Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-09-30

III
wisdom, In piety, and virtue. A retrospect ot our
lives while il fls with sorrow and regret iof our
I past misconduct, admonishes not % neglect the
present moment hut 10 seize with cagefness, aud
perfora with alacr,ty and yiglence the duties we
have egiected, and 6I up, ii possible the ehasm
our folly aud our imprudrnue have occasioned.
But the principal foundation for reformation
Of this kind, il the entire suppression and rchss-
4 tion Of our passions The miseres that aiEici ~,
| the effects ofour irregularities how from that an-
holy scarce, and that bitter fountain. 10 obtain
the mastery over them. and to preveat their uuiue
and improper influence. should be our hrst aud
most principal concern. BY their pern:ctous inha-
ence they counteract the best Impressions and rem
der them OF short and Of transitory duration. and
strike deadly blow al the roots Of morality. 81
/ virtue Of religion. The conflict is indeed ardnous,
but the remuneration that VIII arise, viii aieFd rs
an ample compensation for our perseverance AZ The
struggle. These considerations interest aud Affect
| ms in the greatest degree. For uncontrolled
and loose indulgence Of the passions. affects not
merely our happiness in this life, but destroys all
our hopes of felicity in another. Were our vlcto-
ry in this conflict dependent human strength,
aud to result only from human reTseserenc andex-
ertons we might we'll give up the contest a. hope
| less and improbable. But we have the promise 81
aid from superior and almighty power, Il We hum
bly, aud earnestly seek and lore IL source un-
| to which we may look with conhde ace. and 20
which none ever applied ia vain. For until the
passions are subdueJ until brought in snbeeslon to
the laws Of religion and OF virtue Impression be
can permanent & lasting but on the contrary. their
duration will be short, uncertain and temporary.
AS PRIDE is the most odious OF vices. 50 ii the
original cause Of all the snisfortnncs by which the
human race have ever been afflicted. BY PRIDE.
even the angels IN heaven fell from their dignity,
and febelled against theie creator ; by disobcdi-
ence, which originated ia PRIDE, oar hfst parents
| fell from their prinegel iunocence, forfeited Ire
favour OF heaven, and exposed themselves to the
heavy punishment and the just displeasafe o thetr
/ God. PaIDE engenders the most q "s Ftni and
unpriucipIed ainbtion--an ambition walca, 10 al
taia its favorte aud desired object Is ever ready 70
sacrifice the peace and happiness OF society aud ot
mankind. Most of the connections which have
desolated the world and thinnei the ranks OF
/ Ife have spralig from other source, and arisen
| from no other foundation than PRIDE. ot the en-
ornity of this vice few fully sensible--thougn
| none is strictly speaking, criminal, scarcely
any one is viewed with uore Indulgence bnd con-
piacency. Far from being considered as repre-
hensibIe and cnlpabie, it Is viewed by many as
nleritorious and laudahle. Instead Of checking II
in its growth and eradicating it from the minds OF
their offspring, they rather encourage il al it, first
appearance, and vlcy it with mistaken iondncss
and partlaty as the marks OF a loftness OF spirit,
and Of greatness OF soul and permit il : TO grow
with their growth and strengthen with their
strength
independently of It's odioasncss 10 heaven, pride
| cannot but reader It's pessessor wretched and un
| happy. The proud man Is not only diScontented
with himself but becomes dissatisfied and offended
with all around him. Instead of The aduIation aud
homage which his mistaken self partiality hatiers
him is his due, he often meets with neglect and
marked contempt, which wounds his assumed self
sufficlency aud Importance, which demands or ex
s expects more than his own merits deserve, than
loshefs are ready aud willing 10 bestow. But HU-
NIIITy on The other han - source from which
alone real uappiness may be derived. Ii Is the on
iy fouudstionan Which any lasting supefstracture
of happiness can be erected. III Is the only rock on
which any fabfick Of real picty, solid virtue,
can be reared. Pride springs from that dcpravity
inherent ia the human heart, hut hunsility tends to
counieract its natural results by its effects. A
conviction Of our imbecility aud weakness our de-
pendence for support and life itself, superior
rover; the reflection that neither wealth nor h0n-
ours, birth nol distinctions, genius nor talents,
qmlenlents nor gluries exempt us from partlcI-
pating in ibe fate OF the viest aud the meanet Of
our species that tie king aud the heggar are alike
has .ening 10 one common end that the sceptesed
and iiustrious possessors of the cIond-eapt towers
and the gorgeous palaces must iie on level with
the HuuDft htlu Impoverished tcHdui VI Tue foWiN
and thatehed cottage that each mait sag 10 carTap
iioa thou erf my Jater and 10 The cornl, my mother
aad ng saser il calculated hll with the deepest
self-abasement md humility. and extingaish ever
spark of haughiness o. Of pride PRIDE readers "a
imperous and dsdainla in prosperity dis.
consolase, nudeserving Of piely or sympathy IN ad-
versity. But HUMILITY renders Us beloved and
esteemed in the former condition., and the object
OF universal regret and coincidence III the latter.
The one in afslaeace hafdens hearts, and sng-
gests that our mountain i loo hfm.y rooted 10 be
easily moved in the vale Of misfortune and al
versiiy, ii rcns-.s prey 10 unayaisins sorrow
and repinia;--but the ether renders o. sensible Df
the precarios aud nasolid tenure which We hold
every earthly enjoyment and III of fortune
il draws our minds hy heaveSiy charm. from tie
contemplation of subjects that earthly and tes-
poral to a1tcipasiuns 81 happiness solid lasting and
dura.ble, of things nsbe, sobIime. and eternal
As HUMILITY is the parent of every virne, 50
| is PHI De in almost unqualified degree fbe nurse
and the parent of esery vice Humility il The dis
lingasling trait in the character OF christian aid
Shone with uaequard nstrc. and unpas asslled
lspendoar in that ail-pef9eet pattern Ell every ex-
cellence and virtue, tie divine founder of re-
lgson. Morally. ntsefls ''npossbe IL il q become
sincere follower ct Inn who was meek aud loaly
in spirit without dsgoat Imitation ri bis virtues.
Tie only steps he requires gor admission into
those celestial mansioas he hrs prepared FOR bis
faithful servants aud disciples. History. nbsersa-
linn aud sf,eresr will snSffx the Insertion thai