Volume 1. Number 5. December 1, 1823, pp. 29-34.

• The Clergy.--No. III. by Alexander Campbell, pp. 29-30.
• A Review of an "Extract of a Narrative of the State of Religion within the Bounds of the Synod of Kentucky;" published in the Pittsburgh Recorder of November 6th by Alexander Campbell, pp. 30-31.
• Address to Readers of the Christian Baptist.--No. I. by Alexander Campbell, pp. 32-33.
• [Letter to the Editor] by Robert Cautious, p. 33.
• [Reply to Robert Cautious] by Alexander Campbell, pp. 33-34.
• [On the Roman Catholic Church] by Alexander Campbell, p. 34.
• Debate [with Mccalla on Baptism] by Alexander Campbell, p. 34.

      IN our last article under this head, we had got so far in the exposure of the means employed by the clergy to establish their dominion over the bible, the consciences, the sentiments, and over the persons of men, as to show that their confederation into councils, synods, &c., was entirely destitute of any divine warrant in the New Testament. The only passage adduced from the New Testament, to support of such consociations, is the 15th of the Acts of the Apostles; and this we considered in our last, and, as we think demonstrated to be no warrant for ecclesiastical courts or church judicatories. Indeed, the present holy alliance of the crowned potentates of Europe, for the purpose of sustaining the assumptions of kings against the rights of the people, is just as accordant to the genius and spirit of christianity, as the councils of priests, or the confederation of the clergy now existing among us. There is, in fact, a much greater resemblance between the holy alliance of kings and the holy alliance of clergy than at first thought would appear. In the first place, kings and clergymen of this day find themselves pretty much alike. They have both got upon thrones by the common consent of the people. The king upon a golden throne, or a gilded one--the priest upon a wooden one, sometimes gilded, and sometimes crimson-cushioned too. The king wears a crown, and the priest a mitre. The king from his throne publishes his speeches and proclaims the laws of the state--the priest from his pulpit, or wooden throne, of his sermons and proclaims the canons of the church. The king is high in honor and lives upon the toils of his people--the priest is high in honor too, and lives upon the sweat and sacrifices of his people. The king pleads his divine right to rule, to be supported, and to be honored by the people of his realm--the priest pleads his divine right to instruct his people into the meaning of the bible, and to be supported and honored by the people over whom he reigns. The king pleads the antiquity of his order, and goes back to Genesis to show that his order is there mentioned and dignified in the person of Nimrod, Amraphel, Tidal, and Chedorlaomer. The priest is equally fond of antiquity, and turns over to Genesis in support of his order, and pleads that his order is found in the person of Melchisedec and the priests of Egypt. The king pleads his right to peculiar immunities from immemorial usage--the priest pleads the same right from usage as ancient; he quotes Genesis xiii. 22. "The land of the priests Joseph would not buy, for the priests had a portion assigned [29] them by Pharaoh, and did eat the portion which Pharaoh gave them." The kings of ancient and modern times united in leagues offensive and defensive for the better management of their affairs the securing of their interests, dominion, and rule. Of this sort was the confederation of the vale of Siddim nearly four thousand years ago. The priests of ancient and modern times have united in synods and councils, "ministerially to determine controversies of faith and cases of conscience, to set down rules and direction a for the better ordering of the public worship and government of the church." Of this sort was the confederation of priests in all ancient nations, in Egypt, in Chaldea, in Greece and Rome. The Jewish sanhedrim, that condemned the Son of God to death, and that excommunicated the apostles, and would have silenced them, was of this complexion. In all these items we discover remarkable coincidences between the kings and the priests of ancient and modern times.

      But in the nature and object of their alliances or consociations there are the most remarkable analogies. We shall take the existing holy alliance of kings in Europe and the existing holy alliance of American clergy, and examine their respective aspects. The holy alliance of monarchs have sworn and subscribed to certain articles of common faith, necessary, essentially necessary, to their salvation. They have pledged themselves to inculcate and support the same by all means and at every risk. Have not the confederated clergy of America done the same? Have not the respective ecclesiastical councils solemnly vowed and subscribed to certain articles of faith, deemed essential to salvation? Have not they pledged themselves to inculcate the same at the risk of their livings and sacred honor!

