Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-14
THE GAZETTE.
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL Il, 1850.
RUFUS CuOATE on RELIGION.

inexhaustible and interesting OF all Bostons
hundred orators" and one OF the most emil
nent of her many hundred lawyers, has
recently been delivering ifimselfon the sub
iect of Religion. We had supposed, and DO
vet. that he is rather. q isOcice Us regards "a
practical experience in this matter. We
hone, however that he thinks and acts as well
ON the subject as he speaks. For that he
speaks we'll and interestingly upon tire sub
ject we think that the following extract from
what he said on the Silver anniversary" Of
the pastorate of the Rev. Nehemiah Adams,
ofthe Essex Street Orthodox Congregation
al Church." abundantly proves Alter
dlating ut length upon the Seriptural faith
which he entertained, he went on to in
quire: .....-,...
"And now, is there anything, my friends,
in all this, which is incompatible, in any de-
gree, with the warmest and most generous
and large and liberal and general culture,
with the warmest heart. with the most eypaI,-
sive and hopeful philanthropy. with the most
tolerant, most cheerful, most charitable love
Of man! Dove not all of US hold this out
side of this special, authoritative, written
revelation, thus promulgated, collateral with;
it, the creation Of the same nature which we
may with great propriety expose, and which
we may very wisely and fifty study and en-
Joy? Into that system are we forbidden to
pry, lest we become. or he IN danger Of be
coming, Atheists Deists, tPantheists, or Dill
letanti, or Epicurean? What is there to
hinder us from walking consistently with our
faith, and the preaching Of which every
Sunday we are privileged 10 listens what
is there to hinder us from walking ON the
shore ofthe great ocean of general truth, and
gathering up here and there one ofits peb-
bles: andlis.ening here and there to the music
of one of its shells? What is there to hinder
us from looking at that natural revelation
that shall be true hereafter? What is there
in all this to prevent US from trying to open, II
we can open, that clasped volume of that
elder, if it may be that obscursr Scripture
What is there to hinder US from studying the
science of the stars. from going back with
the biologists to the birth day Of real crea-
ton, and thus tracing the line through the
vestges of real and true creation down
to that later and Ter period of time, when
the morning stars sang together, exulting
over this rising bail? What is there to him
der US. if we dare to do it, from going down
with chemists and Psychologists to the very
chambers ofexistence, and trying thence to
trace, if we may, the faint lines by which
matte, rose to vitality, and vitality welled up
first to animals, and then to man? " hat Is
there to prevent US from trying to trace the
footsteps Of God in history, from reading dis
laws in the policies of the States, in the prln-
ciples of morals, and in the science of gov
eminent; His love in the happiness of all the
families ofthe human race. IN animals, anu
in man; His retribution in the Judgments that
are abroad in all the earth?" ..-.-..g
Is there any thing to hinder in the faith we
hold from indulging the implanted sense OF
beauty, in tracing the last tracks OF summer
eve, or the first faint flush that precedes or
follows the glorious rising of the morning
Because We happen to believe that written
revelation is authoritative upon every man,
and that there is contained in it, distinctly and
expressly, the expression of the need OF re-
conciliation-is there any thing in all this,
let me ask you, my friends, which should
hinder us from trying to explore the spirit OF
Plato, from admiring the supremacy OF mind
which is at last the Inspiration Of the Almigh-
ty, that gives you understanding, in such an
intellect as that Of Newton: from looking at
the camp-fires, as they glitter on the plains OF
Troy; from standing on the battlements OF
Heaven with Milton; from standing by the
side of Macbeth, sympathising with, or at
least approaching something ofthe compunc-
ton and horror that followed the murder OF
his friend, and host, and king; from going
out with old Lear, gray hair streaming and
throat choking, and heart bursting with sense
of filial ingratitude; from standing 10y the side
of Othello, when he takes the life OF al that
he loves best in this world, mot for hate, but
all for honor" from admiring and saddening
to see how the fond, and delicate spirit OF
Hamlet becomes oppressed and maddened
by the terrible discovery, by the sense OF du-
ty not entirely clear, by the conflict OF emo
tons, and 10y the shrinking dread OF that life
to come, as if he saw hand we could not see
and heard voice we conld not hear? Ger
tainly, there can be no manner OF doubt that
our faith, such as you profess it and such Us
YOU hold it, will give direction In one sense
and to a certain extentit baptizes and holds
control over those studies; certainly, also, 1t
NAV be admitted that it creates tendencies
and tastes that may q little less reluctantly
lead away man from the contemplation q. ol
these subjects: but is 1t incompatible with
theme Do you think that Agassiz. that Eve
rett, each transcendent in his own department
OF genius, mas become Sd DecauSe ho "'i"' va
did not hold. a specific faith? Because you
believe the Old Testament, M well rs the
New, cannot YOU read Classic in the last
and best edition, if you know how to read
it? That is the great question at hast. and !
apprehend that the incompatibility OF which
we sometimes hear, has no foundation IN the
things that are to be compared. Dfd
poor, rich Cowper think them incompat''
BILE, one with another, when for so many years
he soothed that burning brow and stiyed that
fainting reason. and turned back those dark
pillows that threatened to overwheim INN,
by his translation of the Had and odyssey!
What did he say of the incompatibility HIM
self? Learning has borne such truiton all her
branches, piety has found true friends IN the
friends of science, even prayer has flowed
from her lips wet with Castillian dews.
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