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C HEROKEE PHCNIX
AND INMANS’ ADVOCATE.
CHEROKEE NATION, PROPRIETOR. EDITED BY ELIJAH HICKS.
VOI.. V.
NEW ECIIOTA, CHEROKEE NATION, SATURDAY, HAY 10, 1804.
NO. 47.
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!5KU«IOlS.
From the Philadelphian.
A REVIEW
“Lecturcs on the general principles
\Moml Government, as they are ex
proof positive and final of its sound
ness—neither is repose of spirit proo r
of real security. l et us then try how
far the philosophy of our nature, the.
decisions and facts of the Bible will
bear him out. If either fail, we have
thee to commune with him. unless he Docs it ever answer it by saying. You reive the aid so as to be. sensible he
approach thee according to the laws of must be born again?” We think not. (has it, and then to go on in the use of it
thy nature? Keep that child “in the The scripture answer is, “Believe on to do what he supposes necessary to
• 3 • • ■ - *i-- i —i t ...,a iu„ cb a It salvation. When brought to this point,
and really engaged in the service of
God, the Biirle teaches him to look
hack upon his regeneration, as a rea
son for rendering all glory and praise
to his Father who is in heaven.
house made with hands,” and then you the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall
have the deai; the rich, the hallowed i be saved;” or, “Repent and be baptis-
bear him out. If either rail, we nave ; realities of the parental heart. l.et j cd, that your sins may be blotted out;
only another theory whose beauty we ; dust g . to its dust, and the spirit go to j or something of similar import l he
i Ma v admire; but whose fate we.must : “the house not made with hands,” j ooctrine of regeneration is taught moth-
n.eet without one moral regret But the,e joyous realities are all taken up j er^connections, and for other purposes,
if human nature responds to all its , with the risen spirit. Let death sever ' Wc believe that.much of the contusion
claims, if the decisions and facts of the all the tics of relationship and friend- of thought which is found on this sub
Bible make assu-ance doubly sure, ship, and then, 1 prav you, what binds | ject, arises from the tact, that pieachers
then whatever estimate we may make us to earth ? Do you not feel that al-; ha-e placed regeneration before sin-
ofthe instrument, I hope mir gratitude | though all these spirits have gone to | ners, as something to aim at in order
will not be withheld from the Father of j Abraham’s bosom, and are swelling to be saved. his presents it to the■ r
li„ hN the song of Moses and the lamb, yet! minds as something to he done by them-
’ • I we cannot exchange one thought, one i selves, and thus calls up the inquiries.
At page 34, Mr. Duncan says, ‘It ; fpoli onfi |, ni , c 0Iie fear, one kind how they are to do it. and whether they
belongs not to man to perceive Sri t»- | ,„;,u
IT, abstractly considered. We cannot
perceive or know each other’s spirit,
excepting, as it is exhibited in its ap
propriate form, or by some external
And as God is a Spirit, so said
Heil in the first three chapters offift-
Csis; hylic Rev. John M. Dun- Je«« to the Sammatan woman, we
Editor,—I have often been corn-
I to ask myself, what is the reason
have such a number of con
ing opinions in the church of Christ ?
lowing to an inherent obscurity in
elation itself, or to inherent infirm-
of human nature—or is it owing
line irrational, unohilosophical sys-
of ministerial education—or it is
ig to some inexplicable fatality that
overan earthly existence? All
that such is the actual state ol
t S —all agree that such a state of
s ought not to exist. And vet,
is as characteristic a disagree-
as to the cause and the remedy,
sir, are we doomed to lead a Gen-
life under the broad blaze of the
of Righteousness, that “They
ild seek the Lord, if happily tiicy
feel after him and find him." I
I not. “ There is something rotten
state of Denmark.”
fhy is it, that moral philosophers
: lon ,r since, by a fulness and rich-
„f demonstration that cannot he
iled, disposed of all the primary
itions respecting the Creator of the
,ens and the earth; and yet Di-
cannot know him. unless lie shall man
ifest himself by and in his works, or
shall assume personal form. The ne
cessity uudir which we are thus pla
ced. is found in the very constitution
of our nature, and must exist so long
as ii shall belong to us to acquire our
ideas by means of our external senses.”
This is the philosophical principle on
which he supposes the doctrine of the
Titimu , as he understands it, is found
ed
Now, the question i«, whether this is
an essential principle of our nature, as
it is now constructed. Is the tact as
sumed a real fact, or is it not? II it is
not. we arc whole we have long been,
among the “strife of words” and sci
ence falsely so called ” But admit the
fact, to bo as asserted, will it sustain
the mighty fabric raised on it ? Is it
cone like, with a base sufficiently
broad, able to bear the whole mass of
the revealed mind of God; and as it
rises in height, does it increase in
strength as well as grow in symmetry
and beauty? If so, we have gotten at
last a principle that will bring order out
of confusion, and light out of darkness.