      Again, the object of the holy alliance and that of the allied priests is one and the same, ostensibly and really. The ostensible object of the allied monarchs is the peace and prosperity of Europe; the ostensible object of the allied priests is the peace and prosperity of Zion. But the real object of most of the allied monarchs is their crowns, their thrones, and their revenues: and the real object of most of the allied priests is their mitres, their pulpits, and their stipends. The allied monarchs call those who write or speak against their schemes, "traitors, rebels, or enthusiastic demagogues," whose object it is to sow discord, and to revolutionize that they may reign: the allied clergy represent those who speak or write against them as infidels, schismatics, heretics, or bewildered enthusiasts, who oppose them from some sinister motives. The allied monarchs have amongst their subjects such as they have honored with more than usual respect, and these plead their cause, defend their measures, and denounce those who plead for reform; these kiss the tyrants rod, and lick the dust on which he walks--just so, the allied priests have amongst those over whom they reign, certain ones whom they honor with more than ordinary respect; these plead the cause of the priests, defend their proceedings, and denounce those who plead for reform; these kiss the priest's toe and hold his stirrup; these are the veriest bigots; these are the ass on which Balsam rides. When one of the allied monarchs is likely to become too powerful, or to be too strong for the others, the other sovereigns become jealous, begin to explain away the obligation of the alliance, and prepare themselves for his exclusion; when one of the allied priests becomes too popular or too powerful in the diocese, the others say it is better that one man perish, or be destroyed, than that the whole priesthood suffer. But in fact the analogy appears perfect in every instance; the allied monarchs and the allied clergy resemble a monstrous production of nature which we once saw, two bodies united, and but one soul. Thus, though allied monarchs and allied clergy are two apparently distinct bodies, they possess but one and the same soul and spirit.

      In this country we have no kings, and no king craft. We are not, therefore, afraid to laugh at the impious and vain pretensions of the allied sovereigns. But in this country we have priests and priestcraft, and therefore may tremble to lisp a word against priests and priestcraft. But while we pity the condition, cordially pity the vassalage and privations of those under the despotic sway of the allied sovereigns of Europe, we see the approach, we hail the approach of their deliverance. Light travels with immeasurable force, with incalculable velocity. A fire is kindled that will burn and burn--that will, in proportion to the restraints imposed on it, burst forth with unquenchable violence, and consume the allied heads and hands that oppress Europe and the world. And as we sit and condole over the spiritual wickedness in high places; while we mourn for the blinded, the deluded, the oppressed, the robbed, and murdered subjects of the allied clergy, we lift up our eyes from the mournful and appalling picture with a hope that HE who has for some time been consuming with the spirit of his mouth the works of the Man of Sin, will continue with accumulated force to destroy and to consume, until iniquity ashamed shall hide its face; until allied priests shall be driven to confusion; or rather, as we would earnestly desire led to repent and become obedient to the truth.

EDITOR.      

      THIS narrative of the state of religion, if we may judge of the whole from the specimen presented in the Recorder, is, as respects style, matter, and spirit, one of the poorest things we have ever seen from a body of men professing to be learned and religious. What renders it worthy of notice is its extraordinary character of imbecility, incongruity, superciliousness, and ignorance of christianity. But let it speak for itself. The first paragraph reads--

      "It is with pleasure the synod presents to the people a view of the state of religion within our bounds. From some points this view is dark; from others, encouraging."

