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JOSEPH S. BAKER— Editor.
YOLO MU XII.
TERMS PER ANNUM.
B9 r The Christian Index, published
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pensation for his trouble.
Letters on business, or communications,
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IMS MISSION IILIUR'DIFXT.
Receipts of the Jim. Hap. Hom e Mission
Society.from January Is/, to Februa
ry Ist, 1844.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Savannah River Association, per Geo.
Rhodes, treas., 17 38. Welsh Neck As
sociation, per J. K. Mclver, treas., 45.
SO2 38.
Collections per Rev. C. M. Fuller, ,‘lgent.
Society Hill. —J. J. Wilson. 5. Mr.
John Mclver, a legacy by late Miss Jane
McCall, 20. Mis. Ann Jane Mclver, in
.full of L. M. 20. 845.
Clieraiv. —Rev. Richard Furman, in full
■of L. M. 85.
Darlington, C. If. — Wiley Kelly, 2.
Isham Lemon, llartsvillc P. ()., 5, Han
nah Hart, do. 5. Joseph Norwood, do.
5. A colored man, 50 cis, Jesse Hudson,
do. 5. $22 50.
Camden —M. A. Bullard, 2. (Win, H.
Burn. 6 els. A. E. Burn, IBcls., two chil
dren.) Cash, I 50. $3 74.
Columbia. —Donations after sermon,
27 50. Collection of colored brethren. 10
0) The foregoing lo make Rev. William
Curtis, their pastor, a L. M. J. F. Mar
shall. 10. $47 05.
Lexington, C. //.—Three friends at
Lutheran t lunch, 1 00. A. 11. Fort,
Esq., 5. Rev. Win. Watkins, Lot P. 0.,
5. sll 00.
Fdgijield. —Ezekiel Rozor, Abbeville
district, per Rev. \V. B. Johnson, 10.
Luke Devore, second iusi. for L. M. 10.
lion. F. W. Pickens, in full of L. M., 10.
Edgefield Association, 47 08. Mrs. lien
rietla Johnson, per Rev. W. B. Johnson,
in full of L. M. 25. Dr. William Burt, 1.
John Lyon, 2. Mr, Abbey, 40 cts. A
friend, 1. George L. Penn. 5. Nathan
L. Griffin, in full of L. M. 20. John
Dobv. sen., L. M. 30. I'homas L. Shaw
2. Johnson Sale, Pliumix P. 0., 5.
SIOO 38.
Hamburg. — Deacon R. Lanliam, 3.
Walker G. Samuel, 2. John 11. Cosby,
10. Mrs. Harriet Curry, in full for L. M.
2J- ir. W. W. Gaigher, 1. Lew is Cur
ry, 5. Joel Curry, 5. Seili Butler, 5. Rev.
Joseph Morris, pet S. Butler, 5. James
Vann, 1. Albert Jefferson, Rambo, 5.
M rs. Martha Lions Rambo, 5. SO7
$134 25.
GEORGIA.
Collections by Rev. C. M. Fuller, .igent.
.iugusta. — Thomas W. Freeman, L.
M. 30. Jesse Walton, L. M. 30. Al
bert Adams, L. M. 30. Dr. Win. 11.
Turpin, in lull loco siimte Ins wife, Mary
Ann Turpin L. D 50. Davis Bottom, 1.
Mr. Carswell, 2. I). K K. Muslin, I. 11.
Hickman, 2. Miss Lucy B. Beal, 2. 1). B.
Plumb, 1. E. Wimberly, 3. N. K. Bift
ler, 5. Eli Muslin, 2. Hon. M. M. Dye,
2. M iss Mary Knight, 1. John M. Tur
ner, 2. Mrs. Martha Glover, 1. Win. E.
Barnes, 1. J. F. Turpin, 2. Prof. Win.
J. Hand, 1. Miss Sarah Carter, 1. Miss
Nancy Barrett, 1. John A. Barnes, 2.
Mrs. S. E. Kerr, 2. Mrs. Eliza S. Ham
lin, 3. Rev. Win. T. Brandy, third insi.
tin L. M. of his wife, Mary Ann, 5. Mrs.
Charily Maharry, 1. Mrs. Lucy Hitt, 50
cts. Mrs. Farrer, 50cts. ,Vlis Julia Tur
pin, 3. Mrs. Louisa Dugas, 5. Colored
people. 6 50. Two little boys, 12.) cts.
