss 
 and positive injunctions of the Scrijtures on them, to “support, not F 
 the civil magisurates, whom God in his providence has placed in aut . 
 over them, The exposition of the duties of a christian pastor, dedu 
 zvom the explicit deciarations of Christ and his Apostles, wus oan ee 
 and certrasted with the proofs, neither few in number or trivial in eh -" 
 ier, of a-course of conduct deliberately afd systematically puted hae 
 - ny of the Clergy of New-England, directly the reverse ef that en 
 che New Testament. ar Bp 
 ‘Vhe conclusion resulting not merely from the reasoning of 
 but from the incontrovertible facts he adduced, was humilia ; 
 of men, who, not content with directing our ‘spiritual concern 
 the ghastly confessors of ether ages and countries, grasping ¥ 
 ble avidity at the control of our temporal affairs—-at the go 
 the present ag wellas future world. ‘This view of thei 
 exhibited by the Layman to expose them as a spectacle of 
 derision, but to induce them to return to their duty—that 
 moral aud religious instruction—a duty for whieh their o 
 ally instituted, and the performance of which can alone r 
 nently. useful and respectable. That no adequate motive might be: 
 to such a course of conduct, the Layman after peinting out their d 
 clergymen -procecded te Jay before them a view of their ii 
 proved that they had not only violated the sacred i ju 
 but were sacrificing their own ease and satety by attach 
 political party. ' Lhe 
 We have too much reason to believe it is the design of s 
 to procure fur themselves a religious establishment, im 
 people. An alliance between Church and State would 
 fruitful of mischief to both. The Layman has’ warr 
 tomer such a project; it can only be effected by 1 { 
 jigious freedom, and that ina country where above all o 
 highly prized. A country, in which the number andd 
 s° aries are not only numerous, but where all of them e 
 munities to a much greater degree than any natio’ 
 ave the doctrines and opinions in the following a 
 y sir behalf an elaborate answer has been 
 gether foreign from the subject. Theonly are 
 
 = 
 
PREFACE. if th 
 
 adduced by that writer, and which, from its frequent use and apparent suc- 
 cess With the uninformed, seemed deserving of any reply, has been noticed 
 “by the Layman in his last number. 
 
 There is another topic usual on such occasions, and’ which has been te- 
 sorted to on the present. Whenever the clergy are admonished ef their 
 faults, a hue and ery is raised through the land, ihst “ Religion is in dan- 
 ger—the ordinances of God are despised—and the holy things of the 
 church are profaned.” From the clamor thus raised against the Layman, 
 one who had not read his address would conclude he had declared hostilitw 
 against Christianity itself. But he has only attempted, and that in the spir- 
 itof friendship, to reclaim the clergy from intermeddling with degrading 
 contentions, about which they aretoo ignerant to decide, and with which 
 they have no concern. He thinks they ought to be confined to the strict 
 discharge of their clerical duties. When thus employed, he would least of 
 all men withhold from them their just share of respect and esteem. But 
 the moment they resign the sacred character —the moment they attempt to 
 fight the battles of party with the weapons of religion, he will regard them 
 
 is every honest man must regard them, with uo portion of that respect or 
 
 affection which the pastoral character sonaturalcy inspires. A clengyman 
 Preaching party politics, merits Jess attention than the meanest of his 
 heayers. Before hecan submit to become the toal of party, he must Imave 
 
 » lost much of the temper and of the feelings of a minister of the meck Re- 
 
 deemer.. If hewill wallow in the mire of fuctiovs apposition, he cannot 
 expect his cassock and band will protect him from the filth and slander 
 which he delights in handling. The Rowan CathdMeipyiests of the middie 
 ages often led their flocks to battle, and frequently, were! most forward in 
 deeds of blood and slaughter. The history of those martial prelaics is 
 worthy of the attention of our modern pulpit warriors. The, Bishep of 
 Beayais was taken prisoner in battle by Richard 1, king of England, (tim- 
 self an enemy to priests) and thrown into prison, loaded with irons. When 
 the Pope demanded his liberty, claiming him asa.sen of the church, the king 
 sent to His Holiness the ceat of mail which the bishop had worn inbattle, 
 and which was all besmeared with’ blood, with the words:of the sens of Ja- 
 cob to that patriarch, “This have we found ; knew now whether it be thy - 
 son’scoatorno?” It-Joes notappear that the Pope afterwards renewed his 
 demand for that worthy son of the Church. Have our Clergymep, in he 
 situation they have placed themselves, any right to expect na kg treatment? 
 If they are pierced through with many weunds, can they blame any one but 
 themselves ? : ee." y 
 
 I cannot omiton this occasion adding a quotation fiom Mr, Burne. If 
 the subject required great names.in its support, it would be difficult to se- 
 lect one from modern times more eminent. ‘ Politics)” says he, “and the 
 pulpit are terms that have little agreement. No scund ought to be iieard in 
 the.church but the healing voice of christiancharity. The cause of civil 
 liberty and: civil government gains little as that of religion by this confu- 
 sion of duties. Those who quit their proper character to assume what does 
 not belong to them, are, for the greater part, ignorant both of the charac- 
 ter they leave, and of the character they assume. Wholly unacquainted 
 with the World in which they are so fond of meddling, and inexperienced :n 
 all its affairs,on which they pronounce with so much confidence, they 
 have nothing of politics but the passions they excite. Surely, the church 
 is a place where one day’s truee ought to be allowed to the disseations and 
 animosities of mankind”. 
 
 But if the clergy should still pursue a course so contrary both to their 
 
 ‘duty and. interest, there remains. only one other remedy to be applied. If 
 
 P63596 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 reason and remonstrance prove unavailing, an cP es 
 motives. The clergy will be ' to feel 
 ee of their preposterous conduct. If 
 Pl 2 will eer sel nig bhi ee as 
 ‘this procedure alread mr 
 people Le their rights en this es aig 
 
 i 2 aml a te na 
 : eee hi ke of ey. cessions and promises 
 psn of New-England beware how they tax the 
 
 the people There is a point of suflerance beyon 
 not, and ought nottoendure, _ 
 
 " é 
 April 18, 1814, ud 
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: TO THE. : 
 CLERGY OF NEW-ENGLAND. 
 ; . NO. 4. 
 
 REVEREND GENTLEMEN, 
 
 DO not consider a Newspaper as the most proper me- 
 & dium for diseussing either the principles or the cere-. 
 monials of religion : I shall therefore in this address avoid, 
 as far as I ean with propriety, the investigation of either 
 the one or the ether. My designis to examine your con- 
 duct in relation to the civil government and the secial and 
 natural rights ef our eountry—to compare your reeent 
 practice with that of the clergy of 1775 and 17763 withr 
 that of your ewn in 4797, ’8 and ’9 ; and with the positive 
 injunctions of the religion of which you are tlie professed 
 teachers. As your rank and influence on society on the 
 one hand, demanda course marked with cander and frank- 
 ness, a respect to our injured country and to myself, equal- 
 ly require on the other, that, like a faithful witness; I 
 should tell the whole truth. And as a particular faver, I 
 request that you would with candor and deliberation con- 
 sider what I write, and not become-my enemy because I tell 
 you the trwilt. 
 
