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50
ZION’S LANDMARKS
of. this kind of trumpery attached to
their girdles. “Here is the truth of
the matter,” they argue. “When
man believes he then is chosen unto
salvation, and this choice is of
necessity produced and procured by
the belief itself.” They dare not with
any consistency say that God makes
this choice, for that would be folly
with him. Inasmuch as man has
procured the salvation by believing,
it must be useless for God to choose
him to that which he had already
acquired by an act of his own per*
formance. This choice then would of
course be superfluous. Therefore we
are bound to declare, that this doctrine
throws the power of salvation ex
clusively into the hands of man and
not of God. And in that case saK
vation would be of man, and the
doctrines of the text subverted.
C. B. HASSELL.
A Patriotic Discourse-
Delivered by Eld. Joshua Laivrence,
at the Old Church in Tarhoro, N.
C.y (at the request of the Committee
of Arrangements appointrd by the
citizens) on Sxmday, ^th of July,
1830.
XIX Chapter of Acts, 35th verso: “Wliom
oc^pation, and said, Sirs, j’e know that bj
this cralt we have our wealth.”
The scripture is not against drink
ing, but against drinking too much,
or drunkenness; for the Mosaic
priest was permitted to drink wine,
but not when he was going to officiate.
And Paul saith, evei-y creature of
God is good^and nothing is to be re
fused, for it is sanctified by the word
of God and prayer ; and let your
moderation be known to all men.
And it is the right way to make drunk
ards, to keep sober all day and be
drunk all night—the worst sort of
greedy drunkards are these, priests
not excepted. Don’t mistake—set
things right—for this society puts
me in mind of Paul’s prophecy, who
said some should arise that would for
bid to marry and abstain from meats,
which God had created to be receiv
ed—and that was priestcraft under
Poiiiish church, none can deny—and
this being so nigh a kin to it, I think
this 1,-’ modem priestcraft, that has
a form of godlines.s, to a better craft
is like the pharisees of old, great pre
tence outside, but the craft was to de
vour some widow’s house. Cry aloud,
ye priests, and spare not, against
drunkenness; but let moderation
alone lest you jump as far in the
ditch on the other side.
And as regards Tract Societies
and Sunday School Unions, they are
about the worst of the whole gang,
for they are also the inventions of the
priests, and contain craft for printers,
and they should cry out as well as
the priests, our craft is in danger,
for you know by this our printing
tracts we have our wealth—and the
writers should cry out, since premi
ums are effered for the best tract on
such a subject—and the traders in
tracts also may cry out—but the worst
of all the effects, is the sectarian prin
ciples infused in the minds of youth ;
for it is but reasonable to suppose
that the writers will squint an eye
to their party, and give that turn to
them that will mostly establish and
enhance their sect. And will not
Sunday School Unions force out of
schools all books but those approved
by the priests and their party, and
bend the twig to incline to their point,
and thus pave the way to the desired
‘ dr* ■
these chief societies make use of em ing for gain from his quarter. And I
ployed runners as sponges to suck
up the riches of a tour, and squeeze
it and then send them off in another
direction to be filled again. I re-
11 n
A.'-fr end—and thus in the end monopolize
books, schools, sentiments, men and
power, and the end of all crafts, mo
ney ? Besides, it is a great conve-
out cf piesent sight. I shall then
tal e my grog, wine or what not, when
se, nor will 1 debar myself the
jnvikge and pleasure of asking my
UicniJs or enemies to do so ; and let
cu over-zealous, seif-right craftmen
ne'p themselves if they can—;for it
nience as well as advantage to get
the people formed into different socie
ties, because they are much easier
governed; and much more easily
brought to bear at any wanted point,
and at a given time, because it in
creases the greater number of actual
controllers in lesser bands—hence, see
what an easy matter to bring all the
priests at a given time and to a focus
in the several States in their petitions
^0 Congress for stopping the mail, what
an easy matter it is for them to col
lect money, when they have got men
and women thus craftily formed into
societies—this was a grand piece of
priestcraft. Now having them thus
formed, it is but say, and receive
without much trouble—well they
might pay runners to go about and
form societies, because they can now
stay at home and money is pouring
in to the craft; for some of these so
cieties, if I am informed right, pay
annually, after having purchased a
