Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-04-14
Fran The 5,7i:llrljagton Del) MIsRosa

- DE- NM O5SO fOR LII tflC SIrs&A He
BY TIMOTHY sPINTExT.
GENESIS xiii--s.
Ind ABRAM said sasato LoT, letlthere 6esao
strife, Ibray thee, btt7vren me and thee,
and 5etzveen my herasmea and thy herds
men, far zvebe brethren.
Certainly, says the Jew, the advice OF
Abraham IS worthy~of the highest appro-
baton, relations should ALWAYS live IN
peace, and the,same good doctrine has al
WAYS fronrshat, 4to the present day been IN
culcated by all cur lawgvers, priests and
prophets; we all acknowledge Abraham
for chr father, and are every where known
bv the general name chi1dreno lsrael, con-
sequently each of us considering that lrtl-
mate connection, is ready to repeat this ex-
cellent precept, ">Let there be no strife a
mong us forsw are brethren.
True, very true echoes the Mahome-
tan; believers, adorers Allah and SER.
wants Of his prophet ought sneyer to nou-
irish spirit of contention. Iheir.hands
should ever be united, and their sabres
raised only in defence of their religion and
the destruction ofinhdels. eYe are indeed
the sons of the divine NEahomet, and aP
provers of the precept Of Abran, which.
the multi also ever enioins in the~sPlrlt OF
the prophet, saying, let there be no strife
among us for " arc brethren.
Who ever doubted the trathof it? asks
the Christian, in trrvor Of zeal. II IS
not only the opinion Of Abraham the father
of the faithful; but the absolute command
ola greater than Abraham. Good will to
man was proclaimed by the angels, when
they announced the birth of the Saviour.
Love one another was the precept OF JESUS
and it ha. been enioined and enforced by
all his apostles, teachers, preachers, and
Christians from that time until the present
moment.
Were an inhabitant of a neighborlng
world, totally ignorant of his history, per-
mitted to visit this earth and hear the a.
bove declarations, would he not immedi-
ately be led to:exclaim happy! happy hui
man family! Sprung from one stock, ever
mindful of your relationship ye delightin
giving, and receiving all those common
benefits which Gow frompeace, friendship,
and unity. How delightful is it for be-
nevolen! mind thus to hearyou all withone
voice repeating the advice of the good old
patriarch. & Let there be no strife among
US .f6f 70s be Brethren"
Ofdl the books in the world, said my
grandfather, none has been SO il-nsed as
the bible. All consult it, and make it speak
Just what they intend. If the plain letter
will not do, it is translated anew. Ii that
will not answer the end, the meaning is al
legorical, or it is typical, or a eproverbial
expression; and SO by one way or another
it is at last brought either to confirm the
advanced opinion, or at the most to say
nothing on the subject. The above advice
common reader would be apt to conclude
abundantfy evident; but let US examine
these three great sects past mentioned
and the truth of the above remark will APP
pear abundantly evident. When the Jews
in all their streagth invaded the seven natl
ons of Canaan, had one of these men de-
voted to destruction, urged the advice of
Abraham, and inthe most supplicating pos
ture, said let there be no strife between me
and thee for we be brethren, what would
have been the reply? If the~Tew would
have staid to reason at all, which with me
is rather doubtful, may we not Justly sup
pose itwould have benin such language as
the following? 'Presumptuous wretch
| darest thou say, that am Thy brother!-
Iefhou art no better than dross or dung.
The world was made for Israelites, and
thou art doomed to perish. 1t is true we