The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-10-23
THE ADVOCATE.

The CHRISTIAN IN THE w ORLD.--s lie
only doctrinal truth" says Bishop Sander
son. .o which Solomon. insisted on when
he took the whole world for his large but
barren text, was, that all is vanity."-
This was not the verdict of hermit rail-
ing from his cell at pleasures untasted, or
at a grandeur unenjoyed. Among the
sons OF men not one had sought with more
unremitted diligence, or had wider avenue
to the search, for whatever good either
skill or power could extract out OF the
world than Solomon, No one could
Judge of the sweets which can be drawn
from this grand Alembic, with higher nat
ural abilities, or with deeper experimental
wisdom. He did not descant on the van
ity of the world so eloquently till he had
considered it accurately and examined it
practically. He was not contented, like
a learned theorist, to collect his notions
from philosophy, Or history, or hearsay;
he we'll knew what he said " and whereof
he affirmed" All upon which he SO pa
thetically preached he had seen with his
eyes, heard with his ears, and in his WIDE
ly rowing search, had experienced in his
own disappointed mind, and felt in his own
aching heart. He goes on to prove, by
an induction Of particulars, the grand
truth propounded in his thesis. the conity
ofMe world. He shews, in regular Sc
ries ofexperiments, how he had ransack-
ed its treasures, exhausted its enjoyments,
and even to sntiety, revellsd in its honors,
riches and delights. He had been an in
tellectual a. well as sensual voluptuary,
and had emptied the resources Of knowl-
d edge rs well as of pleasure. Then revert
ing in the close Of his discourse to the
point from whichhe had set out, he again
pronounces, that all is vanity. if
"'The conclusion Of the whole NATTER"
which he draws from this melancholy ar
gument, as finely exhibited as pensively
conceived, is a solemn injunction to others
TO remember, what it is to be feared the
Preacher himselfhad sometimes forgotten,
that the whole duty of man is to fear God,
and keep his commandments: winding up
his fine peroration with a motive in which
every child of Adam is equally, is awfully
concerned, "because God shlll bring ev-
cry work into Judgment"
May not every real Christian, while
his heart is touched with the affecting
truth ofthe text, be admonished by this
solemn valedictory declaration; may he
not learn the lesson inculcated at less ex-
pcnse than it was acquired by this great
practical master Of the science of wisdom
If another sovereign was told there was
no royal way to geometry, the King of
Israel has opened royal way to more
divine philosophy BY the benefit to be
derived from contemplating this illustri-
GUS instance of how little are the great"
the Christian may set out where Solomon
ended. He may be convinced of the van
ity Of the world at price cheaper than
Solomon paid for it, by way far safer
than his own experience. He may con-
vert the experiment made by the royal
Preacher to his own personal account
He may find in the doctrines of the Cos
pei confirmation of its truth; in its pre-
cepts counteraction to its perils; in it's
promises consolation for its disappoint-
ments. .aefnI.