shrine of the craftmen of membership
into Bible and other societies. I tell
you, my audience, that it is my can
did opinion, that this society craft will
enslave our country. In a word, all
peat it, these societies of every sort
manifest a wonderful lore of money,
for they embrace every method of
prochring it, even to old rags; and
thusjthey sponge and squeeze, and
nevet say enough. It does appear
to me',, my audience, that the greater
part ofUhe religion of these days is a
craft, a, religion of trade and specu
lation, fitom the priest to the printer ;
and has I been established in public
opinion^/without a proper comparison
with
andtb/atthe priests have devised the
plana of of all these things to handle
monfey ; and after devisng the plans,
them hire others to carry them into
execution, and pay them for their
sc/rvices; thus by the influence of
le priests and money, great things
ave been done, it is said. But I
am such an unbeliever of these priest
ly tales, I must say, like Jesus said
his day to such craftmen—you
ompass sea and land to make a pros
elyte, and when you have made him he
chihUof.hcll
than yourselves. bTr, by the plans
of priests, by hired beggars, by sub
scription runners of those priests they
thought had the most influence and
could work most on the passions of
men to get money, w.".s this religion
beo'un. continued, and carried on,
and not by God’s spirit. And sec
ondly, the publication of donors’
names has been a great means to es
tablish this religion of missions, since
thousands of men will buy honor with
Demetrius and his crafty gang;
equal to, no giving, no runners, no
subscription bcai-ers, no craft men of
course, and the goddess of missions
and her magnificence are soon de
stroyed. Thus this religion of crafts,
with the whole train of missions,
bible and tract societies theological
and Sunday schools, have their men
and I think may properly be called
money. Thirdly, the great concern
that some priests seem to have for
the destitute and the heathen, while
the end of the row was money in
their own pockets. But most of all
those who have gone the furthest and
done the most to establish this
missionary religion, are th« givers to
those various societies, to make
shrines for the goddess of missions ;
for no customers, no trade by
craft men, employed every man look-
think, my audience when all these
craft men are called together with
money and influence on the people,,
they can do wonders in the United
States—all moving in harmony at
the same juncture of time and to the
same po nt. I tell you, my hearers^
as a faithlul watchman on the walls
of Zion, our civi' and religious liberty
is in danger, in my opinion ; and the
magnificence of our republic in great
danger of being destroyed by these
designing * *—up, each one o*f you,
and be doing his part, for there is no
time for you to sleep on your oars,
or else backwards we go by the
adverse winds of priestcraft to the
chains of priestly tyranny as in the
days of Britain-—and don’t forget,
for heaven’s and your children’s sake,
that the price of liberty is blood. A
thousand things more might be said
on the schemes of the day, but 1 must
desist at present, only observing that
there are ways to avert this storm
and save your country and liberty to*
your children, and perhaps children’s'
children, or I think our country i.s-
gone—first, don’ll give one sent to*
any of these societies but what you-
have.to gijve, j^ive'^t©'the poor'
\
am^
the needy, the fatherless and widow,
and their souls will bless you, and
you will be acting according to scrip
ture, and shall be blessed in the deed;
for without money craft men of these
societies cannot exist. Seeondlyy
discountenance every travelling
under the patronage or to promote any
of these societies, being sure he is a
craft man, and not even honor himi
With a hearing as money is his design
—which I for many years have de-*
termined not to do, as I regard such-
as laying a foundation that will here
after overturn our happy republic.
Thirdly, I say to save your country,
yuo should not support any man for
bublic oflScein the States, that is a
member of, or that is in favor of the
societies of the day, lest any bill sup
porting priestcraft should come before
the State or National Legislature, and
there meet with priest-made friends
to rivet the yoke on your necks—
for as the people are now sovereigu
of the States, for God’s sake hold on
and don’t let the priests have the
sovereignty ; if you do, nothing but
money will not do, for then blood and
slavery must be addc4 tQ these crafr,
men—for of all the men in t|^ worlj
I dread the tyranny of ap unpopvert*'
ed, men-made, moneyrpDveting pnest;
I had rather be under the govern-
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