The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1824-03-29

and most OF .ll 10 reading the tible, to
Ircmcmbcr thai il is for tho purpose of
making you wiser and more yirtunns. I
have for myself. for many yers, made it
a practice 10 READ through tie bible once
every year I have always e,dcavo rcd 10
read it with the same spirit and temper
of mind which now reco,nsend TO YOU:
that is, with the intention ant desire that
IT might contribute to my alyancemcnt
IN wisdom and virtue my d,sire is 10.
deed very imperfeclly sucsssful for
like you and the Apostle Phl, find
law IN my members warning against the
law OF my mind. Bot as know j; is
my nature be imperfect. so know
that II is my duty 70 aim at saiscnon !;
and feeling and deploring nv own fraA.
ties, can only pray Almighty God for
the aid Of his spirit to Strengthening good
desires, and subduc my prop esities TO
evil for il is from him that evhy good
and perfect gift descende,h. Micustom
is, to read four or five chapter Of the
bible every morning, immedis,Iy after
rising from bead il employs bout an
hour OF my time, and seems he most
suitable mannerof beginning ihe day.,
"Every time read the bible. I under
stand some passages which, never
understood BEFORE aHeaven has given
to every human being the power of con.
trolling his passions and if he negiects
or loses it, the fault is his own, ard he
must be accountable for it," alt is es.
sential, my son. in order tia, you may
so through life with comfort 10 yourself,
and usefulness to your fellow creatures,
that you should form and adop, certain
rules and principles for the government
ofyour conduct and temper Unless you
have such rules and principles, there will
be numberless occasions in which you
will have no guide for your government,
but your passions. 1t is in The bible you
must learn these rules and principles
Speaking of those parts-os the scrip
lures tina; appear mysterious, be says
l"AIlthis is undoubtedly marvellous and
above our comprehension mud oft is
clearly figurative and allegory ,or is il.
easy TO distinguish what part of it is to
be understood in literal, and What is a
symbolical sense-but that which i, i'm
ports US to understand is flair. The
great and essential principles upo, which
our duties and enjoyments depe,d, are
involved in no obscurily." "W,en one
OF the personages in one of TGence's
comedies, the first time uttered in the
theatre the line fHomo cum, and human
me nil alienunr fiuto," s an universal
shout of aPplause burst from the whole
audience, and that in so great multi.
tude of Romans, and of deputies from the
nations of their subjects and allies, there
was not one individual but felt in his
heart the power of this noble sentiment.
Yet how feeble and defective isit in com.
parison with the Christian commands OF
charity, as unfolded in the disrourses Of
Christ, and enlarged upon in the writings
Of the Apostles. The heart OF man will
always respond with rapture TO the septi.
ment, when there is no selfish, no unso.
cial passion at work to oppose it. But
the command to lay il down as the great
Fundamental rule Of conduct for human
lite, and to subdue and sacrifice all the
tyrannicaI aud selfish passions to preserve
it-this is the peculiar and unfadiDg glory
ourselves, which, without the aid of q
merciful God, none Of us can achieve
and which 1t was worthy OF his specia
nterpositioD to enable us to accomplish
sin my last, showed you from the very
words ofour Saviour,t that he commanded
his disciples to aim at perfection anr
that this perfection consisted in selEsub
litigation and brOtherIy love, in the com,
plete conquest OF the passions, and in tht