Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-17
FROM TAE BALAcE. \,
ON. EDUCATION.S

ieet Of attention TO educate their children
in the principles, ceremonies and practices
of their religion; and foEe Of their mott
diffinguilhed ilatefmen have declared that
thefrengsh and glory ofthe commonwealth
was owing, ina great meafure, TO this i'm
portant circumstance.
"A writer Of comfortable note has re-
marked concerning that celebrated nation,
that "they founded their fyaem of policy
upon the bef and wifeG principle, the fear
of the Gods; firm belief of a divine ia
perintending Providence, and a future fate
ofrewards and punilhments. Their chill
dren were trained up in this belief from
tender infancy, which took root and grew
up with them, by the influence OF an ex-
cellent education, where they had the be-
neat Of example as well as precept.
Hence we read of no heathsn nation in the
world, where both the public and private
duties OF religion were 70 arittly adhered
to and 70 fcrupulouay obfervei, as among
the Romans. They imputed their good
or bad fuccefs 10 the Observance of ihele
duties, and they received public profperi-
ty or public calanities, as bleaings confer
red, or punithments inflicted BY their gods.
Though the ceremonies Of their religion
jnRly appear to US, infances of the mott
abfurd and moil extravagant fuperfition,
yer, as they were eGeemed the mott efsn-
tial acts Of religion by the Romans, they
mutt conlequently carry all the force CT a
religions principle"
"Cicero, the great Roman Orator and
philofofopher, fpeaking Of his countrymen,
lays, " We neither exceeded the Spanl-
ards in number, nor did we excel the
Gauls in frength Of body, nor the Car
thagenians in craft, nor the Greeks in arts
and licences but we have Individuality
furpaGed all the nations III the univesie, in
piety and attachment to religion, and ia
the only poinr that can be called the true
wifdom, a thorough conviction that all
things here below are directed and govern
ed by divine Providence" To this prin-
ciple alone he wilely attributes the gran
deur and good fortune of his country
From this principle proceeded that reiPeef
for and (ubmilion to their laws; and thar
temperance, moderation and contemrt for
wealth, which are the beit defence againa
the encroachments of iniultice and opprei-
6on. Hence too arofe that inextsnguilh
able love for their country, which, next
to, the gods, they looked upon as the chief
Object Of veneration.' =
The leaders of the French revolution,
on the contrary, while ablnrdly pretending
TO imitate the old Romans, built their re-
public on the rotten foundation of atheifm.
Like the tabled giants OF cid, they waged
war againit Heaven and attempted to de-
tholne the Mot High. They nanifeaed
an internal zeal to blot out of the minds OF
the people all leas of accountability and
a future tate of exillence iufomucll that
this mott horrid interruption was fixed on
the gate ola public burying yard, by or
der Of the municipality, "Dsath is an e.
verlaaing leep.'' An explicit ayowal of
atheifm by member, in prefence of the
national aaembly, was received with ihouts
Of appIaufe. They even encouraged their
children and youth to come forward and
deny God: and deputation of ichool
boys actually went before the national le-
giaators, While in feflion, and declared
,hemfelyes to be atheias; meanwhile the
Gallo hall, or rather pandemonium, re-
founded with plaudirs at this imonarous
declaration from infant lips.
In this refpea, France asnds as an aw-
ful beacon TO warn the world. By means
Of athelaical principles, generally DILUTED
among the body of the people, AMI inail-.
led into the minds even of children, that
nation has funk mott deeply into the mire
of moral turpitude and becorse Gamiliariz-
ed to every fpecies Of attrocious crimes.
WbertOer The tsiueiples. efatbeyM take
,oot 1,bet her n ,ooz,o E+encL ,~,a.ox A,aer;