The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-04-28
From the Baltimore Clipper.
Ecnu;sc- of i,,r e,itic.
right we read, nor prejudice the mind,
he Bible is the textbook Of mankind.

The Bible is the textbook Of mankind.
look upon the Bible as the oldest ant
best of books. The history Of the creation
is said by Strabo To have been handed
down to tho Egyptians by ChaldeaI
shepard; and lis superiority to all Other
books is proven by the one important cir.
cumstance, of its influence in civilizing
mankind. It's doctrines are superior &c
those Of the Koran Of the Turks, the Fal.
mud of the Rabis, the Xend Avesta of the
Persians, or Of any other sacred scrip
lures. The Bible inculcates universal
charity, which word in the original, sig.
niles love, the laws which it promul-
gates are, at the same time, the most len
lent and powerful. Human laws are
founded upon them, but they are as inle-
rior as the rays Of light when compared
with the sources from whence they
spring. The precepls Of the sacred scrip
lures are not only brilliant and beautiful,
but the most humane and mercilul that
were ever promulgated 10 the human
race. Wherever the Bible sways the
hear! Of man, woman, the angel of the
earth, is elevated to her proper dignity ;
but among savage and benighied nations
where it is not read, she is the ahect
slave Of the Sultan and the Caliph, OF the
servant Of the Arab, the Ethiop, and the
Indian. The light of learning, of liberty,
law, and love, liourishes where the Bible
is read--but al its boundary commences
the darkness of ignorance and supersti.
lion; for we find that every enlightened
nation on the globe chcrishes this most
beautiful of books. 1t has Illuminated
the world Of literature and science, and
cas-! halo Of glory around the a,mos-
phere Of intellect. 1t smiles on the calm
and sunny scenes Of life, and gilds the
evening skies of the faithful in the dark
hour of death. What the compass is to
the mariner, and the telescope to the as
lronomcr, the Bible is to all mankind
it guides us to that land Of love and light
and reveals to our vision the bliss which
is enjoyed by the happy inhabitants of
heaven. Yes! it is the harbinger Of
hope, which points us to heaven. 1t
teaches the king in the government of his
empire; and the peasant in the tiling Of
his field. 1t proposes reward TO virtue,
and punishment &c wee. 1t interests
eqaully the brilliant intellect and the
humble capacity. All that is good, grand,
glorious, and sublime, is contained within
it. Many cannot relish it, because their
taste is perverted and many reject il
from prejudice. TO understand even the
less luminous and profound parts Of the
Bible, is at once to be introduced to a
high source of knowledge and enjoyment
the highest source on the earth. When
| hear man cXclam against this best
and most beautiful Of books, cannot re-
(ran from taxing his mind with igno-
rance, or the most willul wickcdness.
If you are a literary character and wish
to behold elegance, perspicuity and taste,
turn over the leaves Of the sacred book.
Are yoa pleased with poetry You have
AT once an incXhaustlhlc fountain. You
have beautiful smiles and scenery, spark
ling imagery, and ideas clothed in sub
Unity of language. The Bible contains
numerous specimens of the angelic Tyre (;
of the harp Of Judah; and doubt whcih
er there is such field of sublime themes
for the poet in the world. The poet who
paints his pictures from the Bible can
never fail to please. Are you enraptured
with the thunders of eIoqucncc Here
is another ineXhaustble source. Some
passages are irresislbly sublime. What
can be more grand and sublime than Da-
vid's description Of the appearance of the
Most High! "IIe bowed the heavens
also and came down, and darkness was
under his feet; lie rode upon a cherub
and did ny, and he was seen upon the
wings of the wind" Do you ask for
more such passages | could quote ma
ny but let the description which the pro-
phet liabakkuk gives of the grandeur Of
God suffice. "l}efore hin went the pes.
thence and burning Goals went forth at
his feet; he stood and measured the
earth he beheld, and drove asundcr the
nations; the everlasting mouQtalns were
scattered; the perpetual hills did bow ;
his ways are everlasting 1t was sush
eloquence that made Felix tremble on
his throne. and by which Paul astonish-
ed the philosophers at Athens. But poe
try and eIoquence are no, the only beau
ties Of the Bible. We there find, in the
field Of science, some OF the wonders Of
philosophy and in its chemistry we read