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JONATHAN'S nEMAliJS:^
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UPON THE
CONTROVERSY,
*
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EXISTINO AMONG
TWSi ©l,mm©T ©3« ©AITAIDAi
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PRINTED BY MOWER & HAGANT.
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182a
1 1 1
■is:
.ill
Hll
1'
III
controvei
argumeni
Ministers
as an uni
otism, ci
two large
at open
vitupera
dents of
adherent
the Can
devise nn
of the C
vineyarc
dering n
to obtah
From
existenc
upon th(
by the c
strongly
New E
Ministe]
prime c
they "
we attri
the cxa
lering
LETTER, &c,
Sir, — I have perused the documents which you sent me ; the
controversy " now agitated" among you, forms an insuperable
argument against all alliance of Church and state, which the
Ministers who have signed the Pastoral I^etter correctly designate
as an unnatural and odious union, equally destructive of '* patri-
otism, civil and religious liberty, piety and morals." Here are
two large bodies of people, by courtesy, denominated Christians,
at open warfare, filling both the Canadas with their noise and
vituperation, and for what objects ? Here all the official depen-
dents of the English Hierarchy are arrayed against all the licensed
adherents of the Kirk — and for what purposes ? To enlighten
the Canadian darkness ; to strengthen the Protestant cause ; to
devise means for the progress of the truth — to extend the triumphs
of the Cross — to augment the number of labourers in the Lord's
vineyard, and to gather into the Redeemer's sheep-fold, the wan-
dering multitudes who have strayed from God ? — Not at all — but
to obtain a portion of the public spoil.
From the confession of both the parties, it appears? that their
existence depends, not upon Christ the head of the Church, but
upon the patronage of the Government — this principle is admitted
by the ecclesiastical chart, and still higher authority, and morq
strongly affirmed in the Pastoral Letter. Now we Puritans in
New England cannot comprehend this doctrine, and beg your
Ministers not to betray their ignorance by asserting, that " the
prime cause of the prosperity of the United States" is, because
they *'make a provision for churches." We assure them, that
we attribute all our " superiority" under the divine blessing to
the exact reverse ; to the impossibility of our Government inter-
fering in religious matters, an(^ -.ve have no doubt, that had a
n:
4
etnlc church ever been set up among us, we shoulJ have been
just as ignorant and vicious as all oiher fettered and hoodwinked
people. To unprt^jadiced pci'sons, yonr whde controversy ap-
pears founded upon direct injustice ; for in our judgment, the
public properly cannot equitably be appropriated to any one or
rtt'o or ten religious sects, because it alienates the general poss-
ession upon the principle of favouritism. All churches when
allied with the State, have for their corner stones, as one of your
English authors observes ^^persecution, plunder^ perfidy, and
iisurpaiion over conscience.''^ Of the immeasurable tracts of un-
cultivated land belonging to our Union, all the Governments com-
bined cannot make a donation of one acre for merely religious
purposes, so that our example must be ignoranlly pleaded to justify
your selfish janglings.
The report of the House of Assembly of Upper-Canada places
Dr. Slrachan in a very unfavorable aspect, and his speech is a
most impotent effort to exonerate himself from the censures which
he has so justly merited ; an undeniable evidence of the absurdity
and wickedness of all attempts to coalesce the church and the
world ; and a melancholy demonstration of the wretchedness at-
tached to that change of religious profession, which is produced
by the attractions of worldly honor and emolument.
The letter of the Bishop of Quebec is an evident proof of the
absolute impossibility to reconcile the convictions of truth and
righteousness with the claims of carnal policy — he strives not to
wound his conscience, hut is obliged to gratify Ins clamorous and
h'mgry expectant subordinates ; what therefore no man can do,,
it is not wonderful, he should have failed to achieve. The Pas-
toral Letter from the clergy of the Church of Scotland is a mass
of inconsistency, mischief and worldly niindedness. Those eleven
Ministers talk of " the high desert and real excellence of their
sister establishment." Is it not downright mummery for a fol-
lower of John Knox to warble the praises of a prelatical church ?
