"THE PRESBYTERIANS ALONE COULD BRING HALF A MILLION OF ELECTORS INTO THE FIELD."

"Let a man be of good moral character, and let him profess to believe in and advocate the christian religion, and we can all support him!!! At one time he will be a Baptist, at another an Episcopalian, at another a Methodist, at another a Presbyterian of the American, Scotch, Irish, Dutch, or German stamp, and always a friend to our common chris. tianity."

"I am free to avow, that other things being equal, I would prefer for my chief magistrate, and judge, and ruler, A SOUND PRESBYTERIAN; and every candid religionist will make the same declaration concerning his own persuasion."

The above closes my extracts from the sermon, and they will show for themselves. However, I will add, that Doctor Ely, in 1828, speaking of the past and present condition of the Presbyterian church, with her prospects and wants," boastingly held forth the following language:

"In 1704, or 124 years ago, the Presbyterian church in the United States, was organized by the establishment of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. In 1716, or 112 years ago, we had one synod, and four Presbyteries." Then contrasting the past with the then present state of the Presbyterian church, the Doctor says:-Two thirds of all the colleges, theological seminaries, and other academic institutions in the country, are under the instruction and control of Presbyterians. The Congregational churches of New-England, and the Presbyterian church together, have the charge of more than three fourths of all these fountains of literary influence.' ""

That I am by no means singular in supposing efforts are used to effect a religious establishment, on the part of the Presbyterians, and that they are the most intolerant of all sects, may be seen by the following energetic remarks from the pen. of THOMAS JEFFERSON, which I extract from the IV vol. of his late works, now lying before me. He says:

"The Presbyterian clergy are the LOUDEST; the most INTOLERANT of all sects; the most TYRANNICAL AND AMBITIOUS; ready at the word of the lawgiver, if such a word could now be obtained, to put the torch to the pile, and to re-kindle, in this virgin hemisphere, the flames, in which their oracle, Calvin, consumed the poor Servetus. They PANT to reestablish BY LAW, that holy inquisition which they can now only infuse into public opinion."

In a letter to Doctor Cooper, bearing date November 2, 1822, he says: "Your favor of October 18th, came to hand yesterday. The atmosphere of this country is unquestionably

charged with a threatening cloud of fanaticism, lighter in some parts, denser in others, but too heavy in all. I had no idea, however, that in Pennsylvania, the cradle of toleration and freedom of religion, it could have arisen to the height you describe. This must be owing to the growth of Presby terianism. The blasphemy and absurdity of the five points of Calvin, and the impossibility of defending them, render their advocates impatient of reasoning, irritable, and proneto denunciation." "In our village of Charlottesville, there is a good degree of religion, with a small spice only of fanaticism. We have four sects, but without either church or meeting house. The court house is the common temple, one Sunday in the month to each. Here Episcopalian and Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist, meet together, join in hymning their Maker, listen with attention and devotion to each others' preachers, and all mix in society with perfect harmony. It is not so in the districts where Presbyterianism prevails undividedly. THEIR AMBITION AND TYRANNY WOULD TOLERATE NO RIVAL IF THEY HAD POWER.

Sys

tematic in grasping at an ascendancy over all other sects, they aim, like the Jesuits, at engrossing the education of the country, are hostile to every institution which they do not direct, and jealous at seeing others begin to attend at all to that object."

Mr. Jefferson, in a letter to old John Adams, dated October 28, 1813, remarks as follows: "It is probable that our difference of opinion may, in some measure, be produced by a difference of character in those among whom we live. From what I have seen of Massachusetts and Connecticut myself, and still more from what I have heard, and the character given of the former by yourself, who know them so much better, there seems to be in those two states, a traditionary reverence for certain families, which has rendered the offices of the government nearly hereditary in those families. I presume that from an early period of your history, members of those families, happening to possess virtue and talents, have honestly exercised them for the good of the people, and by their services have endeared their names to them.

In coupling Connecticut with you, I mean it politically only, not morally. For having made the Bible the common law of their land, they seem to have modelled their morality on the story of Jacob and Laban! But although this hereditary succession to office with you, may, in some degree, be founded in real family merit, it has proceeded from your STRICT ALLIANCE OF CHURCH AND STATE."

In another letter to the same man, dated May 5, 1817, on the subject of the political reformation which had taken place. in Connecticut, Mr. Jefferson says: "For what need we despair of after the resurrection of Connecticut to light and liberty. I had believed that the last retreat of monkish darkness, bigotry, and abhorrence of those advances of the mind which had carried the other states a century ahead of them. They seemed still to be exactly where their forefathers were when they schismatised from the covenant of works, and to consider as dangerous heresies all innovations good or bad. I join you, therefore, in sincere congratulations that this den of the priesthood is at length broken up, and that a Protestant Popedom is no longer to disgrace the American history and character."

It will here be objected, that Mr. Jefferson was an infidel, or that he was opposed to all religion. I am free to avow, that he was not a member of any church, and that he wrote some things which savor very much of infidelity; but at the same time, being no sectarian, and having no more partialities for one denomination than another, he was the better prepared to judge of their real merits.

