Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-04-11
EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM -

les bdNC iau uS P'N'
inc Mr.. HoLLEy. II was on Sunday last,
and l was much pleased.-Not that L
learned any thing very valuable in rel'
s;on from him-but he seemed to be P"-
ljshed man he charmed me with his
learning, his intelligence, the genius OF
his oratory, his schclsr-like style, and his
very chaste prorOunciation.
He commenced the service with VIVA
he called praysr-in which he Knocked
the experimenting care OF the Deity a"o
implored that it might be extended to
man and mankind in all his offces anu
in all their works. The rest consisted oil
a cautious exposition Of maxims Of aoc'
trines which, abstractedly considere"'
could neither be much admired nor n'uch
condemned. They did net selze upon
YOU with great force, nor did they seem
70 viol, Re your established faitr W tn thst
degree Of violence a. to cause repug"a"ee'
Preparatory to his DISCOURSE or ser
uon. he gave US beautiful prOem, or IN
troductory piece upon LibsrnffS which
was truly eloquent and ingenious Inc
object evidently was TO d'sc'untenanee
and to soothe the, nnfriendly opinions
which his first discourse on the preceding
Sunday bad excited and by a bold and
impassicred appeal to the feelings OF ms
audience, to remove every existing impr
di ent the reception of his system -
He than read the xiv. chapter OF Paul to
the Romans. occasionally commenting
upon. the verses as he read them--"hlch
he made the ground work OF hls dis
cour-e.
lcauuot undertake TO give YOU an ex-
act account Of all he said, or the order IN
which il va. uttered TOR l dare say
much has escaped ~ recollection f'u
know one cannot remember so much u
one OF those brilliant orations compound
ed Of p1ilippic and philosophy. as Of a
plain logical discourse pursuing an estab-
listed order Of things. The first acts ra-
yishlngly upon the feelings ard despolls
YOU of YOUR senses-te latter is colder
and slower in its operations, and hes
more cnncateuated in the mind. Dc not
uuders, and BY thi, that mean MIR. II.
does not reason; the contrary is the fact.
He DIV cit most empbatica,ly in his dis
course upon the horrors which have sprung
frum contested points of faith and the to-
tai inutlity Of eligiOus rituals. In sup
DOR, Of these positions he drew examples
from the fierce and sangainary religious
contests which we've furnished in the his
tory Of England, France, scotland-and
last of all, Of Observation-Disclosures the
Ouakers had been tortured by the Puri-
fans. The character OF Christ he ADM
red and recommended for imitation. He
acknowledged him the Son of God-but
whether he acknowledged his Divinity is
a matter Of dispute among his hearers.
He admitted his mission and its objects,
and eloquently depicted the causes oil his
persecution. The old fashioned doctrine
of the Trinity was not clearly denied
I'M, the commentaries were not entirely
disgusting to its votaries. nor yet satisfac-
tory; and he drew a sort OF parallel be
tween ancient mythology and the chris
tian 5, stem-which, however wonderful
was unrivaIled for its fancy, its genius,
and its beauty. / little expected ever 10
have heard the fables Of Cronos, and sa-
turn, and Jupiter, brought up either to IL
Illustrate or to enforce our holy religion
but when the preacher came to the loves
oil Cupid and P.vche, | looked next tor
something nearer tn our own time', and
better founded in tact-I mean the stmy
Of the Apple Girl and the NorwesIaa'
that is now going the rounds here.
In truth, nv friend, | have been ex-
eeedingly delighted, but very little in
structed this mode of teaching religion
BY a perpetual recurrence to philosophy
and common sense, is What can't give
In to. Let philosophy attend the schools,
and minister IN the institutions of science
I and Lot cnmfnnn sense do her common