such time serving in days by gone, would have deposed them»
Compare this mawkish euio«-y with the sabsequent account of the
5
merits of Uie Chm'ch of Krijlmd. Behides when f)i«l ilie English
Church ever acknonlcdgo this new f mgl.M! sisterhood ? will {U'^y
receive a Preshyl-jriim minister until he has disavowed the con-
fesbion of faith, and his prior ordination — and sworn to the Ar-
ticles, Canons, Honiihas, Liturgy, ^c. an ojth which no man in
his senses could possildy take, were it not uiilded over by " Lein-
poral considcration.s," as these. Scoteh worthies afiirm, " a coni-
forfahlt! living oi' three hundred poundu per annum," with no sniaii
additional " jjlunder"' .' Who told them, " that it is (he (hity of
a Chri.sti.ui fctate to support ChiMstianity'' ? Not the Gosprd ; lor
it denies this baneful doctrine. Does lh;t Chrijti.ui state, (jreat
Britain, support the same religion in Enghnd, Scotland, Hanover,
Malta, Ilindostan, Canada, tlie West Indies, and at the Cape of
Good Hope ? *' We wonder that a f ict so obvious, sliould not
have forced itself upon their attention." But they have sheltered
themselves from this heresy, (for all state religions are ih.c quin-
tessence of Romish abojnination) under the authority of Paley,
who was a notorious Socinian ; and who although lie disavowed
all the fundamental doctrines of the Gospal, maintained that a man
mi^ht subscribe and swear, as he himself did some ten times, th.it
he beheved what he denied, and was moved by ihe iJoly ("<I.o.sL
to preach that which he decried as absurd raid fanatical. He ob-
tained for his dissimulation, "• a fixed and permanent provision,"
which, according to all your disputants, is ihe only thing lor
which Religion is at all estimable.
The Ministers say, that the early English Reformers displ;, /ed
one of the worst features of Popery, viz : intolerance and perse-
cution. But did the kirk never exact the same ? What else
means this act of the General Assembly passed in September, Id-lT,
and which has never been rescinded. " The General Assembly
considering how the errors of independency and separation, have in
our neighbour kingdom of England spread as a gangrene, and how
possible it is for the same evils to overspread this Kirk and king-
dom. Do therelbrc in the name of God ! inhibit and discharge all
laembcrs of this Kirk and Kingdom, to converse with persons
• !.
1
li\i\ie\ witlj surh errors, or to import, sull, or vend such erro-
nc'ovsi books and paper" — but that they beware of and abstain from
book?; jhuinttiining Independency, S:c.
'• TIji')' li'CorniiM nd to Ministers on the sea coast, and in towns
whuro jsiationers are, to watch, and report to their Picsb^teriea
i( any books shall be fouiul, that some course may be taken to
liuiiicr the dii^Jicrsion thereof. And hereby all Presbyteries and
Synods are oidained to icy and process (prosecute) such as shall
trausgreiss a;i;<iinst the premises or any part thereof. Jlnd the As-
sein'jlij ali.o doth seriously recommend to civil Mctgi:itratcs to assist
Minister^ and Pr^ahytcries in the rxecutionof this act.^'* Again, who
would have worried the Puiitans at the death of Charles I., bad
v\L){ Cromwell interi)Osed? Who would have hanged, drawn, and
quurtsvcd the Erskinos, Gillej^iic and others ? Who excommu-
nicattid preachers lor praying and expounding, and patronized
ffTimblii)^? disii;ipated prorogates, who had nothing of a Christian
x^Jiiiister about them but the gowns and the bands ? As the Scotch
(•iiar;'.cteri;lic shrewdness is not displayed in part of this letter, I
pv;^sun!ii, that the MiListers were not the authors of it; but
s?;;ned it judging ihiit no person would read it, that comprehended
ii.s' uicariiiig : or thnt all its contents would be credited, because
their uameg closed the pamphlet.
