nhoif Xo. ;ro.
Tavborough, (Edgecombe County, X. C) Saturday, September o, 1835.
Vol. XIJo. 36.
I'OK THE TARtO ROUGH PRKSS.
'JV fnnii: h snaio.uut of the Catholic Trap.
(continiitul froi'i our lust paper.)
I'urllitT proof is, that in ail rounii ies, ours not excepted, the Pro
' jt'n'liyioti and the Catholic religion are diverse, and mean two
1 v;, ;,:! distinct religious. I cite as proof, all the histories of
'!: 0 .A Africa, ami the two Americas. This is a fact not to
Venial- Then I would ask the Convention, how can you amalga
lL,teor metamorphose these two distinct religions, so as to make out
'- them what you rail the Christian religion, when all the histories
i , .v.irlil are against you? IVr if von do not make a horse of
,u,j a j.u-k ol tlte other, 1 am sure you cannot make out this mule
I'uirdl tlie Christian religion. If they have alwavs heen known in
; I l(ie ,jstnries of the world, and even in our own country and day,
be two distinct religions, how will you unite them now so as to
u them mean the same thing; or to take them both to make the
('iiiaii ieli-;ion? I told you in the outset It could not be done.
Ti eti it" the Catholic religion be the Christian religion, the Protestant
Vioii cannot so vice versa. Nor is there proof to he had, that
Vrotestaul religion' can be called the Christian religion; but,
rs there is proof upon proof that the Catholic religion can be call
j tI . e Christian religion with propriety, anu has been so called lor
i,00 years. And it was for this reason, in my opinion, that the
tiijime was wanted; for the Catholic religion was called the Chris
Mi) rcliuion for 1200 years, in all the histories of Europe, before
,,'ie wum of the Protestant religion was heard of. Hut now the Con
vt juijii will make a marriage between the mother of harlots and the
I'r.itestauis, and thus ulake out the Christian religion. Sirs, I tell
v i the much cannot be allowed I forbid the banns, and think I
u II .how jtit cauM'for so doing before I am done.
Tiun if the Catholic religion existed 1200 years ami was called
i'.ie Christian religion, before the existence of the Protestant religion, j
,u;elv tlicv cannot be the same this is clear. One of the two is
;';:e Christian religion, and it docs not take them to be incorporated
to mike the Christian religion. Then what a squabble ami mighty
trmmil of contention the alteration you have proposed makes in this
Sute, for Catholics and Protestants to contend about; and w ho is to
W the arbiter in this dispute? the Supreme Court? Good heavens
deliver u?! for Protestants cannot help seeing that it must go against
t;ifm, and that they must be again smashed under the paw of this
a.-reJ beast, that had the deadly wound and was healed.
Then 1 set it down as a point that cannot be overturned, from his-
Ui-ial facts, that the Catholic religion is not the Protestant religion;:
bit tint thev are two distinct leligions, known to be so in all nations,
ail oi the face of all historical records and that the Convention!
, nKiut make the Christian religion out of them both; that one or the ,
o;her must, when proof is souunt, be left out in the article Christian ;
region And I contend that that word shuts out the Protestants j
Ibtii office, and admits the Catholics; lor the Protestants will never
fail to deny the religion of the Catholics to be the Christian religion,!
and the Catholics will claim that theirs only is the Christian religion;;
and thus at loggerheads w e go in church and State the Lord deliver j
is from this whirlpool of State and church distress. j
Then let the argument stand thus: Jesus Christ was the founder of
the Christian religion this will not be denied. Next, the Christian
religion was established in the year of the world 4033, or thereabouts i
-this will not be denied. Next, by the Chritian religion is to be j
u'tderstoo-i that system of faith, doctrines, ordinances, practices, and:
Vcipline Christ Jnd his apostles taught this, I presume, will not he j
tailed. Next, that this Christian religion, which had its believers,:
is called the Christian church this also, 1 presume, will not be
taiied. Taking these a admitted and granted, the questions at once j
ariie on us with force, who was Christ? what wa5 the system of reli-,
irian he taught? what were its doctrines and its ordinances? what
hi il of people were those that composed the first Christian church?
Wyou can see the field of contention and argument opening on
yujwitli the last question, which of the sects comes nearest theChris-
. ' i churt b, the Catholics or any of the Protestant seels? As the
ru!i dies form one religion, ami all Protestant sects form but one
l;1 rriigiun; thus the whole Christian world is concentrated in
the two reli-iiun, less or more. For all Protestants of all sects
a ,ive in ihiS) j,, protesting against the Catholic religion; and equally
- ' the Catholics agree, in declaring their religion the only Christian
'thmon, nnd their church the only spouse of Christ; this is the con-
.'rovmy. and who is to settle ita" each put up their claim to be
Christian church, and theirs the Christian religion. Then all we
lave lo do to decide the argument, is to show by proof what
Christian religion is, and what the Protestant religion is; and this
I l'ow that the Catholic religion is not the Protestant religion,
'd that the Protestant religion is not the Catholic religion, and that
'cannot and does not take them both to make the Christian religion;
will further, hew which has the best claim to be called the Chris
ton religion.
