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A PASTORAL LETTER
FROM
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian
in the United Slates, to the
Church,
Churches under their eqre.
-
Dear Beererex,
Tue time in which we ad-
dress you is very unportant and interest-
I'lie free conversation on the state of
yeligion has exhibited abundant evidence,
ing.
that the Churches under our care have ne-
ver been in a more prosperous condition
than during the lastyear.. In the year im-
mediately preceeding, perhaps special re-
vivals were more remarkable aud more nu-
merous, but as it relates to the général ex-
tension of religious influence, the organi-
zation of new congregations, and the wide
spreading success of Missionary labors, the
aspect of the Church has probably never
been so promising as at the present time—
and when in addition to this we reflect on
the various institutions, not only in our own
connexion, but in the Christian world at
“Jarge, calculated to extend the kingdom of
our Redeemer; the zeal and liberality with
which those institutions are supported ;
and the extensively beneficial effects which
they are cvery day producing ; we aie ob-
liged to consider the present moment as
forming an important era in the annals of
religion. general movement of Protes-
tant Christendom has taken place ; an unu-
sual blessing has descended on the Church
of Christ : aud we are probably approaching
some day of the Son of Man of no usual or
ordinary character. ‘The present therefore
is no doubt a favorable timé, not only for
extending the influence, but for advancing
the purity of the church; for the exterpa-
tion of any errors, and the abolition of any
unchristian practices which may have
found entrance among us, during the long
period of comparative darkness and deser-
tion through which we have passed. And
although we do not believe that any thing
immoral or vicious is more pravalent new
than at some former periods or even as
auch so, yet the existence of such things
tthe present time, strikes 't lie minds of se-
rious christians with an appearance of
greater deformity, and fills them with more
pungent regret as it is exhibited in such
dark contrast with that promising and won-
derful aspect of things so extensively dis-
played by the christian world. The free
conversation on the state of religion has
brought some such things to our view,
against which we feel constrained to bedr
‘our decided testimony ; and we would en-
ter upon this duty with the tenderness and
seekness, but at the same time with the
firmness and authority which becomes a
Judicatory of the Church of Christ.
The first thing we shall notice is the
crime of Drunkenness. This crime has at
«ll times been a curse to our country, and
has often made lamentable inroads upon our
Church. We are convinced that it may
be opposed more successfully by pkeven-
tion than in any other way. When the
character of drunkenness is fully formed,
the unhappy victim is lost to those motives
which ordinarily influence all other classes
of men. In this state of things nothing but
a mirdcle of divine grace can effect his re
formation. The certain and acknowledged
prospect of the wreck of his family, his for-
Aune, and his character ; and even of the ru-
an of his immortal soul, is not sufficient to
arrest his course: and yet perhaps the
same man may formerly have been in such
a state of equilibrium or indecision upon
this subject, that the smallest motives
might have prevented the formation of a
habit, which in its rhaturity bas become so
irresistible. This consideration is certain-
ly sufficient to justify an effort for saving
our fellow men from the domination of so
destructive a vice. For this purpose we
earnestly recommend to the officers and
members of our Church to abstain even
from the common use of ardent spirits.
Such a voluntary privation as this; with its
motives publicly avowed, will not be with-
out its effect in cautioning our fellow chris-
tians and fellow citizens, against the en-
.croachment of intoxication 3 and we have
the more confidence in recommendiiig this
course as it has already been tried with
success in several sections of our Church.
The vice of Gambling has also been for-
€ed upon out attention. We indeed hope
thay few, or perhaps none, of our actual
professors, have Pete themselves in the
practice of what they consider as coming
ainder the denomination of gambling. But
perhaps there are sone addicted to this
practice who have evinced a predeliction
for our church, and forms of worship, and
who are not unwilling to receive the word
of admonition. from us. Such we would
earnestly exhort to consider in the most se-
ious manner, the consequences of the
course they are pursuing, and the awful
Jessops which the experience of the world,
is every day exhibiting on this subject.