Of the article respecting the Union, it is suffjcient to observe,
that ati Tcii^sion h.id no concern in that political measure, neither
party can be ben'-tited by any a))peal to it. When the Episcopal
Cleryy aiihrn, that the term Protestant applies exclusively to
them, and docs not comprise all who renounce popery we in
N'Vv-lCngland can only declare our surprise at the impudence of
tho asseition. We have al^nys thought with your famous Mack-
intosh, th.)t '' the. Puritans are the most Protectant part of the
Protesntrd rtorW,'' and that the Episcopalians were the nearest in
approximation to Romr—because a Jesuit can become an English
Vn'?.^X without re-ordmation, while they denounce all other Cbris-
fian denonunatiori.^ as "without Mimsters, Sacraments, and the
covonan ul mercies of God." l}ow ignorant therefore are the
" assurrtpt'ft
gale, that
Papists, I
invidious
strong ho
less, and
If the
and those
you wou
own conl
and bark
, The€
two or tl
and no I
patrona^
to these
atory is
avowal
not shar
in its uti
■I
|ing cor
Thej
a disgr
describ
t'
•* mone
sheer I
-bread,'
, conscie
that wl
nage, l
, lians i\
these "^
Ushmei
. Christ
■^ gation
7
uch erro-
stain from
i in towns
esb^terie*
e taken to
'terics and
h US shall
nd the As-
s to assist
Igain, who
les I., had
rawn, and
excommu-
patronized
Christian
the Scotch
is letter, I
of it ; but
prehended
if because
> observe,
'c, neither
Episcopal
usively to
ry — we in
3udence of
5US Mack-
>art of the
nearest in
m English
her Chrls-
5, and the
e are the
y assumptions, and how ludicrous the t^ffrontory of mon, nho ntT<>-
gate, that while in miny points, they cannot be distin'^iiis^lie'l fn>r»i
Papists, yet they are the only F^rotestanls ! This is the nio?t
invidious part of their claim, and while thry fanc} it to be tlu'ir
strong hold ; it is in truth as silly and conteinpliblc, as it h worth-
less, and malignant.
If the Protestant Clergy he, as the pastoral lo+ter de^crihr' irom,
and those Ministers stoutly maintain their title to the corporation ^
you would do well to dismiss the whole of them ; for by their
own confession, their principal capacity and employ are to grir>vvl
and bark over clergy reserves.
The eleven Ministers di.^tinctly tell us, that were it r.ot for th<»
two or three hundred pounds per annum — no Episcopal Clprg^,',
and no Episcopalians would be found in Canada, especially if thr»
patronage and offices of the Government which are chiefly applied
to these persons were also taken a away, j»nd the best part of tl)f3
atory is, that this odious representation is published, by the
avowal of its authors, merely because these same kirkmcn do
not share in this public spoil. The annals of the nominal churcli
in its utmost rottenness, scarcely match this complicated unblush-
ijing corruption.
i They also unfold a ^' mystery of iniquity," which is not only
a disgrace to religion, but to decency. The Episcopalians are
described as multiplying their proselytes, and Ministers only by
'," money and promotion'* — and the Presbyterians are exhibited as
sheer Renegadoes, who for *' a piece of silver and a morsel of
-bread," resort to the Bishop for holy orders. Then to shew the
, conscience of this motley tribe, these Ministers acknowledge,
that when they themselves obtain the disposal of wealth antl patro-
nage, the case will be reversed, and these purchased Episcopa-
, lians will again become good Presbyierians. At the same time,
these Vicars of Bray are owned as members of the sister estab-
lishment : Agreed, but instead of being any part of the Church of
.Christ, they belong, as the old Scotchman said> to *' the congr«-
^, gation of Satan." . .
■^
8
!
H;»y, "If
thr\t chm
*• nntionfil
])iety nnrl
were
t!
