The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-10-16

v ould make out. ,Anipstonce in qe1Iion
have lust seen ia DR.. EIy's PFIaQel-
phian concerning the Cholera. ltwepld
be recollected what a hue and cT was
raised las, year from all the pftinllst
churches and presses in the Iand, Iespec-
ting this disease being judgenfnt OF
God upon individuals who were in'em-
perate, wicked, &c. Now, the tine is
c hanged, since it appears that tie re-
fise' of society are spared and tbepetter
classes suffer moA from the epidemic
and among these, several partplistr,
cIergymen, deacons, and members| Dr.
Ely now speaks ofit as judgmen upon
The nation for their sins, that y 'hus
been pleaseJ 10 take away to ijmself
some of the righteous Presby'eriT,s
In another article on the same sihject,
the DR.. holds the following language !;
"Freshets, foods, aud tornndoe( hnye
frequently occurred to sweep awT the
products of human industry ;nunftous
aud most distressing shipwrecks atdex-
plosions of steamboats, have enguRhed
hundreds in the deep or scattered tleir
bodies to The winds !; and the Chollra,
the las, and worst Of all Gods pIAgles,
yet sent upon our guilty race, is mAch.
ing through our land Having remred
Formerly few but the worthless, wlose
death was no loss to the community the
Lord seems now> determined to Pme
near 10 US, and the wise, the leahed,
The rich the powerful the virtuous the
useful members of society like 41eep
are laid 10 the grave. Is it not tinf for
US again 10 think of public fasting, sup
plicaiion, and reformation 7"
l think it is Doctor, high time f}r us,
wise learned, virtuous, useful, I'D &c.
me mbers Of society to set about 'jublic
fasting,' if that viii effect chanke IN
the purposes OF the Almighty, and ipduce
him to spare saints yet II lille lont& ~
this miserable and troublesome wbrf1 J!
Strange rs il may appear there Is no
class Of community who are SO hSrribly
afraid of the pestilenee as the figidly
self-righteous. Bad as this world -, &C
cording TO their notion, and mach a'
they affect to wish to be released frOr
the troobles Of this probationary state.
they are very 10th to depart in any way
much less by means of the retribusion
Of Jehovah F! But what difference does !
make how any of us shuttle off this NOR
ral coil 2 Go we oil must, whether by th
Judgment of old age or Of Cholern au'
hence l cannot see the propriety of ap
pointing public fasting, for the purpose Q
ayer.ing the supposed wrath of the Deity
or induce him to alter. his unchangabl
decress, because The Cholera is abroad
On the same principle day Of fasting
might be got up TO induce Jehovah 10 Q
Axsrs the stroke Of death isss!fs nd safis
his judgments are immutnble, and tn
applications of his creatures will n
more change the mind and will Of Go
in regard to the Cholera, than they wi
in relation to the ordinary allotment
dea,h TO all in o thousand other why's.
There is another idea connected wit
this subject which has heretofore bee
pointed out as one of the incor
sistencies Of tho popular creeds of tn
day. This life, say partialists, is stat
Of trial to form characters for the mex
If so, how can it be likewise state I
Judgment or retrihu,ion, and yet the la
ter he reserved for another and futui
state ? ] do not say that the Cholera
or is not judgment for sin. but II it
how can it be just ia infiIctthe same ono
while the offender is on trial. aud agai
in an infinite degree aud du ration in
: no,her state of beipg1 That's the que
Z ton would be glad if some ofthe lear
, ed and wise Of the 'Phnrisees and His
a Priests would answer-in clear and 50
: isfactory manner.
..,, Lu .., III