Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-10-03

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The desire of happiness is aconstltuent
part Of the nature of man, coeyal with his
existence, and through the whole perl
cd of his life inseparsble from him. lhe
solicituds manifested by men in pursuit
Of happiness, aud the various means a.
dopted by them, for the attainment OF
their object, indicate that the subject is
involved in considerable uncertainty
But as God has imprinted upon the hui
man mind so clear an idea of happiness
as to render the search after 1t unlger-
sal, the thing must somewhere have an
existence. A most natural enquiry,
therefore, is, in what does it consist
If man were simply ar animal, there
would be no question as to the subjects
necessar, for his qualification and hap
piness But the qualifications OF animal
nature do not answer this purpose
Though he could stretch his arms hike
seas and grasp in all the shore Though
he possessed all the honor, wealth a"d
pleasures, which the universe can be,
stow, the satisfaction derived from these
things is not adequate to the unbounded
cravings of the mind
Sill disabhoirtmen: moeks the lng'ring
day,
Still nesv born gvishes lead the soul astray.
And since the satisfaction is transitory
* perishing, or we may be wrested from
it by death, the mind breaks through the
limits Of the present enjoyments and
ranges through the unknown scenes OF
futurity, in quest of some untricd good.
cit is the demand of nature herself"
says the excellent Hooper, "what shall
| Go to inherit eternal life I" So that
let The world be as valuable as it will
1--WE will not dispute iD yet something
else is wanting to giycypcace to the mind,
something that can calm the fears and
raise hopes beyond this scene of vcissl-
tude, and give us some firm resting
place.
\ Now it is evident that nothing extcr-
nal can answer these valuable ends. All
here is changing and transitory. God
only changes not. He delights in viz
tue, and what he delights in must be
happy. He desires the happiness ofthc
hun an race, and he thcretnle hath re-
vealed to us in his wore! the means OF
obtaining it. Here we find, as an emf
nent writer observes, what human nature
sought for, what with unuitcrablc sroans
she pants after, even life and happiness
forevermore. Here we read that "great
peace have they which love thy law
Here we find reason and revelation unit
ing in the truth that purity of heart is
essential to our happiness. But from
whence can we derive power to attain
to this purity ? Let any man by his own
reason and might make the experiment.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin and
the leopard his spots then may We al
so do good that are accustomed to evil
He who made US, however, can re.make
us and form US after his own image
and Ne has promised to accomplish, in
all who seek it, all this good pleasure of
his will.
Let us seek, therefore, the transform
Ing influence of that blessed Spirit which
he has, in much compassion, sent into
the world. And as we all seek happi-
ness, let us seek where it is to be found,
not in dissipation and riot, not in world
ly honor, pleasure ard riches, but in
pure and sound conscience, in propiti-
alton OF the Deity, by repentance for our
transgressiors, through him whom he
hath appointed our propi,iatory sacri-
fee, and by willing obedience Of bis
divine commandments. Let Us fee to
this refuge for tie hope set before US
This brings US into the protection of
him, before whom things past, present,
and to come, bow down and obey. We
have hereby fortress into which We
may retreat in every lime of danger, and
imprccnabic to ali the assaults of time,
and ali the calami;ies Of human nature.
"ln its true light this transient life re-