Cash 10 cts. Doctor Hunch, 5. $204 78.
Public Square P. 0., Green co. — Rev.
Vincent R. Thornton, L. M.s3o.
Madison, Morgan co. —Col. John B.
Walker, L. M. 30. Witt. S. Stokes, 5.
John Peek, 5. Edmund Walker, 5. Mrs.
Elizabeth Jones, 5. Mrs. Elizabeth Gard
ner, 5. Thomas F. Burney, 5. Mrs.
Frances Shields, 2. John Vason. 5. Mrs.
Susan Walker, 1. Wm. Y. Stokes, I.
T. G. Thomason, I. C. W. Richter, 3.
Coloted people, 81 cts. $73 81.
Greensboro, Green co. —John E. Jack
son, 5; Vincent Sanford, 5; C. A. Davis.
5; William Bicker. 10; Mrs. Edna E.
Martin, 50 cts ; Hon. Thomas Stocks, L.
M. 30; Mrs. Cinthia Sanford, 50 cts ; W.
W. Brooks, 2. SSB.
PoweUon, Hancock co. —John Veazey,
10 . Mrs. J ane Veazey, 1; Rev. D. G.
Daniel, 1 : R. T. Battle, 1 ; Rev. W. I.
Harley, 50 cts-; J. M. Jones, 1 ; Mrs. M.
E. Jones, 1. sls 50.
Penfield, Green co. —Col. Ab’m. Janes,
Treasurer of Slate Convention, lirst and se
cond inst. of Prof. Benjamin Osgood Pierce,
for his father, Benjamin Pierce, L. M. 10;
Slate Convention, 41 60; first inst. Col.
Absalom Janes, to constitute himself L. D.
50 ; Rev. B. M. Sanders, first inst. to make
himself L. D. 50; Benjamin Brantley, 5;
Prof. S. P. Sanford, second, third, and
#
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
fourth inst., on L. M. of himself, 15 ; Mein
uel Green, 5; J. I). Martin, 5 ; Michael
Barry, 5 ; Mr. McNortou, 50 cts; P. B.
Chandler, 1; Mis. T. I). Martin, 5 ; Na
than Hobbs, 50 cts; Miss Mary Meli, 1 ;
Dr. R. Q. Dick inson of Crawfordvitle, 5 ;
Thomas P. Janes, 2; Mrs. Dr. Baker, 1.
$202 00. ~ $584 69.
Total receipts for January, $2087 60.
J{. W. Martin, Treasurer.
Honations to the Mission Rooms.
By N. C. Platt, Esq., New York, Bax
ter’s elegant print of the ordinance of Bap
tism in oil colors.
By Rev. S. 11. Cone, D. D., New Map
of New Jersey.
Donations to the Library.
By Dr. S. J. Wheeler, Murfreesboro.
N. C., a package of valuable pamphlets.
By Rev. S. H. Cone, D. D., Memoir of
Luther Rice.
our receipts.
It may be observed by our friends that
the receipts into our treasury recently have
been more liberal than lor some time past.
W e thank God and lake courage. We’
have passed through many’ a month of
gloom arid-darkness, and now we hope that
brighter ones are before us. that the liberal
feelings recently evinced will continue and
that our treasury will he so .constantly and
effectually replenished, that the cry of the
needy lor the bread of life may not come up
into our eats in vain.
To show the necessity for continued ef
fort in our behalf, we would slate that there
are now before us applications well recom
mended and tieserving of favorable replies,
for appropriations exceeding the amount of
receipts reported above, and maitv others
from important places are expected soon.
But we shall have it in our power to make
many a heart sing for joy if, throughout the
churches, the spirit exists which dictated
the following:
CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM A FEMALE FRIEND IN CONNECTICUT.
The enclosed sum is sent you in conse
quence of mv having read the letter front
Rev. Mr. Seeley of lowa, published in the
papers. Mv heart inquired. Lord, what
will thou have me to do ? and 1 trust this
small .offering will he acceptable to 11 itn and
to you. Would that I could make il-more.
FROM A STEADFAST FRIEND IN MASSACHU
SETTS.
“ Knowing the destitute situation of our
Western Valley anil the little support our
Home Mission Society receives, even from
those who profess tiiat they are not their
own—that all they have belongs to God,
and they themselves are lint his stewards—
I have been thinking for some time that, as
soon as my .means would enable me, I
would send something to help the cause ;
and I pray God that I may be always influ
enced bv his command to send the gospel
to every creature, rather titan by what oth
ers do.
