Palida Mors

Mr. FORSYTH's Election Sermon.

State of Vermont. IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OCTOBER 12, 1799

ON MOTION, RESOLVED, That Mr. HAY be requested to wait on the Rev. WILLIAM FORSYTH, to return him the thanks of this House for the ELECTION SERMON, delivered on Thursday last, before his Excellency the GOVERNOR, and both Branches of the LEGISLATURE: and to request a Copy thereof for the Press.

Extract from tie Journals of the General Assembly,

ATTEST. SAMUEL C. CRAFTS, CLERK.

AN ELECTION SERMON.

THERE THE WICKED CEASE FROM TROUBLING, THERE THE WEARY ARE AT REST. THERE THE PRISONERS BEST TOGETHER, THEY HEAR NOT THE VOICE OF THE OPPRESSOR, THE SMALL AND THE GREAT IS THERE, AND THE SERVANT IS FREE FROM HIS MASTER.

THE rivers and firearms which run along the surface of our globe, are all equal in their original; whither we consider them in themselves, or. In the common, causes from whence they all arise. Some puny fountain, or contiguous mountain taught them at first to flow: but in their courses along, the earth, they soon become distinguised by ten thousand accidents.

SOME scarce issued from their parent springs, are swelled with snows, and augmented bv the continual accession of numberless streams, until at length assembled together from all quarters, in mighty bodies, they roll over the world with superior majesty. Others, unaided by these accidental causes, admit but of small increase, and run along in the same humble channel. But this state of things, however, is not of long duration. They are all to meet finally in one place. After having run their appointed courses, and displayed for some little time, their different forces, they fall all into the sea, their common receptacle: there their waters are blended, their courles lust and even their names unknown: thus, as they were equal in their original, they are again equal in their end.

THIS is a just representation of human life—men as: they stand in nature are equal; they are equal when they first enter into life, in every material circumstance: but as they advance, this equality is gradually diminished, and at length, seemingly altogether destroyed. Some in the course of their progress, are augmented with birth, with riches, honors, titles and same: others are endewed with p. 4none of all these acquisitions, but continue in their first humble obscurity. Some are happy, are fortunate, live in the midst of ease, of health, of mirth; and jovial pleasures; others are unhappy, unfortunate, pressed with many calamities, have their health impaired, and their spirits broken: but neither does this state of things continue long; a few years of this scenery elapsed, and death restores the equality again, and renders the appearane of human affairs once more uniform.

p. 4THIS view of the event, is truly interesting to two of polite se◊s of men, to them who are sufferers by the present inequality which prevails in life, the prospect of its abolition must be a favourite subject of contemplation. It must be so in a still higher degree, when these sufferings are brought upon them by the oppressive exertions of human power, and when they consider it as not only delivering them from their troubles by placing them beyond the reach of their oppressors; but as disarming their oppressors themselves of that power, which they so greatly abused, and reducing them to a level with these over whom they tyranized. How infinitely pathetic and beautiful is this meditation of Job in the text, how deeply founded in the original feelings of our nature.

WHILST overwhelmed with miserv and extreme despair, he is represented as looking forward to the grave as his last resource; considering it as a place where the long lost equality of nature shall be again restored, where the wicked shall cease from troubling, where the weary shall rest from their toils, where the long confined prisoner shall be set at liberty, and where tyranny shall oppress no more. To the opposite class of men again, to those who are gainers by the present inequality which prevails in life, the prospect must appear in a different light, and produce a different effect upon their sentiments.

BUT in this discourse, I shall confine myseIf to the first class; and consider the grave in the single light of a relief to the opressed; and in doing this I shall follow the order of the text, and observe the following method.

I. I SHALL consider the grave as a place where the wicked cease from troubling.

p. 5II. I SHALL consider it as a place where the weary are at rest.

III. I SHALL consider it as a place where the distinction of life are leveled, where nature resumes her rights, and where all men are again replaced in their original equality.

I. I AM to consider the grave as a place where the wicked cease from troubling. I mean not at present to address the dissipated and the gay, unacquainted by their own experience with the troubles of life, they can know them only by the information of others; and this information should any one be particular enough to offer it, they may listen to or not, as they are disposed.

p. 5THE troubles of the world are heard at a distance and affect not their repose; they may cease or continue without disturbing their system, or producing any material effect upon their sentiments. It is you, my brethren, who like myself have been tried and troubled, whom I now mean to address—Come then let us descend into the grave, and view the silent mansions where the wicked only can despair.

AND in the first place, in viewing the realms of the dead, observe the profound quiet which reigns there. —More still than the unruffled surface of the deep, the face of this mighty empire is tranquil, and all is solitude and silence.

HERE is no invasion of property, or a dispute about the limits which divides one man's territory from another. But every one possesses his own narrow house, nor feels a wish, nor can make a motion to transplant himself into that of another.