Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1813-06-28
Mouelovt.aE
A SHORT ABSTRACT OF
CHRISTIAN FAITH.

fam sometimes asked reason OF the
home that is in me aud If the inquircr be
,csnlid. | generally satisfy lin with reply
aome,hing like the following,
To the first place, my parents taught me
.he christian religion and as they treated
rrs with much tenderness aud reason able
,e.. in every thing else, I hsd sis.t 10
snn,ose tl..t Dis par 40 OF thais cafe To-
49,. me VISA not misplaced; and so l
cbeerf ,llv embraced what they seriously x
urgently recon mended.
In the next place, as l grew up, l took
more notice, aud al l believe does every
child. of other mems moral characters, than
was generally supposed. / fund that |
inyolun,afily loved III good, vie, meek, &
Aoly men, and fell know not how,
kind of deteststion for all profans, wicked
and licen,ous persons, Before ever II was
told me, remarked that the former were
Christians while the latter scofied NJ the
name. Thus nature ioined with education
TO conf m me II, f,yor of christianity,
Bit did no. stop here. Age soon brought
along It's violence of passions, and its ger
plex,y of cares, and these created doRbi,
terrible obstacle. D9ubl IL that formidable
wound which separates christian faith and
hoIe, from the regions Of despair 1t lies
almost enurely in the domains Of the latter
but ii cost ms onl, siew Struggles 10 a.
void sliding down the fatal PIE eiuice.
Reason len, me helping arm, and guoing
hand, and J seen. gained ina, Illuminated
summit which cornr,sndo a view Of Heasea
My ,rogtess thlthef nay easlly be sced.
Reason first laid her finger on The bible.
I read ii; was delighted though, saw
throughout the whole. induhi,abie marks of
truth. & often declared it must be inspired
Eui complained hat II was not so pcrfec,
IS could have wished some hings in II
disguised me, and some bsfned my Zen
etra,ion. Reason replied, You are dIssst.
isfed with the bible ARE you satisfied
with creation !" I answered, yes. Look
then at yonder decayed Tree does rot the
sight DISCUS, you!'' Yes. I'D you kno "
how ii is Constructed I" No. DO you
kaow its connexion with The grea, system
Of things J" No. that TOO b,fties my pene-
tration. Is In what espect hen" demsnd
ed Reason. ",s the bs5le less YeIIs o. than
the creation ~
F IN hat time, had no more to object
agsins' the oible itself. Still, some shadows
would fit across my mind, aud | one day
per,ersely asked Reason, TO shew me the
aWheafitity st he sacred book. Not at loss,
she oddly opened 10 me The rolls OF history
--made me remark the unanimous concu,
renee Of 20 or 80 ages in its favour con.
WINGED NE Of the irnposs,biity of its being
corfu scd on account of the jealousy Of OH
erent s 4, who Al, acknowledged IT Us their
stsndard demanded ne 10 name q time,
wien ,he facts and ,nst tu,ions there recor.
ded could have AIKEN lice, excep, nj he
times there slledged aud then BID me
look at the dspers of the Jews, aud the
ex sence Of Christianity.
lives sa isfi Il
Since then, whenever have found ny
self doubling 0ftle ruth and excellence Of
the biUle, have made it a point TO doubt
sso the exi edi' nc, Of usmg food 10 pre-
serve ANNA. ex stence.
This is ,ummasy ofthe defence of my
Faith. sides this protest, thai ! feel, 3
so presume does e,eiy christian, gee
deal more sssur nee ihSn c-n possibly
sxpress.-Boston D-,g Iave5nser.