WHATEVER creates love of our country, and obedience to its laws, cannot be uninteresting to Americans. Impressed with this sentiment, we shall attempt to shew the political importance of Science and Religion, and infer their peculiar necessity to the youth of America.

An ignorant people, blinded by passion, and deluded by the intrigues of ambition, are jealous under the freest government, and discontented under the mildest laws. Animated with enthusi­astic frenzy, they hurry into tumult and insur­rection, trample upon law, and set civil authority at defiance. Experience, dreadful experience, has deeply engraven the truth of these remarks upon the annals of all free governments. Every republic has seen and felt the importance of hav­ing the whole circle of society illuminated with the beams of science. Whenever we attain to such an aera, every one, whose heart feels the least glow of sensibility, must kneel, and thank the great Parent of nature that he was born an Ameri­can. When we stand upon the eminence of know­ledge, and survey all the nations that ever shone in the ancient or modern worlds; when we exa­mine [Page 4]the complicated principles of their govern­ments, and trace the causes which gradually rais­ed them to glory, or sunk them into obscurity, we shall gaze upon the American Constitution with rapture and astonishment. Viewing it as the immortal monument of genius and wisdom, as the phaenomenon of the present age, we shall exclaim, blest, thrice blest is America. Blest indeed, if she always preserves her rights unimpaired.

This cannot be effected by Science alone. Sci­ence shews the beauty, majesty and grandeur of our temple; but public virtue only will guard it from profanation. Imagine that dissipation, pro­fligacy and corruption, should annihilate all man­liness of character, extinguish all public spirit, and if possible all American virtue. How, and by whom, will then be filled those public offices, now so dignified with patriotism and wisdom? Will not all elections be carried on by bribery and venality? Will not every office be disgraced by ambition and depravity? Without public support, will not our Constitution dwindle into mere insignificance? Amid the general slumber and insensibility, an American Caesar starts up, unsheaths the sword of civil war, and deluges our country in blood and desolation. Thus the throne of despotism is erected. Heaven avert the blow! Patriotism banish the thought! If ever this time comes, come with it death! But destruction is inevitable, should we degenerate from the mo­rality of our fathers. Our bark sails upon a bois­terous ocean, convulsed with storms, and if we become inebriated with the poisonous bowls of sensuality, it is instantly dashed to pieces, and we are buried beneath the billows.

The necessity of morality implies the necessity [Page 5]of Religion. Without this, in vain should we boast of being one of the most enlightened nations upon earth. The hand of Science, however, naturally conducts to the altar of Religion. A contemplation of the beauty, harmony and gran­deur pervading the universe, swells the mind with wonder, and insensibly hurries it to the object of all adoration: the wisest men are generally the most religious. Religion is the great luminary of America and the world: if extinguished, all morality is extinguished; we are involved in night, and changed into daemons of darkness. Atheism appears: a horrid monster, without shape, without substance; black he stands as night, fierce as his native hell. See how he tears asunder all the tender affections of the soul. The passions swell into irresistible torrents, and bear away the props of society. Society becomes an agitated ocean, property a shattered bark, and man an exhausted swimmer amid the contending billows. These pictures cannot be called delu­sions of the imagination. The abolishment of Religion in France, produced scenes still more dreadful; scenes, the bare thought of which is sufficient to make the blood of a canibal freeze with horror. Boiling with tyger ferocity, her fanatics plunged the dagger into the hearts of friend, brother, son and parent, with the calm serenity of a smile. Even the tomb afforded no sanctuary. Society was converted into a charnel house, covered with bones and mutilated car­cases. We beheld her prisons echoing with groans, her streets swelling with carnage, her rivers reddening with blood, her cities sinking in flames. Behold that once flourishing nation, covered with the funeral pall of desolation! Did [Page 6]such horrors ever blacken the history of the most abominable superstition? But Religion is a sun, which though it may sometimes generate the clouds of superstition, yet shines far above them, and re­tains all its native splendour. Religion expands the soul, and warms it with patriotism and uni­versal philanthropy. It unnerves the malevolent passions, creates and invigorates the social affec­tions, and cherishes all those noble sentiments of natural relationship, that lay the foundation of political freedom.

Called by the voice of Religion, Americans, like the children of Israel, fled from oppression, and settled in a land of strangers. When famine and death stared them in the face, heaven inter­posed, shielded from danger, and long crowned them with prosperity and happiness. When we their sons were falling beneath the sword of war, the great God of armies gave us a Joshua to sub­due our foes, and conduct us to victory and glo­ry. Now, when again threatened with destruc­tion, the same overruling Power has not only preserved this venerable patriot a second time to head our armies, but has raised up a Solomon to direct our councils.

Thus miraculously favoured, let our breasts always glow with piety and devotion to the su­preme Arbiter of nations, and Ruler of the uni­verse. Then shall the trees of Science and Re­ligion, naturally interweaving their branches, and supporting each other, rise above the clouds, and overshadow the whole Union. Mild concord shall reign, and silence the clamour of faction. The hatchet of industry, wielded by the strong arm of freedom, shall resound from the shores of the Atlantic to the banks of the Missisippi. Ame­ricans [Page 7]shall become one great family of brothers, all animated with the same virtue, with the same patriotism, with the same irresistible ardour for independence.

Such, ye Youth of America, is the importance of Science and Religion. Soon, alas! too soon, will our fathers be translated to the starry man­sions of their God. Then will be deposited in our hands the Constitution framed by their wis­dom, and the independence won by their blood. By us alone can the invaluable legacies be trans­mitted to posterity. Yes, upon us depend the freedom and happiness of millions yet unborn. The voice of our fathers, the voice of posterity, therefore, call upon us always to venerate Science and Religion; and at this awful crisis in parti­cular, they exhort us to cling to them, as to the pillars of our political salvation.

Behold! that fell daemon, Atheism, issues from night and chaos, demolishes the government of France, and erects his throne upon its ruins. While he vociferates liberty and equality, he bran­dishes the thunderbolts of despotism, and stains the charter of freedom with the blood of its mar­tyrs. Unsatiated with the spoils of one kingdom, with giant strides he encompasses Europe, de­stroys the monuments of art, tramples upon the sons of Science, tears down the altars of Religion, and deluges the world in blood. The earth trem­bles, the sky blackens—the monster approaches, and extends his arms to America. She, se­cure in native innocence, averts with scorn his foul embrace, and reposes her confidence in hea­ven and the unanimity of her sons. The voice of Science and Religion cries, to arms, to arms. Great WASHINGTON leaves the shades of retire­ment, [Page 8]draws the sword of death, and points to victory. The indignant shades of WARREN and MONTGOMERY start from their tombs, point at the wounds of their country, and cry aloud, re­venge for our injured rights! My Brothers, swear to guard from profanation the altars of your Re­ligion and Liberty. Rally with your fathers around the fortress of independence, and nobly resolve to defend it—or die. Alas! should you fall, your tomb would be the tomb of Science, of Religion, of Liberty, of America, and Man.