The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-03-14
HUMAN DEpRAvrTY.

III VI n ~ ma
NATcHEz, JAN. 25-About two weeks
ago. certain Doctor, who stood high in
his profession, and highly esteemed
minister Of tho gospel, residing at WASH
ingtoD, in this state, eloped with his ward,
girl Of IS or Is years Of age. For par
ticular reasons we now withhold his
name, buts in due time, it shall be given
to the public.
When men who stand high in the COM
munity, and are considered exemplary
members, deviate from the path of moral
rectitude, and exhibit 10 the world, q
heartless, remorscless adulterer moral
laws insulted, religious maxims violated,
the sanctuary Of virtue defiled, and pub.
lie order foully trampled upon, it leaves
on the sensitive mind a most melancholy
reflection, and must induce tho real
Christian TO cry out with an ardent Israel
ite-"Oh that had in the wilderness a
lodging place Of way -faring men that
might leave my people and 60 from them;
for they be all adulterers and treac herous
| men," Who could have imagined, far
less believed, that man to whom we arc
wont to look for Instructions on whose
the mama Of persuasiops from whose
mouth the precep,s Of religion and NOR.
ality flowed when in the pulpit, and
whose exemplary conduct hitherto had
endeafed him 10 The church OF which he
wasa msmbers should so soon forget the
livery precepts he seemed intent to incu-
cate in others, and wander in forbidden
paths, al which our best feelings shudder.
| He was also member of that society
OF brethren whose charities arc ci.cum-
scribed only by boundless space whose
benevoIenee 70 extended to all the suffers
ing children of tacn-whose doctrines
we're pure as immutabe ruth-& whose
foundations Notwithstanding the unworth
mess of some,) will be rifted only when
the stsrry canopy that is stretched OVER
us is closed for overland for ever.
| One would have supposed from the
str ong guards that were daily set around
him, and from the circumstance of his
having an amisble wife and nine children,
a minister too of the gospel, that ternpta.
tons of this kind would have been lost
upon him. But alas, no like Santa
Barsisss, he fell, and cancelled a virtue,
if indeed he had any, of so years standing.
And what is still more strange, the OBJ
ject of his seduction, the par,aker of his
infamy, and the partner of his flight. was
floor orphan girl, under his own imme.
date care and protection, scarce l6 years
of age, who should have looked up to
him for fatherly and beneficial instruction,
instead of pursuing the road to eyerlast-
Jag death He has invaded the sacreB
vestai of virtue, dragged down a once
innocent victim from state of purify ,
robbed her Of the only gem that made
her estimable in community, and sacrifi-
ced her on the altar of pollution. The
good and the virtuous, though they NAV
pity, will shun her as loathsome weed
hat is cast under foot, whose touch j.
contamination. But what can be said of
this adulterous 6end, his despeiler OF
youth and innocence she has rebelled
against TIE finest impulse Of man, he has
made himself an outlaw from the SYM
pathics Of humanity Instead of opening
N the mind Of his infant ward the never
fading beauties ofreligion, and implanl-
| ing in her breast The inestimable seeds of
"iriue, $50 that when age or care had
aithered the youthful roses on her cheek
she would still be lovely and respected.
he has blasted her fame, and may perhaps
bring her to everlasting death. The e.
vii does not stop here; the meek and
humble followers Of divine law, will suf,
Ter; tie respected societies of which he
was member, will also, suffer; and If
he Kingdom of heaven could be injured
by the apostacy OF man, the fall of such
a one, like Luciler of old, is calculated to
do 1t, and to throw on the church stain,
that will be difficult to efface.