Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-03-22
ATTREI.IUS No. LII.

i + y IN L r.
as unnecessary ia. the happiness and well pc
i1a of society, bat as e3titely Gerogatory 10
the dignity Of mana sort Of FrlesSeFaaIe'
designed only to keep the slaves OF inc
world Ia order. The most luminous PRO.
fessor OF this denoyalizing dogma Is inc
man who has ilst retiT dfrom IN e1alted sta
stfor--fhe man who of all Others IN the socl-
etv should have bsen he last3 from his eie-
waited station, being the guardian Of the PaDz
he l3spr5iaess, his advanced age and MS Ia
Ienes 10 have countenanced, aor rather pro"
fessed doctrine, sc. much at variance ,W1ta
his. own happiness, with the happiness OF the
Christina nation whom he governed, and and
with due discharge ofthe duties OF his Of
fee. With this great example Of inf,lelity
before him, every conceited coke omb
who has courage enough TO avow himself an
Afheist or a ioSist, and effrontery enough to
SNORT the old hacknied and long since eX-
nloded arguments IN favor of it, deems hlr-
self Ph9los95her, a Legislator, emitted to
the public tonfdence, and well qssalled TO
taks uDon hiBseltc the atduous task OF max
mp laws Cor the regulation of mora!s, OF life,
liberty and properly, the dearest rights OF
his fellow citizens. 1t IS not unusual to ind
amongst such men preference given TO all
the WId ezcesses of sensual indulgence, to
the profession OF the mild principles OF the
GOSPEL; and him who should prefer resort
tothc church, the house consecrated to the
worship Of the Author Of his Being, to that
Of ,ths theatre, or any other place OF sensual
amusement. ridiculed for his enthusiasm or
his l,ieotry. Infatuated men! are you SEN
sible that By your licentious ridicuie OF the
,.,,,,. q Tffe.ti n To and
thereby bringing It into contempt, you are
weakening the. power Of conscience over
men, undermining the strongest pillars OF
human society, striking a mortal blow at
pubic order and public happiness-for on
the belict and on the practice of the Princi-
ples inouicated by this divine Institution, de-
pend ali the obligations Of an oath remove
these and courts Of justice would cease to
& exist. controversies between man and man
could not be. decided, nor life, liberty or
proDertv be safe. You who deny the truth
of the gospel, and it is TO be feared there
) are TOO many of all ranks Of this descrlp-
ton, merely because you choose to shut your
eyes against the most dazzling lights, your
ears against the most persuasive eioquence,
are acting part perhaps without seeing It,
(the consequences of which cannot but be
destruction to your own happiness which
renders you the public enemies Of society.
The best security we have against the COM
mission Of crimes which human laws cannot
reach, is the dread of an invisible power and
those punishnlents which a Christian be-
Iigvcs awaits him hereafter; remove TINS
dread from the minds of men and you break
down al the fences to religion anG MOI aIlty,
YOU embolden the designs of the wicked,
vou strengthen the hands OF the assassin ana
ieopardise the safety of society you defy
the gospel, you scorn the church, you set
I'D theatres, and other exhibitions OF amuse7
ment. as better schools of morality, and OK
pect mankind TO act most correctly when
freest from religious restraint---vain expec-
tation! contradicted BY the experience OF
ages. If there were no religious assem-
blies. no sacred institutions, no days aP-
pointed for the worship of him to whom All
arc bound to give account; were those sa
cred temples deserted, that 6clisf discarded
which some deem it all important strictly 10
adhere 20, we should all of us degenerate
into barbarous race, from whom every sort
OF violence s extravaganza might be dread
cd.
From what has been said it irresistabiy
follows as self-evident proposition, that
the general welfare absolutely calls aloud
upon society to dscountenance such lrTel-
gious anddcleferious principles as are ayow-
ed by our modern philosophers, our deisss
and Sco9ess of religion He who would be
hardy enough 10 turn truth or honesty into
ridicnle would be booted at by every one,
and Regarded by those more attentive. to