Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-27
SATURDAY, JUNE II.

The essay upon deyotlon winch aPPc'tS
IN your paper of Saturday lasts was hlgnly
gratifying to many of your readers as wen
On account of the intrinsic excellence OF It's
matter and manner, as because It's exnioieoh
in that form and manner maybe likely to arrest
The attention of those who never put tneul-
ssIves In the way of drawing truth from the
sacred sources Of Gods oracles and worship.
To minds addicted to pleasure and the hurry
.nd hnstIe ofhfe, enervated by the one and
distracted by the other, the pleasures ana
profits Of devotion are bat visionary forms.
This lovely offspring of Heaven, viewed thr"
those mists, which soch habits OF disposition,
s like disturbed waters cast over the VISUAL or
cans Of the mind, has no charms" no form
nor comeliness that they should desire y.
But to the truly good man, whose beart IS
formed to virtue and religion, and unrutt1cd by
those passions which agitate the wlcked,lt IS
the f.irest among ten thousands and altoge-
tber lovely. tits hetatelary genius OF his safe
~ and happiness descending in mild and be-
nionant radience to warm and enclrcle his
heart, ssto transplant heaven INTO has BOSOM
Ito set him above the power OF eyis ana 70
shed upon him that peace which passeth all
understanding. Such blessings, silent deyo-
ton confers upon man, and by opening an a
venue to happiness through his own heart
creates 10 him a fortress lmPresnable to all
the calamilies of human nature
But TO creatures consisting o. matter as
well as spirit, this devotion must be nourlshed
bv external forms it must strike the senses
in order to awake the Imagination" Hence
results the necessity of public worship, 1t
cannot but be mater of deep concern to every
well wisher to the good order and happiness
of society, as we'll as TO those who take Into
view the more awful and extensive Consequen-
ces of futurity. that SO many are living and dy-
ING in a hibilual disregard of this great duty.
That Righteousness eXateth a nation, and
thar sin is not only reproach but weaken
ing TO any people, are truths universally adj
mitted. 7rue Philosophers, and Legislators
have already taught that the virtue OF the peo-
pie is the stability of all governments. For
besides the natltrG! tendency there is IN ylr-
tue TO make nations great and happy, there is
this further to be considered, that if there be
God who rules the world, e AMI that there
is ali nstare cries aloud') then he must de-
light in virtue and yirtuous nations vail be
his peculiar care. He will guide their cour-
ciss-He will give thei Senator'S wisdom, and
in their Just and honorable wars, he W II guard
them in the day of battle, and bring them
hons, crowned with victory and peace.
Nov towards the attainment Of this virtue,
there is no mean, conlessedly, so essential as
that Of public worship. AS having this ten
dency legislators in all ages, by its institution
have borne testimony to It's importance. In
places where human nature has risen but little
above the hrutes, temples have been dedicat-
ed, affairs erected and professions made to re-
turn thanks to or to supphcatc the Deity.
Is Without public worship" said one OF the
Heather sages 8 there would be no religion,
no government, no humanity, no learning :"
And if the history OF the world be compe-
tent rule of Judgment, we are warranted IN
the assertion that without public worship, and
consequently without religion, We should de-
generate iHto as savage a state as were the IN
hsbitants of Britain, when they had their
Bagds and Druids among them, before the In
PRODUCTION Of Christianity by the Romans. In
this view Of the subject therefore as well as
that which shews its influence upon the futale
and everlasting happiness Of MAJ, 1t becomes
the dnty ct every one to render his individual
exertions ia this way to strengthen the mora
lity Of the nation, and to prep1e hisow heart
for the worst of those c2lamltles with which
it may please Righteous God to afaict a
guilty people. And happily for man, God.
hath graciously provided way in which he
may Individually De safe amidst the greatest
shockst6 which the globe and It's Inhabitants
can be subject Though for the wickedness
of man ne has desaced the beauty ofhis own
works-and converted this prlmeval paridise
into dreary wilderness, where the uBgoyern-
ed passions OF man display 50 many tragedies
ofwar,-Thoagh we the highly favored peo-
pie of these u. States thus far exempted
from those awful ealanlties Of war which lave
desolated and filed with mourning the coun-
tries of Europe; Though we are doomed TO
share IN the mighty collision and perhaps
broken " to peises potters vessel" Yet
In this scene cf darkness and trembling anx-