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Subject: Re: 1785 October 28 Isle Of Wight County, North Carolina
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 00:38:21 EST

1785 October 28 Isle Of Wight County, North Carolina
[transcribed by Audrey Fetterhoff Jan 24, 2003 with many thanks to Mark
Murphy]

To the Honorable; the Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates.
The petition of the Inhabitants of the County humbly Sheweth: That whereas it
has pleased your honorable House to Publish a Bill obliging the Inhabitants
of this Commonwealth to pay the Teachers of the Christian Religion and have
required you their opinions concerning it: your Petitioners do therefore most
earnestly Declare against it; believing it to be contrary to the Spirit of
the Gospel, and the Bill of Rights.
Certain it is that the blessed Author of our Religion supported and
maintained his Gospel in the World for several hundred years, not only
without Aid of civil power, but against all the powers of the Earth. The
excellent purity of its Precepts, and the unblamiable Behavior of its
Ministers (with the divine Blessing) made its way through all opposition.
Neither was it the better for the Church when Constantine first established
Christianity by human Laws,, tho' there was rest from Persecution for some
time; but how soon was the Church overrun with Error, Superstition, and
Immorality, how unlike were Ministers then to what they were in time past,
both in Orthodoxy of principle and purity. But it is Said that Religion has
taken it's flight and that Deism with its Baneful Influence is spreading
itself over the State; if so, it is owing to other causes, and not for want
of religious Establishment. Let your Laws punish the vices and Immoralities
of the Times; and let there not be wanting such Men, (placed in Authority)
who by their pious Examples, shall Recommend Religion, and by their
Faithfulness, Scourge the Vices of the Age.
Let Ministers manifest to the World that they are inwardly moved by the holy
Ghost to take upon them that Office; that they seek the good of mankind, and
not Worldy Interest.
Let their Doctrine be Scriptural and their lives upright; then shall
Religion, (if departed) speedily Return with it's bright Influence, and Deism
put to open Shame, and its dreaded Consequences speedily removed.
But what valuable purpose would such Assesment Answer? Would it introduce any
more Useful and faithful Men into the Ministerial Office? Surely not! Those
whom divine Grace hath called to that Work, will never Esteem it their
highest Honour to do his Pleasurte: On the contrary it might call in many
hirelings whose chief Motive would be temporal Gain. That Religion,
Establishment and Government are linked together, and that the latter cannot
stand without the former, is something new. Witness the State of Pennsylvania
wherein no such Establishment hath ? place; their Government stands firm;
and which of the neighboring States has better Members, of Brighter and more
upright Characters?
That it is against our Bill of Rights, which Says "all Men by nature are born
equally free"; so no person in this common Wealth shall Enjoy Exclusive
privilagis, or Emmoluments except for services rendered the State; shall not
then, those who are not professors of the Christian Religion, who ware in
this State at the passing of this Bill, and others who have been invited
since by the benefits held out when they shall be obliged to support the
Christian Religion, think such obligation to be a departure from the Spirit
and meaning of it? Finally, if such Tax is against the Spirit of the Gospel,
if Christ for several hundred years, not only without aid of civil Power, but
against all the powers of the World supported it, if Establishment has never
been a Means of prospering the Gospel, if No more faithful Men would be
call'd into the Ministry by it, if it wou'd not revive decayed Religion, and
stop the groth of Deism, nor serve the purpose of Government, and if against
the Bill of Rights, which your petitioners believe; they trust the Wisdom and
Uprightness of your hounerable House, will have them entirely Free in matters
of Religion, and the manner of supporting their Ministers. And they shall
ever pray.

Thomas Mangum David Jansen Wm Barlow
John Wimble John Gay James Barlow
James Cephas John Williamson Solomon Jam
? Williamson Ben Adking Wm Patterson
John Lord B????? Edwards Willis Wills
M???lwood Delk/Dolk Jas Pars??l
Robert wall John Allen Samuel Johnson
Hugh Montgomery O?son Adkins Josiah Duck
James Doford Jesse Croaker Samuel Law??ness
Jesse Williamson Micajah Munford Thos Gwin
Wm ?? Henry Wimble Wm Johnson
Wm Jordan? Wm St?li?me Wm Robertson
Wm Allison Solloman Gwaltney Solomon Cane
Jas/Jos Wimble Edward Gray Lott Griffin
James Bedgood Hardy Cane Wm Gay
Phillp Thomas? Wm Gunn John Cane
Benj Stringfield John Thomas? Wm Parker
Rich James? Moody Thomason John Owing
Robt Mangum Jesse Thomason Wm Duck
Simon Adking Geo Barlor Eliazor Butler
Benjamin Jones John Clanke Absolum Birch
Wm ? Obediah Johnson
Saml Edwards James Laspar Abram Cane
Wm Brock ???? scribbled out
Thomas B? Rich Bradshaw James Carnell
Willis Brantley Thomas Johnson B? Wimble
Abram Jones Robert Duck David Thompson
Jas B? Robert Tanner ??
Jesse Larson Shadrack Griffin Henry Baker?
Wm O???? Mill? Cane James Gwaltney
Benj Ward Jacob Duck Benj Goodings
Jonathan ? Elias Edwards
Benj Bradshaw Wm Moody
James Johnson Thomas Bound?
Joseph Tamlor James Brett
Demsey Cane/Carr Wm Whitley
Elisha Carr Robert Edwards
John Duck Wm Edwards
Elias Owing Thomas Smith
Thomas Johnson Brasy Whitley
John B?? Jos Powell
Philip Moody Geo Mackey
Jesse Mackey James Johnson
John Philips Wm Gay Jr
Jacob Edwards John English
Michael Murphey Jas Moody
Drury Philips Wm Gay
Saml Melsor John Wodkin
James ? Thomas Bivel
Demsey Marshall James Allwood
Nathl Stephenson John Smith
Wm Bra?ey John Jordan
Jas Pope Thomas Daviss
Elij Johnson
E?a?orsditus But??e
Arnold Powell
Wm Blunt

Back cover: Isle of Wight Pct
Oct 28 1785
Ref To whole ???
?? from the establishment of Isle of Wight

Lots of familiar names. Hope this helps some.
I am particularly interested in the John and Drury Philips listed and wonder
if they are connected to my Philips line in Halifax Co, NC...William>John>
John...
Audrey Fetterhoff

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