 ‘It is a fact that cannot be eontroverted, that a great ma- 
 jority of you for the last twelve years. have entered the 
 ranks of oppositien-against those whom tho nation elected 
 both to legislate and to administer their General Govern- 
 ment. And since that Government, which is the only tri- 
 -bunal to whom the people have intrusted the power of peace 
 and of war, has by the injustice ef Britain been compelled 
 to declare war in vindication of our essential rights, many 
 of you have often repeatedly and publicly declared the war 
 whjust and unnecessary, and that those who engage in it 
 are murderers. You have used every mean in your power 
 te prevent enlistments into the army and subscriptions to 
 loan money to supportit--and many of you, without eyi- 
 
 “ -P63596 
 
Mf _  iddress to the Clergy. , ; | 
 
 dence, have with unblushing effrontery deela 
 the Administration of our country was governed <l 
 foreign influence.—Some of you'from respect to your hear- 
 ers, or other causes, who haye not in your pulpits hus 
 eniy reviled your rulers, have not ont lage ected 
 pray for them, bat in private circles ma ids ‘currency to 
 valumoy, ani insinuated charges of such an evil. nature a- 
 gainst our rulers, as tended to impair and destroy the eonfi- 
 denee of the people in the Government: © * a0 
 After the commencement of the present war, numbers of 
 you applied by letters and memorials to “the Governor of 
 this State, requesting him to appoint a fast, that the people 
 might confess their sins to Gop, and beseech Tim + to re- 
 move the ealamity of war with which he was visiting us 
 as a punishment for our transgressions againsthim. But 
 whea the Governor issued the proclamation of the Presi- 
 dent of the United States, fora fast in August, what was 
 your conduct ? What spirit dig your prayers and sermons 
 communicate to your hearers ? Instead of confessin y your 
 transgressions, and those of your parishioners, very many 
 of you devoted your talents on that day in di ige 
 condemning our rulers, ascribing their public conduct to 
 wicked and disgraceful motives. You aecused them with | 
 having neither the fear of God or love of ‘country in their — 
 hearts—of being the servile tools and abjeet slaves of 
 Hrance. If your sole object fer that fast was to gain ai 
 opportunity to traduce and vilify the government, to | 
 teract and enfeeble its measures, you eeuld not in this sete ; 
 or Massachusetts, acted more in eoneert than very many of — 
 you did. I do not aecuse you all as guilty of these Rew as 
 tious practices ; I know there were a few hon ie 
 tions—clergymen who merit the grateful appro 
 their country and of posterity. But in a we aie 
 freedom of commerce and Sailor’s rights,” it was natural 
 have expeeted every elergyman, who was ‘animated with 
 lave of country, would have fervently prayed Gop te 
 our arms, teach our hands to fight and our 7 
 —that union might bind all our heartsin the mon ea 
 and a firm resolution to conquer, nerve every arm fe r 
 tory, Heis an enemy, or at mosta lukewarm | fp en 
 wavers in the cause of his country. He is'a ti nid 
 herd who deserts his sheep when the wolf appears 
 
Address to the Clergy. sd 
 
 a man ought not to be trusted. The Master, whom you 
 profess to serve, declared, and the truth of his declaration 
 is confirmed by the experience of ages, he that is not for us 
 is against. us. — ; 
 
 Vhe clergymen of New-England, your predecessors of 
 4775 and ’6, in the time of our revolutionary war, adopted 
 a manly course of conduct, direetly the reverse of yours. 
 Their time, their talents, both in public and private, were 
 directed to the cause of their country. They eordially 
 supported the measures of our government—they were the 
 active friends to the suffering soldiers, and inimical to none 
 but the enemies of their country. 
 
 T readily admit, that the state of the country previous 
 to the revolution created an interest to clergymen different 
 from yours. Episcopacy was then the established religion, 
 though all other sectaries were tolerated. Under our colo- 
 _ hial government, it seems te have been considered necessa- 
 ry that our governors, counsellors and judges should beleng 
 to Episcopal socicties. This circumstance aiarmed the 
 fearsur Congregational and Presbyterian elergymen ; but 
 the revolution, whilst it near:y extinguished Episcopacy in 
 New-England, gave great and increasing imporianes to the 
 tio other seets. Fortunately the interest of dissenting 
 elergymen and that of their ceuntry then united. 
 
 But in your times, you have had nothing to fear from 
 Episeopacy ; but much from numerous sectaries who per- 
 vade the country. Civil liberty was. not the only blessing 
 of the Revolution—ecelesiastical. freedom followed it. 
 Our Constitution has established perfect liberty to every 
 man, not only to worship Gon aecording to the dietates of 
 ___ his own conscience, but the right of paying or not paying 
 » for the support of religious teachers, as he may judge prop- 
 
 a state not pleasing to some of you—it left you dependent 
 on your own merits and the good will of the peoplegor sub- 
 sistence. To relieve yourselves from this state of uncer- 
 
 tain dependance, many of you have been anxious to obtain - 
 
 a religious establishmené—some by ogen, but more by cov- 
 ert means. In Massachusetts, some of you have publicly 
 
 avowed the object. The Panoplist of July 1812, contends ~ 
 for the establishment of a permanent tribunal with power to: 
 
 ordain and depose ministers, as they should judge proper— 
 
 ~~ 
 
 : er. ‘Vhis perfect law of liberty alarmed you—it left you in’ 
 
8 Address to the Clergy. 
 
 and in fact establish articles of faith an 
 have waa Republicans the Hie and decide i nd 
 equal liberty, and of course opposed to your claims 5 I y 
 many federalists your pretensiens have received ¢ un 
 nance: and is not this in fact the cause why you hav at. 
 tached yourselves to (hem as political part zans, and:rallied 
 round their standard in opposition te the governmet of” 
 your country ? Is this cause worthy of your eharacter? Is _— 
 it consonant with the spirit of that religion, which requires 
 you to be subject to evcry ordinance of the civil authority: 
 
 for conscience sake? 
 A LAYMAN, _ 
 Deeember 6, 1813. ' ' | Fea 
 
 NO. 2.. 
 
 REVEREND GENTLEMEN,. 
 
 HAVING in my former number shewn that your con=- 
 duct to the government of the United States is altogether” 
 at variance with that. of your predecessors of 1775 and ’6 3: 
 
 I. now proceed to compare it with your ewn conduct in 
 1797,’8 and 9. In doing this, I cannot pursue a cdurse® 
 more unexceptionable, or more conclusive, than hy eom- 
 paring and examining the writings and declarations ef some 
 of the most eminent of your profession in these two periods — 
 of time. I shal] confine myself principally te Dr. Osgood. 
 of Medford, and Dr. Parish of Byefield, both of Massachu- 
 setts. You:cannet accuse me of selecting men of feeble 
 intelleet——destitute of Jearning—-or men who had not the 
 means of information withia their power, They are men, 
 
 I believe, whom you, in generaj, consider as leaders__men” 
 whose sentiments you adopt, and whose conduct: aerent! 
 majority of you appreve. 
 