M;iny of (h»- livlnj; Kplscopalinns '* di-iliononr ihn Profosbin: \vlii<:'i flu
nnmo, and Ix'lie tluir Trotostiint prolLSsion," nml lo confront that
T)«»foriou!* p;i[)ist Lain!, tlie lettr.r (luotc^, r«s snmplen of siiperex-
cellfncc — Hooker, who, in many ^('spoct^<, was no more than n
si^mI-PrntC3t!int, Cliillinpvorth who was ])rofoun<l!y hetero<lox —
;hi(1 Paley who, besides heini^ a Socinian, defentled perjnry in
Pidrscription to creeds and canons. If these rhilosophor«, nnd
Divines are eulogized for their pre-eniiuencc, what must tiioHt- ,|j„j jj^^ |,
be whom they censure? Rebelled i
They talk of " the papal supremacy and domination permitting •^^^] ^y^^j ^
no division or vvaste of the means for buihUng np religion." Take ^ j.^^,) ^^'\
care of John Knox's ghoxt, Saixney. Many a man has stood upon ^g ^.j^gy ^
the stool of repentance for fur less oli'enccs than this '* bonny ^jgter, ar
notion/' ^these Mil
The Ministers proceed '* to develope their views of the Eecie- KHous "
sinstical Policy of the Church of England," in which they de- teen. 1
monstrate very clearly, that all established Churches are opposed ao-ainstth
to a true love of our country, that they counteract national pros- j^qU no
perity — that they extinguish civil and religious liberty — that they \vhich th
destroy piety and good morals — and that they debase the charac- mmption
ter of Christianity, and fill the Ministers of such establishments imd Scot
■with " lukczvarmness and apathy in religion^ and a bastard zeaU jnent in
the of spring of self-love and secular interest.''^ This is exactly establish
what the Puritans always maintained — and now eleven Scotch lof the C
Ministers boldly tell us, that the Established Churches of Great ^nd Puri
Britain are the most dangerous enemies to national prosperity, The 1^
and not less inimical to the religion of Christ Jesus. So that from
this delicious portr.iit of the sister establishments, we may pro-
nounce them, par nohlle.
They proceed in the same descriptive and edifying strain ; to
*!hew the ],rinciples which actuate all Episcopalians from Arch-
bishop Sharpe to the last proselytes in Canada : and the eleven
Ministers solemnly assure ys, that ambition jmd covetousness only
make disciples to the Episcopal policy. According to this ac-
count, if the Lord Jesus were to call them into his service, in
the prini
preach t
was a v(
tuated b
interest,
living,"
they ha
terians ;
tion to t
Protpstant
an front that
I
\\h'u:\ \]\o^^e Iii4^ r.'innol 1)0 q;raliliocl, the S;ivioijr \Vi)m1<I liavo lo
s;iy, " I callcil, but yo refused" and tlio;y also av<^r, that (ho'^o
f»i siiperex- p^(^(.lpsiastics nrt} *' the unprinciplod ndvocatos and :il)clt()rs of
joro than n ^^^^^ chnrcU policy," which thoy dcrlarn involvos tlu» ruin of
lelorcxlox— <• national profjporfy, civic freedom, rclii^ious riifht'^, pp r^diial
F'^^J'Ty in |,iyty and moraU !" These Ministers allirin, that thfir ancestors
opherrt, and were •♦ the firmest supporters of the Throne and Constitution,"
must tljoHf K„j tj^g l,ij,t(jj,^ of England declares, that tiio Scotch alone tv.ico
'rehcllod against the present Royal Family — nnd that when th»y
permitting y^^f\ jy^^, complete sway, in the time of Charles L, they ruled witli
on. Jake n rod of iron. In f.ict, their Kirk have always developed as fir
I stood upon jjg ^^Qy ^^J.f^^\ ^1,^ same destructive ecclesiastical policy as their
his '* bonny ^jgt^r, and this pa^storal letter proves, that if they had the power,
these Ministers would soon appear as ^'selfish and inordantly am-
the Eccie- Utinus^'^ as they represent their opponents " invariably" to have
'h they dc- |)een. Therefore, we Puritans most earnestly and loudly protost
are opposed against that relationship which they claim to us — for we "shall
tional pros- l^Q\^\ ^o fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," of
that they which they proclaim themselves guilty; and we den}' their a;^-
the cbiirac- gumptions of the distinguished honor which they claim. England
tablishtnents ij^j Scotland in this respect are similarly situated ; their advance-
astard zeaiy jnent in literature, philanthrophy, &c., are not owing to clerical
IS IS exactly establishments, but to the energy, zeal, integrity, and religion,
ven Scotch <)f the Christians who were persecuted by them for their dissent
es of Great ^nd Puritanism.