Then the first thing we have to do is, to show what the Christian
rt,1?iois is, and that by proof, to settle the argument. And first, we
have some standard to try bv; and I contend, and it cannot be
:ien'e, that the New Testament is the first book and the most histor
!al record, that treats of the origin, rise and progress of the Chris
1,311 religion; and that it is therefore to be tried by this book, in order
l" kn out what the Christian religion is, and what it is not. Then
Cf,l'te.i,l t,;tt what is called the United Haptists, when tried by this
!'Uias the best claim to be called the Christian church; and their
-'grille, ordinance aud discipline, or the whole system of their faith,
called the Christian religion and the Christian church; and that
y come higher and their claim is better founded than that of any
:'rlSftrl this Slate, when tried by the New Testament. But,
'' l!ie legislature or Supreme Court try by this book, and say
"J (:,rislian religion is? No, Sir, neither kings, parliaments,
,,.! ."hj'lltnes' l0Pes f"1- their councils, courts of inquisition, nor
elasl'u:al judicatures try by this book what the Christian religion
; ' 'i they did, Protestants would never have had any thing to have
U I eave die field of argument aud free enquiry open, unaided
( and Protestantism has never had any thing to fear. Indeed
'ws driven back Popery, backed by law, fire and sword; and ob
' "J Wore than an equality and toleration in the nations of the
J'.1'1' u"t now Catholicism wants to trample her under foot again,
2 1 she can never do unaided by law. Then instead of trying the
o! the christian religion, and which is the Christian church, by
the New Testament, resort has always been had by statesmen in all
countries to history, the opinions of the fathers of the church, com
mon, general, and public opinion; these have been their proofs with
popish councils, popish canons, and ancient customs of the church,
to establish what the nations have called the Christian religion; how
ever foreign that religion has failed being supported by express clau
ses from the New Testament.
To show that the United Baptists have the best claim to the Chris
tian religion, and of thfir being the Christian church, in a short wav
is not a hard matter to do, by the New Testament, for it is full of
proof to that effect. And to show by the New Testament, that
the Catholic religion is the Christian religion, cannot be done; for the
doctrine of the Catholics, in the New Testament, is called the doc
trine of devils; and the church a whore, which h is committed forni
cation with the kitigs of the earth; and the church said to be the
habitation of devils, and the Pope anti-Christ, and of course the Ca
tholic church his wife all of which I shall not take lime to explain.
But to prove by history, aud popish councils, and the opinions of old
time, and the history of nations, that the Catholic religion is
the Christian religion, is an easy matter; and that no sect of Protest
ants have, or can from history or ancient opinions claim to be
the Christian church, is equally easy. Aud here it is that Protest
ants have in all countries fell in the lurch; because their religion must
be tried by statesmen, inquisitors, ecclesiastical courts and parlia
ments; not by the New Testament, the only law by which their reli
gion ought to be tried, as the standard of the Christian religion; but
by history, old opinions, canons of Popes, and councils, aud ancient
usages and customs. And when things have been tried this way,
why the Protestants have always, with a few instances excepted,
been condemned as heretics and unfit to live; and as having no claim
to he of the Christian religion. And, indeed, Protestants might as
well expect the devil to do justice between them and the Catholics, as
a magistrate, a Legislature, or an ecclesiastical court; for they are
tried by a w rong law, and of course the sentence must go against
them the law being wrong by which they have been tried, thus the
sentence has been always wrong also.
So then according to the New Testament the Protestants have the
best claim to the Christian religion; but according to history, old cus
toms, traditions, and records of old time, (the New Testament ex
cepted,) they have no claim; but must-surrender it to the Catholics, fts
far more ancient in name that) the Protestants, by 1200 vears.