 I need not inform you that some portion of the ‘time 
 from 1797 te 1799 the United States was at war with — 
 France. It is not however my intention, at this time. to 
 discuss either the justiceor pelicy of that war; but re 
 sent the doctrines that your leaders then advoeated 
 you and the world may see how materially diffe 
 were from thedoctrines they have recently 1 inculea' 
 
Address to the Oleray. 9 
 
 ~ ‘In May 4798, Dr. Osgood, in behalf of the Convention, 
 
 f ¢ ongregational Ministers of Massachusetts, signed an 
 
 lap) 
 
 address to the President of the United States, in which 
 
 they say, ** We remember his [Christ’s] command to for- 
 give and Jove our most injurious enemies. But neither the 
 law of Christianity nor of reason requires us to prostrate 
 omeineional independence, freedom, prosperity and honor 
 at the feet of proud, insatiable oppresso’s. Such a prostra- 
 tien weuld be treason against that Being who gave us our 
 inestimable privileges, eivil and religious, asa sacred depos- 
 it to be defended and transmitted to posterity. It would be 
 eriminal unfaithfulness and treachery to our country, our 
 children and the whole human race. 
 ‘The intimate connexion ,between our ciyil and chris- 
 tian blessings is alone suffieiert-to justify the decided part 
 which the elergy of America haye uniformly taken in sup- 
 porting the constituted authorities and political interests of 
 their country.” bi ia RS We 
 Here we find the Doetar avewing the neeessity of defend- 
 ing the independence. freedom and even honor of the nation 
 -—that it would be eriminaltreachery not to transmit them 
 to posterity—and that, the clergy have been uniferm in sup- 
 
 porting the constiluted authoritics of theicountry And in — 
 
 by) er e twos 8 3 ace TO ed 5 
 his sermion of the 36% Nov, 475%, ne says, © 2 tink $6 By 
 
 duly to remind you that ef alt ow political blessings for. 
 
 which we ought on this day, to make our grateful acknowl- 
 
 edgements to the divine goodness, our federal government is. 
 the greatest, and in fact, the basis of thewhele?—(page | 
 46.) But in his sermon of April 8, 4840, he says, It is:. 
 
 known that the charaeter of the present national rulers and 
 the measures which they have adopted are disapproved, by the 
 great body of the clergy.”—(p. 8.) He isnot content vith 
 
 simply disapproving the measures of the constituted author-,. 
 
 ities of his’ country, but he reviles them, he traduces them, 
 
 aecuses them of crimes of the deepest dye. and exerts his 
 talents and influence not only to exeite in the people a spir- 
 
 it of distrust and contempt, but of disobedience to the ZOv- = 
 
 ernment of their own choice. 
 
 In his discourses he eondemns. all the measures of our, 
 
 a 
 
 own government, and not only opproves but applauds those 
 of our ayowed enemy...3n the sermon last mentioned, he- 
 
 says,“ Hadewr government afforded proper facility to the 
 
40 Address to the Clergy. 
 
 British to recover their dimeniaeil they would not | hee é 
 ed our frigate” [the Chesapeake. }—(p. 27-) 
 * Were she [Britain] destroyed, more than half ther 
 merce of the world would perish with her and ann 0 
 ileges and happiness would soon be buried in her stifle: 
 (p. 37.) But he thanks the Lerd--« thow hast poured eon” 
 tempt upon the wrath of man, upon the open hostility of 
 France and the secret covered grudge and malicé of the A-' 
 merican government, So everruling “the French deerees and 
 the Amerioan embargoes, devised ¢ on purpose. for the ruinof 
 Brilaia, as to render them subservient to the inerease of 
 her revenue and the extension of her commeree.”s--(p. 39.) 
 « Britain, says he, isa nation of more religion, Wide 
 good faith, generosity and beneficence than any other that 
 now is or ever has been onearth.” But he says “it grieved» 
 his soul with anguish to find so great a portion of his fellow- 
 citizens against ‘her, ve nam epg ang votes om . is 
 
 ths orsen them ie see only through the eyes ofa 
 s0N.”—(p. 9) | . ey oa 
 In his sermon of April 8, 4810, he says ‘The people c 
 the United States when they chose Jefferson fer their 
 ruler, I firmly believe sinned against heaven, in 2 ievo 
 and aggravated manner.—As a punishment, Almighty Ged — 
 has turned their councils into foolishness,”—(p. 20.) 
 Again he declares, ‘‘ That Mr. Jefferson and his 
 ministration have dissipated the wealth of the nation, de 
 stroyed its commeree—suffered his creatures pa nt i 
 Treasury—and with the heart of a Bei ratte 
 of the Constitution, refused to lay the British 
 the Senate.--(p. 45.) That the measures of 
 were “a most flagrant violation not of the fet al Const 
 tution only, but of the first principles whieh unite men a 
 society, and were a streleh of despotism unparalleled and 
 unccampled inthe history 6f the world: no cireumst: 
 attenling them, oceasioned to my mind more gloom: 
 hensions, than to see my fellow citizens so hambled 
 to asense of their civil rights, the rules of morality, 
 the laws of God, as to be eapabie of yicldingy4 P 
 one moment to such humble impositions.’ (Pr, 5 Ase. 
 
 lie 
 
 “ 
 
Address to the Clergy. 44 
 
 At - 
 
 Mr. Madison, he deelares, has enlisted himself amongst 
 the prime agents of Franee—(p. 24) and that our rulers 
 are the timid, mean, servile, abject, submissive, dependent 
 slaves of Bonaparic—(p. 26.) And speaking of the eity of 
 Washington where our principal Officers reside, he says, 
 “ Beings more malignant and infernal inhabit that eity now 
 than were those who dwelt in the eities ef Sodom and Go- 
 morrah of eld.’—--(p. 33.) 
 
 In his sermon of June 4812. he says, our government have 
 hardihood und effrontery at which Demons might blush, (p. 
 41) ‘‘ Conscious of their guilt and danger, but destitute 
 as fallen angels of any heart to repent, party spirit and rage 
 have se worked them up, that they have at length become 
 desperate, and in a fit of desperation declared war.”—(p. 14) 
 
 his war he says is an “* outrage against Heaven, against 
 all truth, honesty, justice, goodness—against all the princi- 
 ples of social happiness. It ean be accounted for on no oth- 
 er principle, but the imperceptible influence which worketh 
 in the children of disobedience, has been permitted to exert 
 ‘Im thehearts of dark minded, cool, deliberately wicked ru- 
 lers.”’---(p. 12.) : 
 
 “* Were not (says he) the authors of this war in eharae- 
 ter nearly akin to the Deists and Atheists of France; were 
 they not men of hardened hearts, seared consciences, repro- 
 bate minds, and desperate wickedness ; it seems utterly in- 
 conceivable that they should haye made the declaratien of 
 war.”---(p. 13.) 
 
 Again he says, “‘ Every man who volunteers his services 
 in sueh a war, [the war against Britain] or loans his money 
 for its support, or by his eenversation, his writings, or any 
 other mode of influence, encourages its presecution, that 
 man isan accomplice in the wickedness ; loads his con- 
 scienee_with the blaeckest erimes, brings the guilt of blood 
 upon his soul, and in the sight of God and his law is a Mur- 
 DERER---and no murderer hath elernal life.”---(p. 9.) 
 
 Not eontent with anathematizing our government and 
 dooming these whe obey its laws to efernal destruction, he 
 grossly misrepresents the sentiments and eharacter of the 
 eastern States. He says‘ In New-England the war de- 
 elared cannot be approved by any but here and there a fu- 
 nious party leader, afew ignorant deluded fanatics, and @ 
 handful of desperadves !?---(p. 15.) . solidi 
 
42 Address to the Clergy. 
 
 Ifow variant are such wanton charges from 
 
 that mild religion, which enjoins on its discip oa i 
 moderation be known to all men---and net to 
 men’s servants ? 
 
 December 43, 18415. 
 
 ——_— 
 
 NO. 3. 
 