The Ministers are not wise in their appeal to the dead. From
the printed sermonfs of Dr. Spark, I conclude, that he did not
'8 may pro- preach the doctrines of the Confession of Faith— and Mr. P>ethune
was a very lukewarm Presbyterian, or his namesakes were ac-
tuated by '« the inducement of a comfortable living, and secular
interest." The morfes? signers of the Letter, *' say nothing of the
living," and for a good reason, " it will be sooner forgotten,^'' bu'
they have introduced a pompous eulogy upon the other Presby-
terians ; this is too barefaced. They hold no ecclesiastical re!a-
service, in Ition to them, why then are they noticed ? The eleven Ministers
B
prosperity,
5o that from
g strain ; to
from Arch-
the eleven
3usness only
to this ar-
I'l
10
■It
.1
V
t )
are making tools of them to aid in procuring the Clergy Reserves ;
but whea they have obtainc<l " the permanent provision,'* they
will again slight and scorn the flcceders. This superfluous, hy-
pocritical praise is not less offensive, than their pungent allega-
tions against their opponents. They urge the importance of
*'f>ractical morality, saundness of doctrine and purity of practice."
This is correct. " Preach them down, pray them down, and live
tliem down," this is a far preferable mode of making " full proof of
their ministry,*' than writing pastoral letters respecting clergy
reserves ; which it seems, are the only reward they desire ; as
ft)r the conversion of sinners to God, and Paul's crown of rejoi-
cing, they shew no anxiety.
Their bitter satire against others, if used against themselves,
woold be deemed, although manifestly not less applicable, cruelly
ironical—- it is a strong pill — / msh the Doctor'' s would swallow
their owo medicine.
the eleven Ministers are very defective in their character of
a Christian Church ; but according to their own criterion of judg-
nieflt, persons who are guilty of the offences alledged, belong not
to the Church of Christ, and all these disputants, by their own
avowal, are employed in a scheme to extinguish *• civil and reli-
gious liberty, morals and piety." The Lord confound their devices !
They also strive " who shidl most promote by preaching and
example, the pure spirit and benign influence of our common
Christianity," but what do they mean by religion ? Travellers
from Canada, who stop at Burlington, pubhcly narrate marvellous
stories about this common Christianity" — and one of your nominal
Presbyterians declared at first, that the Pastoral Letter was a joke.
When I asked him the reason of his incredulity ; he replied, " the
ncii;t tia>e you visit Canada, inquire for yourself."
The Ministers state, that the constitution of their Church " has
been proved abundantly effective for maintaining and promoting
piety and morals ; and is peculiarly ill-fitted to serve ambitious
viflws." This, as we aay in New England is very tiifisiical ! \(
they mean that pure P^esbyterianism promotes piety and morals,
f
,\
11
[Reserves ;
ion,'* they
luoua, hy-
Jnt allega-
►rtance of
practice."
I, and live
ill proof of
ting clergy
I desire ; as
rn of rejoi-
ihemselves,
)le, cruelly
lid swallow
haracter of
ion of judg-
belongnot
their own
il and reli*
sir devices !
caching and
ur conjmon
Travellers
Biarvellous
mr nominal
was a joke.
>lied, ''the
lurch " has
promoting
B ambitious
istical ! If
md morals,
i
the proposition is granted, but if they iatend that their Kirk,
patronised and fattened by the Government, conduces to thos|p
effects, then all history, even their own letter confutes them. Is
not this appeal to the public the offspring of ambition and usurpa-
tion, and a S9licitude to obtain the favor of the civil authority, and.
a goodly portion of the public money ?
The grand marshalled hosts have sounded their controversial trum-
pets, not to proclaim the glorious Gospel, but their mutual faults.
Dr. Strachan and his forces assail the Presbyterians as a weak,
inert mass, too inefficient to produce any good. The eleven
Ministers rejoin and in full chorus proclaim, that the whole
" merits, high desert and real excellence of their sister establish-
ment," are the utter extinction of " piety and morals" !
The Doctor is the factotum of Upper-Canada in politics and
Churchmanship. He advances and authenticates in the most mis-
chievous manner, what is notoriously untrue., and as his opponents
declare, that which, at the time he knew to be false. He also
combines with his pernicious and contemptuous views of others,
the most extravagant pk^aises of his inferiors, who defend bis
statements, and cunning contrivances to aggrandize his clan at the
national expence, and at the jeopardy of the provincial peace pnd,
prosperity. Eleven Scotch Ministers, testify, that the whole
system of Dr. Strachan and his adherents is totally destructive to
all that is good in individuals, families and the commonwealth !