Happily for man. whatever tneta
office with them? Nothing remains can be to blame for not doing it;—ques-
but the melancholy recollections of past ; tines which it is not very easy for such
endearments, never to be renewed nn- | persons to answer. Lut let the sinner
til we shall have gone to them. Thank ' he directed to repent, to believe, to
<, duo sorry, not as those who have i love and obey God, and Ins own con-
I science testifies that he is directed to
,, . • ■ , r ' the plain path of intelligible duty.
'!"■ yync.plt of «UI »-| „ ,t laiti, and repentance
t ii re amid the realiiies ui fife, that the r r , 1
heart inav control the wanderings of; e S' 1 a ’
the understanding, that tiie tears of We doubt whether the texts which
bei eavement mav resliain t lie wildness, are usually brought to prove this point,
-j*c :.u:_ .'i._ i_ . e ' mo ^orrcctlv intcrpieted when thus ap-
> hope.
J have put
of fancy within the limits of the valley
of the shadow of death, and the philo
sopher a id peasant may feel that they
are made of the same ilesh and blood
Di ier. they may, in many circumstan
ces; here they aio one and indivisible.
In this principle, we have the rational
of all the rites and ceretn unes of reli
gion, whether i:i inuoceney or in guiit.
The whole ay stem of types is founded
on it. The beautiful language of proph
ecy, in all its splendid hieroglyphics,
exists m it. There is n > system that
has the intellectual and m >ral welfare
d man for its object that it is not found
ed on this principle.
Now Mr. Editor, has G >d acted to
wards us on tois principle? Mas He
honored the nature lie himself has giv-
1 on us, by treating us according to its
laws? Das lie made it impossible for
i one created spirit to hold communion
j with another created spirit, except
| through one or m >re ot our senses; and
I does he act contrary to tiiat law when
Tie calls to commune with tiiinsell and
son Jesus Christ? Wiiat are we
then to expect, what can v.e expect, it
we are to he changed into iiis '‘image
from glory to gloryr” Can we ex
pect. ought we ti expect any thing
s ana me nmu, au« j • **»irv * or ,n;ill > . . . e
with their proverbially superior physicians may say, the principles ot p;
ntaircs, are divided off into Trini- his nature are, to him, more a matter n,
as "Sabellians, Arians, Unitarians, j of consciousness, 1 ha.ii ot dark, distant,
nians. and l know not what vulgar and abstruse discussion. Lot me, then,
ions? Why is it, that questions ' ask you, Mr. Editor, if we must receive
h
died
sixtci
i? been thought ot ny me nine : seeing, ii««n"g, «•'■• -
diluvian patriarchs; by no judge, half ashamed to put such a question «o l v Truth! 1 know not which to admire
j or prophet of Israel—by no a brother l hnve known so long, and j most in thee, thy simplicity, thy beau-
[ifrelist or apostle of the Christian j have esteemed so highly, for his intel- ; or thy power But I take thee to
rch?' These theologians notwith-i lectual and moral qualities. Bui my my heart, with all thou art, and all thou
idine assert against each other, J impression is. that however simple the |i as t, for my guide through time, and
- ° 1 - ' ir may lie. it has been completely. ,„ y everlasting portion.
; their doctrines, respectively, exist- ; answer
e in't he hec inn i ng ‘ o ft he creation j overlooked' The mind is too fond of. Can any thing bcinorc natural, more
i Certainly th »se, who have [ mystery to be much pleased with plain philosophical, more Scriptural, than
* ’• ‘ities Fut the question the conclusion to which we have come?
never left tis a' syllable of dispute formally'and purposely to yourself, and ^an a process of thought be conducted
- ■■ ■ »«■ try, if you can commune with a ihsembo- , t j 10 human mind nine thoroughly,
'died spirit. Try it under one of pie i ail( j at (!V ery step under tho cognizance
most tender, delightful, and melting 1 consciousness? I declare to you,
created forms; 1 mean the pa-i s | r) that 1 not only believe that the
rental relation. What has become of tiu ,i, j* Sllj hut I assert tiiat it cannot
that vision which once greeted our eye ; otherwise. This assertion is not
IjtOCI V'Ciidiiov in i
[lined a good report through faith, 1
liable of dispute
ut the Godhead. ' Whatever their
nions were, they were held as by
i mind, they were loved and enjoyed
by one heart, and uttered as by one 0 f all
gue, from Adam down to the proph-
ofPatmos.