But, perhaps, an extract from judge Grundy's speech, on the subject of the Protest of the President of the United States, delivered in the Senate, in 1834, will not be deemed irrelevant just here; and more especially, since this honorable senator is known to be entirely friendly to christianity. Mr. Grundy says: "Before I can agree that our opponents shall have the exclusive possession of the title whigs, I wish to make some further enquiries; where are those men who, during the last war, discouraged the enlistment of soldiers? Where are those who used their influence to prevent loans to the government in its utmost need? Where are all the moral traitors of that trying and gloomy period? Where are those who thought it immoral and irreligious, to rejoice at our victories, and mourned at the defeat of our enemy? Where are those who denounced James Madison as a tyrant, usurper, and despot, and proclaimed that the country would never prosper until he was sent to Elba? Where are the 'BLUELIGHT' gentry, who gave private signals to the enemy to enable them to murder our citizens!"

The above, then, is a specimen of New-England Presbyterianism. And this sect, when headed by Oliver Cromwell, so far gained the ascendancy in England, as to govern the state and oppress the Episcopalians. But when the latter regained the ascendancy at the restoration of the monarchy, it was

considered an impious encroachment on the liberty of conscience, and they, forsooth, came over to the wilderness of America! And this is the sect, which, in 1829, was the most active in trying to effect the stoppage of. the mail on Sunday; which, if granted, they very well knew, would destroy one link of the Constitutional chain;-which, when done, would enable them to do any thing. Is it not well known, that they crowded Congress with petitions for this purpose, till the house would scarcely hold any more? Now these pious petitioners must have known, that the practical inconvenience which would result from such a measure, in the diminished activity of the ordinary business of life, was, of itself, a sufficient reason why Congress should not grant their request; to say nothing at all of the advantages derived from receiving the religious news so much sooner. But, this aim at a suspension of the transportation of the mail, and the distribution of letters on Sunday, though professedly made out of regard for the Lord's day, was, nevertheless, intended to aid in effecting a union of Church and State. In conclusion, a severe struggle is now going on in all parts of the United States, between despotism with its besotted supporters, and the friends of liberty. Dark and portentous clouds now dim our national horizon, and loud and angry muttering fortel the gathering tempest, which is to sweep away the fair fabric of Union, after having breasted so many storms. The Sunday mail party, though they have been defeated, have had time to breathe, so as to repair their fallen courage, and to intrigue for their success in future.

I would be the last to hold up any false views or fanatical sentiments, and know that the sentiments here expressed are not such:-they are the words of truth and soberness.

CHAPTER V.

AMBITIOUS DESIGNS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN MINISTRY,OR, THE CASE TERMED "MURDER WILL OUT;"-OR, AN ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT PRESBYTERIAN PLOT, RELATIVE TO A "CENTRAL SOCIETY," IN 1828!

THE present state of things, throughout the known world, both conspires to agitate the human mind, and to render this an age of wonders. The struggle between truth and error -the noble achievements of the friends of Christ, and the

powerful opposition of his enemies, in all parts of the world, make this peculiarly an age of wonders. The war of opinion-the contention of sects-the rapid march of mind-the progress of truth,-and the great revivals of religion now in progress, all conspire to perplex the mind, and to excite enquiry among the people to know what these things mean, and what the final result will be. Truly this is an age of reformof reform in every thing-emphatically of reform. Different denominations are reforming their creeds and confessions of faith. Almost all the governments of the world are reforming, or have been recently reformed in their political basis. But, bigotry, well knowing that her all is now at stake, is rolling together her clouds of blackness and darkness, with the forlorn hope of obscuring the glorious light of reform that is beaming in gladness upon the children of God! But all this will avail her nothing, if men will be true to themselves-if they will not retrogade in the glorious cause-if they will not continue to crouch under the yoke of bondage, which their spiritual guides-their ghostly conscience-keepers have laid upon them-we shall yet be delivered from the foulest abomination that ever blackened the history of any country -an ecclesiastical heirarchy!

I am no alarmist--I am no spiritual dreamer-what I now say is an awful reality. Look at the contents of this chapter! -see what coalitions and combinations have been entered into, for the purpose of establishing a national heirarchy, and then say is it our duty to cry peace, peace, when there is no peace! Even the gun powder plot, in point of hellish malice, did not surpass this! The rack, the gibbet, and a second edition of the infernal inquisition, is only one step behind this plot!

The following articles, with some few strictures, are from the Holston Messenger, published and edited by Rev. Mr. Stringfield; and by him, were collected from the several papers credited, and so arranged as to set the whole transaction forth in its true light. Look at them! Read them carefully!!

"From the Christian Advocate and Journal.

MURDER WILL OUT.

Fear them not, therefore, for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known,

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light, and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the house tops.'-Jesus Christ.

"Mr. Editor. For some months it has been cautiously rumored in my region of country, that one or more travelling agents have been itinerating through the land, calling together the ministers of the gospel in every city and neighborhood, for the purpose of a secret conclave. It has been