** I saw in the papers, a few weeks.since,
a communication ftotn Rev. William Tay
lor, and J. A. B. Stone, relative to the des
titution of Michigan. I was formerly ac
quainted with” brother Taylor, and 1 wish
the enclosed amount applied to the object
lor which they Wrote, unless there are oth
er demands on your Society of greater ur
gency.”
The donation accompanying the above
letter was a very liberal one, sufficient to
sustain a missionary in the field alluded lo
for more than a year ; and although there
are other important demands on our treas
ury, without doubt.it will he applied as de
signated. May God bless the generous
donor. Who will givens the sum neces
sary, ($300,) to send a missionary, as a
companion of Rev. Mr. Fisher, to Oregon?
Benjamin M. HilL. Gor. See.
From the London Dualist Magazine.
Attachment of Ihc Briptist to Civil and Re
ligious Liberty.
Two hundred years ago, Bailie, the pres
hytefian, said, ‘’the Baptists were very
fond of religious liberty, and vety unwill
ing to be brought under the bondage of the
judgement of any other.” This is no
mean eulogy, drawn from the rigid presby
ter by many well established facts, tie
meant itas a reproach; we view it in the
light of praise. In all ages the baptists
have made a noble stand in favor of civil and
religious liberty; around whose altars they
have rallied with indomitable energy, and
for the preservation of which many have
sacrificed property and life itself. On this
subject. Robinson of Cambridge made the
following remarks: “When itfany age bap
tists appear in clespotical governments, they
are seen struggling for liberty: and the end
of the struggle is burning, banishment, or
freedom. They cannot live in tyrannical
states: and free countries are the only places
to seek for them, for their whole public re
ligion is impracticable without freedom.—
They differ, as other do, a
bout the best means of obtaining and pre
serving liberty. The old German baptists
fought-for liberty: so did many in Oliver’s
time: and the only principle in which they
all agree is. that the civil magistrate hath no
right to give or enforce law in matters of re
ligion and conscience. Whether this lie an
anabaplistical error, or a first principle in
good government, must be left with the
Miltons, and the Lockes,(and Montesquieus
FOR THE BAPTIST CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
PENFIELD, GA,FEBRUARY 23, 1844.
to determine.”* Buityan eiiduicd tweh e
years’ imprisonment in Bedford jail; Keach
stood in lite pillory both at Aylesbury and
Winslow; DeLuunc.nnd Bamfield died in
Newgate, rather than bow before the idol
of religious uniformity, or submit to eccle
siastical domination. All die facts of his
tory piove, that in the early part of the
seventeenth century no men understood the
rights of conscience so well and so general
ly as the baptists; lor in the year 1615, in
a book entitled “Persecution for Religion
Judged and Condemned,” they pleaded for
liberty of .conscience as the right of all
men. denied that Christ had appointed the
sword as a remedy for false teachers, and
contended that the duty of man to examine
for himself die principles ol religion was
anterior to all magisterial authority, or even
to human governincsts.
“The enlarged and accurate veiws which
this pamphlet broached, evince an astonish
ing progress in the knowledge of religious
freedom, and fully entitle its authors to he
regarded as die first expounders anif most
enlightened advocates of ibis best inheri
tance ol man. Other writers, of more ills
li guishetl name, succeeded, ami robbed
them of their honor; hut their title is so
good, and the .amount of service they per l
formed on behalf o( the common interests
of humanity is so incalculable, tiiat an nil
partial posterity must assign to diem due
meed of praise. It belonged ni the mem
bers of a calumniated ami despised sect,
few in number ami poor in circumstances,
■to bring forth to the public view, in their
simplicity and omnipotence, those immortal
principles which are now universally re
cognis and as of divine authority and univer
sal obligation.”f
Mr. It anbury, in his “Historical Memo
rials relating to Independents,” disputes the
claim of the baptists to he regarded as the
first expounders of the principles of civil
and religions liberty. The following are
his words:—“lt is admitted by us that Ja
cob did not, on bis side, dissert upon or ar
gue for religious liberty in the entire
breadth of ill the plea which lie set up
courageously is, however, the ground on
which all that has ever followed is tested;
and the limitation against the papal suprem
acy over free countries nnd kingdoms, is
but a consistent restraining of that sinful
dorninancy which would debar all else from
the exercise of their privileges under the
gospel dispensation. Puimum uui meruit
ferat,"X
To this argument against the baptists we
reply, as early as the year 1015, they did
argue for religious liberty in the entire
breadth of it, and courageously asserted
the right of men to worship God in accor
dance wilh’their religious convictions, with
out exposing themselves to civil penalties,
dr to the tender mercies of spiritual courts.
