Page:An Oration Delivered April 2d, 1771.djvu/5

6 The horrid bloody scene we here commemorate, whatever were the causes which concurred to bring it on that dreadful night, must lead the pious and humane of every order to some suitable reflections. The pious will adore the conduct of that who is unsearchable in all his ways, and without whose knowledge not a single sparrow falls, in permitting an immortal soul to be hurried by the flying ball, the messenger of death, in the twinkling of an eye, to meet the awful Judge of all it’s secret actions. The humane, from having often thought with pleasing rapture on the endearing scenes of social life, in all it’s amiable relations, will lament with heart-felt pangs their sudden dissolution by the indiscretion, rage and vengeance of unruly human passions.

But let us leave that shocking close of one continued course of rancor and dispute from the first moment that the troops arrived in town: that course will now be represented by your own reflexions to much more solid, useful purpose than by any artful language. I hope, however, that Heaven has yet in store such happiness, for this afflicted town and province, as will in time wear out the memory of all our former troubles. I fiercerly