But it is further our duty to testify, that
all ercoutagement of lotteries, and purcha-
sing of lottery tickets; all attendance on
horse racing, aod betting on such, or any
other occasions ; and ail attempts of what-
ever kind to acquire geig without giving an
-
@ir
351d
A
LX
(posed on them.
and participate in the guilt which attaches
to that vice,
On the fashionable, though as we believe
dangerous amusements of Theatrical Ex-
hibitions and Dancing, we deem it negessa-
ry to make a few observations, The thea-
tre we have always considered! as a school
of immorality. If any person wishes for
honest conviction on this subject, let him
attend to the character of that mass of mat-
ter, which is generally exhibited on the
stage. We believe all will agree; that
comedies at least, with a few exceptions,
are of such a description, that %¢*firtuous
and modest person cannot attend the repre-
sentation of them, without the most pains
ful and embarrassing scnsations. If indeed
custom has famiiiarized tbe scene, and
these painful sensations are no longer felt,
it only proves that the person in question,
has lost some of the best sensibilities of our
nature; that the strongest safeguard of
virtue has been taken down, and that the
moral character has undergone a serious
depreciation. eh
With respect to Dancing, we think it ne-
cessary to observe, that however plausible
i: may appear to some, it is perhaps not the
less dangerous on account of that plausi-
bility. It is not from those things which
the world acknowledges to be most wrong,
that the greatest danger is to be apprehend-
ed to religion, especially as it relates to
the young: When the practice 18 carried
to its highest extremes, all admit the con-
sequences to be fatal ; and why not then ap-
prehend danger, even from is incipient sta-
ges. Itis certainly in all its stages, a fas-
cating and infatuating practice.’ Let it
once be introduced, and it is difficult
to give it limits. Tt steals away our preci-
ous time, dissipates religious Impressions,
and hardens the heart. To guard you, be-
loved brethren, against its wiles and its fas-
cinations, we earnestly recommend’ that
you will consult that sobriety Which the
sacred pages require. We also trust, that
you will attend with the meekness and do-
.
equivalent, involve the Gambling principe, ]
4 Ao How
| From the N. Y. Evening Post.
{ Mr. Editor--It has been sagely said that]
this is the age of wonders ; that it is, I think
none will deny, after perusing the follow-
ing circular. It was received a few days
since from a correspondent in St. Louis,
who writes, that the author, capt. Symmes,
1s a very respectable man, a man of intelli.
gence, and really sane in mind. He also
states, that Symmes is diligently engaged
in forwarding his scheme, and that upwards
of twenty credible persons have actually
engaged in this expedition.
CIRCULAR.
Light gives light, to light discover—= ad in
Sinitum,
St. Louis, (Missouri Territory,)
North America, Aptil 10, A. D. 1818.
TO ALL THE WORLD!
I declare the earth is hollow, and habit-
able within ; containing a number of solid
concentric spheres, one within the other,
and that itis open at the poles 12 or 16 de-
grees. I pledge my life in support of this
truth, and am ready to explore the hollow,
if the world will support and aid me in the
undertaking,
INO.CLEVES SYMMES, of Ohio,
Late Captain of infantry,
N. B. I have ready for the press a trea
tise on the principles of matter, wherein 1
show proofs of the above positions, account
for various phenomena, and disclose Doctor
Darwin’s golden secret.
My terms are, the patronage of this and
the new worlds. I dedicate to my wife
and ten children, I select Dr. S. L
Mitchell, Sir H. Davy, and baron Alexan:
der de rlumboldt, as my protectors.
I ask one hundred brave companions,
well equipped, to start from Siberia in the
all season, with reindeer and sleighs, on
the ice of the frozen sea—1I engage we find
warm and rich land, stocked with thritiy
vegetables, and animals, if not men, on
reaching one degree northward of latitude
cility becoming the christian character, to
the ‘admonitions on this subject, of th
whom you have chosen to watc
souls. And now, beloved brethren, thal
have pointed out, and from all other dan-
gers which beset the path of life and ob.
struct our common salvation, and that the]
reat head of the church may have
his holy keeping is our sincere and
tiopate prayer. Amen, {
J. J.JANEWAY, =
Moderator, "
: ’
f
ud
June, 1818, {dn oh 0%
Resolved, That the General Assembly
recommend, and they do hereby recom-
mend, to the Pastors and Sessions of the dif-
ferent churches under their care, to assem-
ble as often as they may, deem necessary
during the year, their baptized children
with their parents, to recommend said
children to God in prayer, explain to them
the nature of their Baptism ; the relation
which they sustain to the Church ; and the
obligations which their Baptism has im-
nit!
