Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1802-1803, 1803-01-31
90 tbs cOltot Of tic lDortlana ealetts
ELM-TREES, 9th Jan. 1905.

SIR,
EVER fnce IeTerfon was fra can
did4te Tor The office Of PRECEDENT, bis
Ed, knowing him to be an unbelie'er
in revelation, and at bsa only ranking
with deias OF polylhsias, have eHerted
all their power TO ipread among the
people an opinion, that deiRs are, or
may be good msn as well as believers
10 the re lyon of the country. Hence
the cardinal virtues Of the ancient hea-
then philosophers have besn extolled,
by them. on all occations when fer
fon's in6deliiy has been mentioned.
and the praaice OF them recommended.
The fogular declaration Of J'ferion
himielf, fbati is no matter hoeU mary Gods
man brlieVes IN, ProVi3ed be dsr5 net fiet
biz nsiebbOr'5 fOekst, or t5eas bi5 h,gs, is
commented upon by the (sR, and eulo-
gized as equal to any Of vhe precePts Of
ehriaian morality. Deins, and inhdels
of all descriptions, have been brought
forward as rivals for morality and
purity of character 10 the believers in
Jefus and when they are unable to
exalt derfrn to an elevation with cbrif
tiani,y, they ieem not to hehtate, in
their rage, to endeavor to redsce the
purity and ercellency Of the gofpel to a
lower grade of perfection, in order to
embrace their highea characters.
Spinte1t, after attributing moR Of
tie glory of the American revolution
and Independence to Tom Pain, which
/ fhall eontider hereafter, TO give inf
deity in hun and JeHerfon, a more
fplendid triumph over chriitianity, ard
deilfs over ohrillian preachers, boal
ingly d demands, qpbo, n fti5 enksbteaed
age, bas rbs ttmsriiyt0 damn Hume, Bohsg-
sroks, Vc!iair. or CiBbos, an! number
of stbers, zvbO claimed right 10 fbisk trse
~ /? Theft axen are esnfdered as an bonour
10 any age or Major. The whole para
graph, to thoie whole memories and
knowledge reach to the Iranfa6tions OF
thele two important events, twill be conf
dered the mereG rant Of a mailman nor
will the fentence quoted afford the lesif
argument in favour of Spin,ext's obje6
when it is carefully examined. The
argument, put INTO plain Euglilh, will
appear as follows Hume, Boiling
broke, Voltaire and Gibbon were inf.
dels, and no peflon has light to damn
them for their inddeiiiy therefore,
beoaufe Jeferlon and Pam are as dif-
pnguilhed infitels as either of thele,
they ought not 10 he centred for fpresd
ing inhdelity to the utmoa of their flu.
alton and power and inafnuch as the
5srmsr litter are conGd;red al orna-
Tnent to any age or nation, the later
ought to be coniidered 10 too.
1t may be july retorted upon Spin.
text, and with better ground for ex
ultauon, did not Hume, Bolingbroke,
Voltaire and Gibbon damn shemlrlves,
On account of their in6delity, long be
fore they died. Bolingbroke's writings
received very little aPplauie among in.
fidels, and none from ohriltisns, in his
life time and his poahumous inhdeli
~ never found ferious defender IL was
70 weak and unfounded. Whatever
reputation be ever had, as fcholar, an
elegant writer, or fatelman, no part
Of is was acquired by bis in6delity, or
attack on the chrilian religion. Hume.
no foener read the reply Of DIR. Camp
bell, to his efay on miracles, which the
ignorance of his deiltical admirers ceIe
brated him the mott for, than be &C
lnowledged the ground he had alum.
ed, in his EBAY, to be unfounded, and
ali bis reafoning erroneous. Voltaire as
a writer or reaioner, on the fubjed of
revelation, is too contemplate tor no.
rice, except by fuch Importers as Spin
,ext.-As TO Gi5bon, he once under.
took to- defend fome Of bis inhdel prin-
ciples againR the eriaures of chriltian-
divine, but finding hirnfelf falling in the
rear lie declined the combat and be-
ing afterwards publicly called upon by
Doctor Prielfly TO fupport the account
he had given of;he manner the chriltian
religion was hrl publilhed. proPagated,
and fpread thro the world, without the
aid of miracles, as be had undertaken
TO prove, chofe rather to content him.
.elf with the applaule he might receive
from his ignorant )BeceDVrs IN i1fdelny,
than riFque his reputation as an hifori-
an, by attempting to prove what he was
confcious he mutt failin. By attending