Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1802-1803, 1803-02-21

pei 10 ehablifh and confirm the great
doctrines OF natural ysLgi0g-the msral
perfettlons and The providence olGod-
the accountability of mar--a future
aate Of rewards and punilhments-and
The pare worlhip and l-rvice OF the Del
ty among men. The gofpel, 'tis true,
goes further, and teaches the mediation
eft5s diOiae Redrsalrr, fte na1-agsr otbez-
I'm, and fbe great captain q our |aIvasioa.
And hat ttrenglh does il not give 70
tie hopes OF mea, under a conlciouineis
Of Go, and anxiouGy folicitous for i'm
mortal lie and happiaeis
Is M. Paine, is any deilt Of great
reading, Ignorant that be owes lis moi
correct ideas Of God, and even his be
lief in Supreme Being. infinitely wife
and good, TO revelation /, If re is; let
him reRed on the religious opinion, and
rites, on the oharadsrs and manners Of
all nations not favored with the chriaian
fcrptures There never has been an
inltanee, where polytheifm, idola,ry,
ootcene rites and grols vices did NOT
prevail. Nor were the sreatel philolo
piers equal TO the talk of enlight-ning
and reforming the world. In fact,
after al their REGULATIONS, enquiries
aad knowledge, they were il doubt
themieves on thele mott inteleaing iub-
jeds. They believed, indeed, in fome
hyperion beings; but how nddeguate, how
agfrd their opinions And tho they
ea'neltly wilhed and hoped to exit here
after, their hopes were accompanied
with doubts and fears. And fome Of
the wilelt and hei Of them expreacd a
belief. that God would fe a a divine
meaeng-r to inffud men in the impor
tant truths Of religion. Noble Spirits !
had ye lived 10 chriltian land, We had
certainly gladly received the 9el6eI Of
diVi9s grace By tbs Sen Of G9d ! And how
unworthy The relation which they claim
% you, are m2rdern RsPtic5 and mfash
While they are indebted 10 cbrglianHy
for their mere correct and iub line con
captions of the divine character, they
ungratefnlly refufe to acknowledge it
and naaafprnly abufe and revile that
religion which renders them lefs (sbsr.
.fition5 than Idolators and Pagans.-
And not latistied with this ungrateful
conduit, they cruelty attemptto deprive
their fellow men Of iheir mott precious
ho2ss. Do they not more deferve our
ceriure and exserafioH than the midnight
ahadin He can only deprive us of
cur mortal lifs-the other would rob
Us Of our faith and hope in God and cur
aiviTs Savi0r, which are infinitely more
valuable than life itfelf.
After what has been cbferved, II
would Be thought unne, efry perhaps
10 be particular in ihewiug the danger
Gus tendency Of Mr.. Paige'5 ideas ref
Pearng religious inititu ions. He con
iidets them altogether ufelels aud id
iculous. But has he the conlaqmafe
tGniiy r. pretend 70 more dilcernmcnt
than tsg Of qt5lf and Lf4yas9 men, who
can seGly be named, who have differ
ca entIey from bim OF hi, fubjed
What If SIR Paire and other bbiio6pb.aaI
and learned men need not The influence
reiulring tTom religious iniitutions
ytt4Ie they not abiolutciy necedlry u
preierse iu he minds ot men i'll gercr
al, a ienie " important religious Iulhs
The recollection Of which, Is elIentiaI 70
the iuPport Of morality and vir,ue in
the void , Tor wiIhsut the Otferv
sroe a thefe iniiituions, al jnit lenie
AZ God and religion would be foon loR,
and furerlition and vice would become
uniyef4l. Anl will people who have
always been remarkable for their vcner-
alton and obleIvance Of The public wor-
hip Of God and OF the inltutions Of
chriGianity, fufTer themfelses to be
laughed out Of their religion by The
boldneis, the ridicule and the milreprc
fentations Of Tboina5 PANE or any other
ikeptc
Thefe remarks, have made in great