Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1817-05-24

led out, and be no more ; and yet
shall never cease to wish you that
happy Immortality which / believe
Jesus above has purchased for the vir-
tuous and truly good Of every religi-
Gus denomination in Christehdom, and
for those of every age, nation and my
thology. who reverence the deity, and
are filed with integrity. righteous
ness. and beHevoience. Wishing you
every blessing, I am dear sir, your
most obedient servant,
EZRA STILES.
His Ercellency DR.. Benjamia !
Franklin, Philadelphia.
.ans1oer Of DR.. Franklin to the fore
going.
Philadelphia, March 9, 1890.
Rererend and dear Sir,--l received
your kind letter Of Jan. %, and am
glad you have at length received
the portrait of Gov. Yale from his
family, and deposited il in the College
Library. He was great and good
man, and had the merit of doing inf
mite service to your country by his
munilicence to that institution. The
honor you propose doing me, by plsc-
ing mine ir with MS,
lis much ~ lt
Iyo E,
+ N,
- 10 lale
~. 4 ,oeiety IN {
tuoh n,.rc -, aud adorned me
with its honers, to refuse request
|ii,u. comes from it. through so es-
ecmed friend. But I do not think.
any Of the portraits you mention as in
my possession worthy of The situation
md company you propose to place il
N. You have ~ excellent artist hate
~ arrived. II he will undertake to
make one for ynu, shall cheerfully
pay the expense; but he must not de-
lay setting about it, or l may slip
through his fingers: for I am now in
NY S5th year, and very infirm.
send with this a very learned
work, as it appears TO me, on the an
,ient Samaritan coins, lately printed
in Spain. and at least curious for the
beauty of the impression. Please to
accept it for your College Library. i
nave subscribed for the Encyclopedia
now printing here, with the intention
Of presenting it to the College. ] shall
probably depart before the work is
finished, but shall leave directions for
its continuance TO The end. With this
you will receive some Of the first num-
bers.
You desire to know something Of
my religion. 1t is the FIRST time I
have been questioned upon it. But ]
cannot take your curiosity smiss, and
shall endeavor in a few words to gra-
tiry it. Here is my creed. / believe
in one God, the Creator Of the Uni
verse. That he governs il by his
Providence. That he ought to De
worshipped. That the most accept
able service we render him is doing
good to his other children. That the
soul Of man is immortal, and will be
treated with justice in another life
respecting its conduct in this. These
/ take to be the fundamental points in
Jail sound religion. ard l regard them
las you do in whatever sect l meet with
them. As to Jesus OF Nazareth, my
|opinion of whom you particularly de-
|sire, think the system Of morals,
land his religion, as he left them TO Us,
the best the world ever saw, or is like
Ito see; but l apprehend il has receiv-
led various corrupting changes, and l
have, with most of the present dis
senters in England, some doubts as
to his divinity though it is question
1 do not dogmatize upon, having never
studied it, and think it needless to
busy myself with it now. when 4 ex-
lpect soon an opportunity of knowing
the truth with less trouble. see 40
harm however in its being believed,
lifthat belief has the good consequence,
Jas probably it has, Of making mis- dog
ltrines more respected, aad mo-" Or