Page:Modern literature (1804 Volume 1).djvu/226

 were now likely to become public, were not such as would make his reception very pleasing in that country, and especially from his own wife, whom he now regarded, as upon her he must depend. If methodistical missionaries are, perhaps, not directly beneficial to the order and virtue of a community, they promote one valuable branch of political œconomy: they are accounted extremely conducive to population; first, unhinging moral principles by establishing the all-sufficiency of faith, and the uselessness of virtuous conduct, they open the way for the uncontrolled dominion of passion; secondly, inflaming the heart with a fanatical enthusiasm, they facilitate enthusiasms of other kinds; and as the pastors have an absolute influence over the minds of their votaries, itinerant preachers, either spontaneous or missionary, are in the country deemed