Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1808-02-29
Common wealth of Mahachufetts.
BY HIS ExcELLENCY
JANIS SULLIVAN, ESQ.
CoVs' aor Of he Commonwealth Of B7agaebgEi

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A PROCLAMATION FOR A
Doy q Public Fa)2ing s. Prayer
The unchangeable nature of Coz
sfures TO Us feed time and harvelt
ard the exacr returns Of the feaion
forever This cannot fail to excit,
III our hearts a fublime devotion TO-
wards him.
At the opening Of the year, wher
the huibandmen cait the feed into
the earth, in hope of a plentiful har
Vett through His goodnefs wher
the merchants fpread their commerce
on the fea, with an anxious eye tc
His favour, il Especially becomes us,
in public. folemn manner, TO &C
knowledge our dependence, and to
implore the bleiTing of him who
maintains the fun in his place to
warm the ground who icatters
plenty on the field from Ills clouds ;
Ci Him, who hath bound the waters
m garment, and brings the winds
from His trea(uries.
| have therefore thought fit to
appoint and fet apart, and by and
with the advice ard content Of the
Council, do appoint and fet apart
THURSDAY, the Ifverfb day Of
Atril, as day Of public faiting. hui
initiation and prayer, in the Com
noDwealth as | do requtf the
people of the fame, to afIemble them
ielves on that day, in their ufuaI pla-
Ces of public worihip and there a.
mong other acts Of devotion, to rem
der thanks to Almighty God for his
mercies more Especially that he
has created them rational creatures
with capacities to difcern his exit
cree and power. from his works !;
His wifdom and goodneis from his
government.-That he has been
pleafed, yet more fully to reveal his
benevolence to the human race, by a
difplay of his attributes and Perfec.
ticns in the fcriptures. That the
invaluable bIeliings Of the goGpel are
freely enjoyed BY the people of this
State, allowing them. Whit it opens
TO them the high privileges of reli-
gion and virtue, to wor(hip God ac-
cording to the dictates of their own
conlciencies, 20 that no power can
infert itfelf between them and the
fuprems object of their worlhiP, or
impof: upon them confef1ion of
faith which their hearts do not sp-
prove.
That God has been pleafed in the
courfe of his providence, to unite
and 70 raile The United States, to
the rank Of al independent nation !;
and has endowed them with wildom
to agree on Contributions of civil
government, with fyitems of jurif-
prudence, which if wifely adminllter-
ed, and faithfully executed, cannot
fail to ini1ure freedom and happiness
TO the country.
2 hough we are infructed by our
holy religion, that our Father inHsa-
ven knows all our wants before we ut
ter them we are alto taught, that
he has feen fit to make our prayers
the condition on which he will be-
flow his favors, and the means 10
render US fuitable fubjects of them.
The people will therefore on that
dav unite their fincere and ardent
PRAYERS for their country. That God
will be pleafed to fnpPort US in our
republican forms of government; to
continue and ltrengthen our nation
al union and refpectability that he
will infpire our rulers TO make NOR
atty and virtue the care OF the civil
and Legislative authorities. That he
will guard Us from covetou(nefs,
fraud, opprefiions, envy and flanders,
and all thole crimes which are a re-
proach to, and have a tendency TO
defroy community. That he will
fmile on the labours of cur hands,
and on our enterprises in bufnefs,
profpering our navigation and filh-
cries, 70 that at the clOfe Of the year,
we may come before him rejoicing in
the continuance Of his goodnels, and
uniting in tn: expeditions Of our
gratitude for his favors.
That He will be pIeafed to guide
.lI- Co-r-.F- 49, IT, ,x,,fIo,>