Then to show thee claims will finish the argument. And first, I
have already hinted that John the Baptist commenced preparing ma
terials for t tie Christian church; Jesus Christ was cotemporary with
him in preparing and founding the Christian religion; and after his
death the first Christian church was founded in Jeiusalrm bv his
apostles, aud from thence spreail throughout the extensive Roman
empire; and hundreds of churches were foiiuded of baptised believ
ers, seventeen of which can be proved from the New Testament, of
which I cannot now speak for length sake particularly, but will give
the public should 1 live in some future piece. From founding the
first church in Jerusalem and its progress onwards, we may consider
and date the rise of the Christian religion. Then from that time up
to the year 132 J, the Christian church and of course the Christian re
ligion, waded through lire, sword, persecution aud death. During
this 323 years of the first progress of the Christian religion, there
appeared many sects; first, B;issilides and his lollowers, about the
year 120; the Valeniinians, a litilr after this time, 125; the Carpocra
tians, about the same lime; the beihians, 150; the Montanists, 15C;
the iMarcosians, 100; Hermogeiies, 160; Praxias, 190; Artemon, 200;
Theodotus, 200; Novatus, 251; the Donitist, 32S all these men and
sects were never called, not one of them, the Protestant religion; but
the term used for these sects, in the general they were all denomina
ted heretics; and the Christian church passed sentence on them, as
not belonging to the Christian church, nor of the Christian religion.
For during this 323 years, the church w as judge w hat was the Chris
tian religion, and not Legislatures lior Supreme Courts; and al
though heathenjudges and governors judged the Christians and their
religion, yet they only called it a superstition. Now during this
33 years of the first progress of the Christian religion, the Christian
church kept herself separate from all sectarian principles; for as these
men and sects arot,e, she condemned them aud thrust them them her
communion. Then w hen Constantine established the Christian reli
gion by law, about the year 323 or 4, did lie establish any one of
these sects? No, Sir, not one of them became the established religion
of the Roman empire; but it was the ( hrislian church and the Chris
tian religion, she herself being judge, aud who more capable of
judging right! v than hersell, who was ol the Christian religion, and
not a sectarian party. At this time, 323, when Constantine estab
lished the Christian religion by law, Sylvester was Bishop of Home,
and the Catholics say he was the thirty-fourth bishop in succession
from Saint Peter. Bull say they have nothing to do with Saint
Peter Peter did not plant the church in Borne, but Paul. This is
proven from scripture, and they cannot prove from scripture that
Christ ever gave the keys to Paul, but Peter. Then if they cannot
prove that Paul had the keys given to him, let the Catholics give up
the kevs; for they have stolen them, if they cannot prove their suc
cession from Peter; which 1 defy them to do from any authentic re
cord under heaven for Peter was an apostle to the Jews, and Paul
planted the first Christian church at Borne. Aud further, I defy the
Catholics to prove this succession of bishops for the first 300 years
come forth, if you can do it. Then the Catholics may claim, and
have a right to claim, according to history, councils, ancient writings,
&ic. that they p(,ssess aud are die Christian church, and that their
religion is the Christian religion, from the days of Sylvester and
the establishment of Christianity by the lioman Emperor, to this day;
and that no other religion is the Christian religion but theirs for as
yet during this 300 years the Protestant religion is not heard of by
name. From 323 up to 606, the Catholic religion continued to be
the established religion of the Roman empire; when Boniface the
IB. was proclaimed universal bishop of the christian church. So
then, if it was the christian religion that was established by law
by constantine, which no man can deny from history, then the Cath
olic religion is that established christian religion, which no man that
reads history dare deny. Then here is the place where the Protest
ants have lost their claim to the christian religion in all ages? aud
have been called herelies, from 606 up to 1 529. The Catholic reli
gion, which i historically called the christian religion, but cannot
be called so when tried by the New Testament, continued to be the
established religion of Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, aiid
Kngland, with but little exceptions, as well as other countries, and
was in all countries called the Christian religion; but by their oppo
nents called popery, he. During ihisime of 1 500 yealS,allho, there
were thousands and tens of thousands that opposed the Caholic reli
gion, aud condemned it as not freing the christian religion; yet that
it was the christian religion in its origin and its establishment by ( on
stantine, none can deny. Then why they denied its being ihe c hris
tian religion was, because the Catholics had changed every thing
in the christian religion as respects doctrine, ordinances, discipline,
&ic. into some fooleries that were not recognized by the New Testa
ment; and it is the just the same now bv the Protestant sects, ytt no
man dare deny that from history, and roni the proofs of sixteen
councils held by the Christian church, that the catholics only, during
this 1 500 years, are entitled to the name of the Christian church, ami
their religion the Christian religion; and that the name Protestant
religion was not then mentioned among the nations, as meaning a
certain specific religion.