We have long been apprised of the cir-
cumstances alluded to in the paragraph
from the Savannah Republican, and as it
will, doubtless, gb thé rounds, it may be
well to state them. If we are not mismn-
formed, the dispute between generals Jack-
son and Scott arose respecting thé celebra-
ted ¢ general order’ issued by Jackson. It
appears that general Scoft expredsed an
opinion unfavorable to the manner and
spirit of that order, as being calculated to
create insubordination. This opinion was
expressed one evening at a party, and to
one person only, a resident of this state,
and a politician who seems designed, by
nature, to push on mischief. An anony-
mous letter conveyed to general Jackson
the opinion, in all probability, expressed in
confidence and without the least expecta-
tion of its reaching general Jackson, or
without the least intention of wounding his
feelings: Gen. Jackson, impetuous and
irascible in the extreme, took fire at the
supposed insult, and a warm correspond:
ence has taken place; which, we trust, will
be amicably terminated, considering, as we
do, that gen. Jackson should have treated
the anonymous informer with the silence
that he merited.
With respect to that general order of
Jackson’s, the people of the United States,
by common consent; pergiticd it to pass by
without comment, in consideration of the
eminent service which he had rendered to
his country. It is, however, a fact, that a
document, so dangerous to subordination
and good government, has never been
heard of in the annals of any nation ; and if
general Jackson is desirous of fighting
every citizen who holds that opinion, he
will have his hands full. General Wash-
ington in the most perplexing period of
his service, when in fact, there was no go
vernnient ever issued such an order. The
attempt; however, to produce a quarrel be-
tween two eminent men, by which thei:
hves may€be jeopardized, merits, if made,
the indignation of every citizen.
h for your|
you may be guarded from the dangers we :
you inj¢
[thing like a prophetic spirit of the future.
| Whether that was the case in the striking
incident now about to be recorded, it is not
Captain Hull, Lieutenants Turner and
Fo lus excellency gov. Wm. Clark.
"ORIGINAL ANECDOTE.
It has been remarked that frequent]
82. We will return in the succeeding
1 0 Y : y the
human mind, in the last stages of its earthly
xistence, has been endowed with some-
pretended to say. The facts are, however,
unquestionably true; and are well known to
many of the officers of the American army
The coincidence of the circumstances is,
indeed, very striking ; and the facts deserve
to be recorded, not only as an evidence of
the undaunted bravery of the American
officers ; but as a signal instance df the ful.
filment of their own predictions.—About
two hours previous to the ever memorable
battle of Bridgewater, news had arriveddin
the camp of the 9th regiment, that the
British were advancing. A number of the
officers of the ninth, among whom were
Burgett, and Captain David Perry had as-
sembled together in a little squad ; were
chatting in a friendly and jocular manner;
and were commenting upon the news they
had heard of the approach of the army.
One of the company observed— « well, we
shall have warm work to day-—some of us
shall be killed=—who shall they be.” Ano-
ther in the same tone of jocularity, replied
«Captain Hull,” and held up his hand.
The company all joined in holding up their
hands, and Captain Hull among the rest.—-
“ Who next {” rejoined another. ¢ Lieut.
Turner,” was the reply, and the vote taken
in like manner, «Well, but there must be
more than two-~who next !”” was asked.
“Lieutehant Burgett,” and carried by a sim-
ilar vote, « We want a representative in
the British camp—who shall be our repre-
sentative !—who shall be taken prisoner
All eyes immediately turned to Cautain
Perry, who being quite in his dishabilie, had
excited some raillery. = « Captain Perry
shall be our representative,” was the upan-
imous reply, and unanimous vote. Cap-
tain Perry immediately retired: and in a
few minutes returned, shaved, and cleanly
dressed; and in a jocular tone, asked whe-
ther he now made an appearance suitable
for their representative.
