Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1817-09-09
COMMUNICATIONS.
FoR THE GAZETTE.
Nessrs. Ediiors.

In preceding we nOttCFu tue
wide and extensive prevalence Of practice ia di
rect and open violation of one of the most solemn
and important iniunctions Of heaven, that Of the
frequent profanatioD of the sabbath. But there is
another of even still greater enormity, alike OBJ
noxods and impious in It's sight that OF bIasphem
| ing the name OF that Being TO whom we are ac-
countabe for every word and action OF our lives,
aud al whose awful tribunal, on approaching
aud tremendous day, the assembled universe must
appear, and from whose lips they will receive The
sentence which will decide their final aud their
eternal desiiny. Though there is no vice more
horrid in its nature, more indicative OF human
depravity in its practice, yet there is none more
frequent at the present age, which boasts in such
degree of its superior knowledge, civilization and
refinement. From persons OF almost every rank
| and condition in society, frem the lioaiy head,
who stands on the brink 0: the grave, and on the
confines Of an irreversbie eternity, to the infant
who has scarcely learned TO lisp in accents the
name of his creator we hear the most bitter oaths,
and the most horrid imprecations and curses; and
with language of this description our streets are
daily resounGing. So common and so frequent is
this practice such the force of habit, and the con-
examination Of bad example, and society, that many,
in their common and ordinary conversation, and
| .ithout the smallest proyocaton, launch into the
excess of profanity, and accustom themselves to
| treat with the most glaring IrrevereDce, and the
l most daring defiance Of bis threatenings, the name
| of that Being in whose hands are the arbitration
and disposal of our condition for eternity; who, as
he will faithfully reward those who obey and per-
form the duties he has assigned and enjoined upon
them; so will be punish with deserved and inexor-
able severity, those who trample upon his laws,
and live in the habitual violation aqd contempt of
his commandments.
| Nor is this latter class less nexcusabe than the
preceding. If any distinction can be made, their
Iguilt on the contrary, is superior in its enormity
and atrocity. For the irfitabilty OF the moment
has been urged palliaton and extenuation Of
the practice Of the former, that their imprecaton
were uttered in a rash and ungnarded hour, with
out the smallest reflection the greatness of the
offence, aud which, in their cool and rejecting
moments their uniform conduct and their general
department would dsapproye and condemn. But
| the same plea cannot be urged in vindicaton Of
| the latter. No excuse will be Sufficient to avail
] them the habit and its indulgence will but
| nance their impiety and guilt.
But plausible as may be the plea OF the former
class of profane swearers, il is far from being solid
| or sufficient to justify us before our Almighty
Creator, and our final and our eternal judge. In
permitting our passions TO exceed the bounds OF
reason and of discretion we are guilty of another
and an additional sin. Vain. and unfounded is the
pretence that il is impossible TO conquer them or
to counteract their effects. plea of this descrp-
ton is the offspring and the suggestion of bad
head and a depraved heart. 1t is besides, an i'm
parchment of the rectitude and Justice of the laws
Of that Being who has commanded US to struggle
with them, and by our exertions obtain victory
and an ascendancy over them. 1t is impossible
that being who daily furnishes us with such dem
onstrations of his soicitude for happiness and
welfare, should require of us the performance of
duties we are unable and inadequate to accom-
A ot,Id -
array bin in the light of gloomy, despotick,
hard and an unfeeling master, instead of kind a
merciful, and compassionate father & friend. The
contest with,the passions is indeed ardnous but
there is source 10 which, If We humby look for
assistance and direction will crown our exertions
and our struggles with ample and abundant sue
cess. Weak and feeble as we are, no command
which he has enjoined is impossible for US by his
assistance to effect and he who has promised, will
never withhold bis aid and his support, ii we hum
bly, and fervently implore II.
Born with the most violent and irritable of
passions, many of the ancient heathens by the
mere light of nature, and the aid of an imperfect
philosophy, attained an entire and complete domin
ion over them. The mildness and the pacidity Of
a Socrates, a Plato and seueca, universally
celebrated, and have called forth the unqualified
admiration and applause OF the most celebrated
writers both of ancient and of modern periods.
And shall christians, before whom the veil of
doubt, Of darkness and of obscufty, has been dis
PEELED by the bright and cheering rays of religion
and revelation, be surpassed bv heathens, in reds
cling their sublimeg and more noble theories to
practice? Shall the ancient disciples of a Plato,
who drew his rules and instructions from nature
and philosophy, exceed in the tenor of their lives
the professed followers of :" God-naae-man TO
save mankind.n
Independently, however, of the objections we
have addnced against proiane swearing, what ad
vantages do we reap from its practice and iudul-i
gence? VIII II injure the person with whom we
are offended or compensate for the real or The
supposed Injuries we have receiveda Will il
mitigate our passion, add TO the dignity or res
probability uf our character and deportmen; At
the present enlightened era, when every thing
slperstitous or chi,nerical is ridicued aud expo-
ded, profanity in conversation is viewed by many
as the mask Of lofty spirit and one Of the critic
rions bv which the character Of fine and accom-
plished gentleman may be defined. But the man
of sense and of reflection without hesitation would
promo unce it alike ridiculous both ia the fool and
in the philosopher. For does il add TO the ele-
gance or refinement of conversation P-to the
amusement or the instruction Of company or soci-
ETY. Or rather, since il is certainly destitute OF
these advantages, does II not, even supposing IL
far from being criminal or culpabe, reduce one
10 the level Of a raviag iunatick, uttering The
widest tue most incoherent, exirayagant, and
urmeaning expressions? And on the suppostion
that he still retains his rational faculties does ii
moi render his conduct more absurd and his beha-
yiour more ridiculous than even that OF the ma
MACK. and &C The subject of insanity
Nor arc those who take pleasure in exciting
the passions and ritabiIisy OF Others free from the
fmnnfatiDn az particinst;oY1 In their guilt BIZ