Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1844-05-17
No. 3I.-WHOLE No. 400

bbJ az iiC wv ~ ilui WDlIlthA " uFD VIZ
grave shall close over them forever.
msy be permitted 10 indulge the pleas
ing reflection, that having been taught
in childhood the unparalleled bess'ng
Of The ChrsliaO Gospel, 10 the maturity
Of manhood associated with my brelh
rem Of tba, age, for spreading the light
ol that Gospel over the face OF The esrh
by the simple and silent process OF pla
eng in the hands Of every human beng
who needed. and could not otherwise
procure il, The book which contains The
duties, the sdmonilions, the promises
and the rewards Of the Christian Cos
pei 1t is soothing consolation to my
last hours, that having 90 long since as.
socia,ed in The cause with The fathers,
sill find myself associated in il with
the sons. that IL has 10 The interval been
persevering'y sud increasingly prosecu-
ted with ardor, with unlIrlng asSiduiry,
and with snmaling and eminent success.
10 contemplating what may be the life
and adventures Of one whole generation
Of the rscs ol man, The only members
Of the animal creation susceptible Of the
perception Of good and evil, Of virtue
and v,re, Of right and wrong, there are
in this, rs there have been ia all former
ages. observing and refecling men, eS-
peclaIiy 10 the decline OF life, prone 10
depreciate the moral and physical char
scler Of the present age and TO elorify
the past. Far more pleasing. and, be.
lieve, more correct is the conclusion,
that the race OF man in his fallen state
is placed by successive generations on
the earth 10 improve bis own condition
and that OF his kind and that this book
has been furnished him by the special
providence Of his Maker TO enable him,
by faith in his Redesmer, and by works
couformabe 10 that faith, TO secure his
salvation in future world, and to pro-
mote bis we'll being in the present. II
this be true, the improvement Of success
siye generations Of men in their condi
ton upon the earth aDd preparation for
eternity, depends 10 no small degree on
the diffusion and inculcstion OF this VOL
ume among all the tribes Of men through
out the habilsbIs globe. This is me
grea, and exclusive object for which, in
the last generation, this society was in,
sliluled. The whole book had ihen ex.
Z listed upwards Of eighteen hundred
, years, aud wherever il had penetrated
and been received, it had purified and
exalted the character Of man. Repo.
; sing upon three Fundamental pillars
the UOily and Omnipotence OF God, and
Governor Of all the wotIds-the immor-
ialiy OF the human sou and its reSpon.
= sbilily 10 that Creator 10 q future sys.
e tenn oI morals, embracing in one precept
e he whole duty Of man upon earth
Z Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
r all thy heart, with all thy mind, aud
with all thy strength, and thy neigbbor
as lbyseif."
The Bible carries with it the history
Of the Creation, the fall and the redsmp
ton OF man, and dscloses 10 him 10 tho
= infant born at Bethlehem, the LegiSla-
tor and Saviour OF the world. The faith
in him and in his divine mission is in-
separubly connected with the perform
auce OF HE will, and that will is all com
prised in the song of the angel at HE
birth,-"Glory to God in the Highest
and on earth, peace, good will to man."
In whatever region OF the earth, in
whatever condition Of the human being,
this blissfu soUDd first salutss his ears,
The depravilies Of his nature fall before
-, il. The selfish and rancoToUs passions
/, which had absorbed his SOU and ruled
his conduct under The impulses OF hatred
;, and revenge, sink with him into impo.
!, tence He bslhes in the wGterS OF Jor-
|, dan, aud rises ceaDsed from his eproSy
!, in the freshness and vigor OF health, aud
= the purity oil bensVosnce and mercy.
Such has been the progress o the Cos
pei wherever the Bible has been carried
and suffered 10 be read. 10 the mysie-
rous Providence of God. its influence
has been counteracted by the spirit Of
= evil; 10 all lie thousand forms through
out long succession Of ages. Its ad-
' vancemenl has been SLOW; its victories
: desperately contested; its trIumphs sub
iect to cruel vicissitudes; ils war sgainst
tho world, the flesh, the serpent, q per.
peuaI never ceasing struggle. Yet itE
march has been uniform in purifying
and ennobling the moral, intellectual
and physical condition and character Of
e man. ToclrcuIals and distribute among
= great multiudss Of men, in every quar-.
n ter Of the globe, this blessed volume,
= waslhe purpose for which this society
was Instituted. One generation OF man
), kind has since passed away.
The secretary OF the socisIy is now
present, and he will give an account Of
it's labors, the success and its prospects.
| | IrusI il will he nroVad IN tho aAIis iao.