Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-10-12
From the National Advocate.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

lively and exuberant imagination, delights
10 dwell on pensive subiects-when the
| eye pierces the mind and the soul holds
communion with the heart: then the frail
tenure OF existence, the helpless condition,
the dependent state OF man, are seen and
felt--then the monarch, the leader, and
all those I" dressed in brief authority
sink into equal stations, and are sensible
that affection and death reaches alike the
sovereign and the peasant. Whenever
such feelings steal Ger my mind, ! do not
wish to check them: they " come like
shadows" and leave soft, yet melancholy,
trace behind-which tempers that lively
disposition which should be iudiciously
controlled, not effectually Destroyed
Under the Influence OF such sober feelings,
| was seated at my window last Sunday,
and contemplated the concourse Of people,
which, in every direction, was passing TO
the several places of religious worship, as
the bells, with " their iron tongues and
brazen mouths called them to the fulfil
ment of the sacred duty. What noble
and illustrious institution is that Of Sab
bath Millions Of beings scattered over
the globe; shunoiDg, at the same moment
the allurements Of pleasure, the avidity Of
gain, the habit of labor, and uniting in re-
turning thanks TO the Disposer Of all good
for his manifold blessings, and his paternal
protection. On this day, man disencum-
bers himself Of care all temporal con-
Germs are forgotten-alI vexatious crosses
are no longer remembered his wearied
limbs find repose, and all is sunshine
around him. He who does lot, at proper
times, commune with his God, loses a
great temporal luxury and hazards his
eternal happiness.-You may be free in
your religious opinions, Indifferent as to
the strict performance of its duties--yo OH
may philosophize on its mysteries, and
coldly comply for formsake, with what
morality requires !: but there is more than
form, or fashion, or sentiment, which God
requires Of his creatures and there are
times when the most free and indifferent
call upon him for protection and support.
We may partly judge, from common re-
lations in life, how pleasing it is to be sim
cereIy and truly pious 10 our prisons.
We Tail the friend WHO has served US
with gratitude-we gaze upon our COM
panion in life with affection-we feel to.
wards children aud relations the senti-
ments of love and kindness but how
strongly combined should all those feel
ings be when addressing the fountain of
Iife--the disposer of good-the mercifaI,
induIgent and omnipotent God. Not with
the shouts of tanaticism, or the fretful
penances Of temporal authority-not as
dealing damnation to one sect and blessings
to others-not as crushing one portion of
his creation and elevating another: but as
a just and righteous God whom you fear
TO offend-whom you approach with the
confidence Of pure heart--whom you
call upon for salvation and blessings with
that freedom which arises from an uDsul-
lied conscience. This is, indeed lux
ury; and those in the gay throng, who
think only Of dress, of fashion, and of
folly, instead of encouraging and matur-
ing pious reflections, while in place Of
worship, lose sight of the great object and
end of religion. There is nothing in re-
ligion which is repulsive TO humannature /:
it is alike foreign from the gloomy air of
the monastery OF the fastidious iniunctions
of the bigot: religion is ever cheerful in
its purity, and there is nothing appalling
in its sacred character. Should we not,
then, encourage it !? Should we wait until
the hour of tribulation arises Should we
forget our God until affection warns us Of
our helpless condition ?--No-In our
prosperity let us be gratelul-in our ad-
versity, resigned; gratefully receiving
the good aud i'll with which our lives are
chequered.
These sentiments were awakened by
the sight Of a crowded population hasten.
ing to church on Sunday. | followed, in
imagination, the various sects, having one
object in view--I listened to the PRAYER of
the pions prelate-I dwelt with pleasure
on the discourse Of the able Theoiogian-
! saw the Priest heaye high in air, and
marked the curling smoke Of Franklin
cense lowering over the altar: the fuII
swell OF the deep toned organ---reverbe-
rating through the petted roof, burst on
the ear the hymn Of the choristers float.
ed through the aisles, and even the angels
and chernbims joined their voices in sac.
red harmony OF praise and devotion, while,
with one voice, the multitude cried alond
!" Our Father who art in heaven, halloved
be thy name" HowARn.
Ever carry about with you such a sense
of the uncertainty Of every thing in this
life as to put nothing off till tomorrow.