Mr. Ilauhtiry. acknowledges that Jacob
held the principles of religious liberty “-tin
der a certain limitation, or consistent re
straint” (is any constraint consistent with
those.principles?) but the baptists did no
such Thing- They were exceedingly jeal
ous of die papal supremacy, and determin
ed enemies of antichrist, whether found in
the Romish <ir in the English church; yet
they advocated liberty of conscience with
out any limitation, as the inalienable right
of men, and the privilege of Englishmen,
irrespective of their religious opinions or
modes ol worship. Let him hear the palrn
who deserves it.
Charles Butler, a Roman catholic writer,
had the candor to acknowledge that “the
baptists first propagated the principles of
religious liberty,” ami other authors have
.confessed that since the rise of antichrist,
the first human government which gave e
qttal and entire liberty to all therein, was
established by a baptist minister, the perse
cuted but immortal Roger Williams. The
ancient worthies of our denomination were
among the first to understand ami revere
the claims of conscience, and, through hon
or and dishonor, amid evil report and good
report, their descendants have maintained
the great principles of freedom with a firm
ness and heroism which many have equal
ed hut none have surpassed. There is a
bundant evidence to prove that during the
civil wars, and under the protectorate of
Cromwell, the opinions of the baptists re
specting civil and religious liberty were sub
stantially the same as our churches hold in
the present day. In a confession of faith
published by seven of the London churches,
so long ago as the year 1646, the follow! g
passage is found, which does equal’ credit
to the writer and to the churches which
sent it forth to the world; “There is but
one Lawgiver, which is Jesus Christ, who
hath given laws and rules Sufficient in his
word for his worship: and for any jiian to
make more were lo charge Christ with
want of wisdom, or faithfulness, or both,
in not making laws enough, or not good n
nough, for his house: surely it is our wis
dom, duty and privilege to observe Christ’s
laws only. So it is the magistrate’s duly
to tender the liberty of men’s consciences,
and to protect all under them from all
wiong, injury, oppression, and molestation;
so it is our ditty not to lie wanting in any
thing which is for their honor ami comfort,
and whatever is for the well being of the
commonwealth wherein we live. And as
we cannot do any thing contrary to onr un
derstandings and consciences, so neither
‘History of Baptism, page 470.
tPrice, vol. i. pp. 520, 523.
“Historical Memorials, vol. i. p, 225.
can we forbear doing that which our under
standings anti consciences bind us to do.—
And if the magistrate should require us to
do otherwise we are to yield our persons in
a passive way to their power as the saints
of old have done. And thrice happy shall
he be that shall lose his life for witnessing
of the liuth of the Lord Jesus Christ,Ӥ
Great numbers of men who liad entbiaced
these noble sentiments took an active part
in the patriotic cause in which Hamden
and thousands beside hint lost their lives,,
and while they fought for their civil rights
they valued still more dearly tlieii religions
liberties. It is almost certain that John
Bunyt*ivas engaged at the battle of Nase
by, which proved a death blow to the cause
ol “King Charles of blessed memory!”—
Captain Deane , writing to the bishop of
Lincoln, said, “I confess to your lordship,
I never heard of any anabaptists in the
king’s army during the contest between his
majesty and the parliament; and perhaps,
because there were some in the parliament's
and none in the king’s army, some persons ‘
have Iront thence taken occasion lo all'll in
that the opinion ufauabaptism in the church
is opposed to monarchy in the state.”
Baptists in the army of Charles I. truly!
How could the friends of liberty fight un
der the banners of tyiaimy? now could
Hie enemies of persecution conlederate
with men who had shed the blood of die
saints like water? $o strongly weie they
attached to liberty, that when Cromwell
made hiiliscil protector, and, intimated his
intention Os removing all the baptists fiuiu
his army, one of the officers, a baptist, said
to him, “I pray do not deceive yourself,
nor let the priests deceive you, for the bap
tists are men that will not lie shuffled out of
their birthright as freeborn people of Eng
land.” Their well known opponent, Dr.
