Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1837-11-14

connected with the negative pole Of the
same battery. After some weeks ac-
ton, gelatinous surrounded the Iron
wire; and after a long period, the
same substance filled up the coil of sill
yer wire at the other pole, but in much
less quantity. In the course Of time,
one Of these inse cts appeared in the ST.
lex at the negative pole =; and there are,
at the present time, not less than three
well-formed insects at the negative, and
twelve at the positive pole-in all fifteen.
Each of them is deeply imbedded in
the gelatmous slick, the bristles of its
tail alone projecting and the average
of them are from half to three-quarters
of an inch below the surface of the fluid.
Importance of Religion to Society.
Few men suspect, perhaps no man
comprehends, the.extent of the support
given by religion to the virtues of Crdin-
airy life. No man perhaps is aware,
how much our moral and social senti-
ments are ted from this fountain; how
powerless conscience would become
without belief of God; how palsled
would be human benevolence, were
there not the sense of higher benevO-
lence to quicken and sustain 1T how
suddenly the whole social fabric would
quake, and with what fearful crash it
would sink into hopeless ruins, were
the ideas of a Supreme Being, Of &C
countableness, and off future life, to be
utterly erased from every mind. Once
;, let men thoroughly believe that they
are the work and sport of chance that
no superior intelligence concerns itsclf
with human affairs; that all their inn
provements perish forever at death
that the weak have no guardian, and
the injured no avenger that there is ne
recompense for sacrifices to upright
ness and the public good that an oath
is unheard in heaven; that secret crimes
have no witness but the perPetrator
that human existence has no purpose
and human virtue no unfaillng friend
that this briet life is every thing to US
and death is total, everlasting extinc-
ton; once let men thoroughly abandon
religion, and who can conceive or de-
scribe the extent of the deSolatlor
which would follow /? We hope per.
haps that human laws and natural sym
pathy would hold society together. As
reasonably might we believe, that were
the sun quenchad in the heavens, oul
torches could illuminate, and our fires
quicken and tertilize the earth. Wha
is there in human nature TO awaken re
spect and tenderness, if man is the un
protected insect of day? and what il
he more, if atheism De true? Erase al
: thought and fear of God from n com
munity, and selfishness and sensualIty
would absorb the whole man. Ape
tite knowing no restraint, and poverty
and suffering, having no sOlace or hope
would trample in scorn on the restraint
of human laws. Virtue, duty, prlncl
pie, would be Knocked and spurned a
unmeaning sound. A sordid self-inter
est would supplant every other feeling
and man would become in fact, Wha
the theory of atheism declares him t,
be, a companion for brutes.
1t particularly deserves attention il
, this discussion, that the christian reli
gionis singularIy important to free com
munities. In truth we may dOub
whether civil freedom can subsist with
r out it. This at least we know, that e
: quail rights and an impartial administra
| ton of Justice, has never been enlOye'
t where this religion has not been under
stood. 1t favors free institutions, frs
because its spirit is the very spirit G
q truth and liberty; that is, a spirit ofre
spect for the interests and rights c
others. Christianity recognizes the Ell
' sential equality of mankind; beat
: down with its whole might those asp
e ring and rapacious principles ofour ns
: ture, which have subjected the man
I to thh few and by its refining infuenc
as we'll as by direct precept, turns t
E God, and to Him only, that suprem
i homage which has been so impiously Ia
. Wished on crowned and titled fellow
' creatures. Thus its whole tendenc,
is free. Itlaysdeeply the only fonda
E tons of liberty, which are the principle
+ of benevolense, justice, and respect 70
! human nature. The spirit ofliberty
). not merely, as multitudes imagine,
: jealousy of our own particular rights
f an unwiHingness to be oppressed our
] selves, but a aespect for the rights {
others, and an unwilIingness that an
/ man, whether high or low, should b
, wronged, and trampled under foo
J Now this isthe spirit of Christianity
: and liberty has no security any farthe
> than this uprightness and benevolenc
/. of sentiment actuates community.
: In another method religion befriend
r liberty. II diminishes the necessary
public restraints, and supersedes IN
great degree the use Of force in admir-
isterIng the laws, and this It does b
e making mena law themselves, and B
b depressing the disposition to distul
., and iuiure society. Take away the pV
a rifying and restraining influence of r