 REVEREND GENTLEMEN; 
 I NOW proeeed te compare and examine Dr, Parigh’s dis 
 courses upon government and warin1799, with his publica. 
 tions of more recent dates, In his oration of the ath of Ju- 
 ly. 1799, he says,“ It is a time of day that requires eautious 
 Jealousy. Not jealousy ef your magistrates, for you have 
 given them your confidence, but ef those who slander thei: 
 administration. To be jealous of your rulers would be, a: 
 if a person were to choose a bride from all the ‘Deauties of 
 the world, and then instantly, without eause, be jealous of 
 heralone. Your publie characters are your OWN CHOICE. --- 
 Watch these ungrateful souls, who murmur about tasation 
 dnd oppre-sion, the burdens of government and religion. 
 They have fellowship with our enemies---they are traitors 
 to Godand christianity. Be jealous of those, who declaim 
 ‘against alien and sedition laws ; they probably, have . han- 
 kering for lying and rebellion themselves. nay ' 
 henest men, let the friends of God and hum 
 from their embrace every man, who trifles with 
 religion, ihe hope and salvation of the i ke 
 wenk minds with designs of government 3 sot 
 the most formidable means of defente. Ttwas the 
 which wave eourage to declare Inde, endence - Such 
 present stote of human nature, that nothing 
 can daria our Independenee. Never, never w! 
 acrimso dropin your hearts: will you ii fer an ar 
 to breathe your native air. “ Cursed be hethat 2 
 back his sword from blood ; let him that hat th none 
 coat and buy one. --The contest is desirable.” 
 Here this good doctor with the zeal of iieatbia 
 ously exhorts his fellow--itizens, torepose unbou 
 dence in their rulers, because they ced them 0 
 
iddress to the Clersy. 43 
 
 ous of those only who slander the administration ; to watch 
 nose who murmured against taxation, for they ave menin 
 ellowship with our enemies and traitors to God; to spura 
 from tkeir embrace these whe aecuse the government with 
 designs, and discourage the means of defence ; and urging 
 him that hath no sword to seli his coat and buy one. But 
 what was his language from 1840 to 1843 ef our rulers, 
 men elected by the free suifrages of a free people ? and 
 what his declarations of a war constitutionally declared by 
 these rulers? Let hisewn words answer the questions 2 
 but in reciting them I may tax both your patience and feci- 
 ings, if any feelings you have for the country he degrades. 
 . 4n his sermon of May 80, 1810, speaking of our national 
 rulers he .says, “* Uhe heralds of the geneval government 
 have passed through our towns ; like the messengers of Jeb, 
 each had a tale more affecting than his fellow. They have 
 passed along ; before them was the garden of Eden, a virtu- 
 ous people obedient to the laws, . Behind them is the desert 
 ef Sodom, violations of law, perjury and distress. . 'Verrifie 
 architects of ruin, can they exuit in their tremendous power 
 of annihilation 2”---(p. 48.) ‘i 
 _ He compares our rulers to Pharaoh and to Judas.---(p. 49.) 
 In his sermon of April 41, 1844, he says, Our government 
 have published false and treacherous preclamations---(p. 23.) 
 Speaking of Congress he says,“ Why did the majority of 
 eur Legislators perjure themselves, when they had sworn to - 
 Support the constitution? Why did they knowingly violate: 
 that artiele, which declares that no expest facto faw shall 
 be made ?”’---(p. 25.) 4 
 __ Me says our ** Vessels have been seized by an unconstilu-: 
 tional Jaw never published, Blush Algiers, blush ye Neros 
 of the world, Ye are outrivalled in the science of despotism. 
 This is the government, prating about impartiality and 
 equal justice to ail nations ; thisis the gevernment. which. 
 embargoes the produce ef your farms ; this isthe government, 
 which makes laws to punish honest deeds, performed long 
 before the law existed ; this is the government, which euts. 
 off all intereourse with the only nation, which protects your 
 property and lives ; this is the government, which harmon- 
 izes wii Devizs.”---(p..25 and 26.) spit 
 _ “ifwe come down tothe state governments, we find the 
 same intolerant, treacherous aad tyragnical temper.’”--- 
 @. 263 B WA e ate on ae 
 
Ad Address to the Clergy. 
 poe ll 
 
 5 Peat 
 Fn‘ his sermon of April 8, 1813, he says the ehief mag ; 
 trate Madison, «is the angel of wrath, dashing n the. dus 
 the richest comforts of the people, extinguishing the. spirit 
 of exertion, filling the land with devastatien and a = 
 He comparesthe President to the Devil,and says Congress 
 has ‘established. iniquity and murder by Jaw.’?--(p. 9.) 
 Speaking of the eonduct of our government he ays‘ Satan, 
 blushing.owns himself outdone in the work of | RF BNO s sere 
 -(p- 42) Our first magistrate is like alioness bereaved of her 
 whelps, frantic for blood. The President exhorts ¢* the eiti- 
 zens of Canada to perjure their souls and violate their oaths, 
 of allegiance.”’---(p. 23.) wea 
 He represents our rulers as the abject slaves of the, 
 ‘French emperor. In his sermon of May 30, 1810, speaking 
 of Napoleon he says, « Already our government is more cbe-, 
 dient, than his eonquered kings, his ruined vassals, Already 
 they have laid their country. on the funeral pile with. other 
 nations ; they have picrced the vitals ofits prosperity,as» ~ 
 a peaec offering to the baleful demon, ---(p. 21, 22.) All our, 
 calamities rise from the friendship of our govern nt to. 
 their haughty master..(p.24-) Had:they MG ire , 
 they sworn to destroy. their country, would they dare to . 
 perform -‘more than they. have ?-(p. 28.) os 
 As to the war, he.says.in his, sermon of July 42, 1842, 
 ‘<The wicked archieves of all the wicked governments from... 
 Macedonian’s madman tothe Swede, furnish ne paral el. oO. 
 this profligate measure.’’---(p- 24.) In his sermon of A-,, 
 
 man were utterly disdained. Vice threw off her 
 crimes were decked with the highest honors. . This w 
 enly tolerates crimes, but calls for them, demands 
 Crimes are the food of .its life, the arms ef its -streng 
 
 (p.44.)The late declaration of war will be recorded amo e. 
 
 wonders of history. ‘Lhe story of Herod destroying ail the _ 
 
 babes of Bethlehem, will give place to this more enermous 
 em 
 
 iniquity. The wickedness bearing the ,stron se st 
 nA that of our government is that of Nero.” 
 
 Not content with denouncing the war, he. een 
 gupporters to disgrace and ruin in this world an 
 
Addraae to the Clergy. 15 
 
 misery in the next. In his sermon of July 23, 4812 sie’ 
 s, If you commence the war, you uniderstandingly! a- 
 hat Bort you ur independence and your A iii a 12: m The 
 
 ‘present war is offensive on our part, Fivery person’ ‘slain. 
 
 isis einige is’ murdered, and ee blood oe on 4 1S? — 
 
 b hte) ae - ¢ Re as 
 : In ‘his sermon of April 8, 1813, he again says, Every 
 an who. falls in the war, by the sword or disease, 38 a 
 murdered man. ‘The legislator 3, who declared the war, 
 must answer at the bar of Almighty justice for every! 
 life which is sacrificed, for every tear of the widow; for ev- 
 ery sigh of the orphan. ‘Phe assailing army in sueh-a war 
 are so many legions of murderers. All the eitizens who 
 are in any sway, “active, are murderers. Ali those who pray: 
 for the success of such a war, mingle impiely with blood. 
 All the'people who approve of this: war, though they may 
 he by their fire sides, are murderers in their hearts.—p. 4, 
 Let every man who sanetions this avar by his suffrage or in- 
 fluence, remember that heis labering {0 cover himse! f with 
 bloed.—p. 23. How willthe supporiers of this Antichris-- 
 tian warfare endure their sentence, endure their own re- 
 flections, endure the fire that forever burns, the worm which 
 never dies, the hosannas of Fieaven, while the smoke of” 
 their torment ascends forever and ever 77). 2+. 
 