      Reader, observe: the synod with pleasure presents a view from some points of the compass dark, from other points of the compass encouraging, i. e. light. The synod are of a happy turn of mind; they have pleasure in presenting a view, dark or light. But stranger still, the synod have pleasure in lamenting! for after telling us that it is with pleasure the synod presents to the people a view, &c., they utter seven lamentations. They lament the ravages of disease; they lament the death of four ministers of their communion; they lament that "in some places infidelity prevails;" they lament that "intemperance, profane swearing, and indeed vice of every kind, prevails" in certain parts of their bounds; they lament, or rather "deeply deplore, that in many places the Sabbath is greatly profaned;" they lament [30] the "prevalency of lukewarmness in many of our churches, accompanied with a sinful conformity to the world;" and in the seventh place, "they are sorry to state, that there are still many vacancies within our bounds. From these vacancies we hear the pitiable Macedonian cry, Help us!"

      The Macedonian cry is become weak and curtailed in these vacancies! Amongst all the synods whose narratives we have heard, we never heard one that could with pleasure utter seven such lamentations. This narrative of the synod reminds us of a speech of king George IV. to the citizens of Dublin. The king was telling the citizens with what heart-rending grief he had just heard of the death of his beloved spouse, queen Caroline; and, in the same breath, while the crocodile tears were streaming down his cheeks, he expresses the great pleasure he then felt to be surrounded with his Irish subjects.

      The synod presents a view of the state of religion within its bounds. Is it the state of Presbyterianism, or the state of religion! or are the words Presbyterianism and religion synonymous? The synod must identify the terms assuredly; for they never mention the state of any other sect. The synod of Kentucky, then, must possess within its bounds all the religion in the state. But it may be said, that it only speaks of its own communion. Then, I ask, why does it mention the prevalence of infidelity in Lexington, Frankfort; &c. Is this within the bounds of its communion! Does infidelity prevail within its communion? The bounds of the synod must mean the whole state, or else infidelity and universalism prevail in some parts of its communion. The state of religion within its bounds is a most equivocal and deceitful sentence. And the synod must either arrogate to itself all the religion in the state, or it gives a false representation of the state of religion in the state. We are assured that the representation of the state of religion within Lexington is not correct, if it mean any thing more than the synods communion; for having been in Lexington immediately after the publication of this narrative, and having observed a little of the astonishment which it excited, I was led to inquire into the state of other religious sects in that town; and, from the best authority, ascertained that other religious sects had increased much more during the last year than for some years pest. But the fact is, that the prevalence of infidelity in Lexington, means that the synod having lost the management of the Transylvania University, and this seminary having, since it was by the state put under the management of others, flourished exceedingly, it has become exceedingly mortifying to the synod, which is about trying to get up another, for synods have always aimed at the sovereignty of colleges as subservient to their designs; consequently, whenever they lose the sway in any seminary, infidelity begins to rear its odious brow in that place.

      And the first of the joyful things mentioned by the synod is, that "several churches within our bounds which were vacant," A vacant church! O for a new dictionary! "and almost without the means of grace," i. e. a learned priest, "have within the last year been supplied with faithful pastors."

      Let it be remembered that the synod of Kentucky represent, and consequently consider, a faithful pastor, the means of grace; for every church is almost without the means of grace who has not a faithful pastor. O you poor! who are not able to hire a faithful pastor, pray to be rich that you may be saved! O Matthew, Mark, Luke and John! O Paul and Peter! James and Jude! what shall we say to you! You did not free yourselves from the blood of all men! Nay, you shunned to declare unto us the whole counsel of God! You kept back many things, and you spoke so darkly, that, having you all, and wanting a faithful pastor from a theological school, we are almost destitute of the means of grace!! The synod adds:

      "Thus your prayers have been answered, and God has sent some of you the desire of your hearts: men to break to you and to your children, the bread of life."

      Without this faithful pastor the bread of life would not have been broken! You must have starved to death, or eat it whole! O you faithful pastors! O you self-importants! if the people starve, alas for you!

