Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-04-25
NJ I S q y u z A n e o
MIR. ADAMS ON THE BIBLE.


chosen to preside; on taking the chair, the
first day of the session, Feb. 90 he made
short address, which impaired high gra,ifca-
ton to those who heard it. A pous friend
of good taste requests us to give the follow
ing report of this address, from a correspon-
dent of The New York Express, place in our
paper.-Rich'nond Compiler.
Feiloac- Ciii@ens and Members ofihe Billie
'Society:-ln taking the chair awarded TO me
by your kindness, | deem myself fortunate in
having the opportunity, al stage of long
life drawing rapidly to its close, TO bear at
this place, the capitol of our National Union.
i'll the Hall of Representatives, of the North
American people, in the chair Of the presiding
officer OF the assembly representing the whole
people, the personllication of this great and
mighty nation, TO bear my solemn testimonial
OF reverence and gratitude to that book of
books, the Holy Bible. Thiriy-Gv years had
passed away since, in the state house at Bos-
ton, the capitol OF my native commonwealth,
| | became member of this Society f.: and
though have followed with deep interest
Their continued eXerons, and the various for
tunes OF their success in distributing this book,
! | think have never been able TO attend a.
mother meeting Of The society from that time
TO this. Since that time one generation OF
man has passed away, anu another has arisen.
In the mids: of the painful and perlous
conflicts inseparable from public life, and at
the eve of that moment when the grave shall
close over them forever, may De permitted
TO indulge the pleasing reflection, that having
been taught in childhood The unparalleled
! blessing of the Christian Gospel, i'm the ma
! lurity of manhood associated with nv breth-
rem O! that age, for spreading the light Of that
Gospel over the face Of the earth. by the SIM
| pie and silent process of placing in the hands
OF every human being who needed, and could
not otherwise procure it, the book which con-
,ains the duties, the admonitons, the promis-
es and the rewards of the Christian Gospel
1t is a soothing consolation to my last hours,
that having so long since been associated i'm
this cause with the fathers, ! still find myself
associated in il with the sons, that it has in
the interval been perseveringly and unceas-
ngly prosecuted with intense ardor, with I'M
firing assiduity, and with animating and emf
nent success. In contemplating what may be
the life and adventures of one whole genera
ton of the race of man, the only members of
the animal creation susceptible Of the percep-
ton of good and evil, of virtue and vice, of
right and wrong, there are in this, as there
have been in all former ages, observing and
rejecting men, especially in the decline of
life, prone to depreciate the moral and phvsi-
| cal character of the present age aud TO glori-
~ the past. Far more pleasing, and, believe,
more correct is the conclusion, that the race
of man in his fallen state is placed bv sue
cessive generations on the earth TO improve
his 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 Redeemer, and by works con-
iormable to that faith, 10 secure his salvation
IN future world, and to promote his well
being III the present. If this be true, the I'M
provement of successive generations of men
in their condition upon the earth and prepare
ton for eternity, depends i'll no small degree
on the diffusion and incubation Of this volume
among all the tribes of men throughout the
I habitab!e Globe This is the great and en-
elusive object for whch,in the last generation,
this society was instituted. The whole book
had then existed upwards Of eighteen hundred
years, and wherever it had penetrated and
been received, it had purified and exalted the
character Of man. Reposing upon three fun
damental pilIars,--the Unity and Omnipotence
OF God, and Governor of all the worlds-the
Immortality Of the human soul, and its res
| ponslbIlily to that Creator in a future system
OF morals, embracing in one precept the whole
duty OF man upon the earth--"Thou shalt