Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-03

and without the model before him. MIR
Owen did not deem Il expedient &c
state the particular advantage which
the circumstances, Of communities
possess over the circumstances of in.
dividuality.
Ar the close of the discourse, Mr.
Owen invited those who had any OBJ.
Jections, TO state them, and he would
endeavour to give the necessary ex-
plantations,
DR.. Alice, formerly respectable 10.
cal preacher among the Methodists,
but at present connected with the soci.
ETY. ct Friends, then rose, and, after ex.
pressing the regard he hid for MIR. o.
wen, inquired if that gentleman admit
ted the operation fthat spirit which,
in the language ofthe scriptures, sen.
hghtene,h every man that come tn into
the world" among the exterior circum-
stances, which, ind, pen lently Of the
constitutional conformation of the indi
vidual, determine character and infu-
ence conduct.
MIR. Owen rose to reply, and, in some
general defamation about "circum-
stances" said that he had in his dis
course expressly declared that the in-
dividual had no power over the place,
and time OF his birth, his original Or
ganization sc. All .nese were deter
mined by Superior Being,--lhe Be
ing that had created the world and all
things therein.
10 the utter establishment of not a
few, DR.. .itlee declared Mr.. Owens an
swer perfectly satisfactory The cues.
tion had bcen stated with as much pre-
c.sion as possible, and explicitly adapt
ed to Mir. O's peculiar tarn of language.
1t referred to the operation f the Di-
vine Spirit on the human mind. The
answer dwelt on the original formation
Of that mind. The novel "circumstan-
ces" in which DR.. Atiee was placed
he being seated In the music gallery oil
an A,se nbly Room, must have pre-
vented the exercise oil his usual acute
ness.
DR.. Atlee then inquired il Mir Owen
admitted the distinction between righl
and ,croag, and if right conduct pro.
duced feeling Of satisfaction in tne
individual, and wrong conduct the re-
verse.
Mr. Owen replied &c this with an.
other general defamation about Cir
cums,ances, in which he remarked,
that the human mind was SO formed by
the Creator that right actions necessa-
rily produced mental happiness, and
wrong actions mental misery.
Mr.. Jesse Kersey, who is well known
to our city readers, and TO many OF
those in the country, as an eminent
minister in the Society Of Friends then
went into the Music Gailery.-The
respectable foreigner who had engaged
our attention, had declared that belief
and disbelief did not depend ON the vii
but on circumstances. In subject OF
so much moment, he thought il would
be well if the particular circumstance s
which regulated belief were specified
And he wished to know if the indiyid.
ual to whom we had been listening af!-
United "the principle Of truth "-"the
light that enlightened every man that
cometh into the world" among The
number.
Mr.. Owen here launched forth into
another loose and general defamation
about circumstances. The respel ia lie
friend on his left was not aware OF the
influence which early prejudices ret in
ed over his mind, and Of the effect he
circumstances by which he was sur
rounded in youth had on his belief In
England the society of Friends consists
Of about 10000 persons, and The Jews
are about equally numerous.-They
live in the same country, and under the
same government, but owing 10 the diff
ferent circumstances with which the
children of the two persuasions are sur
rounded in their youth, their religious
belief is, IN some respects, directly op.
posite.
.,;r. Kersey thought that belief did
not depend entirely on education and
the other external circumstances men
toned by the Lecturer. In not a few
instances we find individuals embracing
religious creeGs, very different from
those in which they had been educated,
and yielding assent to religious truth
when all exterior circumstances seemed
to. operate against conviction. The
case Of ST Paul was remarkable one
lie was brought up in animosily TO.
ards the Christian Religion. He re.
yiled its founder, and persecu,ed its
professors: yet he was suddenly brought
to acknowledge its truth, and obey its
precepts. MIR. X. thought that many
instances of this kind occur,-instan.
ces Of persons being convinced OF reli'
gious truth, when circumstances seem
ed most mfavourable.