The Wilmingtonian., 1824-04-15

son him who knows nc God. but' III stu-
| diving the work of redemption, 10 seeking
Divine Truth, the task Of the Christian
philosopher, is of different nature,-lt is
not TO pry into mysteries, for here "secret
things belong to God" It is not t" ba'ld
nm a system of faith on what he lmaslnes
these "secret things" may be; ior unre- r.,
vealed truth is not the object OF hIs falth.
On the contrary, his business IS with a re.
relation a revelation explicitly intended
/" for the simple as well as the wise ! SO
plain. that "he who runneth may read"
Satisfied, therefore, with The manifestation
which God has made of his nature, his
works, his laws, and his designs, ne con-
fines his researches to the discovery OF "the
faith lin its primitive simplicity once de-
livered to the saints" And influenced by
no suggestions of passion or OF prejudice,
hy no fear bnt of error, and no zeal but
for the purity of Christian truth, with a
humble reliance on Heaven, ne advances;
cordially embracing, on the one hand
what God has plainly revealed aud on
the other, rejecting all creeds OF human. jor-
mation, all faith in those who " teach Tor
doctrines the commandments OF men," lo
him, Christianity, at the period OF the re-
formation, appears as some splendid rdi'
fee of antiquity. just emerging from the
darkness ol the tomb, where It had lam tor
centuries uninjured, beneath volcanic
mass of ignorance, superstition and wick
edness. He rejoices that now in his day.
its lofty dome is seen from atar, and It's
stately columns no longer groan beneath
their superintendent weight; aud to the
curious eye, its foundations are again dis
closed. Yet, he cannot but feel that much
remains to be accomplished, before its
beautiful materials, its harmonious proper
tions, and its immovable base, shall stand
forth to the light, in all their imposing
simplicity and grandeur, stupcndous
monument of the wisdom and bcnevolence
of its Divine Founder-the alteration of
an adoring world. In contributing his ex-
ertons to a work so glorious, he needs no
stimulus, he asks no reward, but the APP
probation of his conscience and ol his God.
10 the phllanthropst, who sees in the
unrestrained expansion ofintelect the har-
binger of general happiness, every new Ell
fort to burst its shackle, every new effort
for the establishment OF freedom, is a
source of hlilowed Joy. But, if he appre-
cate the blessings OF Christianity, will he
not hail, us the benelactor of man, as a
patriot in The cause of Heaven, him who
abors for the establishment of "that llber-
ty whrrewith Christ hath made us free"
The history Of the past teaches him that
the blessings Of political and of religious
institutions have ever been proportioned
TO tie freedom Of thought; tNat, indeed,
without it, liberty is but a shadow and re-
ligion y name. The future, therefore, to
his mind, is pregnant with events of the
highest interest: for, he locks forward with
| joyful anticipations to that period when IN
tellcctua light shall be 50 generally dliiu-
sed, when the human mind shall be so
! freed from its letters, that the grand po-
litical axiom, call men are born free and
equal" shall be received as truth not
less applicable to our moral than to our
social existence; that period, when man
shall be familiar with the nature and ey-
tent, not merely of his civil rights, but shall
realize that "the right of private judg-
ment in matters of conscience" is right
conferred by the same Almighty hand and
shall deem it not less worthy OF struggle
to hurl from his seat every despot who
dares to "lord it over Gods hertage"--
even though he be a member OF some llo
ly Alliance"
The above reflections have been suggest
ell by the pcrusal of the first two numbers
of new semi-monthly paper entitled "Ihe
Eerean," published in Wilmington, and
rspnb!ishcd by Mr.. James V. Seaman, OF
this city. The object of the work, rs
appears from the prospectus, is not to pro,
pogate the particular views Of any indvld
ual sect, not to throw down the gauntlet
in the arena of controversy-but, dispas.
siona.ely to canvass the opinions of all, by
bringing them to " the tests of scriptur,
and rcason, and fearlessly to compare the
conduct Of all with the great precepts oil
their common faith, approving and con
demning in conformity with the only rule
ofjudging which Christ has given us-"by
their fruits ye shall know them" In ;
, word, it is the avowed advocate of tha
freedom Of inquiry which knows no res
friction save the revelation Of God, to tn,
understanding and the heart; and to tina
"ta,c Of lovs" which, while it suiisretl
long and is kind" "calleth no man mas
ter" knowing that " one is our master, e