The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1818-09-01

asst or bigot, This is the language il IS fashion,
able to use in these degenerate days, whenever
person Of any age or sex seeks the knowledge ana
favour of Heaven.
| He delivered to me his packets, and returned
home with light heart. He bounded ike
young roe over the hills, and made the giens re-
echo with one ofhis favourite hymns. When he
was out Of sight, turned towards the cottage,
Imedtating on the great change produced IN the
moral world, by the establishment of Sabbath
Schools and Bible societies.-We are told in
revelation, the Angel who had the " everlast-
ing Gospel to preachn If alayman might be al
lowed to hazard conjecture, he would say, tina
this Angel is the spirit of regeneration, OF Divine
| light and truth.
| Bible and Tract Societies, Sabbath Schools and
MISSIONARY Societies. are the Angels wings which
bear abroad the glad tidipgs Of great joy from the
rising East to the falling West. Every agent
concerned in these institutions, from the kitch n
servant, who gives half cent, upwards through
all grades Of contributors; Sabbath School teach
| ers; Bible and Tract contributors those who
write in favor of, and lastly, those who preach
the everlasting Gospel, are greater or less con-
stituent part of the Angels wings. Let me in
dulge the conjecture, that those who thus be-
come what may be called Gospel pinions, will be
as likely as any in the hobr of death, to have
6 The rings of Lore, and arms Of faith,
TO bear them conqaerors through"
You NAV, Sir, be xcted to wonder, that the
laCottage ofthe Westn should be familiarized to
such language as this. 1t may be, some Of your
friends. should they be induced by the apparent
ly trifing manner in which this letter was COM
menced to read thus far, will be disguised at the
serious turn it has taken Sir, would render re-
ligion fashionable. | would ha e it become a
matter Of social conversation. would not have
it banished from the parlour or promenade. 1t
is calculated to make us happy, social, aheel'on-
ate. generous, brave, cheerful and polite. 1t
gives finish to the character, which admits OF
no substitute. Every thing that is valuable N
fashionable life, is derived from, and improved
by it. Yet how shy are we on this subject. we
scarcely are willing to have it believed we are
Christians. Sir, but for the purpose Of dssemlna-
ting Gospellight, the art ofprinting never would
have been known. He, who is the "author OF all
good coanseIs,'' enl ghened the mind ofits inven-
tor to make the discovery, for the purpose OF null
tiplying the ray ofDivine truth. Why then should
not the press, so long grooming under the bondage
of political dissentons--why should not the
press, which has stamped : money making" and
a THOUSAND times repeated it on almost every
page Gifts productions, be at last IN some degree
devoted to the work for which it was originally
intended SsRender unto Cesar the things that
arc Casars,,' but do not put his 8 image and SUI
prescription on things that are Gods. should
be glad to see newspaper readers, OF which there
are many who never read the Bible, nor hear
preaching, occasionally meet with religious truth;
and suce they viii not seek it, let the $ unhal-
| lowed pages Of a newspaper as some are pleas
ed to call Them be the vehicle to bear It to Their
minds Yes, Sir, the great accomplishment o.
sublime and lawful prophecies, is, in our day,
passing before our eyes.-How astonishing the
thought that all the great revolutions and changes
and Christian Churches, since the days OF
the greater Prophets, and of which We have but
a faint glimpse in ecclesiastical history. should
pass before the Prophets and all be distinct
| ly and clearly seen in short space OF time. !
wish could be seated, Sir, in one OF your fash
! ionable circles, where wit AID beauty, manly
grace ana female charms where the young and
the old, the one learning from the wisdom OF
aee.n and the other 6 cheered by the sallles OF
YOUTH should all be engaged in lively, cheer
full. aigniied and interesting conversation on re-
ligion ecclesiastical history: the manners, Gus
/ toms and religious rites and ceremonies OF the
I Jews their ancient political consequence and
present dispersion; the state otthe civil world at
the time OF our Saviour's appearing the accom-
plishment of the prophecies and the like. One
of your most elegant women should give US a
i piece of sacred music, or national air now and
then we would sing a hymn or two; and shrink
not, We Chris aan bellies AID bedur for suppose
you not to be either Jesos, iafdsls, nor Tarks-we
would commend our souls and bodies to almi gh-
ty God, III fcrvent prayer. Your Clergy need
not blush in making one in such party. As it
is,a Clergyman, mean such an one as is fit to
preach the Gospel; is excluded from your social