Dr. Strachan justifies himself, and avers that he has not yc't
told all the truth — but by the report of the House of Assembly he
must be set aside, as an evidence ; where arithmetical precision is
requisite, the Doctor understands compound multiplication, far
better than simple addition, and being an Apostate from tae Pres-
byterians, his views are distorted, by so many good things which
*' the God of this world" has given him for his ecclesiastical trans-
formation. The Doctor, however, is '* a man of Ttar," in vain
you knock him down, he is on his leg?? again as if by magic — in
vain, yon demonstrate that two and tw© are only four, he will
sljjnd to it they count thirty one — and browbeats you with his
\i
12
titles, diplomas, an 1 excommunications. The eleven Ministers
intersperse some ** smucth things" amid the din of discord,
•' they cry peace, peace, when there is no peace" — they mix
up a marvellous Scotch hodge podge of '* unity and uniformity"
they recommend love and harmony, and roar lustily for " the
spirit of meekness and charity" and they talk of " Christians of
all denominations in this happy land," but who do they mean by
Christians ? According to their own confession of Faith, not the
Pope and his devotees — by this letter, not Episcopalians, who are
represented as altogether " indifferent to Religion," not the se-
ceders, Puritans, and Methodists, with whom they have no more
intercourse than the ancieni. Jews had with the Samaritans — Who
then ? Themselves ! — so that after all this pretended milkiness,
the whole scheme is, to get for themselves a comfortable living
from the Government, and a larger number of sheep to shear
under the name of burial and christening fees. This is a very
concise way of terminating divisions ; but would " this union and
combination of resource, conduce to the advancement of true
religion ?" I tr©v not. .
The arguments adduced by the Bishop for Diocesan Episcopacy,
are very summarily disposed of by the Ministers — but their dis-
cussion is incomplete. They have proved, that all established
Churches are totally contrary to the spirit and letter of the Gos-
pel, that during three centuries they were non-existent, that they
have always been the curse of the nations and the bane of religion
which never can flourish in them, and that prudence and piety
demand their immediate abolition — but by confining their views to
the evils of "the ecclesiastical policy of England," they have
craftily left their flocks to suppose, that their own establishment
i« free from those ulcers with which they have so profusely cov-
ered their sister.
The Pastoral Letter is singularly defective, when the Mmisters
were exhorting their Brethren to " hold fast that which is good"
they should accurately have explained what they were to retain.
Thty speak of '* religion our common Chrisiiunity, and of the
philosoph
church n
unlearnc(
bibed so
Greek ?
m '
|- preach I
** Preachei
N^ divine?
\ standards
of Presb;
s ■
(lid not
*' sound
obtain y
whether
the blinc
would hi
censorio
man tha
meekne
The
charity
proache
tion of i
willing
and inc
ever m
of Epi
Roman
endless
of the
his Ai
moder
might
' city,
lcdgc(
13
Ministers
discord,
hey mix
iformity"
for '• the
ristians of
mean by
, not the
who are
\)t the se-
B no more
ms — Who
milkiness,
ibie living
to shear
is a very
union and
nt of true
piscopacy,
t their dis-
established
r the Gos-
, that they
of religion
and piety
ir views to
they have
ciblishment
usely cov-
j Ministers
h is good"
to retain.
and of the
philosophy, language and theology wliich the judicature, of our
•hurch
1)
th
e Ignorant
and
require of their probationers,'' an(
unlearned, it sounds very fine and profound ; but have they im-
bibed sound pliilosophy ? are they critics in the Hebrew and
^ Greek? are they skilled in evangelical theology? and do they
i preach the doctrines of their own confession ? Are there no
' Preachers in Canada whose doctrine no mortal upon earth can
1i divine? Are there no Elderd who never read the Presbyterian
•* standards? are there no compmnicants, who understand no more
,of Presb3/terianism, than a man in Arabia knows of ice ? Why
(lid not the eleven Ministers inform you what they mean by
*' sound doctrine and purity of practice" ? because if you are to
obtain your knowledge only from *' preaching and example" —
whether good or bad, you ma}' perchance be blindfolded and follow
the blind into the ditch. A full explanation upon these topics
would have proved, that while they are so extremely caustic and
censorious, they are " ready always to give an answer to every
man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them with
^ meekness and fear."
