Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-03-06
Original Miscellany.
PROVIDENCE. NO. Ill.

The bounds 81 Oan, nor blame them as
too snail"
The splendid arches and the costly
columns, the ornaments and the various
other workmanship Of a magnificent tenn
pie, presented en- mssse bat perfect in
their several parts TO the eye of behold
er, perhaps, by their grandeur, might at
rest his attention and put him in train
of thinking; but they would Only fi!l HIS
mind with confused aud grand concep-
tens of the design Of the Architect
When, on some iu,ure day. it another
person should pass by and see the build
ing comp eted-sec thase scattered arch
es, columns, decorations and every other
manufacture, assu,ning proper place IN
the edifce. ana forming beautiful and
compact design-hnw differently would
they be Affected We can easily imagine
how differently the architect would be
viewed by them.
so precisely is the analogy between
Col aud hi. creatures. They, finite in
Their intelligence, with capacities 'e-
strictei t. what they See and near han
die and feel; and created thus 70 UNDER
stand perfectly nothing but what is easy
and familiar to their senses, want an in
finite mind to see plainly into his design
in the creation Of tae world and IFS DIT.
ferent parts and hence, aot resigned to
a pise ignorance in some thing, they
substitute in the room OF it ,riSdom of
the world, which is footiStness unto God !;
or, as It i, termed by distinguished a
postIe. who vas skilled in all ihe lea u
ing OF Greece, ga philosophy falsely 50
Called"
AID hence the origin of atheism hence
the origin q he, esq; hence the origin Of
all error. The p.ide Of Knowledge is a
source Of deadly evil to the world. 1t
was the first caHse af Adam transgres-
sion, aud Of Adams apo.mcy 1t las
the ruin Of the iniidei philosopher Vol
taire; it converted his dying bed into
venomous nest Of scorpions. AMI it has
thickenri un',l the heavens, alas have
bscn.ue D cK~ ned wl'h the dark cloud of
lci assssS tor lnfdeiity, VIII have stood
forth in every age as the b ia champions
TO defend their corrupt systems Of phi
losO;hy
But why does the infdol Storm We
never denied-we never doubted that
thee ace incomprehensible mysteries in
na'ure a d in the arcdna Of Providence.
Far from il We see the whole creation,
whereyeC we turn an eve, stored with
wonders, ike vast museum replenished
with natural curinsi.ie-, TOR our enter
tainmeat and religious alteration For
example, turn TO ASTRONOMY, and what
can baffie our reasons ucre than 90 offer
q probable conjecture hot, the SUI is fed
by such psodigious mass Of FIRE, tha' he
constantly supplies with vivifying heat
AID light all the planets that are revolt
wing around him wi h inconceivabie We
locity and the u'tarmost harmony.
Look at the Hoo1-lOok at the eighty
millions Of stars. Let the philosopher
conduct you into the secret cabinets OF
nature. and unlock her phenomena to the
astnnished senses, and what Can we
know OF them more than that they are
wonders. Like the magnificent arches,
columns, ornaments and workmanship Of
the temple, which we have supposed a.
bsve TO- the illustration Of our subject,
we can oniv form vague and indeteFnin-
ate ideas Of them; and they are the won.
derful pillars of that mighty temple in
which the glorious architect himself re
sides vino built it, and whose esence
fills all space, pervades everv substance,
aud is extended 10 all duration!
No doubt there are great difficulties
involved both in creation and provi-
deace; but these are wisely concealed
from ys-yea, the ye'y knowledge of
them nj. BIT render us fnr ever miserable.
Notwithstanding vain man would be wise
against the VISION Of his Creator.
We believe it can be easily and salts
factarl!v demonstrated that man differ
emil constructed. and formed with
more widely extended knoo ledge than he
at present possesses, would have been
DO, child OF misery, and not candi-
date AR bliss. Ushered into existence,
as ne grew up, he would have fallen a
prey 10 ten Thousand cares and harrow
ing reflections He would have been
pitiable stranger TO QUE CLEAN Of joy, and
as long as he lived never enjoyed mo-
ment's peace.
Host thou ask how p Then grant him,
6k. bis Creator, an unbranded range in
expanse-to travel in an instant beynsd
those fixed stars, and see how these new
sy>tems Of worlds, rising in handsome
progression above each othsr, are form
ed and with this inc0mmunicabIe atti-
bate, from the sature Of things. he would
heredi' ariiy possess an attribute to be
present in all duration; aud giant him