The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-07-17
THE ADVOCATE.
DIR. CHANNINGS SERMON.

DIR. CHANNINGS SERMON.
The following renfssas on the conse-
quences Of Atheism, arc from the sermon
ofDr. Charming =
"Few men suspect, perhaps no man
coninehends, the extent of the supports
kEen BY religion to every virtue. No
man perhaps is aware, how much our
moral and social sentiments are fed from
this fountain how powerless conscience
would become without the belief of God
how palsied would be human benevolence
to quicken and sustain it how sudden
" the whole social fabric would quake,
and with what q fearful crash it would
sink into hopeless ruin, were the ideas of
a Supreme Being, Of accountableness
and of future life to be utterly erased
from every mind. Once let men thor
oughouly believe that they are the work
and sport of chance; that no superior in
telligence concerns itself with human af-
fairs that all their improvements perish
forever al death that the weak. have no
guardian, and the injured no avenger !;
that there is no recompence for sacrifices
TO uprightness and the public good /; that
an oath is unheard in heaven that secret
crimes have no witness but the perpetra-
tor that human existence has no pur-
pose, and human virtue no unfailing
friend that this brief life is every thing
to US, and death is total, everlasting ex-
tinction-once let them THOROUGHLY a
bandon religion, and who can conceive, or
describe the extent ofthe desolation which
would follow.
We hope, perhaps, that human laws
md natural sympathy would hold society
together. As reasonably might we be-
lieve, that, were the sun quenched in the
heavens, our sorchcs could illuminate
and OUR fires quicken, and fertalize crea
ton. What Is there in human nature to
awaken respect and tenderness, if man is
the unprotected insect Of day and
what is he more, ifAtheism be true. E.
rase all thought and fear Of God from
community, and sel6shness, and sensual
ity would absolve the whole man. Ap-
petite, knowing no restraint, and poverty
and suffering, having no solace or hope,
would ,rample in scorn on the restraint Of
human laws. Virtue, duty, principle,
would be Knocked and spurned as unmean
ing soands. A sordid self interest would
supplant every other feeling, and man
would become in fact, what the theory Of
Atheism declares him to be, compan-
ion for brutes ~
The following, on the duty Of states
men, is applicable at the present time -
The FIRST DUTY OF A STATESMAN is
to build up the moral energy of people.
/. This is their first interest and hs who
. weakens it, inf1icts an injury which no
talent can repair nor should any splen-
dor Of services, or any momentary sue
cess, avert from him the infamy which he
has earned. Let public men learn to
think more reverently of their function.
Let them feel that they are touching more
). vital interest than property. Let them
fear nothing SO much as to say the moral
convictions Of a people, by unrighteous
Legislation, or selfish policy. Let them
cultivate in themselves the spirit Of re-
ligion and virtue, as the first requisite to
public station. Let no apparent advan-
tage TO the community, any more than to
themselves, scduce them to the iniraction
Of any moral law. Let them put faith in
virtue as strength Of nations. Let them
not bo disheurtened by temporary i'll sue
cess in right exertion. Let them re-
member, that while they and their cotem-
poraries live but for day, the state is to
live for ages, and that Time, the unerring
arbitcr, will vindicate the wisdom as well
~. the n,agnanilnty Of the public man,
Who, confiding in the power Of truth, JUS
nee 'and pha anthropy asserts their claims,
and revereMly follows their emotions, q.
midst general disloyalty and corruption .