The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1779-06-29 00:00:00, page 1

An ADDRESS from the General Asso
ciation of the State of Connecticut,
convened in Haddam, June 15, 1779,
to the people of this State.
TH E General Association taking into
their most serious consideration the
awful prevalency of vice, profanenefs and
immorality of various kinds in this day of
public calamity, and the threatning afpeft
these things have on the interest of religion,
and the political fafety under the present
important struggle ; have thought it their
indifpenfible duty, as watchmen on the
walls of our spiritual Jerusalem, to found
the alarm, and call on the people at large
throughout this State, to attend to their
duty and danger, and unfeignedly return
to the God of our Fathers.
We would in particular, in this address,
call up to your minds the designs of our
fathers in the firft settlement of this coun
try. The grand objed they had in view
in leaving their delightful habitations in
Europe, crossing the seas, and undergoing
the various hardships and difficulties of a
fatlement in a howling wilderness, was, the
fating up, supporting and maintainingGof
pel-Churches, agreeable to the plan direc
cd in the word of God. For this impor
tant end, they voluntarily braved many
and great dangers, and made a facrifice of
every thing dear to them in their native
land. Their concern was, to promote the
glorv of God, the interest of the Redeem
ers Kingdom, and §ranfmit to their poste
rity ^°fpel ordinances in their purity, with
the p-aftice of godliness. In the prolecu
tion of these grand obj&s, they were re
ma kably bleffd with the concurrence of
divine providence in favouring their enter
prize, and the effects of their pio. s care for
the churches are visible down to this day.
It is with anxiety, that we fee a very dif
ferent spirit now prevailing—Theminifters
of the gospel are, by too many, flighted
and difpiftd—the worship of God, and his
ordinances neglected —the sabbath awful
ly profaned by vain and unprofitable dis
course, and openly following worldly busi
ness, under pretence of serving the public
' A most deteftible spirit of covetous
ness, extortion and avarice prevailing—op
pression of the widow and the orphan—a
grinding the face of the poor—and, in too
many instances, a most unjust detaining of
the necessary support from gospel ministers
• In addition to these, a flood of pro
fanenefs, intemperance, pride, luxury, un
cleanness and other gross abominations,
which threaten, not only the deftru&ion of
religion, but even of all morality. In e
numerating the growing vices of the pre
sent day, we cannot forbear mentioning a
disposition in many to licentiousness, anar
chy and confufion, —an impatience under
the reins of a moderate government, and
an unjuftifiablc freedom in censuring th©
(TUESDA Y, June £9, i„g; THE Number 753°
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
AND TUB
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCE R.
HARTFOR D: Printed by HUDSON and G OODW IN, near the Great-Bridge.
measures adopted by our legislature, tho'
men of our own choice, a d whole mea
sures are undoubtedly the efftift of mature
deliberation— While we fee these vices, with
sundry infidel opinions and falfe doctrines
gaining ground among us, in faithtulnefs
to our Lord and matter-- to you his peo
ple and to our own consciences, we cannot
negleft foJemnly to warn and admonish the
guilty immediately to repent and turn to
God, and all to shun and detest them. We
must on this occasion freely and plainly
declare, that these evils threaten approach
ing deftruftion. Such were the vices that
preceeded and procured the downfall of
antient States and Empires, and particu
larly of the covenant people of cod in va
rious ages; and if perfifttd in, must, in all
probability, end in our rum. We make
not this repri fentarion from a dread of the
power, numbers or referees of our ene
mies: - ——These ae trifling objects of fear
compared with irreligion and profanenefs.
Wherefore, whilst we take the exhorta
tion to ourselves, we would seriously re
commend it to all our brethren in the mi
nistry, not only to be faithful in declaring
the whole counsel of God in public; but
particularly, in carechifing and inftruding
child en and young people—we intreat and
b^feech parents and heads of families, to
make religion their grand business, aid to
imitate the spirit and practice of our pious
ancestors—particularly, that they would
be careful in the school-education, and
in the inftrudion of their dear children
and domefticks in the p inciples of our ho
ly religion; that they may not grow up in
ignorance, nor be led away with the error
of the wicked—we also recommend it to
them, to revive, and maintain family, go
vernment and religion, which, in their
conftquencts, must be greatly benrfi ial
to church and State. With affection and
tenderness, we also b feech our young peo
ple, as they regard whatever is truly inte
resting for this and another world, to be fi
ber minded—to remember their Creator in the
days of their youth-- to fleeyouthful lujh,which
war again ft the foul--\o seek after the know
ledge ot Chrdt, and the things-of their e
ternal peace -- to pay a due regard to the
authority and inflru&ions of their parents,
and public teachers, and lay aside that fro
licking and dissipation, peculiarly provo
king to God in such a day as this.