The order for forming the line of battle
came. The different gentlemen repaired
to their different posts. The dreadful con-
flict commenced. = The first officer that fell
in the 9th regiment, was captain Hull.
fighting gallantly, at the head of his com-
pany—the second Lieutenant Tirner—the
third Licutenant Burgett, all displaying the
most undaunted and determined bravery—
whilst captain Perry, as if fully to complete
the previous prediction, was taken prisoner
by the enemy, and carried captive into the
British camp ! So striking a coincidence
of circurlistances rarely occurs; and these
incidents have frequently been the subject
of’ conversation and remark, among the
American officers, since the ever memora-
bie battle of Bridgewater.
Nat, Advo cats,
Pittsburg Mercury.
2 77
fC
n
% 7 on)
2 ’. 33 ; boas Boia
THE PATRIOT.
‘To speak his thoughts, is every freeman’s right. ]
*
“
bt
—
MONDAY, FuLr 6.
etl es
State of the Thermometer.
Temperature of the Weather by Fahrenheit’s
Thermometer—in the shade. Le
Days.] at sunrise, at 3 P. M,
68
75
8%
86
82
88
76
76
8G
86
gt
89
76
v6
76
80
83
76
78
78
76
86
73
84
§8
00
92
94
97
Jung
24
25
26
27
28 .
29 68
{5:30 62 94
The weather this month has been high
ly favorable for the vegetation of grain and
TASS.
_,.. Fos the Patriot.
Mr, Brindle,
bd &
WE live in anage of speculation. The
human mind séems bent to the utmost
streach ofits faculties in devising new in-
ventions ; and our philosophers seem de.
termined to try how far the credulity of
mankind will extend, andbow many aston.
ishing, marvelous absurdities they can
impose upon the world. The time wag
when the Priests had the disposal of hy.
man faith and governed the minds of meg®
at their pleasure, but they have lost thei
dominion and hove been succeeded by the °
Philosophers. In your paper of the 13th
ult. one of your correspondents who sub.
scribes himself ¢ J. H.> has made a formi-
dable attack upon our credulity. He tijes
to make us believe that a hazzle or birch
or willow rod, can be attracted by water in
the hands of certain conjurors, notwith-
standing the water may be ever so far be-
low the surface of the earth. This he
calls ¢ Bletonism,’ or the ¢ Divining Rod.’
And appears to be the same thing that we
vulgar beings call water smelling. J. H.
is pot the first of his order who have ied
toimpose tricks of this kind ou the ignor-
ant and credulous, and their success indu-
ces others to go on with the same game.
Some two or three years ago Jodge
Cooper wrote several Essays to prové
that vegetables had life and sensation sim-
ilar ty animals, and that hike animals they
wandered and propagated by cohabitation.
This whimsical conceit might have been
swallowed by the multitude had not alesrn«
ed Clergyman taken np the cudgel, or ras
ther his pen, and confined the trees, bushes,
ge. to the proper station in which natuie
had placed them.— Old Dr. 'ranklin once
tried to persuade people that a pointed rod
of iron could draw down fire from Heaven
to the earth, and he succeeded so far toat
multitudes of people hoisted rods up
against the ends of their houses to prevent
the lightning from running down theif
tchimnies—and in Bellefonte there 1s onc
raised above the cupola of the Court house,
projecting down over the roof tothe ground
to inform the public, no doubt, that ouf
county Commissioners were at the time
'phijosophic believers. This F believe 18
called the Ligtning, not the Divining
Rod. ‘ |
But one of the most audacious philosos
phic empirics that ever appeared in the
worl | was an Italian of the name of Galilio
—Some two or three hundred years ago
he tried to make the world believe that
this earth was round like a cannon bullet,
or oval Jike sn egg—that it whirled rgand
like a top——that people could walk on every
side of it with their feet opposite to each
other, and yet none of them oy
head foremost, and even that it Was SB
rounded with immense bodies of water,
seas, lakes, rivers, &c. none of which spil-
led or run over. In this case the clergy
.lso interfered. They proved beyond cota
tradiction that the earth was formedlikea ©
cheese or a millstonzy and Rever moved