Featlev, accused them of holding the fol
lowing opinions: “that liberty of conscience
should be granted lo all men in all coun
tries; that persecution in case of conscience
is guilty of all the blood of the saints cry
ing for vengeance under the altar;- hence
they beseeehed parlidment lo review and
to repeal the laws against separatists, to
permit freedom of the press to any man
who writes nothing scandalous or danger
ous lo the state, to prove u.emselves loving
fathers of all good men, and to invite equal
assistance and affection from all.” Bap
tists (if the present day have no reason to
be ashamed of sucli iioble-iniiided antes
tors, whose writings and apologies in favor
of toleration and freedom have scarcely
been surpassed by any in the English lan
guage, excepting those of Milton and
Locke. In their letter to Charles 11.; dated
A. D. 1055, and presented to him at
Bruges, they call upon him to pledge his
“word that he will never erect, nor allow to
be erected, any such tyrannical, popish,
and aiiti-christiaii hierarchy (episcopalian,
preshy lerian, or by what name soever call- 1
ed) as-shall assutite powei over, or impose ‘
a yoke upon, the consciences of others; :
hut that every one of his subjects should be I
at liberty, to worship God in such a way as i
shall appear to them agreeable lo the mind i
and will of Christ.”|| ;
The restoration, which brought back to i
our land the iron age of episcopacy and the <
divine right of kings, severely uied the i
principles of nonconformity; and, like oth- t
er friends of liberty, the baptists had to I
choose between the loss of their dearest i
rights and the vengeance of a licentious .’
inonaich. backed by an iutolehint church. |
With them there was no indecision, no lent- t
porizing policy, no idea of compromise, no |
consulting with llesli and blood: unmoved <
by tiireats, unseduced by promises, they I
stood firm as a lock, though lines, prisons, *
and death stared them in the face: they re- t
solved to be free at any price, they refused ;
to be slaves under any circumstances, and <
by thus acting they have left an example I
lor mankind to admire and imitate. lieli ‘
gious liberty was dearer to them than I
riches, honors, or life itself: hence they ‘
determined to preserve its saeted altars or i
lo’perish in their ijefence. The year after |
the unhappy restoration, noncomformists j
us every denomination were grievously
persecuted by the civil and spiritual author- i
ities. Fearless of consequences, the bap- 1
lists had the coinage to publish a protest a- i
gainst “those unchristian principles of per
secuiioti for conscience, which trouble the
world, the guilt whereof is able to sink the 1
most flourishing kingdom inlo an ocean of
misery and calamity.” After this avowal
nf their design they bring forward argu
ments to “prove how contrary to the gos
pel of our Lord Jesus, and to gootl reason,
it is for any magistrate, by outward force,
to impose any thing in the worship ol'Gud,
on the consciences of those whom they
govern; hut that liberty ought to be given
to till such as disturb not the civil peace,
th.nigh of different persuasions in matters
of religion. And all tiiat, we desire, which
is dearer to us than our lives, is that our
spirits anil,consciences may be left free to
serve the eternal God; which ought to he
granted us, seeing we shall every one of us
give an account of himself to God.”*
This appeal to the monarch was made in
vain. These noble sentiments had no good
effect upon the. royal debauchee. Ilis
ministeis in the state, and his parasites in
§Orosby, vol. i. Appendix, p. 24. Art. 48,
IjOlarendon, vol. iii. p. 359; Philip’s
Life of Banyan, p. 370; Crosby, vol. i. Ap
pendix, p. 85.
“Crosby, vol. ii- pp- 108, 109,
- tlie church, were carrying things with a
■ high hand, ami making desperate efforts to
i quench the last spark of civil and religious
i liberty. In every quarter the baptists were
dragged before magistrates, by means ol
spies and informers paid by the bishops and
; superior’ clergy, who cherished unmixed
hatred towards these stern and noble-mind
ed advocates of Christian liberty. None
of these things, however, moved them
ftotn the defence of those principles Which
they had derived from the word of God,
and which they viewed as the birthright ol
every man, whatever might be his rank,
education, or profession. In vain did the
ruling powers pass the Five Mile Act, the
Conventicle Act, and the Test Act; in vain
did they fill the dungeons of their proles
lam inquisition with men who refused con
formity to the established church; and in
vain did they breathe out their threatenings
and slaughter against the ministers atm
churches of the baptist denomination; for
nothing could move them front their holy
Timl unalterable purpose “to obey God rath
er than man.”
