THE REPORTER.
"'TIS PLEASANT, THROUGH THE LOOP-HOLES OF RETREAT, TO PEEP AT SUCH A WORLD-- TO SEE THE STIR OF THE GREAT BABEL, AND NOT FEEL THE CROWD."
[NEW SERIES----VOL. I.]	WASHINGTON, (PA.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 29th, 1821.	[NO. 23.

      I resume mr. T's 4th argument.¹ That an infallible tribunal is requisite to prescribe and determine the "public forms" of religion has been enforced in my last; and that it must also decree, what it is, to treat any of the public forms of religion with contempt, is, we think, equally within the pale of its jurisdiction. The Romanist says, to refuse, or to neglect, to bow, in the presence of the elevation of the Host, is to treat the publick forms of religion with contempt. The Episcopalian says to refuse, or to neglect to kneel at the celebration of the Supper, and in certain other devotional exercises of their public worship, is to treat religion with contempt. The Presbyterian says to drive a wagon on the "Sabbath day," when the driver should be at meeting, is to treat religion with contempt. The Seceder says to substitute Watts Hymes, & the new music in publick worship, instead of the Psalms of David, & the 12 good old tunes of David, is to treat one of the publick forms of religion with contempt. The Covenanter says, to refuse, or neglect to maintain, hold fast, and defend, the doctrine of the Solemn League and Covenant, and the divine right of the civil magistrate, to officiate in the cause of religion, is to treat one of the forms of religion with contempt. The Methodist, says to neglect or to refuse to be subject to the discipline of their church, is to treat the publick forms of religion with contempt. The Baptist says, to sprinkle an infant is to treat one of the publick forms of religion with contempt. The Quaker says, that, he that will not take his intended bride by the hand and lead her through the meeting house at three different monthly meetings, previous to the solemnization of the bonds of matrimony has treated one of the publick forms of religion with contempt.

      But here a casuist comes forward and declares that not any of the preceding sins of omission or commission, treat religion with contempt, unless they proceed from a spirit of rancour, malice, or disdain; and that the state of mind from which such actions proceed, must first be ascertained, before the character of those actions can be determined. For says he, it is the motive that characterizes the action, and hence there are simple mistakes or sins of ignorance, as well as wilful and malicious offences. So that unless we have a pope or an infallible tribunal of appeal, Timothy's principle of coercion and restraint is a dead letter. I affirm then that Timothy's principle of coercion and restraint is necessarily connected, and inseperably linked with the "holy inquisition," and that it is essentially the same with that on which all civil establishments of christianity have been founded, and from which all bloody persecutions have originated, since the sword of the civil magistrate learned to serve at the altar.

      And has our opposition to the moral societies, as hostile to civil and religious liberty, to pure religion and sound morality, led their defender to avow a principle, so dangerous to the community, so subservient to ecclesiastical domination, so subversive of the basis of our free government!! And a Pennsylvanian too! Has it been said that it is the duty of the legislature to enact and the civil magistrate to execute such laws as will protect the public forms of religion from contempt! Ambiguous and dangerous assertion! Capable of being carried to any extreme and necessarily tending to make one form of religion the standard, and to trample every other form in the dust.

      The following is a specimen of legislation on mr. T's principle of coercion and restraint. "Be it enacted by the congress of the United States acting under the immediate direction of the Ruler of the Universe, in relation to his peculiar cause and authorized by him, to protect the publick forms of the christian religion from contempt; a majority of us, notwithstanding, being aliens from the church, and voluntarily excluded from her communion; yet conceiving it our duty, as his ministers teach us, to protect from contempt the publick forms of christianity, we do enact and decree, that every male from 12 to 65 years of age shall duly, regularly, and devoutly attend all the publick ministrations of the "ambassador's of Heaven" on the "christian Sabbath," and other holy days, fast days, &c. &c. and that all females from 14 to 48 years of age shall do the same--provided always that the mercury in fahrenheits thermometer on such, days is not above 96 degrees nor below 14. And provided also that the pulse of the subjects of this law beats from 50 to 75 times in a minute.

      2. Be it also enacted that each person stand up in the time of publick prayer, for at least one half hour and that should his reverence be too prolix; as mercy has ever been preferred to sacrifice; the subject of this law may sit down.

      3. Be it also enacted that each person as above defined shall sing with a loud voice, or if they cannot sing, make a suitable noise as loud as singing, provided always, that asthmatick persons, and other invalids be exempted.

      4. Be it also enacted by the authority aforesaid that whosoever shall transgress the provisions, or neglect to comply with the requisitions of this law, shall be punished at the discretion of the clergy, provided always that none be put to death except in cases of aggravated contumacy.

CANDIDUS.      

[The Reporter, 29 October 1821, p. 4.]