      The synod answers the weak and faultering Macedonian cry thus:

      "We have it not in our power to answer their call. We have not laborers equal to the harvest. Do these vacant congregations say, what must we do? Must we and our children perish for want of the bread of life? The synod would say, two things at least they must do: they must look, by fervent prayer, to God. But this is not all; they, in conjunction with our churches that have regular pastors, must cheerfully and liberally engage in the support of our Theological Seminary. They must cheerfully and liberally contribute to the support of poor and pious youth in their preparatory studies. Were these two things perseveringly attended to, our vacant churches would soon be supplied and new churches formed."

      Yes, yes, support the Theological Seminary contribute money, give money to make faithful pastors, and then tell them, freely you have received, now freely give. No, that will not obtain them. Give money to make poor pious youths learned clergy, or vain pretenders to erudition; and then pray that they may preach to you; yes, and pay them too. Was there ever such a craft as priestcraft! No, it is the craftiest of all crafts! It is so crafty that it obtains by its craft the means to make craftsmen, and then it makes the deluded support them! The synod rejoices at last, that there is a growing reverence for the Sabbath; that Sabbath schools have been organized; that in some congregations monthly concerts for prayer are well attended; that the principle of inter-communion is recognized and acted upon; that parochial visitations have been attended to in some churches with most encouraging results; and that though no revivals had taken place, yet in many places there are encouraging appearances. Such is the dark and light view which it presents to the people. Oh that the people would read the scriptures and think and act for themselves, and then the people who fear God would learn his statutes, walk in his commandments, enjoy an intelligent mind, a comfortable hope, and would grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Then they would shine as lights in the world, they would live as the salt of the earth, and many would be reclaimed from the error of their way. Then they would choose from among themselves such as they had proved to be faithful men, and "apt to teach," for bishops, who would take the oversight, not for the sake of filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; not as lords over God's heritage, but examples to the flock.

EDITOR. [31]      

      MY FRIENDS:--IN the different articles presented to your perusal in this paper, you will find some that you approve, and some likely that you disapprove. We need scarcely inform you that we approve of every item yet presented from our own pen, or those of our correspondents. There was a sentence or two, in an extract on the "Abuses of Christianity," published during our absence, which, perhaps, we would have either not inserted, or have noted with a remark, had we been present at its insertion; but the general spirit and purport of the extract we approve. Our views of Christianity differ very materially from the popular views. This we fearlessly and honestly avow. But while we remember our own mistakes, and the systems and teachings of our time, we must acknowledge many to be Christians who are led away and corrupted from the simplicity of Christ. These cannot enjoy Christian health. They resemble those who live in an unwholesome climate and inhale a sickening air--they live, but they do not enjoy health or life. It is one thing to live, and another to enjoy life. One may be a Christian, and yet a babe, and yet carnal. It is, however, the privilege, the happiness, and glory of Christians, to be men in Christ--to be free men too, and to stand fast in, and enjoy the liberty, the glorious liberty of sons and heirs of God, is the grand desirable--the high aim of all the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. To see Christians enjoy their privileges, and to see sinners brought from darkness to light, are the two great objects for which we desire to live, to labor, and to suffer reproach. In endeavoring to use our feeble efforts for these glorious objects, we have found it necessary, among other things, to attempt to dethrone the reigning popular clergy from their high and lofty seats, which they have for ages been building for themselves. While we attempt to dethrone them, it is solely for this purpose, that we might enthrone the holy apostles in those thrones which Christ promised them; or rather, that we might turn the attention of the people to them placed upon thrones by the Great and Mighty King. Many will, from various motives, decry the clergy, as indeed they have rendered themselves odious to all who dare think for themselves, in every age and nation. They have made more deists or sceptics than Christians, in every country, and amongst all people. In opposing and exposing them, and their kingdom, it is not to join the infidel cry against priests or priestcraft; it is not to gratify the avaricious, or the licentious; but it is to pull down their babel, and to emancipate those whom they have enslaved, to free the people from their unrighteous dominion and unmerciful spoliation. We have no system of our own, nor of others, to substitute in lieu of the reigning systems. We only aim at substituting the New Testament in lieu of every creed in existence; whether Mahometan, Pagan, Jewish, or Sectarian. We wish to call Christians to consider that Jesus Christ has made them kings and priests to God. We neither advocate Calvinism, Arminianism, Arianism, Socinianism, Trinitarianism, Unitarianism, Deism, or Sectarianism, but New Testamentism. We wish, cordially wish, to take the New Testament out of the abuses of the clergy, and put it into the hands of the people. And to do this is no easy task, as the clergy have formed the opinions of nine-tenths of Christendom before they could form an opinion of their own. They have, in order to raise the people's admiration of them, for their own advantage, taught them in creeds in sermons, in catechisms, in tracts; in pamphlets, in primers, in folios, that they alone can expound the New Testament; that without them, people are either almost, of altogether destitute of the means of grace. They must lead in the devotion of the people; they must consecrate their prayers, their praises; and latterly they must even open a cattle-show or an exhibition of manufactures with prayers and religious pageantry!