 ‘The officers of our army ave represented as the vilest of 
 miscreants. Ele says, “The generals of our forcés are 
 neither restrained by moral principle, nor ‘discouraged by 
 the wickedness of iheir enuse ; neither anxious whether 
 they earry havoc and roininto peaceable provinces, or sac- 
 vifice their own armies.—p. 40. The courage of our army” 
 is the fury of the assassin—if our army fall on the field, 
 
 they are like Ahab bleeding in the field of Naboth—they” ; 
 
 - are wolves falling in the fold of the shepherd.”__p. 22. 
 
 He grossly misrepresents facts. In his sermon of July” 
 
 25, 1812, speaking of our divisions uponthe question of war, - 
 he Says, ‘© The contest is between Christ and Antichrist, be- © 
 
 tween Almighty God and atheistic power’—p. 40—and in 
 these parts [New- -England] few are for Antichrist, perhaps» 
 one ina thousand.---p. 11. The general government ¢an- © 
 
 not. “provide any reasonable defence. hey ‘cannot © raise i 
 
 men; they eannot borrow money.”---p. 21,0 | a) 
 He endeayors to excitathie people of ae eastern States’ 
 
 to Febel,, to dissolve: the federal goverament, and dieheniber 
 
 ad 
 
 ' 
 
46 Address to the Clergy, 
 
 the Union. In bis sermon of July 23,4842, he says, Al 
 veads it is high time, that petitions and remons ral 2g) 
 shoald be Jaid aside. You have thrown away enoug 
 sending them to the Potomac, to form car + pa her 
 aces. Go and petition the grave to close an 
 mit no more of yeur dear friends.---p. 48, — "The a authors ors. 
 this war have not a fibre of sympathy wi Hine R eaten 8g 
 terest ; their course is dests nective to th i tp 
 attachments ingulph you in ruin. Will you the fe 
 yourselves completely in their power, by suffering thi 
 fare to proceed 2 Will you admit southern troops into. your 
 borders ?---p. 14. You have patiently, p, Cronpaaien one 
 feeling, and whining, and petitioning, and feebly, resisling, 
 will redress no-grievanees, will prevent no evils, will com-: 
 mand no attention, but scorn and derision, and aceumulated 
 insulis, and inereasing privations. Of these: you have al- 
 ready had enoagh to satisfy any man’s conseienee, Pause’ 
 then=consiler<eform your imamtable resolution—what is 
 the result 2—p. 45. Do what is infinitely easy 5 let there. 
 be no war in your terviteries, proclaim an honorablenentral- 
 ity. Let southers herees ficht their own battles. ‘Bise ain 
 the majesty of “your unconquerable strength, burst. these 
 cheins under which yeu have sullenly eth caailane temo et 
 long, long reign of demoeracy.---p..16. ts Siig i 
 
 -- Sond to the miserable people. of Turkeys bie he 
 bundittd of Funis anid giers, invite the. plat os tom 
 of those’ nations to.come and. study the science of ste i 
 New-England, "Chey have never endured su . anton, ae 
 prieious abuse ; such useless, inconsistent B spit +S Here} 
 veumay teach them something new in the. history of staves. ; 
 iste a6, 47. Protest did Lsay---protest? Forbid tus war to ° 
 proceed in Mew- Exgland.—p. 17. Vhe Puritans of» New- : 
 
 Mngland must nat, will not, cannot be dragged into this cx. - 
 eerable war.”’---p. 24, 
 
 Again he says, T hi is a war in obedience: taaeaneesits 
 not against Britain, « but really s delaration ofpwar against : 
 New-England. This nefarious declarationof war Is noth- 
 ing more-nor less, than a license given by @ Virginia: I 
 of a French emperor to’ the fngtish nation, ; 
 theni in legal form to destroy the prosperity: off New-Eng- 
 land. 'P hei is the grand design, and. chief expectation of . 
 the government.” In his sermon of the. 8thy April, 4813. 
 he'says, * Gou forbid that the sons of Ne v-England shouid j 
 
Address to the Clergy. 17. 
 
 edlist in the war of atheism against christianity 5 this war 
 ‘of vice against virtue; this war ef atheism agaiast the 
 ‘prince of peace. “This impious war plaees us. in ihe ranks | 
 ‘of Antichrist.---p 22. Donot, I beseech you, do not: move 
 a finger to promote this wi-ked war.”---p.2s. 
 ~ But not satisfied with charging our rulers with erimes, at 
 which demons ought to blush, he adds, the evils we suffer 
 roceed from our own government, and the blessings we en- 
 oy from our enemies. In his sermon of July 1812, he de- 
 ‘claves Our securily arises from the forbearance, clemency and 
 “magnanimity of the English, and net from our own gocern- 
 “ment ---p. 21. April 11, 4814, he says, ** All our ealamitics- 
 ‘rise from the friendship of our gevernment to their haugh- 
 ty master | Napoleen.}---p. 24. And Aprils, 1813, he adds, 
 © hough our government, not the people, rush forward 
 “with the torch of war biazing in their hands, the English — 
 “ave determined to give the contest every feature of mildness 
 ond humanity which the nature of the case will adiit.’--- 
 paae d - 
 ee pet you approve of these horrid doctrines which Mr. 
 ‘Parish inculeates ?---doctrines whose natural tendency is to 
 exeite a spirit of opposition and rebellion against: ie con- 
 ‘stituted authority of your eountry---to destroy our Uaion 
 and digselve its government. and preduce the worst ef evils, 
 civil war in our happy land?) Can such doetrines procecd 
 from Hr who is the Ged of order and not of confusion, 
 “and who requires his ebildren to be subject to the powere. 
 
 that be, for they are ordained of God? - sa 
 ne ALAYMAN.. 
 Deeember 20, 4813." nee 
 
 NO. 4.- 
 
 REVEREND GENTLEMEN, - 
 
 IT is necessary that I should now consider the positive 
 duties which the Christian religion enjoins upen its disciples, - 
 and particularly ifs teachers, towards the civil government 
 of the country inewhich they reside. and compare those du- 
 ties with your conduct. Toascertain those duties is not a 
 
 » difficult task. Ta discover them, it is not neeessary to study 
 ’ the fathers, consult the records ef councils ancient. or mod- 
 
is tddress to the Clergyn ° 
 
 crn, or aequite a knowledge of Hebrew om Greeks 
 is vequisile is (o oper your Bibles---there they aree 
 in language so plain, that ke that runs may read, and if’ 
 vlinded by prejudice may clearly understand them. — 9 my 
 