'ermit me, Mr. Editor, to assign my
ion for this state of things. 1 have
consolation of knowing that I cannot
ivorse than wrong. The only mo-
I am conscious of, is a desire that
it 1 have freely received, I may
sly give. I am not governed by the
e of authorship, the pride of discov
er a fondness for controversy. 1
ieve, then, we have lost a whole class
S riptural facts, and doctrines found-
>n them; which facts and doctrines
re familiar to the senses of, and fully
:eived by patriarchs, Jews, and apos-
s. What these facts and doctrines
b, we shall presently see.
In the meantime, let us hear Mr.
uncan. It is not mf intention to tol-
w him into all his detail of viewof
vtual discussion, &c. Whether these
mrdinate opinions are right or wrong
s limits assigned me will not perm.t
i to inquire. My main business is
!/» his main inquiry. He evidently
ites in the style of a man who thinks
has the truth as it is iu Jesus—such
ith too, as leavcs'not a doubt on his
ind that it will carry him successfully
iou»h all the difficulties ofhissuh-
ct. '’This is evidently the spirit in
hich he writes, so far as I am able to
itch it. Confidence of opinion is not
as we entered our beloved home, when
some dear little fellow came running up
with a face beaming out all his love,
frankness, and ecstacy on us, with
arms outstretched to embrace us, his
spirit all flurried, and his tongue trip
ping from too rapid utterance, as he
tells us of some welcome gift#, or some
innocent pranks? Or where those sun
less davs and rayless nights, when wc
watched by the couch of tho little one
dearer than all, because he was sick
even unto death? We looked yearn
ingly on till he breathed out his last on
our heaving, bursting heart, and then
his soul went up io God who gave it.
Where are all those communings ol
soul now? Where are all these dying
couch scene#—where the church-) ard
tears, when the clod dropped first on
the coffin, and that wo'-felt that wc
were childless? Do you not see and
feci that it is because a spirit has be
come disembodied, that these joys are
gone, these sorrows have come? Are
you not conscious, that bqfore you can
have any fellowship with any intellect
ual being from the fruit of your own
loins up to God who gave it, you must
have that being in a sensible form of
some kind—that it is physically, intel
lectually, and morally impossible for
made in tho spirit of self-sufficiency,
but it is sustained by my own con
sciousness, by all the systems <>i divin
ity of any repute, and by tiie Biole.
from the creation "i man till ‘ this nat
ural shall he raised a spii iluul body.
From tho Vermont Chronicle.
Messrs. Editors,—Believing that
the time to tell sinners svhat they should
do to be saved, is when they aro male
.. e correctly . ,
plied. Yet it is plain that repentance
and faith arc the gift of God in this
sense—that they are never performed
without tiiis special aid. It should he
observed, however, tiiat they arc never
represented, nor can we conceive of
them, as the nc/ofGod. They arc the
ads of the sinners who repent and be
lieve, and of no one else. If they are
ever performed, the sinner must per
form them. And lie must do it by the
free, voluntary use of bis own facul
ties. This is implied iu their very de
finition. Exhorting sinners to perform
thorn, then, is a perfectly rational em
ployment. The same may be said of
praver, andofevery Ghristian duty.
To the performance of these duties,
the promise of salvation is annexed —
The oath, therefore, of the sinner who
desires to be saved, is plain and direct.
1 ct him repent, believe, love and serve
G d. These aro his apnroproiate works.
J et him do it, and God will accept, him.
The work of God, let him leave God to
perform, not dishonoring him by any
doubts of his readiness to perforin it.
What reason, what light has he to
doubt ?
“But you acknowledge that these
things are not done without divine aid.
Must not the sinner, then, wait till he
has this aid, before ho undertakes
them ?”
s Certainly not. The nature ofthat
aid is entirely misunderstood, ifwe fancy
it to he a thing, which may be had and
kept for a while, and then used. It
can bn had. only when it is used. How
can I be aided in doing what I am not
doing, nor attempting to do?
How docs the sinner know, that if
he addresses himself at once to the
performance ot his duty, he shall not
receive all the aid he needs from God?
What reason has he to think otherwise <
What reason has he to doubt it? Has
he riot, indeed, abundant reason to ex-
Ipectit? Does not all bis experience
! of the kindness ofGod teach him to ex
pect it? Does not the whole word of
God speak the same language 5 Does
not all that he knows, and all that there
is to he known, of the character ofGod,
invite tc this confidence in him; Why
then should he not regard God as one.
who is willing to help him, whenever
he is willing to be helped to do his du
ty ? Has he right views of God, if he
regards him otherwise? In short, will
not a clear view of what God is, of what,
do to ue saved, is uueii «««»- n ot a clear view ot wnai uou is, ui vum,
ing that inquiry, and believing that ina-f j n cver y exhibition ofhimsolf, he shows
.. .... l timo mulriiinr tilt* lnnillTV. • • 11 < I nil tliooA rliniPlll.
ny are at this time making the inquiry,
I address this note to you, to request
that you would republish an a* tide on
Regeneration which was published in
your paper of April 8, 1831. 1 make
this request the more earnestly, because
I think it the clearest answer to that
all-important question that I have ever
seen. I think I have reason to bless
God for its first appearance; as 1 be
lieve that I derived assistance myself
from it, in settling that momentous
question.
