Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-12

Society, iospermisson TO publish these letters,
MIR. Adams has given refusal. When they
can be published, without any suspicion of the
motives for publication, We have no doubt they
will be given TO the world, and will add another
ilustrious testimony Of greatness 10 the truth of
our religion. Although these letters have ne
yer been printed, many manuscript copies of
them have got abroad, and hundreds have read
them, and they have been introduced INTO some
private schools. And VIC trust, when the pur-
pose for which we quote them, to defend MIR. a.
dams against Almost cruel attack, is considered,
we shall not be charged with piracy, in making
Il few extracts from them.
Our quotations viii be to two ponts--Mr. A
dams opRioa of the Bible, and the religion il in
culcates-and his opinion of the operation and
government of the passions.-[ Bat. fut'fot
FROM TIE ESSEN REGISTER.
Ertracts q 'lcitcrS from Joha Quincy .1dms 10
his son.
&c In your letter of the 9th of January, TO your
mother, YOU mention, that you read to your aunt
a chapter in the Bible, or assertion from DIR. bod
bridge, every evening This information gave
me great pleasure for so strong is my vcuera-
ton for the Bible, so strong my belief that when
daily read and mediated upon, it is of all books
in the world, that which contributes most to make
man good, wise and happy that the earlier my
children begin to read ii, and the more steadily
they pursue the practice of reading it through
out their lives, the more lively and confident will
be my hopes that they will prove useful citizens
to their country, respectable members ofsoc;cty
and reel blessing to their parents.n &C | al
wise you, my son in whatsoever you read, and
most of all in reading the Bible, to remember
that 1t is for the purpose of making you wiser,
and more vIrtuous. have for yself for many
years, made 1t a practice to read through the BIZ
BILE once every year; have always endeavour-
ed to read it with the same spirit and temper of
mind which now recommend to you that is,
with the intention and desire that it might con-
tribute tony advancement in wisdom and virtue;
my desire Is indeed very impcrccuy successful ;
for like you, and the Apostle Paul, l find law
Inmy members warning against the law ofmy
mind. But as know it is my nature to be m
perfect, SO know that it is my duty to aim at
perfection and feeling, and dcploring my own
trallties, can only pray Almighty God for the
and OF his spirit to strengthen my good desires,
and subdue my propensltcs TO evil; for it is from
him that every good and perfect gift dcsccndeth.
My custom Is, to read four or five chapters of the
Bible every morning, Immediately after rising
from bed, IT employs about an hour of my time
and seems the most suitable manner of beginning
the day" &c Every time read the Bible, I'M
derstand some passages which never under
human being the power OF controlling his pas
sions; and if he neglects loses it, tire fault is
| his own, and he must be accountable for it.n-
g 1t is essential, my son, in order that YOU NAV
go through life with comfort to yourself, and use
fulness TO your fellow creatures, that you should
| form and adopt certain rules and principles for
the government of your conduct and temper {:
unless you have such rules and principles. there
will be nurnberess occasions IN which YOU will
have no guide for your gov eminent, but your
passions. is in the Bible you must learn these
rules and principles"
Speaking of those parts of the Scriptures that
appearmy Sterious.he says-s'All this is undoubt-
eddy marvellous and above our comprehension:
much ofits clearly igurative and categorical;
nor IS 1t easy to distinguish what part of it is t.
be understood in a literal, and what in a symbo-
iical sense-but that which it imports us toun-
derstand Is plain. The great and essentia!
principles upon winch duties and enjoy
ments depend, are involved in no obscuritv.n-
"When one ofthe personages in one Of Te-
rcncc's comedies, the first time uttered in the The
atre the line, s'Iomo sum, and human a me
MI a,enum puto,"* an universal shout of az.
plause burst from the whole audience, and that
III so great multitude of Romans, and of De-
putes from the nations their subjects and allies.
there was not one individual but felt in his hear,
the power of this noble sentiment. Yet how
feeble and defective is it, in comparison with In
christian commands of charity, as unfolded Il
| the dlscourses of Christ, and enlarged upon il
the writings of the Apostles.-Thc heart g..
man will always respond with rapture TO thu
sentiment, when there IS no selfish, no unsoca!
passion ut work, TO oppose it. But the COM
lnand TO lay it down as the great fundarnenta.
rule Of conduct for human life, end to subdu,,
and sacrifice all the tyrannicai and selfish Eas-
sIons, to preserve it-ths is the peculia: and
untadng glory of ChristIanity-this is a CON
quest OYER ourselves, which, Without the aid Of
n merclful God, none of us can achieve and
which it was worthy of his special in opposition
to enable US to accomplish Gin my last,
Showed you from the very words four Saviour,
that he commanded his disciples to aim at per-
lection; and that this perfection consisted in self
! subjugatlon and brothcry love, in the compIct,
conquest Ofthc passions, and in the practice of
| bcnevOience to cur fellow creatures, lnclud;no
among them our most invetcrate enemies -
| ''Y will there find proved the duty of totally
subdu,, ng the passions. 1t is some times obac-
ted that thus theory is not adapted to the infrmi-
ties OF human nature; that ii is not made for n
being so constituted as man; than an earthen
vessel is not formed to dash against a rock; that
in yielding 10 the impulse of the passions. man
only follows the dictates of his nat,ire and that TO
subdue them entirely, is an effort beyond his
power. The weakness ard frailty of man, is
strongly attested by all human experience, as
well as by the whole tenor of the scriptures; but
the degree ofweabness isto be limited by the eff.
forts to overcome it, and not by indulgence TO if.
! once admit weakness as an argument to for
bear exertion, and it results in absolute imno-
tence. It's also very inconclusive reasoning.
TO infer, that because perfection is not absolute
y to be obtained, it is therefore not to be sought.
Human excellence consists in the approxma-