ocean. May we, as a nation, be of one mind in resisting every species
of immorality, in studying the happiness of our fellow creatures--of
one mind in obtaining a knowledge of the character of our Creator, in
studying his parental and benign government, and his divine attributes
and unchanging perfections--and be of one mind in acquainting
ourselves with his beautiful works that swarm around us and afford us
so many rational delights. Let us store our minds with useful
knowledge, practice the precept of Christ, labor for mental
emancipation, and contentment and peace will be our lot.

In the great duties of religious obligation, let us be of one heart
and mind. Let us live like brethren, not only among ourselves, but
among other denominations. It is not long that we are to be together.
We are fading like the flower of the field, and ought to bear in mind
that death will soon lay our heads equally low in the dust, and the
worms shall cover us. We glitter for a moment like the bubbles borne
on the bosom of the ocean; they break and mingle again with the parent
fountain. We toil and heap up wealth, pass like empty shadows over the
plain and vanish forever! Generations, that covered the earth, are
gone, and unremembered by the living. They strove to gather wealth and
honors--they met each other in the hostile field--rolled garments in
blood, bedewed the widow's and the orphan's cheek with tears, and
filled their peaceful habitations with the voice of lamentation and
wo. Thousands lived in clamors and discord, and one seemed destined to
be oppressed by another. But the fields of war are still, the noise of
battle is hushed, and the voice of lamentation and wo is heard no
more! Hark! All is still as the chambers of eternal silence! Where are
they? In the shades of death! Kind reader, this is the doom of us all!
And so it will soon be said of you and me! Let us then be of one mind.
Let us do good by visiting the fatherless in their affliction and
keeping ourselves unspotted from the world.

We have now considered the fact, that real felicity consists in mental
pleasures and gratifications, and that these alone exalt our nature
and capacity for happiness above the brute creation, and have directed
your attention to virtue and peace as the only condition in which that
happiness can be found. We have brought to view the propriety of being
of one heart and mind towards each other in our families, in our
religious societies, in t