Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-12-30
From the Copaetticm f'oarnnt.
The Brief Remarker,

or does asperity OF language or OF man.
er necessarily belong to the duty OF
| lain dealing. so far otherwise scoif :
as D. eacher, OF a snarling reproVer, be-
rays alike gross ignorance OF the ph'-
spphy Of the human mind, and the alb
.ence of christian meekness: and how
Jealous soevpr be his ann to do good, the
Icovokiness OF his manner " Il defeat the
| enevsience of his intentions
The following remarks are from the
lnen Of man as distinguished for chris
| liam piet, as for superior genius the
.mmortaI Cewper. g No man (says that
| yapgelical poeD IS was ever scoided out
| # his sins. The heart, corrupt as IL 10,
.ud becsu .e it Is ST, grows angry II II De
| at treated vita ,O,ne management ana
ood ,nanne :. and ,colds again. A suriy
na-tiff Will bear perhaps 10 tie stroked,
Tough he viii gFow under that operanon
loaf f you touch him roughly, he will
ate. here i no grace tina: the spI'lt
Isi self can counterfeit with more success
an that Of zeal. a man thinks ne Is
lie tug fol Christ, when he IS lighting ioI
LIS own no.ious. lie thinks tnat he IL
j skilluIy searching the hearts OF others,
hen he is onij gratifying the mails nity
tof lis OWE and chagtany SoFp0scs
his bearers destitute OF Il. grace. uni lie
jaay shine the more Ia his own eyes By
campagisoG."
Nor is Seeding or ridiculc either, tie
Eoroper nay 70 cure meu of der le!lgious
Inse udjceo Tor, by inda0.ng their al
fger. ir renders their pIejudtceo the mole
Stubborn AID inyetera e. Il Is no ma e
,itcr how absurd, or even hcw monstroa:
Their errors ana pl ejad!ces be ; ii you OF
l(end them by the srossness OF your n.aa
liner, there is Hide nope Of your coA'inc.
Iiug lhem afterwards by the cobslcy Of
'y0ur reasoning.
The Baptist Missionaries Of India a
be first lnsu'ted, a we are told, tie su
lperstltion which they attacked aud RI
ldicu.ed and reviled the bramlns IN the
istrcels, ami at their festivals, when the
passions OF the blinded an,, besottea 30
Eyulace we're most likely 10 be influenced
But experience taught those piOus and
lapostohcal men that ,his was not the
fright way to make converts for which
treason, il 800, they made declaration
Iot the great principles upon wnlch they
thought it then duty to act. 1T is re.
IT,. sary.v say they, +" ia our intercourse
gltb the Iiindoos, that, as tar as We are
liable, we abstain from those things which
would increase their prejudces against
be gospel. Those pats of English man.
hers phjch are most otIensi?e to thea
should be kept out Of sight nor is Il
ladviseabIe at once to attack their pre)u.
ldlces by exhibiting with acrimOny the sins
lof Their gods neither should we do VIC.
hence to their images, nor interrupt then
worShip."
| Now if this forbearance from every
ding provoking whether in language or
lin manner, was eXpedient in dealing
with the errors of the grossly ldolatrous
|pagans, il is assuredIy not less ezpedi-
lent for fellow christians, in their treat
iinent OF the real Or supposed religions err
Irors Of one another. Bitter reNllings ant
Icoutumeiious announcements always pro
Woke. but never conviace. If they are
fused instead Of argument they betray
lconscious weakness, for it is mnch ease
Ito retile and deununce than 70 argue
land furthermore, we are quite as apt t
he furiousIy ia the wrong as to be III
lriously in the right, or if even we know
Yourselves to be right as tomatter, we pa
yourselves in the wrong as to manner
: 1e make use of foul weapons rather thar
those which the armory of reason sup
lplies.
! Manner is to be carefully studied b.
Ievery one, whether iii 4 public or private
istati0n. who undertakes TO reclaim th'
Z vcious or to convince The erring, tor VIA
| would be beneficial if done in one man
luer. would BIZ worse than labouf LOST
done in another, 4 naughty superclilou'
: hammer never wins, seldom conylnce-
5 aud always DISCUS s, whereas that whlcl
Indicates meekness and unmingied 5ene
VIOLENCE and compassion, rarely tails o
some salutary Impression, especially ii
IsuaYity Of manner be accompanied witt
force of reasoning, and a due regard bt
had to time, place and circumstan
ices.
Z No very long while ago, Mir, al
American clergyman, as distinguished
for pious zeal as for eminent parts, wa'
passing a river in a-Ierry boat, along witt
company of some distinction anon;
, which was military officer who repeatc'
ly made use of prolane language. Mr.
'l-continued silent till they hat