FROM

HERALD OF GOSPEL LIBERTY.
BY ELIAS SMITH.
NO. 1. ]	THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 1, 1808.	[ VOL. 1.
"FROM REALMS FAR DISTANT, AND FROM CLIMES UNKNOWN: WE MAKE THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR KING YOU OWN."

BRETHREN AND FELLOW CITIZENS,

HE age in which we live may certainly be distinguished from others in the history of Man, and particularly, as it respects the people of these United States, the increase of knowledge is very great in different parts of the world, and of course there is an increase of Liberty among the people, and an increasing desire among certain individuals, accompanied with their fruitless exertions, to prevent them from enjoying what they have been taught belongs to them, as a right given by their Creator, and guaranteed by the government of the country in which we live.

      The struggle which has and still continues to convulse the nations in the old countries, are in a great measure over here. Liberty as men, is what many are now making violent exertions to obtain, and others (though few in numbers) by every possible mean are endeavouring to prevent.

      This Liberty is in a great measure obtained in this country, to the greatest advantages of Millions and the grief of thousands, "who care not for the people;" but while we glory in being a free people, and of being independent of the nations which endeavoured to deprive us of the rights which God has given us in common with all nations, multitudes are enslaved with the principles bro't from Europe by those who first settled this country. Had George the third, when he withdrew his troops from this country, withdrawn all the principles respecting civil and religious affairs, which are in opposition to the rights of mankind, we should have been a much more united and happy people than we now are: but alas! they are left among us like the Canaanites in ancient times, to be overcome by little and little; and like the army of Gog, which fell upon the mountains of Israel they are to be buried by men employed for that purpose, while every passenger is to erect a monument, wherever he finds a bone in his way. It is now now a tyrannical government which deprives us of liberty; but the highly destructive principles of tyranny which remain in a good government; and though these principles are not protected by law, yet men's attachment to them, in a free government, prevents the enjoyment of liberty which God has given us, and which all might enjoy according to the Constitution of the United States. A member of Congress said to me not long ago (while speaking upon the state of the people in this country, as it respects religious liberty) to this amount, "the people in this country are in general free, as to political matters; but in things of religion, multitudes of them are apparently ignorant of what liberty is:" This is true, MANY who appear to know what belongs to them as citizens, and who will contend for their rights; when they talk or act upon things of the highest importance, appear to be guided wholly by the opinions of designing men, who would bind them in the chains of ignorance all their days, and entail the same on all their posterity.--The design of this paper is to shew them the Liberty which belongs to men as it respects their duty to God, and each other.

      It is an established principle with me, that the man who appears in any public service and is faithful to his trust, will have a double character; by the unjust and them who judge from the testimony of such, he will be considered a disturber of the peace, as turning the world upside down, and stirring up the people to revolt; but by the well informed lovers of truth, he will be considered a light to them who otherwise would set in darkness. There is no doubt in my mind but many will be displeased at what may appear in this paper from time to time, unless they own that, right is equal among all.

      How difficult the task may be, which is now undertaken, is unknown to me, experience will shew this;--this however is my design, to have a steady and persevering regard to truth, and the general good of men; and to treat every thing in a fair and manly way; not scandalizing any, or doing any thing by partiality. Should any scandalize themselves by bad conduct; let them not charge it to me. If men do not wish to have bad things said of them, let them not do bad things. It is my design in the following numbers to give a plain description of the rights of men, and to shew the principle on which they are founded, and likewise to shew the opposite. There are many things taking place in the present day respecting religion, which will be noticed as they occur. A particular attention will be paid to the accounts of revivals of religion in different parts of the world, among the various denominations who call Jesus, Lord, as far as it can be obtained.

      A religious News-paper is almost a new thing under the sun; I know not but this is the first ever published to the world.

      The utility of such a paper has been suggested to me, from the great use other papers are to the community at large. In this way almost the whole state of the world is presented to us at once. In a short and cheap way, a general knowledge of our affairs is diffused through the whole; and by looking into a News-paper, we often look at the state of nations, and see them rise into importance, or crumble into ruin. If we are profited in political affairs in this way, I do not see why the knowledge of the Redeemer's kingdom may not be promoted or increased in the same way. It appears to me best to make the trial. The liberal subscriptions for this work in these trying times, has encouraged me to begin it, hoping that others will find an advantage in forwarding the work by adding their names to the list of those who have already wished such a work to appear in the world.

      There are many things which will be taken up which are not new, but are important, and which if stated to the rising generation will serve to give them a knowledge of that liberty for which their fathers bled, and for which they ought to contend.

      It is the design of the Editor, in describing the nature of civil and religious liberty, to come to the capacities of those whose advantages have been small, as to acquiring a general knowledge of the world.

      It may be that some may wish to know why this paper should be named "HERALD OF GOSPEL LIBERTY." This kind of liberty is the only one which can make us happy, being the glorious liberty of the sons of God which Christ proclaimed; and which all who have, are exhorted to stand fast in, being that which is given and enjoyed by the law of Liberty; which is the law of the spirit of life in Christ, Jesus, which makes free from the law of sin and death.

      In this place, I give the meaning of the word Herald. This word is derived from the Saxon word Herebault, and by abbreviation, Heralt, which in that language signifies the Champions of an army, and growing to be a name of office, it was given to him who, in the army, had the special charge to denounce war, to challenge to battle and combat, to proclaim peace, and to execute martial messages. The business of an Herald in the English government is as follows--"To marshal, order, and conduct all royal cavalcades, ceremonies at coronations, royal marriages, installations, creations of Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Vicounts, Barons, Baronets, and dubbings of Knights, embassies, funeral processions, declarations of war, proclamations of peace, &c. to record and blazon the arms of the nobility and gentry; and to regulate any abuses therein through the English dominions, under the authority of the earl Marshal, to whom they are subservient." As this is the meaning of an Herald and as many such things ought now to be attended to, I see a great propriety in the name. The origin of Herald is very ancient.

      Stentor, is represented by Homer, as Herald of the Greeks, who had a voice louder than fifteen men together. So may the voice of real liberty be heard above all the opposite sounds which can be made by tyrant kings, and priests!

[Herald of Gospel Liberty 1 (September 1, 1808): 1.]

      Elias Smith's "Address to the Public: To the Subscribers for This Paper, and to All Who May Hereafter Read Its Contents" was first published in The Herald of Gospel Liberty, Vol. 1, No. 1, September 1, 1808, p. 1.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. The printer's "long s" has been replaced with the standard letter "s" in the electronic text. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
724.694.8602
stefanik@westol.com

Created 25 November 1998.