Page:Armatafragment00ersk.djvu/416

 ¬communion are either so manifestly erroneous as to carry with them the evidence of fraud and irreligion, or that they involve political tenets which might endanger the establishments of your country." ¬" I am not prepared," (said the aged and reverend pastor,) " to make either of such charges upon those who are yet properly ex- cluded from our sanctuary, and even from some of our civil functions. — The times have undoubtedly passed away since disaffection to our government can be justly imputed to them ; neither can I go the length of saying that their beliefs, or rather their unbeliefs, ought to be considered as proofs of irreligion or fraud ; but can any church receive communicants who do not accept her communications, or admit mi- nisters who deny her creeds ?" — " That" I an- swered, " no man of common sense can require, but why in matters not absolutely essential to faith or morals, and of most obscure and doubtful import, do you not leave men to ¬them- ¬