Alexandria Advertiser And Commercial Intelligencer

FROM THE NEW YORK GAZETTE.

Extracts from "Principles of Nature," published by Elihu Palmer, President of the Deistical Society in New York.-- No. 4.

Though no one who has seen the proofs, can doubt of the existence of a Deistical Society, yet few may be aware of the horrid tendency of the principles adopted and propagated by said society. Mr. Palmer not only presides, and lectures to them, but has published a book, that of his instructions, may accompany them to their closets. The following are some farther extracts:

"A God that inspires people with lies is worse than no God at all, and such is the character of the Bible-God, if the passages of scripture cited above are to be credited." p. 139.

"This book contains maxims and commands which are said to have come from God, which would disgrace the character of any honest man, and make him a candidate for a State Prison, or the gallows." p. 143.

"Of all the books that ever were published, Volney's Ruins is pre-eminently entitled to the appellation of Holy Writ, and ought to be appointed to be read in Churches; not by his Majesty's special command, but by the universal consent and approbation of all those who love nature, truth and human happiness."--P. 148. 149.

"The characters spoken of in scripture, as favorites of Heaven, such as Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Jesus and Paul, are none of them good moral characters." p. 156.

"The savage of America has excelled in the patient fortitude of suffering beyond all that can be boasted by all the Christian martyrs of the world; yet this uncultivated man of the western world, holds in contempt the Doctrines and promises of the Christian religion." p. 159.

"The ignorance and stupidity of Moses, Joshua and Jesus, were exposed, and their opinions were sacrificed upon the altar of philosophical truth and mathematical demonstration." p. 182.

"The writings of Paine, bear the most striking relation to the immediate improvement and moral felicity of the intelligent world. He writes upon principle, and he always understands the principle on which he writes; he reasons without logic, and convinces without argumentation--he strangles error by his first grasp, and develops truth with much simplicity, but with irresistible force. He is one of the first and best of writers, and probably the most useful man that ever existed upon the face of the earth. His moral and political writings are equally excellent, and the beneficial influence of the principles for which he has contended will be felt through all succeeding ages. Volney and Condorcet, Godwin and Barlow, are justly entitled to the universal gratitude and applause of the human race." p. 184. 185.

From the last quotation, the reader may learn much. He may learn the political as well as the religious character of Mr. Palmer and the flock among whom he labors. They are in sentiment with Paine who has publicly declared his opposition to the present constitution of the U. States. In his letter to President Washington he says, "If I live to return to America I will use all my endeavors to have them [certain parts of the constitution] altered." The reader will also see the approbation which is implied of this scurrilous letter to one of the greatest men and truest patriots our country has ever produced--the industry which has been used in circulating the writings of Paine--and the affectionate invitation to return to America. That there are many who have been attached to wild democracy, who are firm believers in divine revelation, is unquestionable; but that in the Deistical society democracy and infidelity go hand in hand, is as clear as the noon-day; for Palmer their teacher and President has said that Paine's moral and political writings are equally excellent.

FIDELIS.