Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-08-24
Ebe 9sonitor...,No. LXXXI.

g Bur non, he that h1th a 4urse LEI him
take IL, and Eke7Uise his SCRIP, and he
that hath no sq5ord let him sell his gar
a,ent and buy one"
The present is day of clouds and
thick darkness. With respect TO our
political concerns 6 an horror Of great
darkness" has fallen upon us. Doubt
and anxiety sit on every countenance,
and dreadful lorbodings Of still more
dreadful reality FIJI the minds Of the Dol
dest with aPprehensions. WIKI the le-
prons men we may well say five sit
still here we die" for that awful time
has at length arrived when silence is
reputed cowardice, and neutrality trea-
SON" When the man who sits tamely
still beholding his country desolated, and
the peaceful tombs of his fathers expo
sed to the unhalIowed ravages of deisti-
cal Antichrist, when he beholds the con-
cealed though certain approaches Of the
known foe OF all religion, liberty and law,
and will not take measures to preserve
inyiolale his dearest patrimony, and hand
it down unimpalred 10 his children,-I
say, that man deserves 10 be counted
secret abettor of wickedness, and an en-
envy TO the souls of others. Far be it
however from the Monitor to stir up his
fellow ciUizens 10 instruction and rebel.
lion. For it is written Dearly belo-
we'd, ayenge not yourselves" Still II
he ~ Go
quoted as a theme for this number, that
we are not to be inattentiye to the means
of self defence in time of difficulty and
danger. Like the rest of the scripture,
the passage has probably much more
meaning than is conveyed in its literal
Specification. 1t doubtless directs US TO
be prepared to meet our enemies on the
ground where they will probably attack
Us. The question to decide then is this.
Where and in what way viii deis,ical
Antichrist make his first attack ! o.
pen persecution viii not immt 1iately
appear, because it would be unpopular,
aud New-England is not as yet suli-
Cienlly corrupt. Divide and conquer is
maxim which hc'ds good as well in
religious as political concerhs, and in
religion the consequences are much
more fatal because dearer interests are
Involved. Hence the seeds of religious
discord have been profuselv scattered
throughout this rising empire by the
base tools Of faction and wickedness, and
hence also, the prince Of darkness who
can easily transform himself into an an
gel of light, has SO blinded the minds of
many as to make them take error for
truth, and suppose that to be true god
illness which before real religion and
simple practical 2iety would vanish like
the mist Of the morning. The duty OF
christians in this distressing day is much
greater than many seem 10 conceive. 1t
behoves them to guard with the most
unremiting vigilance the faith once de-
ivered to the saints, and 10 beware OF
innovations even on the forms of dIsci-
pine and duty handed down by our pr
Gus ancestors The love of new sys.
TENS paves the way for sentiments not
according to goodness, and the most
dangerous errors may by such means
creep into the very bosom of the church.
BY means Of such repeated innovations
The Justly feared judgment Of God viii
fall upon Us. Our csndIestick viii be
removed out Of its place. The true
Gospel win be taken from us, and sent
to people who win bring forth the
fruits IhereOf