Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-12-14
PHILLIPS SPEECH.

The following is the substance of speech deliver
ed by Charles Phillips, Esq the celebrated Irish
Orator, at Cheltenham, Engiand,) on the 9TH
of October, at the Fourth .4nnioersaYy Of the
Gloucestershire Missionary Society
Mr.. Phillips came forward, aud thus
addressed the chairman ;--" Sir, after the
leloquence with which so many gentlemen
have grstified and delighted this most
respectable assembly, and after the almost
inspired address Of one of them, feel al
most ashamed Of having acceded TO the
wishes OF the committee by proposing th,
resolution which have the hunour TO sub.
nit. ! should apologize, Sir, for even
The few moments Intrusion which mean
10 make upon this meeting, did boi feel
that had no right 10 consider myself as
quite stranger, did not feel that the
subject unites us all into one great social
family, and gives TO tie merest soJourner
The claim Of a brother and a friend---
applause. Alta time like this, perhaps,
when the Infidel is abroad, and the Athe-
st aud the disbeliever triumph in their
biasphemy, il behoves the humble Christ
ian 10 range himself beneath the banners Of
his faith, and attest, even by his martyr
dom, the sincerity Of his allegianee.-
(Gredt applause. When | consider tie
source whence Christianity has sprung
the humility OF its origin--the poverty Of
its d'scipies---the miracles OF its creation
the mighty sway ii has acquired, not
Gully over the civilized world, but which
your missions are daily extending over
lawless, mindless, and mbfnted regions
own the awful presence OF the Godhesd
-uotbing less tiana Divinity could have
done it 1.-THE power, the pfejudices, the
supeIsttiens OF the earth, were all in arms
against it.; it had nor sword nor sceptTf
Its founder was in rags--ts apostles
were Lowry fishernsen--its Inspired proph
cts, lowly and unedncsted---its cradle was
manger-ils home dnngeon-sts earth
~ diadem crown of thorns And yet,
forth it went--tbat Iowly, humble, perse-
cuied spirit--and the idols OF the Heather
fell; and the thrones of the mighty trem.
bled; and Paganism saw her peasants and
her princes kneeL down and worship the
unaimed Conqueror II This admirable
portrait Of the divine spirit and attributes
Of Christianity mas hailed NTH the most
enthusiastic psais Of appreciation, --Ii
this be not the work Of the Divinity. then
| yield to the reptile ambition OF the
Atheist. see no God above--I see no
government below and yield my con-
seriousness of an immortal soul to his
boasted fraternity with the worm that per-
isles But, Sir, even when / thus CON
cede to him the divine origin Of our
Christian faith, | arrest him upon world.
y principles-I desire him 10 produce,
from all the wisdom Of the earth, SO pure
a system Of practical morality code of
ethics more sublime in it's conception
more simple 10 its meaDs--more happy
aud more powerful in its operation: ard
if he cannot do SO, then say to him, Oh :
~ the name oil your own darling policy,
filch not its guide trcm youth, its shield
IRON manhood, and its crutch from age -
Great applause. Though the light
follow may lead me astray, still think
il is light from Heaveni The good, and
great, and wise, are my companions-my
delightful hope is harmless, if not holy ;
u wake me not 10 disappointment, which
10 your tomb Of annih,lation, / shall not
taste hereafter! 10 propagate the sacred
creed--t0 teach the ignorant--to enrich
the poor--to illnme this world with the
splendours OF the next---to make men han.
ply you have never seen--and to redeem
millions you can never know-yon have
sent your hallowed Missionaries forward !:
and never did an hoIier vision rise. than
that Of this celestial glorious embassy.
{ applause. Methinks see the band of
milling erales bidding farewell, perhaps
for ever. 10 their native country fore.
going home, and friends, aud luxury-to
tempt the savage sea, or men more savage
than the raging element-to dare the DO
lar tempest, and the tropic fire, and often
doomed by the forfeit of their lives to
give their precepts proof and AN expia
tom applause. j--It is quite delightful
TO read over their Reports, and see the
blessed products Of their labours.-They
leave no cline unvisited, no peril unen-
countered. in the South Sea Islands
they found the population almost eradi.
Gated by the murderers of idolatry. at
was God Almighty" says the Royal Con-
vert Of Otateite, "who sent your mission
to the gemainder Of my people !" | do not
wish. to shock your Christian ears with
the cruelties from which you have re-
deemed these islands. Will you believe
it, that they had been educated in such
canoibal ferocity, as to excavate the earth,
and form an oven Of burning stones, into
which they literally threw their living To-
lants, and gorged their infe RIAL appetites