The Pastoral Letter is also redundant. The affectation of
charity forms a grotesque contrast with the insinuations and re-
proaches which it contains — but the Bishop's letter is the emana-
' tion of a mind, called to perform a disagreeable duty, and obviously
^•willing to be released as easily as possible ; it conveys no sarcasms,
'* and includes no grave indictments of deep criminality. Whatso-
ever may be thought of his arguments respecting the divine right
of Episcopacy, the Apostolic succession, and similar antiquated
Roman conundrums, or as Paul would call them, " fables and
endless genealogies," with the exception of his implied sanction
of the ecclesiastical chart, vvhich]|natu rally arises from prcfering
his Archdeacon's testimony, the Bishop's letter is exemplarily
moderate. Dr. Strachan does not introduce so much acrimony as
might have betn expected ; when we recollect his peculiar vera-
city, hardihood, and pugnacious temper, and by pleading a privi-
Icdgcd dignified superiority, with a supercilious deception ; lie
I i
' 1
I I
I: 'I
*»
It
i
I ii
•;|
r '
^rrccm Ikiroriciriiom the srnolie and dust of the wordy strife ; yet
evert he does not be^ipattcr his adversaries, so as necessarily to
rcrxler thm odious. The Pustora! Letter delineates the Epis-
G(^[»:>I ('lert2;y .vith their motives, pursuits, and actions, as totally
arqu-incipled, and their whole church establishment as a national
ntj-isaiice. iDdeed if worldly honor, ease and emolument, as these
fliiiifsters afi'tmn, be tl^cir only incentives, the allegation is unde-
m;il>ly correct. Whether these denunciations are consistent with
filie amicable words "our sister establishment and fellow Chris-
tians" is another uiTair, but in a (lastoral letter about waste lands,
invidious vuid detractory personal reflections might have been
omitted. The evils of the system of ecclesiastical policy were a
proper topic of discussion ; and to us Puritans, the exhibition of
the iniseries flowing from a state church is truly etUfying ; not-
withstanding the Ministers evidently wished only to preclude any
scrutiny into their own craft, by the disgusting deformity in which
they have so charitable portrayed their sister establishment. "
A great uproar was made last year respecting some accounts
trhich were published of affairs in Canada ; but nothing like this
Pastoral Letter ever before reached Vermont. Newspaper para-
graphs are often not read, of little importance, and speedily for-
gotten, especially when anonymous ; but here is a Pamphlet by
eleven Presbyterian Ministers, developing a ** mystery of iniqui-
ty" in broad day light, not as a transient act, denounced upon
fiiscovery, and the perpetrator degraded, but as incorporated into
a permanent :^ystem, extending its unholy influence through both
Canudas, and involving all orders of the State Clergy. The facts
slated, furnish the strongest arguments ever yet propounded
against all established churches ; and the sternest Puiitah never
made bolder thrusts at the Hierarchy, nor represented its '* un-
(U'incipled arlv'>cates and abettors" in a character more deroga-
tory and obnoxious, than the pastoral letter. . .
The cant about moderation, the cessation of jealousy and bick-
ering, the oblivion of differences and animosities, the wretched-
ness of the proselyting system, the neccsj^ity of the ''■ pure spirit,
living
deligl
the L
1
&
jsthic J yet Jbenlgn influence, sound doctrine and pure pnu.tirr of our commr.Ti
essarily to |Christianity," and the cuUivation of Cliristiim peace antl charity
the Epis- land unity and brotherly love, is equally cdifyim^ with tlieir dts
, as totally pcriptions of those, with whom, nfter hnvin^ hehl Ihem np to the
a national | scorn and hatred of the world, they desire to confederate m <^ra»-
t, as these > ping the Clergy Reserves.