The same ‘Spirit animated them (hiring
the succeeding reign ol James IP, who lirst
endeavored to crush the dissenters, and al
ter failing in this project, offered them h|s
royal indulgence. Some of the baptists
were deceived by this crafty '-measure, anil
seized the opportunity of assembling in
public for the worship of God; hut the
great majority relused to avail themselves
of it, resolving to wait till passing events
should place tin ir liberties on a legal and
sure foundation. On the sth of Novem
ber, 1688, the sun of freedom arose on
Great Britain, —the prince of Orange land
ed at Torbay as the liberator of England
front arbiiary government and from popish
domination. James lied from a throne ol
which lie was unworthy, and from a peo
ple by whom he was despised; while the
great hulk of the nation rose up with oite
accord, and, clapping their- hands at the last
of the Stuarts, hissed him out of the king
dom. On this occasion the baptists vied
with other friends of constitutional freedom
iii expressions of joy, and felt a rapture
proportioned to the greatness and duration
of their former sufferings. Hear their
grateful acknowledgment’ of the divine in
terposition: “We do with great thankful
ness to God acknowledge his special good
ness to these nations iu raising up our pre
sent King William, to. he a bless.il instru
ment in Ins hand to deliver us from popery
and arbitrary power, and shall always lie
ready to join our hearts and hands for the
pieservation of the proteslant religion and
the liberties of the nation.”t The year
following the revolution, representatives
from upwards of one hundred baptist
churches assembled in Lond’oii, and after
eight or nine days spent in prayer and de
liberation they sent forth to the world a
confesssion of their faiih. In the 21st
chapter, which treats “of Christian liberty
and liberty of conscience.” they avow their
belief that “God alone is Lord of die con
science, and hath left it free from the com
mandments and doctrines of men, which
are in any thing contrary to his word or not
contained in it. So that to believe such
doctrines, or obey such commands, out of
conscience, is to betray , true liberty of con
science; and the leqttiring of an implicit
faith, and absolute and blind obedience, is
to destroy liberty of conscience, and rea
son also.” Three years later than the
publication of this document, Mr. Piggott,
a baptist minister in Loudon,’ preached and
published a sermon occasioned by the death
of King William, and the following extract
from it may be looked upon as a just expo
sition of the political opinions of bis breth
ren. “Magistracy is an ordinance of God;
and we are bound by divine revelation not
only to fear God but to honor tlie king.—
But if a prince once break his coronation
oath, and invade the liberties of his people,
he is no longer a prince but a tyrant; for
certainly the people have as just a right to
the'legal government of the prince, as the
prince has to the legal obedience of the
people.
The baptists of the day have no
reason to be ashamed ol these sentiments,
taught by one of their leading ministers
during the last century, whether they view
their accordance with the principles and
facts in the New Testament which hear up
on tlie duty of Christians to the civil mag
istrate, or whether they look at their agree
ment with the spirit am) Idler of the Brit
ish constitution. At this trine the state ol
tilings was alarming. Civil and religious
liberty was in the greatest danger: lory ism
had gained the ascendancy: intolerance
was rampant, and bigotry could no longer
he kept within bounds, the trial ol Dr.
Saclteverel had caused extraordinary ex
citement from the centre to the remotest
parts of the kingdom; and this valiant son
of the church by law established, this apol
ogist and advocate for the divine right ol
kings, this hero and martyr, was led in tri
umph through the west of England amid,
the loud and prolonged shouts of, “No
Popery,“Down with dissenters,” “No
Church, ltd King.” Violence and outrage
were committed oil the persons ot proper
ty of dissenters bv these pious atitl peacea
ble sansof our venerable establishment.—
Many who refused allegiance to the late
king were raised to places of trust, emolu
ment, and honor; the ddetrifie of heredita
ry ’ right was avowed in addresses to the
tlvimey, vol. i. p. 501<
flvimey, vol. iii- p< 2s.
Publisher —BENJ. BRANTL.Y.