 JESUS Cnrrist, when on-ear thy was accused by hi ) 
 mies of setting himself upas aking, and aspiring te the — 
 throne of the Caesars. He was indeed Oh ee 
 discliimed that litle ; but he was not an earthly, but _spirit-- 
 al king. He most esnlicitly declared, + My kingdom is net. 
 of thisworld. If any kingdom were of «bis world, then 
 weuld my servants fight, that I should not be delivered unto | 
 the Jew~, but now is my kingdem net from henee.”---Joha. 
 xviii. 36, His practice. unlike some of his professed disei-» 
 ples, strictly and literally corresponded with his profession : 
 hesee when the Roman government, whieh then extended ~ 
 over Judea, demanded taxes, he not only enjoined it upon ~ 
 his lise iples to+ Render uvto Cesar the things that are Ce- 
 s2t?s,”sbat wrought miracle to obtain money to pay ‘his 
 own tribute. Matt. XVii, 24---27 3 xxii. 24. His first dis 
 « iples, Itke the mass ef their countrymeny believed that the — 
 Messiah was to be a temporal prince and deliverer 5 but he- 
 soon (aught them that his mission into-this world was not 
 to give them power asd place here, but to prepare them, by — 
 their faith, their geod werks and sufferings in this, gp waa 
 nother and belter world—and that the i ann e-em 
 jare were not carnal but spiritual. os Fat gape om fe 
 ‘The great duty which he and his inspired Apostles ine 
 
 evleated upon Christians, was te consider this world 3 
 
 their home---that they were travellers and sojourner iw 
 noni country er city whose founder and builder was God 
 ---and that in relationto. civil governmentthey were bound ~ 
 to yield obedience to it, as rulers were established iby Gov 
 jn his Providence to protect, defend asd” secure’ the civil | 
 rights of man. Hence Paul says, ‘* Let every sou ssub- 
 jeet unto the higher powers, for there is no power i 
 God: the powers that be are ordained of God. “Whoseever ? 
 therefore resisleth the power resisteth the ordinanee of Godly») 
 
 and they that resist shal! receive to themselves) damnation——" 
 Tor rulers are not aferrer to good works, but te dhe! évilws 
 
 Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do-that whichis” 
 geod and thon-shalt have praise of the same, for he isthe 
 minister of Geo to thee fur good. But if thoardo that», 
 which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not: tho sword in yains | 
 
 Addvess tothe Clergy. 49 
 
 forhe is the minister of Gop, arevenger te exceute wrath 
 upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs’ be 
 subject, not only for wrath, but also for eonseience sake : for 
 this eause pay ye tribute also, for they are Gon’s ‘minis- 
 ters attending continually upon this very thing: reader to 
 
 all their dnes, tribute to whom tribute is due, eusium to: 
 
 whom custom, fear to whem fear, honor te whom honor.” 
 —Rom. xiii. 4—7. And when writing te Titus one of the 
 
 preachers, giving him instructions what doctrines to teach 
 
 the people, he particularly directs him to “ Put them in 
 niind (oe be subjeet to principalities and powers, to obey 
 magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil 
 of no man,” Vit, iii, 4--2 Lada ; 
 
 Peter enforces the same wholesome doctrine, ¢ Submit 
 
 yourselves (stys he) to every ordinance of man for the — 
 Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto 
 
 governor’, as unto them that are sent by himfor the pun- 
 ishment of evil doers, and fer the praise of them that do 
 well, for so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may 
 put to silence the ignorance of feolish men,”—4st Peas 43 
 15. ; 
 
 ‘How very different is this doctrine af the Bible from that: 
 ef your ptesent leaders,Messrs. Osgood and Parish, as recit-' 
 
 ed in the two preceding numbers! ‘The one inculeates  o- 
 bedience and submission ; the other exhorts to opposition, 
 to insurrection and rebellion to the civil government Of the 
 country. Thereis.also another remarkable difference in 
 the two eases that ought not to be emitted. At the time 
 
 when Christ and his Apostles exhorted the Christian Jews. 
 
 to respeet and obey the civil rulers of their eountry, they 
 were then not only under the goverament of a foreign but 
 am arbitrary and tyrannical despet. When Paul wrote, Nero 
 the -vilest Roman Emperor that ever disgraced ihe purple, 
 
 ruled over Judea, and was the open, avowed and bitterjen- 
 
 emy ef the Christian religion: But now, insteadef foreign- - 
 
 ers, imposed by a foreign court, bearing rale in our happy 
 
 land, our rulers owe their elevation to the free suffrages of ° 
 
 4 
 
 the-great mass of our people, elected for shert periods, an- - 
 swerable to the people for their conduct, and ‘subject them-.” 
 selves ja comnien with their fellow citizens to the good & the-. 
 
 evil effects of their official measures.. If Paul was in duty: 
 
 bound to exhort his fellow Christians to obey even a Nuro, 
 beeanse he was a magistrate, how can you answer at toyour - 
 
20 Address to the Clergy. 
 
 God, to your conscience, or to your country, to spend yo 
 time and talents in exciting your people,not only to distri 
 but to acts of insurrection and rebellioa against a freee 
 tive government / " ry Pray 
 
 ‘Nhe Bible not oniy teaches obedience to government, but 
 it denounees those whe revile and resist ruiers. It says; 
 ‘* Thou shalt not revile the judges, nor eurse the ruler of 
 thy people.”"—Deut, xxiii, 2—5. And when Paul was 
 brought before Ananias the high priest (who liad a’ portion 
 of civil power) he ordered men to strike Paul on the mouth. 
 ‘s Paul said te him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall, 
 for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and eommandest 
 me tobe smitten contrary tolaw?? But when Paul was 
 asked if he reviled God's high priest, what was his answer? 
 —fid he justify such language to'a ruler? No—his only 
 excuse was that he did not know that he was the high priest. 
 <¢ T wist not, says he, brethren, that he was the high priest, 
 for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the rulers of 
 thy people.”—Acts xxiii, 2—5, he exeuse of ignorance 
 you cannot make—you know your rulers,yet yet revile them, 
 you slander them in language so coarse and yulgar as to dis- 
 grace not only the christian but the gentleman. — 
 
 In the Apostie’s days there were men who seem to lave 
 pursued a similar course against the government of their 
 country that you have against ours. Hear the Apostie’s 
 rebuke to them, and decide for yourselves how far itis ap- 
 plicable to your ease. Peter says, * Presumptuous are they, 
 self willed, they are not afraid to speak evit of dignities: 
 whereas Angels which are greater in power and might - 
 bring not a railing accusation against them before the Lord; 
 but these as natural brute beasts, madeto be taken and de- 
 stroyed,speak evil of things they understand nol,& shall u(ter- 
 ly per-sh in their own destruction.—24 Pet. ii. 10--42. Jude 
 says, ‘‘ These filihy dreamers despise the flesh, déspise “do- 
 minion,-and speak evil off dignities. yet Michael the areh- 
 angel when contenting with the Devil ‘about the body of 
 Moses, durst not bring a railing accusation, but said the 
 Lord will rebuke thee, but these speak evil of “those things: 
 which they kiow nol.?_Jnde 8—10. oe eae 
 
 You appear to have adopted the same course asainst the 
 gevernment of your ecuntry, which certain Jews did against 
 the prophet (Jer. xviii, 28) fo smite wit thé tongue. ~ But- 
 remember, I beseech you. ihatilie tongue isa world of “in- 
 iquity—an unruly member and fuil of deadly poison.— 
 
Address te the Clergy. Zt 
 
 James iii. 5—8 The sin of the tongue was one of the evils 
 that David was anxious to aveid. And should you survive 
 the spirit. of party feelings, and those party feelings that 
 now govern you, it will then afford you little real satisfae- 
 tion to refleet that your sermons have weakened our govern- 
 ment, injured our country and given aidand countenance to 
 theirenemies. Some of your sermons have been re-pub- 
 lished with applause in Canada in their gazettes. 
 
 ~-He who dees zot possess the amor patrie i is a cold bleod- 
 ed man. and cannot be esteemed yirtucus. It was the ex- 
 elamation of an ancient Jewish patriot respecting his eoun- 
 try—“if I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right band for- 
 get its eunning---If I donot remember thee, let my tongue. 
 eleave to the reof of my mouth, if I prefer net Jerusalem 
 oo my chied j joy.’’---Psalias cxxxvii. 5---6. 
 
 A LAYMAN. 
 - December a7 » 1843. 
 
 NO. 5. 
 
