SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. THE following sketch of the ecclesiastical history of Virginia, is from the pen of the present learned and venerable president of Hampden Sydney college. I regret that it did not come to hand in time to be inserted in the body of the work. The affairs of the church make an important part of the history of most nations, and afford no less a subject of meditation to the philosopher, than a lesson of instruction to the christian. Religion, unrestrained by law, and untrammelled by superstition, promotes the best interests of the government, and secures the real happiness of the subject. Its doctrines derive not their influence from the aid of civil authority, nor can the arm of secular power impede their progress or prevent their efficacy. It belongs to government to protect the religion of every sect, without wishing to control the opinions of any. Such is the present happy state of our country, where no monopoly of civil rights or religious privileges belongs to any sect, or is the reward of any tenets. Here the church may flourish, careless of the flattery of her friends, and fearless of the frowns of her enemies. Dear Sir, May 24th, 1813. In the history of Virginia which you are about to publish, a brief sketch of the affairs of the church may, I think, with propriety be allowed a place. And this sketch I shall, agreeably to your request, undertake to furnish. But so very defective are my materials for a work of this nature, that it will not be in my power to do justice to the interesting subject. At the first settlement of this country by the English, the Episcopal church was established by law; and severe penalties were enacted against non-conformists to the established worship. That there is a very intimate connexion between the civil and religious interests of any government, will readily be conceded. The duties which we owe to the country in which we live, we also owe to God from whom we have derived our existence. Nor is it possible for any one to conduct himself as it becomes a christian, without being at the same time a good citizen of the commonwealth. But these great interests ought always to be preserved entirely distinct. As a sense of religious obligation is eminently condu cive to the well-being of civil society, it is certainly the duty of the civil magistrate to cherish that sense by all proper means. But he has no right to select as the favourites of government any denomination of the clergy, and to provide for their support at the common expense. Much less can he have a right to require any one to worship the Creator in a way that does not accord with the dictates of his own conscience. Instead of such invidious distinctions, the civil magistrate ought to be the common protector of all, without distinction, who demean themselves as good citizens of the commonwealth. And such is, at present, the case in our highly favoured country. At the American revolution the Episcopal establishment was abolished, and religious liberty suffered to remain upon its own proper base. This reverse in the state of the Episcopal church was, it is affirmed by a respectable writer of that communion, attended with some very serious disadvantages. Ultimately however it will, we have reason to believe, be highly conducive to the interests of genuine religion. Already have we seen a new and striking proof that the gospel of Christ is not dependent upon the arm of civil government for its support. Truth, when left thus open to a free and impartial investigation, will, it may be sumed, prevail. And now that all just ground of envy and jealousy among the different denominations has been remoted, it may reasonably be expected that they will follow with more attention and success the things that make for peace. It is not uncommon for ecclesiastical historians to obtrude upon the world, and that under the imposing name of church history, a pompous account of the pride, the luxury, and other vices of faithless ecclesiastics, together with the contests and wars which they are said to have engendered or fomented. This however is, in my opinion, neither candid nor just. In this way many groundless prejudices have, there is reason to believe, been excited against the religion of Jesus Christ. For the faults of real members the church is indeed accountable. But the crimes of such as are christians only in name, belong to a very different class-to the world, and not to the church. The proper subject of church history is the kingdom of Jesus Christ upon earth, and not the kingdoms of this world, or the lives or opinions of the children of this world, by what name soever they may choose to be distinguished. The earliest authentic account in my possession of the state of vital piety in our country, is contained in a letter from the Rev. Samuel Davis, then minister of the gospel at Hanover, to Dr. Bellamy of New England. This interesting communication is dated June 28th, 1751; and from it I have taken the liberty to make the following extracts. Reverend and Dear Sir, If the publication of the rise, progress, and present situation of religion in Virginia may not only gratify good people, but (as you give me reason to hope) animate their prayers for us, and encourage preachers to come into these parts, I should charge myself with a criminal neglect if I refused to publish the marvellous works of the Lord among us. I hope I may observe without the umbrage of calumny, what is but too evident among serious people of all denominations among us, that religion has been, and in most parts of the colony still is, in a very low state. A surprising negligence in attending public worship, and an equally surprising levity and unconcernedness among those that attend. Family religion a rarity, and a solemn concern about eternal things a greater. Vices of various kinds triumphant, and even a form of godliness not common.But universal fame makes it needless for me to enlarge upon this disagreeable subject. Before the revival in 1743, there were a few who were awakened, as they have told me, either by their own serious reflections, suggested and enforced by divine energy, or on reading some authors of the last century, particularly Bolton, Baxter, Flavel, Bunyan.-There was one Mr. Samuel Morris, who had for some time been very anxious about his own salvation, who after obtaining blessed relief in Christ, became zealous for the salvation of his neigh2 B 2 |