NUMBER 8.
queen, and iii books widely distributed a- .
niong the people: while vigorous efforts
were made to retire and restore popery by
some ol the clergy, who went so far as to
propose a union between the French and
English churches. Just about this time’
the Schism Bill passed both houses of par
liament and received the royal assent, but
the very day fixed upon for it to come into
operation, the misguided queen- was're.
moved by death to a t'ril until \viierfi tyran
ny will receive its recompense. Properly
enough, the dissenters looked upon this as
a signal in erposit on of pruviih nee. which
called forth their devout and m i etT thanks
givings to him who wrought tlieii deliver
ance by turning the counsel of Ahithophel
into Ibofishncss. In an address issued the
year alter this event by the ministers of the
Western Baptist Association', they remind
ed the churches of tite design wit eh their
enemies had formed against their “civil and
religions privileges,” how the l ord appear
ed for theni in lime of distress and fear,
and “by a niarvethmx providence has dis
appointed our enemies', outdone our faith,
and prevented otir fears:” hence they re
commended “that a solemn day of prayer
and thanksgiving be observed by all the
clmrcbes iii the association to bless our most
gracious’ God lor hearing ;-nd so seasonably
answering the prayers of his people.”§—
These proceedings were honorable both let’
their piety and to their patriotism. They
were thorough friends to genuine protes
lanlrsin mid to true liberty. Peace to their
memories!
About the middle of the fast century ma
ny dissenters of other denominations de
graded themselves by receiving the Lord’s
supper in the established'church, as a qual
ification IVir municipal honors or for office
tinder government. In the year 1742,
there was a case of occasional conformity
by a member of the baptist church meeting
in Unicorn Yard, London. The offender
was censured by tlie church, who sought
advice from the board- of ministers. In’
tlteir emtdemnatioii of the practice, they
made tlie following remarks about tlie prin
ciple which led pur forefathers to separate
from the national establishment of re igion.-
“They could not, they durst not, submit to
any religious constitution but what vVaS’
strictly regulated by the word.of God; nor
receive as the rule of their faith, their wor
ship, or their discipline, wiiat appeared to
them to derive its origin only from the in
ventions and decisions of fallible men.--
They could not hesitate one moment in
their refusal of communion with a church,
the very frame*of which is eorttrafy to the
appointment of our Lord atid his apostles:
a church that owes its constitution, its of
ficers, its discipline, and many of its modes
of worship, merely to human policy and
power: and a church that assumes the ar
bitrary right of imposing its prescriptions
on the conscience of others.”|| These ad
vocates of their civil rights were equally
jealous about their religious liberties, know
ing full well that if the former wire lost the
latter would not he safe; and if we are to
preserve our privileges as Christians, tve
must defend our right as citizens. Can
this lie done by standing aloof from politi
eal movements? Would not absolutism in
the state he soon followed by intolerance
and despotism in the church? Did reli
gious freedom evet flourish in any nation,
ancient or modern, where civil liberty had
no existence? .Our ancestors believed that
the “enjoyment of civil liberty is essential
to the development and exe/iio/v of five no
blest. energies of the’ human mind; that
there exist nil indissoluble connexion be
tween the civil and religions freedom of a
nation;’ that religions liberty, chilled in the
deadly atmosphere of despotism, can open
and spread only in the sunshine of politi
cal freedom; that religion grows and blooms
among the highest and most palmy branches
of the tree of liberty, and ripens in luxuri
ance among its topmost bongl-s ”*
In the year 1745, the baptists gave re
newed proofs of their love to constitutional
.government and to religious liberty; for du
ring that conclusive p -rind of English his
tory they carne boldly forward to defend
the liberties of tiie nation against domestic
faction and foreign invasion. Though ex
cluded from every situation under govern
ment, by the infamous test act, and, like all
other dissenting communities, were told to
be thankful for the blessings of toleration;
yet no sooner di.l the cr\pniies. to tlie Hano
ver succession threaten to sweep away the
safeguards’ of our civil and religions liber
ties, and to. restore the ascendancy of Ro
manism, than many of our own people
rushed into the co -flirt and hazarded their
lives in putting down the rehe I on. After
the victory of Culloden. Joseph stennett
preached and pub’ish and a t-ennon entitled
Rabshakeh’s Retie it, in the course of
which he exposed the plea for the divine
right of kings in the following words:
“Blessed he God we have received such
notions of those liberties which xvefe
bought at so dear a rale by our forefathers,
that we are not easily entangled again
with such a yoke of bondage as this.—
The dictates of reason and feVelatinft speak
of no such indefeasible right in any man,
and the histories of all the nations show,
that these principles have everywhere been
obliged to give way to (he common fights
of mankind. Government is fouhded on
§lvimey, vol. iii. p. 108.
!|Sce mote in Ivimey, vol. iii. p. 233.
’•Hall’s Works, vol. vi. pp. 2fll, 205.