The Wilmingtonian., 1823-12-04
ron THE wILMINGTosIAH.
Christian Hope contrasfed acith the
Misery of Infdelity.

Misery OF Infdetity.
The importance Of revealed religion to fallen
man hath frequently been displayed by christian
writer's with much ability. The subject, however,
lis so interesting to all the human race, that II
shall offer no apology to your respectable readers
lin presenting the following reflections.
| The BIBLE has ever been most highly esteem
ed by all good men. They have considered it as al
very great mercy that they have been permitted
TO read it and with joy they have spent days andl
nights in the study Of it. Thus David, "the man
after Gods own heart" (Acts Is, % made i'll
his meditation all the day and he found that by
lit, he became wiser than all his teachers. fle of.
ten expressed his love to in the strongest terms
such as these, 90 how love thy law--it is
sw eeter than honey, yea, than the honey comb
lit is lamp unto my feet, and light unto my
path" All the saints since, have Showed the
same love to it. A good man would sooner part
with any thing than this--it is his rich TnEAsuar;
the Joy oflis heart the OF his consolation.
|" 1t is more precious to him than gold, yea,
than fine gold" This was The language Of those
who would sooner part with their lives and their
all, here, than with any part of the precious b.
BE. They rcjoiced in the fames--they pressed
the Bible to their hearts; and counted not their
Lives dear unto themselves, so that they might
finish their course with JOY" and seal its truth
with their blood. Their example speaks "Give
me the BIBIE; and am happy" Rob me of it,
and you render me miserable, though you give
me in exchange the wealth of the universe
Without II life is a burden, death the greatest
levil; and eternity an object Of unknown horror!
I sub; cJ,s tba &c
way calculated to support the Christian through
all the ills of life, and the varied dispensaons Of
Providence of which he may be made a subject.
i'he Bible affords comfort, under our losses and
lisappoin'ments which mortality is heir to.
There is one loss, which, it must be confessed,
is almost too hard to be borne with patience; |
|mean the loss of those we love,--the loss of chill
Ilren-dear relatives, or any others closely allied
Ieither by friendship or consanguini,y. 1t is a
lseparation which almost rends the heart strings
1.-THE fountain of tears will then burst in torrents,
land the mourner will long go heavily on his way;
ibis soul will refuse to be cominrted let so much
Indulgence be allowed to this amiabe infrmity
itnat no attempts shall be made to soothe the
Sufferer by remonsrance, till his passion has sub
sided, and Times enient influence assuages the
iIoi WoulIi ECli, a. jaSt, tlt IeiSiOH
pf the Bible, that lovely matron, that kind nurs-
ns mother, will step in with friendly aspect,
raise the mourner from the ground and bid hlm
Hook up TO a Con in CmRIsr, who can call The
forms which mo ulder in the cartll-from the dark
land gloomy chambers Of the grave, from state
, of corruption to a state Of glory; who after a
1lshort separation can cause those who were uni
ted in love during life, to meet i'll love again after
5 leath, never more to be torn as,lnder, and
wrenched from the rivets of affection. Sweet
\ GosrEL IIorE unsnown to the ungodly. the dis.
puter of the world, the vain, the conceited cavil-
er, into whose dark and callous bosom, the beams
Iof grace and mercy never penetrated. Sweet
.iIhope and more TO be desired than all the trea.
sure the richest plunderer ever wrung from the
oppressed Indian on the banks Of the Ganges--
than the most specious produce of the riches,
= nine To meet those who were dear 10 us as
+ our SOULS in purified and exalted state lowell,
er and more estimable, more worthy our love,
Than they ever could have appeared on earth !
/, Delightful expectation and blessed is the man
who through grace can cherish and delight in it
And blessed be the Con and Father Of our Lord
=, JESUS CHRIST, who has III bis holy and blessed
dlword, given sufficient ground to his people to
embrace it with confidence and delight
"Child fmy heart" may the poor parent ex-
claim, while he bends his head over the untimey
lgrave, and drops parting tear on the insensible
coffin" Child ofmy heart, farewell for thee
mourn; nature must indeed feel the parting pang
hon art torn from me, and the anguish of sepa
ration is as if one should tear by violence this
limb from this body my heart bleeds at every
lpoye But submit to the will of GoD, my hea
venly father, who in the Bible, in mercy, has
taught me to turn my view from earth to yondei
Iregions of glory, where l now see thee with the
'eye of faith borne up by angels in transfgu
red form, partaking the bliss of saints and cloth
led in the vesture of Immortality. Thou cans
not come to me but one comfort still remains,
; shall through mercy be brought to thee. 1hcr
TALL my sorrows shall be turned into Joy. Graciou.
lis a covenant God In him always trust re
turn TO The poor occupations of this wretchet
world for short time, comforted by nothing bu
y IN interest in and reliance on Him who subdle,
death; and hope by his loving kindness and ten
der mercy to be reunited in the mansions of bliss
10 the souls whom loved i'll the region of sor
row. But above all,
To see his face who died for man,
And praise him in louder strains than angels can
"Thou only slcepest in the grave, as lately ii
Thy cra,lIe no more weep sleep on sweet babe