A Subscriber.
The following is the article referred
to by our correspondent.
REGE N E RATI ON.
How does the Bible answer the ques
r . . 1 J il
himselt to be, banish all these diliicui-
ties at once?
One point, to which the sinner needs
to be brought, is this; that he should
learn 4o “walk by faith, and not by
sight;” that he should learn to trust in
God for the performance of that, for
which ha has no security but tho di
vine character. Till he comes to this
point, he is not where lie should be,—
where he needs to be—where he must
be, or he cannot bo saved. And this
setting at once about tho performance
of Christian duty, trusting that God will
grant the needed aid, is but practically
coming to that point. It is itself a
change inseparable from salvation.—
But to this point he would have no op-
now unes me i»unc uunnw ...» - i , > i r ..»
tion, “What must I do to bo saved?” portumty to come, were hejnst to rc
From tiie Encyclopedia Americana.
NATURAL LAW.
(Continued.)
Thus a man has a perfect right to bis
life, to his personal liberty, and to his
property; and he may by force assert
and vindicate those lights against eve
ry aggressor. But he lias but an im
perfect right to gratitude for favors
bestowed on others, or tochaiity, if
he is in want, or to the affecti n of oth
ers, even if he is truly deserving of it.
Is is difficult to make any exact enu
meration of what may be oermed the
general rights of mankind, which may
not admit of some exceptions, or which
may not be deemed capable of modifi
cation under peculiar circumstances.
Thus the most general rights, which
belong to all mankind, may he said to
be the use of air, light, water, and to
the fruits of the earth And yet. under
certain circumstances, life, and libc:ty,
and property, may justly he takfi a-
way; a a , for instance, in order to pre
vent crimes, to enforce tho rights of
other persons, or to secure the safety
and happiness of society. And iri like
manner tlm free use of air, light and
water, may he interdicted. In regard
to imperfect rights, although the sanc
tion is wholly upon the conscience of
the party under a sense of religious
responsibility, the obligation to perform
the duties corresponding to them is,
nevertheless, to lie deemed as impera
tive, as if they also possessed the
strongest earthly sanctions; since they
arise from the commands of G<>«1, ar.d
are to bn dorm in obedience to Iris will.
Every man is therefore bound to exer*
cise charity in its largest sense; to bo
just, grateful, kind and benevolent; to
promote the general happiness; to speak
the truth and to abstain from falsehm d;
to abstain from expression, anger, re
venge, hatred, malice, slander, unchar-
itablencss, persecution, and every other
injurious act or passion. These ere
duties, which arc incumbent on him in
respect to all the human race. There
are others, again, which arise from pe
culiar relations to others; such are
those, which belong to him in the char
acter of master or servant, magistrate
or subject, parent or child, husband or
wife. Among Ihc duties of masters
and servants, we may enumerate, on
the part of the master, tho duty to cn-
i join on servants no unnecessary labor
or confinement, from capiice, or w an-
tonness, or passion; to insult no ser
vants by harsh, opprobrious or scorn
ful language; to refuse them no harm
less ^pleasures; to promote their wel
fare by aft reasonable means, on th#
part of servants, the duty to be indus
trious, and punctual in the discharge
of their duty, faithful and honest; and
to yield a toady obedience to all just
commands. On the part of magistrates,
the duty of exercising power with mod
eration and mercy as well as justice.
On tho part of subjects, the duty of
obeying the laws and supporting the
institutions of society. On the part of
parents, the duty of maintaining, edu
cating, and otherwise providing for the
intellectual, moral and physical im
provement of their children. On tho
part of children, the duty to render
their parents a just homage, love and
reverence, to obey their commands, to
lighten their labors, assuage their sor
rows, and, as far as may he in their
power, to administer to their infirmities,
and to support and succor them when
in poverty. On the part of husband
and wife, the duty to promote domestic
peace and harmony; to cultivate mu
tual love and forbearance; and in pros
perity and in adversity, in sickness and
in health, in life and in death, to be
true, and watchful, and tender, as those
whom God has united in bonds of per
manent obligation and sanctity. And
this leads us to the consideration rtf tho
subject of marriage, and sumo of the
rights and duties flow ing from it. Mar
riage is an institution, which may pro
perly be deemed to arise from the law
of nature. It promotes the private