 ) REVEREND GENTLEMEN, 
 oi HEAR many of yon often and loudly adibrplaslaaes of 
 the joss of your influence and want of patronage. ‘Phese. 
 privations you attribute te the prevalence of view and irre- 
 Tigien in the people ; and uot to your own demerits. Jt is 
 natural for man to excu! ipate himself; but he ought never 
 to atiempt that to the injury or at the expence. of others. 
 i think yeu, may impute yeur loss of influence and want of 
 patronage mere to your ewn improper conduct, than io the 
 wickedness of the people. 
 _/ Wf your conduct was prudent and in conformity to the in-. 
 junctions of the region you profess, you could have no 
 _eause, in this ecunt try, to counplain that you had vot a due 
 »share of influence ia society. There is,perhaps,no order of 
 _men that possess equal means of influence with you. The 
 very duties of your profession.and yeur relative situations im 
 life, have a natural tendency to xequire and preserve a great 
 influence over your fellow men. The nature of your office 
 mecessarily connects you with the pe eple, in the most im- 
 sportant conceras of. human life. In infuney, you adminis- 
 ter-the ordinance of baptisma---in more mature life you eel- 
 
2A Address fo the Cle 5 Ma on. + AY See aban 
 
 ebrate the nuptial rights---have bie access te 01 
 in theheurs of sickness and of death---pi 
 
 ral obsequies---and in every stage of our 
 come to us in the important chavaeter of aml 
 Christ, and excite our hopes and alarm our fearsin 
 to the future “and eternal world. | “And to ender 
 
 during your ministry, which exempt eo most 
 disputes and controversies that usually attend men fb 
 ness.) ‘Thus cireumstanceed, if your lives were as. 
 ‘and your condact as prudent as your office requ 
 could prevent your having as much influence upon 
 as you ought to have? ME AL att + Aga 
 ‘But if it was your object, to dry up sac 
 
 influence, what course more fata ‘Uy eertain eould | you 
 dopt, than to enlist yourselves as political. partisans, a 
 
 with unblushing effrontery accuse our rulers with | 
 
 more cruel than Herod---more. eee SN 
 asharmonizing with Drvis! When yeu adyanee auch — 
 charges against the men of our choice, so repugnant to 
 doctrines of Christianity, so variant to the opinio 
 grating to the feeltngs of many of your pavishion 
 you rationally expeet to maintain your influe 
 Sach a course of eonduet instead of coneiliating is 
 ings and if pertinaciously persisted in, may lead th 
 treat you with coldness, with negleet and “even ; te 
 And let me request you seriously to consider, if 
 not danger that some of your people may be thus inse 
 led 10 transfer their contempt of yeu to the relig O 
 profess, and so that sacred catse be wountted in fl e | 
 its professed | friends? The people selected boas 
 patel guides and instructors, not as: is. i} i 
 
 feet your airs ? ahs you patton id peel that 
 long continue to support (hose who vilify the very. men 0° B 
 whom they have committed the administration of their ' 
 valuable government ? Do you believe that men» whe eon.» 
 sider the present war just and necessary, will sala ‘ies to is 
 support ministers who denounce them as murderers whoape 
 prove of the war, though only at their fire sides? » Will 
 men hive yeu to wound their feelings, eye their friends. © 
 sates «(vt Bo beyeh eg eee 
 
Address to the Clergy. 23 
 
 SP Ee ft: + ASS e 4 Se Ey = ee ie geis 
 
 and aid their enemies and those of their country, by your 
 
 sditious discourses? Ne, Christian charity, though it 
 
 may sufferlong, has its limits. Duty and interest seem 
 therefore alike to require of you a different proceedure. 
 
 Permit me to mention other considerations that ought to 
 dissuade you from speaking evil ef the rulers of your peo- 
 ple. You are by custom, though not by law, exempted 
 from eomributing to the support of government. You pay 
 no part of the monies that are raised for either State, 
 county, town, school or highway taxes ; yet you enjoy in, 
 cormmon with other people all the benefits. resulting from 
 them. A common share ef modesty ought to restrain men 
 thus favored frem bringing railing accusatious against that 
 gevernment,which exempts them from its burthens, whilst 
 it allows them to enjoy its privileges. 
 
 Many, very many of you, and particularly these who live 
 in’ country towns, are not renrarkably well qualified to judge 
 correetly of political men and their measures. The great 
 object of your studies when you were in academies and at | 
 college, was to aequire some knowledge of Hebrew, Greek 
 and Latin. The most you obtained, and some of youretain 
 very little of that, was the knowledge of words, aud not the 
 knowledge that those Hebrews, Greeks and Latins had of 
 things. The study of mere words is a study not ealculated 
 to extend the ideas or enlarge the views of the scholar. 
 By the time yeur collegiate education thus closed, a very 
 
 _great proportien of you expended al] the property you had, 
 or your parents eould with prepriety advance you. To ae- 
 quire subsistenee was your next consideration, aud after per- 
 forming for afew mouths the part of a pedagogue and 
 reading with a clergyman, you commenced preachers your- 
 selyes. Cautious and reserved in your manners, your pres- 
 ence imposes a resiraint upon the coinpany, so that yeu sel- 
 dom mingle with the world. The world cannet be read in 
 boeks---a thorough knowledge of it can be obtained only by 
 a thorough acquaintance with itself. Thus circumstanced 
 yew are not only excluded from the real knowledge of the 
 world ; buteven your books are fcrw in number, and those 
 few almost altogether confined to divinity, Yeu read lit- 
 tle in history, still less in civil polity---and most ofthe. in- 
 formation you obtain of the proceedings of the government 
 of your country is from seme one newspaper, whose eol- 
 uuins are devoted to oppesilien. Some years since the Bos- 
 
24 Address to the Clergy. 
 
 ton Palladium, an ‘opposition paper, was sent to 
 pa Ts gratis. This is not an e SABperoned stateme t-—i 
 true portrait, faithfully sketehed from the real ‘life. Un: 
 der such circumstances, I ask you is SAM oe is it t prudent 
 for you to judge and condemn the rub 
 But you have done it, and that without Heed ‘did “pat 5 
 whom you condemn. — Is not this judging Be tag } 
 ter before you hear it? 
 
 In the whole course of this — 
 deviated from the duties of the ar ‘iio, He ins 
 of devoting al your time and talents, as you onght, to the 
 care of'souls, have become political partisans, al used car- 
 nal instead of spiritual weapons--- en oe of ehureh and 
 state, is an unnatural and antichristian connection ; it ean 
 only rerder ‘‘ good christains bad aaa men, and convert 
 political knaves into pretended christians ” "The ehristian 
 religion is not allied to the powers of ‘earth---its kingdom 
 is not of this world--.it seeks not for state a z 
 sé Its hoses, its powers, and its pretentions are of = 
 world.” But your anxiety to obtain this alliance, affords 
 muchevidenee of your attachment to wo y riches and 
 honors, and too little reliance on the rewa) sof another 
 life---and has izduced many to fear that there are 
 men who adopt preaching as a trade to obtain “money. It 
 is net for me to decide whether these fears are ell ¢ groun- 
 ded ; your own eonseiences can furuish the ans er fe Fetes i: 
 
 _ You may aceuse me with being the enemy | the ehurch ; 
 but the acousation is groundless. Railing is not reasoning, 
 and calling hard-names is not proof--they area mean 
 dress to the meanest passions of the luman heart. * 
 not to you or your professions that I am opposed---’tis y 
 aberrations from the duties of that Professio,of vhich I cc 
 plain. These I consider as alike fatal te genuine 
 and the political rights ef my country, A 
 them boti, too many, L fear, of our fellow 
 claim, Our teachers huve pauped us to err Prom the right 
 
 way, . titties, YG, DS G 
 a Sis . ALAYMAN. 
 : Bee. 29, 184%. cee 5) ly af ne eos 
 