      Such readers of this paper as believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and consequently desire to understand his word, to do, and to enjoy his will--we address, in a subserviency to our grand design, in the following words:--

      That you may relish and understand the New Testament, and all the revelation of God, is our ardent desire. We will, therefore, suggest to you a plan of reading the blessed volume which reason, common sense, and the experience of all who have tried it, recommend and enforce. We will only premise one sentence, viz. that as God kindly revealed himself; his will, and our salvation in human language, the words of human language, which he used for this purpose, must have been used by his spirit in the commonly received sense amongst mankind generally; else it could not have been a revelation; for a revelation in words not understood in the common sense, is no revelation at all. You will then take, say, a New Testament, and sit down with a pencil or pen in your hand. Begin with Matthew's gospel; read the whole of it at one reading, or two; mark on the margin every sentence you think you do not understand. Turn back again; read it a second time, in less portions at once than in the first reading; cancel such marks as you have made which noted passages, that, on the first reading appeared to you dark or difficult to understand, but on the second reading opened to your view. Then read Mark, Luke, and John, in the same manner, as they all treat upon the same subject. After having read each evangelist in this way, read them all in succession a third time. At this time you will no doubt be able to cancel many of your marks. Thus read the Acts of the Apostles, which is the key to all the Epistles; then the Epistles in a similar manner; always before reading an epistle, read every thing said about the people addressed in the epistle, which you find in the Acts of the Apostles. This is the course which we would take to understand any book. You will no doubt see, from what you read, the necessity of accompanying all your readings with supplications to the Father of Lights, for that instruction which he has graciously promised to all that ask him; praying that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." Ephesians, i. 17 20. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, [32] that you might be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians, iii. 17-19.

      In pursuing this plan, we have no doubt, in getting even three times through the New Testament, that you will understand much more of the christian religion than a learned divine would teach you in seven years. It will add, however, exceedingly to your advantage, should you find two, three, ten, or a dozen similarly disposed, who will meet and read, and converse and pray with you, and you with them once a-week; or should you be the member of a church walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord: Do, we entreat you, make the experiment, and if it prove not as useful as we have hinted, remind us of it; tell us of your disappointment, and then we will be deservedly worthy of blame. Beware of having any commentator or system before your eyes or your mind. Open the New Testament as if mortal man had never seen it before. Your acquaintance with the Old Testament will incalculably facilitate your proficiency in the New. The time requisite will be redeemed time. It will not interfere with your ordinary duties. Oh remember that this knowledge is better than all acquisitions! "that happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding! For the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold! she is more precious than rubies; and all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retains her." Prov. iii. 13-18.

EDITOR.      

