Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-06-11

mott evidently aOluFo, looliln, wicked.
and pernicious nature talking proudly
through life; nay, into our very church.
es, under the fanttion of falhion and Gu.
fom, while the mott obvious truths
which religion (anttions, and reafon re.
commends, are tsruf out OF fight to make
way for them 7
We never, therefore, can be broughtto
believe, and we overrase Doctor BAKER
very much, if, when he has dolly conf.
dered il he will believe that even the bare
act of the mind the naked opinion of
comfortable men; though but o5Eayey
dilclo(sd, are unimportant in fociety. A,
fure as the child acquires by imitation the
manners of the parent in whole bolom it is
bred, 70 fure will The examples of the
higher be initiated by the inferior claGes
of knowledge it is no flight matter,
therefore, what great man Jays or does.
II cannot be unproduttiye. Good or evil,
in greater or lefs degree, it mutt produce;
and it is for this reafon chiefly, There are
other reafons bcGdes) why in the Election
Of principal men, of national or corporal.
leaders, or Of officers Of confidently, refer.
cnce hould always be had to the private
character of the perfon propofed, and why,
before his talents for the <erUiee Of men,
are inquired into, this queifion ihould
firft be afkcd and refolyed: Does be (erVe
God"
| For fear of being either purpolely OF
| otbe1wile mifurderaood, we repeat, that
| notbiag is farther from ourminds than the.
! notion thar religious opinion ought ODD
! fubieaed 10 civil coercion, or the Iecula (
/ arm brought in aid of the management of
/ fpirifual concerns. But there is trlbu ,
| nal of which tue world is more afraid.
| and which ieidom fails to accomplish ns
! purpofes better than any court OF ciyiF
| law one paramount in effect to all hu'
man tribunals. Vices which could nof
| be feared, have been diiaountenanced-I
which could not be made 10 iremhle, have
been made to pay the homage OF hyPos
crify 10 virtue. The brow OF public dig
pleafure is often found more awful THAI
the gaol or the gibbet, and over The gaiiS;
of inhdelity, would certainly exsrcit
| mott potent and effective coercion, hac:
nineteen times out of twenty, that vice 4
rooted in mere weak, ihabby vanity,
which mutt foon wither under the bla't q
-l-i;c fcorn and derifon. Let there bs
there would be few deiifs. Ler wildoa
| and piety turn, or rather let it be once
confdered wildom and pieiy to turn viii
Indignant eontempt from The prefumpiucrs
aogmas lreafonings they are called, Gcd
wot i of proud, p.tulapt atheiifs, and they
would be found to Yanilh like milf beioEs
the lun.
! With rsfpea to Mr.. Paine, we think
that the enormous mifchiefs. which biz.
political principles have done in Europc,
| will in fome meafure, be counte5balancedl
| by the feryice he has done to chri!tianlty.I
His Age CT Rcafon willein fome ioH,
atone for his Rights Of Man and, al
next to the applaoie of coed men, thu
hatred of the wicked is the greateit pTalie,
| 70 the hoitiity Of Mr.. Paine, ard oil
all men like him, TO far as their 'alen"I
may go) mutt be Of great advantage to rte
| object Of it. Public opinion is now Do
ing its Office. Sentence is pafed upon
that offender, and he can do no more mil
chief, unleis TO himlelf, by jnfullng the
venom intended for ollers into his e~n
vitals, and, like the Tarantula, ainging
hinfelf TO death.
But if there Mould he a perlon in the
union, poneGng the fame principles, and
poGeGng at the fame time more arr TO con-
ceal, more ditcrction to manage, and,a
more juft fenle of the danger of propagaF'
ing them. If that perfon ihould be OF the
delcrption have already given, OF fanS'
quality, confpicuity and popular favour
10 make bis hint go as far as the WORD Oh