 0 Mele SS) Bete 
 
 yeqat i 
 
 ; § REY Fra th " es ae 
 in oR i HEY f .# ee Gens ae 
 
 " Ter ites Th? oil 
 oe re 
 
Address to the Clergy. : 25 
 sey) Fle i Ray, NO. 6. { 
 
 REVEREND GENTLEMEN, xb si 5 
 
 I SHOULD not at this time have resumed my pen, had 
 not a writer recently published a series of numbers in your 
 Jefence, and written professedly in reply to my addresses. 
 Almost all that writer has advanced is foreign to the sub- 
 ect, and contains no answer to the serious eharges I ex- 
 hibited against you of opposing and reviling our rulers, but 
 leaves in full force and unanswered the plenary evidence I 
 then adduced in support of those charges. His doctrine 
 and statements upen the British orders in Council, impress- 
 ment of seamen, and the right of expatriation, are of this 
 sind. If that writer’s doctrines on these subjects were le- 
 yal, and his statements founded in fact, which is not the 
 vase, still they cannot justify you in opposing and reviling 
 the rulers of our country, and in palliating and vindicating 
 ne wrongs of our enemy. 
 
 But that writer attempts to vindicate you on the au- 
 hority of scripture. He sayssome of the ancient prophets 
 leneunced and condemned the Israelitish rulers: and the 
 nferenee he draws from that fact is, that you are justified 
 n your opposition to theralers of our nation. This argu- 
 nent merits yourserious attention. The first question is, 
 ire the eases analagous ? for if they are net, the argument 
 fords you no justification. I have no hesitation in saying 
 hat the Israelitish government and their prophets are in 
 very respect dissimilar to the government of the Unit- 
 «States, and the American christian clergy. The gov- 
 rnment of the Israe lites wasa theocracy---their laws were 
 nade by Gov himself ; but the government of the United 
 states is republican, and rulers elected by the peeple make 
 urilaws. Thereis therefore no analogy between the two. 
 sovernments. The Israelitish prophets were divinely in- 
 pired by Gon, and expressly commanded by umm, at cer- 
 ain times andon particular occasions to denounce the wiek- 
 dness and tyranny of particular rulers. But you are not 
 ropheks---you are not endowed with divine inspiration. 
 Vone but furious fanaties ‘and wild enthusiasts. and but 
 ven few of them, now pretend to that immediate and infal- 
 iable inspiration that the ancient prophets possessed, The 
 ay of inspiration terminated with the completion of the 
 acred books. There is therefore no analogy between you 
 
a6 Address to the Clergy. 
 
 and the prophets of Isracl, And until you’ « your — 
 claim to be prophets, endowed with immediate inspiration — 
 fvom Gop, and possessed of supernatural’ knowledge ike — 
 
 those ancient prophets of Israel, you cannet justify your 
 conduct by citing theirs. As well might a private citizen 
 assume the right to make and execute laws, or a private 
 soldier to exercise the authority of a commander in chief, as 
 for you to justify yourselves by the eonduct of ancient — 
 prophets whose character and authority you never either 
 elaimed or possessed. | + 1 Pe aes: 
 Reasoning from analogy is often ineconelusive and unsafe; _ 
 Dut to consider cases as analagous that are not se, necessari- ‘ 
 Jy leads to gross and fatal errors. Permit me to illus- 
 trate this position by a strong example. The most emi- — 
 nent prophets in Israel were raised up for temporal princes — 
 and temporal deliverers—such were Messe, Joshua, Samuel — 
 and ethers. From this fatal source of reasoning from anal- 
 ogy, the Jews were induced to expeet the Messiah weuld be © 
 Like unio Moses and their other great prophets, a zemporal — 
 deliverer. Wenee when the Messiah appearcd,and declared , 
 his kingdom was not of this world, the Sews not only deni-’ 
 ed hisauthority, and rejected his doctrine, but condemned | 
 and erucified him/as a malefactor. : hapdas Kotha bs 
 ‘The new testament gives no intimation that Christ or ‘his 
 inspired apostles ever censured or condemned, mueh less re- | 
 viled, any person whom tirey knew to bea eivil ruler inthe 
 country in which they lived. Though their nation ‘was 
 then subject to a foreign, arbitrary and despotic gov 
 ment, yet. iastead of reviling these rulers, they never inter-' 
 fered with their conecrns,further than tosubmit themselves, — 
 and to enjoin obedience upon their followers, to the powers’ 
 that existed. ‘hey did not enquire whether the Ruler ‘was’ 
 such de jure—--if he was so de facto, they considered him en- 
 titled to obedience and respect. They did not ‘consider it 
 their businessto regulate or control the eivil government 
 of this world. You surely cannot be at a loss for the rea- 
 son of their conduct on this occasion. It proceeded from 
 the very nature of their religion---a religion the vital 
 principle of which was to qualify men, not of ‘one Bation, 
 
 ene 
 
 ae 
 
 but of all countries, for ‘another but unclanging’ world. | 
 Hence,the weapens of their warfare were ‘not earnal, "but — 
 spiritual. ; en: , 
 » But how different from this has been your conduct for 
 
Address to the Clergy. 27 
 
 ~ 
 
 several years past ? With what zeal and anxiety have you 
 
 »labored with political partisans? Ani what a spirit of op- 
 
 pub, 
 
 position and contempt have you instilled inte the minds of 
 
 -teo many of your people against our Rulers, your own 
 
 eonseiences as well as thousands of yourhearers caa testify. 
 is. this conduct congenial with the religion of Christ ? Is it 
 
 imitating Sisexample, or that of the apostles? [las not 
 - your conduct a direct and powerful tendeney to injure the 
 eause of religion, and eventually todestroy your usefulness 
 
 as religious instructors ? You were selected by your eon- 
 gregations for the purpose of preaching religion,not polities: 
 the latter is foreign from your business,& reviling & abusing 
 your rulers still more so, Ifa preacher should devote a 
 portion of his prayers and sermons to teaching the sciences, 
 mathkematies, the mechanical arts, commeree and agricul- 
 ture, would he answer the end for which he was ordained 
 a teacher ? And yet those subjects are more congenial with 
 religion, andless dangerous to the peace of society, than 
 reviling civil rulers. Paul considered the duties of ajchris- 
 tian teacher so numerous and so highly importaat, that he 
 enjeined ‘Timothy to * give himself wHotty to them.” 
 Haye those duties become less in number and importance, 
 than they were in Timothy’s time, so as to enable you te 
 divide your time and attention betwixt religion and politics? 
 You will not, I presume, pretend that your talents and in- 
 formation so far exceed his, that you have sufficient 
 lime to serve two masters, Gop and mammon. You pro- 
 fess. great respect for the New Testament---you consider it 
 as aperfect rule for your faith and practice; but does it 
 contain one political discourse ? 
 
 If you disregard the fricndly admonitions ef a layman, 
 read and consider the opinion of one of your own profession, 
 a British clergyman. “ Preaching,” says he, ‘* should not 
 be made an engine for furthering the parposes ef the fae- 
 tion of the day. Nothing can be more injurious to the true 
 interests of the church than to mingle its name with 
 the poijifical fecling of theday, and te lend its authority 
 
 to any purpose of individual ambition. Ifit is done by ene 
 
 party in politics, it will soon be imitated by another ; we 
 
 ‘shall then become a mere tool te answer the purposes of 
 
 » twoopposite factions ; and the dearest interests of mankind 
 
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