Mr. Editor:--

      SIR: HAVING read with considerable attention the numbers of the Christian Baptist already published, and approving of the general spirit and tendency of your work, I take the liberty of suggesting to you the necessity of avoiding extremes. I have, for some years, lamented that so many who have opposed prevailing errors with considerable ability and commendable zeal, have defeated their own good efforts by outstepping the fixed boundaries of truth; and thus introducing schemes and opinions, as subversive of the religion of the New Testament, and as fraught with mischief, in their ultimate operations, as the schemes, which they opposed. In hastening out of Babylon they ran past Jerusalem. I would, with due respect, suggest to you, that I think your opposition to bible societies savors a little of this error. You have classed these most benevolent and useful institutions with schemes, as unwarranted of God as enthusiastic, as they are irrational and absurd. In this one instance, I honestly think, you have erred; you will please reconsider this matter. Consider only one fact, that it is owing, to these benevolent institutions, that so many of the poor have the word of life at this moment in their hands. I readily allow that it is difficult, very difficult to keep within the limits of propriety, within the limits of truth, in taking up the pen against a world of errors. It is also possible to fall short of the proper bounds, as Luther and Calvin very plainly have done. These then were reformers of popery, not advocates of the religion of the bible. They brought the popes chair with them, and established a religion as political as that of Rome. The very essential principles of popery are to be found in the works of these reformers. As for instance, these words of Calvin, "the church did grant liberty to herself since the beginning to change the rites (ordinances) somewhat, excepting the substance." (Calvin's Com. on Acts viii. 38.) This principle recognized and acted upon, re-establishes popery on its proper basis. And the present appearance of Lutherism and Calvinism shows how trifling the difference between the great mother and her elder daughters. Hoping that you will keep close to the grand model, I am your well-wisher,

	ROBERT CAUTIOUS.
P----, Va. November 6th, 1823.

Mr. Robert Cautious:--

      SIR: YOURS of the 6th instant came duly to hand. I am obliged to you for its contents. You think that it was rather going to an extreme to rank bible societies with other popular schemes. Perhaps a more intimate acquaintance with our views of christianity would induce you to think as we do upon this subject. We are convinced, fully convinced, that the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint of modern fashionable christianity--that many, of the schemes of the populars resemble the delirium, the wild fancies of a subject of fever, in its highest paroxysms--and that these most fashionable projects deserve no more regard from sober Christians, Christians intelligent in the New Testament, than the vagaries, the febrile flights of patients in an inflammatory fever. We admit that it is quite as difficult to convince the populars of the folly of their projects, as it generally is to convince one in a febrile reverie, that he is not in the possession of his reason. Some of the actions, however, of these subjects of disease, approximate very nigh to the actions of those in perfect health, while others are extravagantly wild. The course pursued by physicians in such cases as we have alluded to, for the cure of the body, is analogous to the proper course to be pursued by those who would reduce the minds of the populars to views and practices consistent with scripture. It is not the administration of stimulants, but a system of depletion, that will effect a cure. It is not the recommendation of the popular schemes, it is not the prescription of zealously engaging in all the projects of converting the world, recommended by the popular clergy, that will heal the diseases of the people; but it is an abandonment of every human scheme, and a submission to learn and study christianity as developed in the bible. This is the course, and the only course, that will effect a cure and renovate the constitution. Every other course resembles the palliatives, and sedatives, and stimulants of quackery.

