Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-06-18
roa jerks rokrLAND GAZETTE.


JswKs PORTLAND GAZETTE.
THE REFORM. No Viii.
| THE long interruption of ~ c-aployr.co ut
| undertaken from motives OF nieiu!neis, hoult
| not prsvcut US from returning it, when ieifure
, ard other favourable circumstances allow. Per
haps il ihoui Is looked uoon as a misfortune
that fometines yet tired OF my book, aud fee
as it it were ! III, Of time, 10 follow perpetu-
al and eager Thrift Of Knowledge, without en-
| braoing oppostIniie, for communicating to 9th
ets the sentiments which are l,gsset,ed By read
ing AID reflection. lmaginati' perhaps no,
wholly unfupnorted by fact. b-ings UP to M
mind, the figure of a man, who, if we are 10
! judge from the time he is cIoietes, muif be
both leaned and wife, who yet never difolays,
enher IN converiation or writing, the fruits OF
his induftrv. Is this to make a proper ule oi
the talents Commute! to us Is it to make the
mott of a fliort and precarous life ! Rather
expofc youricif to contempt, by an uniucceis-
ful effort, than tius hide the gtt OF heaven ii
the earth. - "a
MY iaG number. upon newspapers was adj
dreiled to readers; the p,eienr belongs to COR
Respondents. This will eote the delign at frt
conceived i'll entering upon this iuh'ett, which
to me Appeared important, though by Others it
may be though, uniuitablc tor 10 formal dc
cui'ion. -
|. was part Of my intention to rropofc fon,e
induccment for peions of literary tafse and
puffuit, TO come forward, and NIX their reAcc-
tons with the common and familiar occurren-
ces of the day. In this refpect. however, my
wiihes have been greatly anticipa ted. Several
productions have appeared of late well calculat-
ed to promote the higheit objects of fociety
Ihete have greatly conitirnre.i to The reputation
Of the paper in which they we're inferred and
| doubt not have left pleahng and ufefs,i i'm
pre!lions upon the minds of readers. But where
now are the names Of :. Pilgrim" "Coiamfu5,"
and {" Companion :" WHY have the!c writer's 20
haitiiy thrown Aide their pen :. Yc did run
% Sgah s who lid lnAt3 Eqas II have
common place icribblers. icu have not only
flown yourfeyes the friends OF decency and or
der, but have dared to plead. through an unu-
fual channel, the cauie of religion !; cauie,
which, by fo.ne, issireated with unmerired neg
lett, AMI BY others, with timd and tAlie
d..icacy. In this you have let an example
which will nor fail to be initiated. ell me why
a fuhicft Of fich univerfA extent and demand as
religion, fhould be confined to Ininiiters, and
the pulpit WHY ihould not every news paper
contain fiort fermon? How might this az
fuage the ip,rit Of party You might prove that
the chrihisn is the beit politician, and rot the
man who is only remarkable for jealouiy, rage,
and contempt, You might do much toward
promoting principle, whole obligation is uii-
bounded and impartial; having refpeet neither
TO ncrions time. or place.
You are afraid that your. performances will
not be generally read, Allowing that they
ihoud be overlooked by one halt OF thoic who
take up the paper, would not the attention OF
the RET, abundantly compeniatc your labor !! Eut
this is too unaSovorablc itatemept. 1t too
fna,l portion of the chrifian world have pa
tience to go through volume upon ferrous
fub;ecf; if more eagernefs is aln,oi every where
difcovered for works of very different nature,
I than for fuch as would eniIghten and reform !;
1T is preiumed that very tsw wo1ld MAKE
chain in their reading, in oroer to AVOID can
did and honeh app to their conference or
| their heart.
A uieful correspondent however. need not
coniine himlrif to Jingle ciaio OF inb)ects, his
great object, the promotion OF religious vHtne'
will admit of an exteniive fahee among the
works of nature and men The held before
him may well employ a considerable portion OF
his time and induitry; it viii furnth 'cope
both for icience and genius. He may follow
the path now pointed OUT, only as an introduc-
ton to n:ore exenfve labors yet ihould ne
never rife in the fcale of author.hip, above The
Humble itation of weekly Montar, 1t would
be difficult to calculate, how much benefit ne
might confer, through the courie OF long liie'
upon his country and mankind. L.