Now from 323, the time of the establishing the christian religion
by law, up to 1529, there arose a great many sects in opposition
to the Christian church. The Pricilliauists 378, the Pelagians 405,
the Samothracians, the Sabellians, the Arians, the Socmians, the
Arminiaus, and many others the Waldeuses, the Ilugonots, ike. k.c.
yet not one of these sects acquired the epithet of the Protestant reli
gion; nor did any of them acquire the term of the christian church,
or Christian religion, although they protested against the Catholic
religion as much as Protestants do in this day. Then the matter is
tairly made out by history, councils, ancient usages and customs, that
the catholic religion is the christian religion; and that during 1500
years, no other sect was called or entitled to their religion being
called the Christian religion, hue the Catholics. Thus 'when that
clause of the Constitution shall be tried by Legislatures or Su
premeCourts; and not by the scriptures, but by history, old councils,
and mouldy records of Catholics, the Protestants may tuck tail and
haste away with as much speed as sheep-killing dogs, and say, every
man to his tent, North Carolina Protestants, we have no part in the
Son of Jesse, nor in the otlices of the civii department of this Slate.
Farewell, bright eyes, for there is nothing new under the sun and
what has been may be again, is sound reasoning.
Now I come to the claim the Protestants have for their religion
to be called the christian religion, by history, old councils, he. wh-ch
is just none at all for this name Protestant was first given in Ger
many to the Lutherans, or those who adhered to the doctrine of
Luther; because in 1529, they, the followers of Luther, protested
against a decree of the Kmperor Charles the V. and the Diet of
Spires for these Lutherans declared they would not submit to
the Diet of Spires, but appealed to a General Council. The name
was afterwards given to the followers of Calvin, and all that followed
the reformation of that age, whether in France, Germany, Poland, or
any other nation; and has long since, on the pages ol history, becon.e
a general name or denomination for all sects which dissent from and
oppose the catholic religion, no matter in what sect they may be
found, nor in what country they may reside.
This, then, is the Protestant religion that our forefathers put in the
32d article, and stands opposed to the Catholic religiou in all coun
tries and in all ages. Now then you can have, i think, a clear view
that the Protestant religion is not the Catholic religion; and if the
Protestant religion is not the Catholic religion, then the Protestant
religion cannot be called, with any proof but the scriptures, the chris
tian religion. All history is against the Protestant religion for 150O
years for the date of the establishment of the christian religion is
323, which is the Catholic religion; but the date of the Proiesianl re
ligion is 1529 how then the same, or how will you join them
together to make them both mean the christian religion, when one
existed 1500 years before the other? I told you it could not be done.
And thus leaving out the decision by the New Teslamtni, every
Protestant in this State is shut out of oflice, for their conscience will
compel them, w hen put to the test, to deny that the Catholic religion
is the christian religion, in its present form. So I shall end the argu
ment, being tired of writing, although I have much more to say but
not now, except to offer some further proofs and light on the sup
ject. What is the Christian religion, in the 32d article? What d ies
the convention mean by it? Do they mean all sects m the Stale? I
nave shown that if they do, they cannot prove it, nor have iheyso
defined it, and this is the defect. And I have shewn ihut. the Prot
estant religion i not the Christian rtiigh ii. but by the New Testa
ment; if tried by that it may be, otherwise it cannot be. D eft
the Convention mean to establish Catholicism? No, Sir, I have too
high an opinion of those gentlemen to impute any such an intention
to them yet if the people ratily their proposed Constitution, 1 have
shown they will do so, so far as that clause in the Constitution can
do it. ,
Now just for a miniature lake the following as proof: the Metho
dic comes forward and says, mine is the christian religion aod a
rc! of Protestants too, whose hoes many Catholics are not worthy
to clean, for their preachers are not gowns men from colleges, and op
pesors and blood suckers as the Catholic bishop- have been; but
plain honest men, brought up and called of God liom the plow tail,
at the pittance ol 60, and scarce that, have spread abroad and soun
ded experimental salvation in eveiy hole and corner of the Slate, arid
achieved wonders in doing good to the soul of men. But, savs
the Catholic, yours is not the Christian religion ai d why? becau-e
we can trace back your origin to the hole from whence you were dig
ged, in England, by Morgan and John Wesley; and you had your
rise in 1729, and therefore you cannot be the chiiiian ihuich nor
the Christian religion and why? beAuse the Christian church
and the Christian Veligion, it is acknowledged by all historians, was
established in 323, and we, the Catholics,are of that reliffion, which
existed 1400 years before your Methodist name or icbgion was
beard of. Then, Methodists, yours cannot be the Christian religion,
so hang up your fiddle and cry, every man to the ba'lut box, 0
Israel!
Then comes forward the Presbyterian, and says, ours the Chris
tian religion. No, says the Catholic do you not know thai John
Knox was a disciple of Calvin, and brought Preshytetiauism horn
Geneva to Scotland, and that if became the cslablihed religion of
Scotland in 1690 and you mv all of that breed in North Carolina,
you have no right to claim to be ihe christian religion; for ihe Chris
tian religion, which is Catholicism, existed 1300 jeais before ycur