Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-07-02

(almoSt) duty imposed upon me 10 give IL
publicity through the medium Of your columns;
and if every reader will maturely weigh the
good and wholesome matter THAT loads II, be
will retrieve those errors, which (perhaps, as
mine) plunged me into dissipation and folly.
mn Dear -: NV hearts desire an6 pray
, err TO God has been Cor thee, that though might
be saved: saved from every polluting thing, rom
all vain curiosity, from all hidden things whose
origin is in darkness, and from all things that
that are masked under a fair show, thereby to
deceive the unwary. Be wa,chfui unto prayer,
that these deceptions may be clearly opened 10
Inv view, SO that thou may flee from them, or
steadily resist them; for if sshou resis, temp,a-
ton, under any form, il will flee from thee: hut
if thou give way to these tempting aliurements,
land of such there are many, under every a?-
pearanee, in every Situation where We may be
placed,) thou wilt bring death and darkness o.
yer thee, in such a manner that thou wilt notoe
able 10 distinguish between good and evil And
here, -, is the origin of all sin; "for when
man is tempted, he is drawn away OF his own
lust, and enticed; and when lus, hath conceiv>
ed, ii bringe;h forth sin; and when sin is finish
ed, il 5rinrelh forth dealh" And the lust OF
the ilesh, the lust Of the eye, and the pride oil
life, are continually at work 10 destroy every
good thing. And these lusss originate In the
will and unla wful desires OF man, WHO, desiring,
or determining, that he will do as he please IN
all things, although contrary 10 that light which
has sbfen revealed in hts conscience, shs@ing
him clearly that such things are wrong, and in
direct Violation Of the wA Of God: Tor The VIII
MSOsld's iSsts. And his desire and will concerns
ing US is, that we live soberly, righteously, aud
Cody, IN this present world. And here if We
live soberly, shall abstain from all vain cu>
riosiiy; from all Foolish amuSements that SO
much abound in the world; from all vain jest>
ing, for this is not convenient; from all contri-
yances 10 please ourselves, either in dr. SIS or ad.
dress; from all immoderaie laughter, singing
vain songs, from every thing that has
tendency 20 Draw the mind away from that So
Der quiet, which cha, actt rises The true follow
ers OF meek and lowly Jesus Aud here, If
this were orr concern continually, we should
begin TO live riShteousy; and righteousness
CONSISTENT in obedience 10 the will OF God in
all things--,hat which by his ligh, he shewe,h
US what To do, and what TO leave undone Obe-
dience, therefore, should keep pace with know
ledge, ii we expect to find acceptance, or TO
walk righ,eoasly. And this light is that evil
dence which is revealed in our own breasts; for
when we do wrong thiug,we feel sorrow for so
doing--we feel something that causes us to
believe IL We had not done il, we should have
been more happy, more peaceful, better salis-
fed in cur minds;-and the language is be-
K tlen in Us: 'ifI had 10 go over tie same time,
and 'he same things were presented, l would !
not-do them This something that reproves,
then, -, is the Light Of Chris,-il is the
"wraIh Of God, that is revealed agaps, all un |
righteousness" not wrath that would be DE-
stroyer, but reprover Of evi-,ha, so in love
we might be redeemed; for redsmp ion is 20
restore--lt is a restoration from all evil, from
every thing that Is contrary To The Righteous
ness OF Christ; for Jesus, when on earth, did |
nothing bur what was In accordance with this
righteousness, and by so doing he "grew in IA
vor both with God and man." And this would I
be our happy lot, il we would but follow thi,
Holy Captain, "who was perfected through suf-
f.rlng," and by this means was made perfect
pattern for US TO follow. Read, therefore, his
Holy Life, and ;hou viii, discover that he was
obedient 10 oil the r.ausitions of God the Fa-
ther; and IN this obedience we mus: be found,
before We Can expect to be happy. Aud ,h,s O.
bedience will receive a sure reward; for "obedi-
ence is better than sacrifice, and TO hearken
than The fat OF rams" And thus BY being obe> .
dieni, we are enabled to lead true Cody life,
which is Lille OF purity, and ali abstinence
from every hartful lust; for all lusls are hurt
tul. being undue desires AMI cravings of the =
appetite after those things, which, il properly ,
used in the restrictions which this divine ligh,
SETS upon them, are useful, and are intended to h
add o our happiness and enjoyment in this life. '
! hou ean'essiiy and readily perceive that the $
desire Of eating, drinking, SC. are all natural I,
rational and good, and gwen US to supper, these
bodies while here permitted TO remain, so ,ha, o.
We may give glory 10 him who created US, for r
o this ohJrct and purpose were we created; but n
we run Tut in'o excess beyond the bounds. W
Which 'he light prescfioes; We should become -
ru, ka'd>, giuitohs, x, Sc. which tnou snow> h
ST Is aSomination no' only in the sigh of God, "
ut also In TIE sig"i Of all good men. AID ii
hvs I, Is With all onI desnrs-ihe sire 10 be :,
lch, the desire to be considered great, the de- e,