Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-11-25
Truth.

truth IS old as eternity. 1t is sub
lime as the nature of Deity. 1t is more
powerful than the raging elements. 1t
is fair as the moon, clear as the sun,
aud terrible as an army with banners"
IL has an universal sway. 1t is "the
strength, kingdom, power, and majesty
of all ages" With il, what can be COM
pared? Its charms are inimitable, and
Irresistible. Its excellence is unrivalled.
Its influence is salubrious. Its benefits
are unspeakable; its offspring is divine.
1t is this which gives worth TO charac-
ter, and value to a subject. 1t is this
which, however strictly scIutinized, will
endure the trial, and shines the most
brightly in Affections night. 1t is this
which is the dearest companion in soil
tude, and affords the sweetest consola
tons in the hour of adversely. It's deci-
slons are just-its sentence is righteous.
The enemies of goodness are the enc
mics of truth. Its opponents are apos-
tates from virtue. Its antagonists, mo-
we'd by demoniac spirit, are the promo
tiers of ruin and desolation.
Truth constitutes an essential part of
every thing that is amiable and entitled
to praise. 1T is but link OF an endless
chain of felicity and glory. No language
is equal to its panegyriek--no tongue
can describe its superiority imagi-
nation can paint, in sufficiently vivid
colors, its beauty. 1t is a mirror, in
which the deformity of error is clearly
seen, and excites disgust 1t is the spe-
culum in which falsehood appears more
horrid than words can express.
1t is the great tombstone from which
wickedness shrinks, and retires to its
dark and dismal retreats. It's visitations
are accompanied with light to the mind;
its kind, its fegiving touch, heals the
maladies Of the heart; its control trans
forms and ennobles the soul, and plants
in it the seeds of ethereal beatitude. 1t
is the basis of delightful, permanent
friendships; and produces love, which
no vicissitudes can change, and no suf-
.terings can eradicate or subdue. 1t
binds together in bands stronger than
deaths destroying power, the upright,
whatever may be their various cond-
tons in society; and forms an indissolu-
BILE tie between ''the King of kings and
Lord of lords" and his children on
earth.
Under the whole canopy of heaven,
there is nothing more commanding,
more magnificent, more useful, more
entire than truth. 1t is pure as limo
cence, as unsullied as sanctity, as pro-
found as nature, as unreasonable as
lnfinity, and as impregnable as "the
Rock OF Ages" 1t has been assailed by
implacable and formidable foes, in vain;
and will have an ultimate and universal
triumph. The conquests of empero,s
and kings are thrown into the shade,
and are rendered imperceptible, when
brought into competition with this NIGH
ty principle, which has its immoveable
foundation in the Divinity, and reigns
completely in all holy intellectual beings.
The laurels of the war, propelled by
ambition, and stimulated by the mere
desire of obtaining celebrity, fade and
die before the victories of truth, between
| which and its opposite, the difference is
| that between light and obscurity. And
these cannot co-exist in the same place,
nor hold communion in the same breast.
| There is no part OF the universe which
is beyond the reach of truth. There
are no miracles of power which it can
not achieve. 1t can penetrate and dis
solve the adamant, and hurl the noun
tains from their fixed positions. Its &C
cents TO friends are mild and gentle as
peace. To others, its aspect and voice
are like terrific lightning, or the dread
iul, appalling noise of destructive thun-
der Immutabilitv marks its visage,
and its DEGREES are firm and irreversble
as His who is ''the same yesterday, to
day, and for ever" Falsehood and
error dwindle at the approach of truth
and IN its enchanting progress the lustre
of day is emitted and difused. The
heavens are full of it, the earth bears
lncessant witness to its existence, and
hell feels its memorable aad undiminish-
ed vengeance. AMANDA.