And while we lament the remissness of
some of the authority in putting in execu
tion the good and wholesome laws of the
State, and refufe to accept the commission
of peace, we earnestly wifli them to confider
the fatal consequences of such a relaxation;
and, as by their office, they should be a ter
ror to evil doers, how they can answer for
it either to Ged or their Country. At the
fame time, we recommend it to the good
people of this State, to reverence and obey
their civil rulers in the diligent difeharge
of their weighty ard important trusts For
how deplorable would our condition be, if,
amid our painful fttuggles against lawless
domination, we should wickedly deprive
ourselves and country of the blessings of a
fiee and regular government.
In a word, let persons of every age and
character be excited to the ftri&eft fidelity
to the God of our fathers, in all things, and
duty to mankind, agreeable to our fcveral
flations in public and private life; pray
ing for the peace of Zion,-- the salvation
of our bleeding country, zealously follow
ing after the things whereby one may edify
another, and the bidy of Christ our com
mon Lord; And may the great head of
the church manifeft his glory in the peace
and prosperity of our Jerusalem, and the
advancement of his kingdom through the
world !
By the G-neral Association it is request
ed of the leveral Printers in this State, that
they would publish the foregoing address
in their weekly paper as soon as may be:
And it is recommended to all our bre
thren in the gospel ministry, to read the
fame in their rest e&ive cor greuari^ns.
Test. DAVID ELY, Senbe.
PH iladelphia'
Extracts from he Journals cf CONGRESS,
Mnday, Ap il 19, 1779.
A MENORIAL fr m sundry inhabitants of
the Island ufß^muda vur re?d :
O dered, That it be referred toa Ccmnii'teerf threeg
The M mhers chosen. Mr. Ellery. Mr. RII and
Mi. Liurens whoaiedire&ed .0 report with all con.
venien< fp ed.
A letter cf he 15th from the Board of War wag
read; whereupon.
Revived, Tat when soever a Colonel in the array
of the U .ited S ate# shall c mnand a brigade of the
troops of these States in the absence of a Br^ad/er,
he ffiall be peimrfted to dnw fix rations in addittiom
to the one be draws as Colonei. in corfidera ion of
the extra expence he is fubj^fled 10 by fi ch com
mand.
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the Treifurgf
in favour of John Beaty Efqnite. Corm tfary Ge*
neral of P doners, for §0 coo dollars in ipecie for
the 1 fe of his department he to be a? courtable.
Apjl 21. A mo on was made by Mr. R. H.
Lee, fecondedby M. Carmichael, "T a the doorsof
Cungrefs be open dar.sff the fitting of Cougref ex
cept when they sh ill be direa dto be frit in ccr fider^
ation of the fubjea to be debated being cf such a na
ture as that in the judgment of Congrefa the fame
for a time ou^ht to be kept fecreiS"
Ordered That it be referred toaC r mmittee cf fives
The Members chosen. M.R. H. Le- Mr Lau
rens Mr. Ellery, Mr. S. Adams and M Lovell.
April 23. A letter from Leonard Albouy was
read soliciting an answer to de memorial f m the
inhabitants of Bermuda on wh ch he Committee
to whom the memorial was refined reported as fol
lows :
‘ That they have examined the said memorial,
aid convet fed with Captain Albouy, the bearer
thereof :
" That it appears to your C mmittee that the
inhabitants of Bermuda are in de p diflrefs for want
of prov fi.r3 ; that the Virginia and Galatea ships
cf war are stationed ar Bermuda ; that it is : arffon.
ed by Brrofh soldiers. and that it is not altogether
certain that any ptovifiona Captain Albouy may be