is unde* This polemical gall, and cant respecting harmony, sisterhooil^
istent with * and co-operation, present the alternative of peace or war. If the
ow Chris- Episcopalians continue obstinate, then it defies them by the fear-
less exposure of the evils of their ecclesiastical policy, and by
imputing to them the highest *' moral blame," this must exalt,
as they hope, their own character and influence, as indignant
censors of such stupendous iniquity, but if the eleven Minis-
Jisters shall be permitted as "Protestant Clere;y, to devour the
prey and divide the spoil," then they c&n blind tlie eycr? of " their
Presbyterian Brethern" by telling them that now they have as
much of the government patronage and sfipport, •' as full a pro-
portion of the comfortable livings," and as many of the '* pieces?
f of silver, and morsels of bread" as their " highly deserving and
really excellent Fellow Christians." Therefore all the mischief is
eradicated, and the Church establishments which were denoun-
ced, as like Pandora's box, fall of evils, are now only sources of
blessedness. Thus men, who are ** scarcely to be denominated
Protestants, who dishonor the Protectant name and belie their
Protestant professions, and who are unprincipled advocates anrJ
1 abettors of a system of ecclesiastical policy" which extirpntc^
patriotism, ruins the general prosperity, banishes civil and reli-
I gious liberty, destroys piety and morals, and debases its members,
^ into selfish hypocrites of the most odious character, like Jud;di
and Ephraim who long vexed each other, may unite tiieir ori^'UKS
with the eleven Ministers' Bagpipes, and chant in sisterhood, the
halcyon days of ** peace and patronage^ promotion, a romr>rtal;le
I living of three hundred pounds per annum." Tliis may be very
delightful to these diflerent agitator^ about " the appropriation of
the Lands reserved for the s"nport of a Protestant CI. rgy iii the>e
aste lands,
have been
icy were a
thibition of
ying; not-
eclude any
ty in which
Qent. •
e accounts
5 Hfce this
aper para-
Jed ily for-
nphlet by
oi iniqui-
»ced upoti
rated into
>ugh both
The facts
opounded
ah never
its
un
I deroga-
md hick-
netchcd-
irc jipirit,
'''t
10
! Si
It
(St
V i
I! M
Provinces," but dons it'ngree. with that " siu<i;lenr"'?! ami sitnphcify |
of heart" which thi3 eleven Ministers insinuate tlwy alone posesa.
This two sided contrivance instead of displaying " singleness
and simplicity,'* proves that '♦ the heart of man is deceitful above
all things and desperately wicked ; for of the abundance of the
heart, their mouth speaketh.""
This controversy is very bewitching : it is no longer restricted
to definitions of technical legal terms ; to the disadvantages of a
state church ; to the folly of the Archdeacon of York's College ;
to the falsehoods of the ecclesiastical chart ; arid to the claims
upon lands, to which neither of the parties can produce the
shadow 0^ an equitable title ; but the Pastoral Letter has wisely
changed the debate into a personal altercation. The eleven
Ministers •* rebuke sharply," and " from the general principles
of human nature ; the acknowledged laws of the moral world ;
and the uniform experience of past ages, affording a proof, that
the same causes in similar circumstances will produce the same
efiects" they may expect that their raihng acrimony will be effec-
tually retorted. The Presbyt(irian Ministers distinctly assert, that
Kpjpcopal policy is a mass of incurable corruption, of ** extremely
unfavorable influence," evil, only evil, and that continually,
wherever its operation extends. Such a system every man must
abhor, and wish to be immediately and utterly exterminated.
Suppose one of its three hundred pound advocates, with his
" bastard zeaV should recriminate, by boldly avering, that some
persons belonged to the Kirk, who never fulfilled any duty unless
for emolument ; that they " werelovers of pleasure, more than
lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power
tliorcof" ; and that they cared not for "the very essence of
Christianity" ; only as it enlarged their temporal interests and
secular claims, what will be the consequence ? Every enlighten-
ed and virtuous man must pronounce, that such religion " the
Nvhole unsta^'::> ilibric, w ^ crtincial, -im,} prejudicial" to the
4. \, .
"ir
I I
siinplicify ;?
me posFss, !
singleness *
tful abov(^
ce of the
restricted
tagss of a
be claimfi
duce the
las wisehf
e eleven
3rinciples
1 world ;
'oof, that
the same
be effec"
sert, that
xtremely
itinuallj,
nan must
ed.
with his
flat some
y unless
►re than
2 power
cnce of
3sts and
ilighten-
n " the
to the
m