      With regard to bible societies, they are the most specious and plausible of all the institutions of this age. No man who loves the bible can refrain from rejoicing at its increasing circulation. But every Christian who understands the nature and design, the excellence and glory of the institution called the Church of Jesus Christ, will lament to see its glory transferred to a human corporation. The church is robbed of its character by every institution, merely human, that would ape its excellence and substitute itself in its place. Should a physician of extraordinary skill exhibit a medicine as an infallible remedy of consumption, in all its stages, when administered according to his prescription; should he represent it as perfectly adapted, without any commixture, or addition to the patient in every stage; should he also be [33] a person of unbounded benevolence, what would be his feelings when some ignorant quack would bring himself into notice by recommending the grand specific as infallible, should a little sage tea or some innocent anodyne be added? Would not the physician feel his skill insulted, his character traduced, and would not his benevolence provoke him to anger at the impudent or ignorant quack who would thus strive to creep into notice at his expense, and at the same time, partially, if not altogether, defeat the real utility of his medicine? The case is parallel, at least sufficiently so, to illustrate our meaning. The infallible physician has exhibited an infallible remedy for sinners; he has also established a society to which he has committed it, to be preserved and exhibited in purity. This society he has called the house of the living God, the temple of the Holy Spirit. The honor and glory of this society, of this institution, and the honor and glory of its founder, require, that in its own character, not in that of a heterogeneous association of Calvinists, Arminians, Mammonites, Socinian Philosophers, and Philosophical Sceptics, it present and disseminate, in their purity the oracles of God. Let every church of Christ, then, if it can only disseminate twenty bibles or twenty testaments in one year, do this much. Then it will know into what channel its bounty flows; it will need no recording secretary, no president, no managers of its bounty. It will send all this pageantry, this religious show, to the regions of pride and vanity, whence they came. Then the church and its king will have all the glory. The limits of my sheet command me to come to an abrupt close. Your friend,

	THE EDITOR.
B----, November 20th, 1823.

      THE following language from an English Protestant, where hereditary political prejudices give greater force to the religious, may be considered liberal, and indicates the prevalence of more benign and tolerant feeling than has, until lately, existed towards the Roman Catholic Church in that country.--[Nat. Int.

      "AMONGST all grave and religious men, the ancient hostility to the church of Rome has entirely passed away, and has been succeeded by a kind of tenderness, a species of reverence, for what, in a historical point of view, is unquestionably the mother church. We avow, that we ourselves feel this tenderness and reverence, and we know that in this feeling we agree with some of the best and most learned men of every age and country. The late Dr. Johnson used to stop at once all invectives against the Roman Catholics, by saying, "Nay, sir, do not abuse a church from which we all spring." The bishops of Rome are men, and have fallen in process of time into gross errors and vices; but still they are the successors of St. Peter. Barrow, Clarke, and a hundred more of our most learned prelates and sages had the same feelings; and we have reason to believe, indeed to know, that they prevail very extensively in the present day. It is, in truth, a vulgar and most mischievous bigotry, to confound the papal power of the present times with the popes of the dark and middle ages, and to treat all the existing Catholics of the present day as if they shared in the guilt and sanguinary persecutions of those of that dark period."--[Bell's London Weekly Mess.

      This is liberal, charitable, just, and honest. It is honest; for assuredly every sect that holds a human creed and an ecclesiastical court, is a legitimate daughter of the holy mother; and it is no more than common honest to own the relationship. But, indeed, we did not know, that "amongst all grave and religious men, the ancient hostility to the church of Rome had entirely passed away, and that it had been succeeded by a kind of tenderness, a species of reverence, for what, in a historical point of view is unquestionably the mother church" Nor did we know that dissenters from the mother church would "avow" that they feel a "reverence" for the old mother of harlots, the scarlet whore, drunken with the blood of the saints of the Most High. Indeed, we have long seen a most striking family likeness between the numerous progeny of this crimsoned queen in their religious establishments and religious proceedings; but never before this "era of good feelings," did we hear that almost all grave and religious men reverence this venerable nurse of an adulterous brood. As every thing of English manufacture is so highly esteemed in this country, it is presumed that the style and sentiment of the above extract will be quite fashionable amongst us.

EDITOR.      

      A DEBATE took place in Washington, Mason county, Kentucky, between the Rev. W. L. Maccalla, of Kentucky, and A. Campbell, of Virginia, which commenced on the 15th and ended on the 22d of October, on BAPTISM. This debate continued seven days, owing to Mr. Maccalla having collected documents and written notes, which he said, before the debate commenced, would require eight days to discuss. As this debate is about being put to press, we forbear making any remarks upon it. It excited great interest, and was patiently heard by a very numerous and respectable assembly, to its close. It is expected that it will make its appearance next spring.

EDITOR.      

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