Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-11-05
The Rev. Mr.. Hooper, of Paris.

The Gospel Minister whose hands are pure and
whose heart is warm in the sacred cause in which
he u called TO oiiciate is character justly en,i-
tied to the esteem and veneration of the wise aud
good. When public teacher of religion is set a
part to the gospel ministry, he engages to devote
himself unreservedly to bis Masters business and
to set his face flint against every transaction
which is inconsistent with the pure and heavenly
precepts which be inculcates. Whist he follows
the example of the true Shepherd Of Israel, he will
be able the more efectualy to incaIcate his pre-
cepts upon his 1ock--but the moment teacher
steps aside from this path and suffers other gods to
have dominion over him. his people vii. avail them
selves of eilis circumstance in order to &C know him,
by his fruits" Let a teacher admonsh his bearers
against thesin Of falsehood and prevarication in
ever faithful and tender manner, and the next
day prevaricate about simple matter OF fact, aud
and finally subscribe to deliberate falsehood ma
ny will view his admonitions as +" the idle wind
which they heed not,'-I have been led to this
train OF reasoning from reflection OF the course
pursued by the Rev. Mr.. Hooper Of Paris and 9TH
ers, at the late Convention at Brunswick. Pre-
vious TO this transaction knew but very little OF
the man, and would not even now introduce him to
public notice were it not 40 apparent thathe is
dishonouring the cause which he has engaged to
support hope shall not be considered inexcu-
sable, therefore, in representing his case, when
my readers that it 10 done with desire that
his case may prove as n beacon to warn Others
gainst falling into similar temptations. Was il
not enough to prove the depravity Of human nature
for one Of our Judges to declare tina. Religion
| and conscience bad nothing to do with it," but
that preacher of the gospel should act upon the
| same principle? would ask the Rev. Mr.. Hoop
er what were his ideas and reflections at the time
and previous to his taking his seat 1.-THE Bruins
wick Convention !? Was il not your intention and
il not the Intention OF those who elected you
that you should regulate your conduct by the uner
ring guides of and truth, in reference 10 the
" law of the land' under which you convened !!
True il u.s. civil oath was not imposed but the OBJ
legation of the God Of Truth do justice in what
ever situation you may be placed, trust is not
stranger to your breast. Ignorance You cannot
plead, for you set yoursefup as publick teacher
and instructor.
Before you BECAME illuminated by those distin-
guishsd "blue lights" William Widgery and
John Holmes,) did you ever dream of such a ledy
erdemain sort of construction about the majority
OF the majorities" of the several towns? Can you
take the report OF the committee and, ms An honest
and nnprejudiced man, say that it conforms either
to the letter or spirit of the Act concerning the
separation l trust you will not. How far your
conduct, in the Convention, accords with the pre-
conceived opinion OF your character will be seen
by the following anecdote - l
When the report under discussion member OF
the convention was asked il he thought all those in
favour OF the separation would vote Tor accepting