Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-06-26
EXTRACT


From President Davis's Sermon dehDef-
ed before the candidates for sae 6ac-
caiouyeate in tae ME,dte6nry College.
"In order to attain to the perfection
YOU must conform TO the laws OF your
nature. You must consider yourselves
a, being destined to activity to converse
with men; not to seek your ozon onfy,
bu, your neighbours z1elfare; and to
encounter temptations, uiais, and aissp-
poiniments. ;.
The present state is state OF dlscl'
pine; and to Zee from the mean, that
are appointed by God for your ,chsstise-
ment, YOUR humiliation, your mstruc-
ton in righteousness, discovers neither
the submission, nor the tortitpde, OF the
Christian. :,
Temptation. are necessary to Try, and
increase, your faith and trials and dis
ap,oin,mcnts, to mort,ty your pride, to
wean you from the rid, and to direct
your hope to the Rock Of .dges.
In imitation of the example oi Our be-
neyo,eDt Reaeemer, who, for mans sal
walton, endured life of Suffering and
aponizcd in death let your beGevoience
ne an active benevolence. II 10 more
6lsssrd to glue thar rccrfUe, is the m
s,ruction he has le': for vou direction.
Had this divine doctrine been thorough.
" understood, and practically and gene
rally embraced, how different would
have been the condition OF men what
host OF evils wo9id have beer prevented.
how many objects OF distress would have
been prevented! how may objects OF
distress would have remained strangers
to suffering! and how many soe!s would
have been saved from he'll Be assured
that YOU will hnd this world very differ.
est from what the young and ineXpefl-
enced, in general. expect to ind 1t. You
will find it world of disappointment
and affection. In all your intefcoerse
with men, let i, be your invsriable OBJ
iect 10 administer consolation 70 the al
ficted, not by your counsel only, but by
your charity.
Talk not of love to God, or love to
man, of the vanity of tae world, OF the
worth of the soul, or OF the hopes and
consolations of religion-wbi'ey your con-
duct declares that earth is dsarer to you
than heaven that you are actnatsd more
hv its pleasures, lis riches, o. It's honors,
than BY the good Of your fellow-men, or
by the retributions o! eternity.
Whatever be your zeal for God and
religion, should it neyer manifest itself,
but when it requires no sacrifice OF
worldly interest, it will avail YOU nothing.
The world will bran1 you with hypocri
sy and your conduct will prove a stum-
bling block to others, Manifest your
benevolence and your sincerity, not in
word only, bat in deed
Vain is that philosophy which spends
itself in wishes and professions; which
signs for the miseries ct Japan or The
| Indies but says to the perisiIing sup
| plant Of its charity, Be ye EARNED Or be
ye filed.
Icsnnot close nv discourse, without
urging it uponyou, to be faithful to Jour
souls.
Whatever worldly honors ard distlnc-
tions God may bestow upon you; these
are but of momentary duration they are
unworthy of the supreme attention OF an
immortal mind What would II profit
yoa, at the hour of your dissolution. to
have possessed the honors and treasures
OF world! Can the splendor OF wealth,
can the reputation of science, or the gio-
ny of arms, give hope ard consolation to
the departing soul When nature is
lsuguishing in death when the world
is receding from his presence, and eter-
pity, witt its awful realities, bursting
upon his view lay before the sinner the
treasures Of the Indies; offer him the
slories OF crown-Alas. how worth
less do they appear! Vain is the world
at this awful crisis! It's riches, and IFS
honors, unless sanc,ifed by grace, will
stand US no account a. this identifying
| moment.
Even thou, mighty Napoleon The
triumphs Of thine arms the pomp OF
thy victories /; the homage of thy king
doms and thy pill;ons slain in battle
what will they avail thee Infinitely
more happy will be the humblest victim
of thy ambition, who fears his God, and
dies in the faith of Jesus"