Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-10-11
RELIGIOUS.
DEVOTION.

Il ms4as as, ,rrN as an Efec. of Grace
no s;acsre Religion can sa5sist loitbout
a..
Many ,heologs.s, who have written with
the acu:encss Of an Aristotle, and the acri.
mnay Of Juvcnal, against all sorts of inf
dcis and heretics, in defence of Christianity,
seem to have forgotten one very material
part Of religion-:has which consists OF dc.
vo.ional sentiment, and the natural teTvors
of q sincere piely. Some OF them seem to
reprobate, and hold them in abhorrancc.--
They inveigh against them es enthusiasm;
thay laugh at them os the cant Of hypocrisy
Such men have the coIdncss of Bishop But.
Ter. withou; ,ac ingenuity; the contentious
s.,iri, oi Dr.. Bentley, without the wi' or cra-
di;ioa.
True religion canuo: cxis: Wiihoa, con
siderable degree Of devotion. On whn' IS
true RELIGION founded bu. on Love--shc love
ofGod, and the love Of our neighbor? And
with respect TO the love Of God. what says
ou, Sagiourl Thou shalt love Thy God with
all thine heart, with ali thy soul, and with all
.h7 mind, aud with n!l thy strength. No
language can moro expressly and c!nPhati-
c,!iy describe the arlor Of dero:ioa. Ou.
of the hear, ,,ho mouth s1cakc'h. II the
hear. feels the love ofGod, in the degree in
which our Saviour requires, thelanS2agc Of
PRAYER cnd Thanksgiving viii De always
glowing, and, on extraordinary Occasions,
oven rap:urous.
The efectsal. fere:nt prayer q a righteous
nan erailstb much: If it be not fcrcsas, 1t
canno: be- sincere, md therefore earno: be
expected 10 avail. Love mus: add wings 20
prayer 20 wuft i: TO the throne o:grace.
"Man has principle oFlovc implanted in
ii. a2:.rc, "a c.sgas'isn o passion" by
.No-r:s.
which ho constantly attaches h;nsefto that
which appears TO him good and beautiful;
and wha, so good, wha. so beautiful; as the
srchc,vpo and model OF al exccIlencc?--
Sholl he conceive The image, and not be
charmed with its loneliness?
Worship or alteration implies lively ef.
lection. lit be cold, !. is mere mocsery,
q formal compliance with customs for the
sakc of deccncy. |; is lip service, OF
which knaves, hypocrtes, aud inhdeIs ere
capable, and which they render, for tho sake
OF temporal advantage.
will any man condemn the aydor which
u. scriptures themselves czhb t? Mus,
they 10, be allowed to afford a model for
imitation? And are they written in the cold,
d,,l! style of an academical professor !cc:ur'
;nr IN the schools Of divinity? No; they
are written in warm, animated, metaphori'
cal. and poctcal language; not with the
precision OF the schoIlmoE; not with the
,,-cn.ss Of systemmakers; but with horid,
rhetorical inpassioned appeals TO the feel
inss and Imagination. What are PSALMS,
bu, tl,. obulfnons Of passion, so:"oI. JOY
love and gratitude?
Tie truth is, that tho most impo,:an!
subiec. which can be considered Of man
must, if considered with seriousness and
sincerity, excite q warm Interest. The fire
Of devotion may not, indeed, be equally
supported, because sach eqnabi!Isy IS not
cons;sten, with the constitution of human
nature: bu. it will for the mos, part burn with
q cloar and steady fame, and Hill certainly,
s,no time, and in no circumstances, s7 0:'
terry ex;ingushcd.
Where tn. hcar; is deeply Interested,
there will b. cagerness aad agitation. Sup
DOS. man, who speaks ef;ho Holy Ghost,
and other most important religious subjects,
With perfect saag froid, repairing 10 the
Stock-exchange, and just going to make
purchase. The price fuctuates. ObserYe
hou he listens TO his brokers' reports. His
checks redicn, and his eyes sparkle. Here
he is in earnest. Nature betrays his emo.
ton. I, is:not unclarita5Ic 10 conclude that his
hear: is dead 10 the riches Of divi:e grace,he
values them little and, like Gallo, careIa for
none of things. View him again, at great
mans lerse, and see with what an awe he
eyos a patron. His attention approaches to
alteration. -Ha is tremblingly solIeI:ous to
please, and undergo any painful restraint,
rather than give the slightest offence. The
world will no. condemn, but applaud his
onxic,7; ye. if he is earnest and tcrVcnt,
when his in;e7es. is infinitely greater, in
securing the tranquility Of his mind, under
all the chang and chances Of life, he is
despised as un enthusiasts bigo,, n fool,or
naadmsn.
A man ofsense and trIe goodness will
certainly take care not 10 make m ostenta-
ton of MS devotional feelings; but at the
same time will beware ofsuppressng, in his
c,dcevor to moderate and conceal them.
He will never forget. that the same sru
Which cmits light, gives, at the same time,
oen;nl heat that cniivens and chersiiles all
nature.