Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-02-23

6 parents. TIE >hilities he early evin-
ced procured for him a gratuitOus G.
GucatiOu and he successfully obtain
ed by his good conduct. his decent and
Gentle manners. the situation of Tutor
in a noble family. Usher at a school,
and Clerk in the Graresend Bank
IN all he was highly respected. Il con-
sidrrcl to possess very promising Ia
tents. Unhappily his mind became
tainted with infdelity, and this paved
the way for that temptation to which
he sacrificed bis hopes, his character,
and his life.
He aCd 20 France, and, urged by
his ardour for literary acquisition,
entered the college Of Abbeville.
On the near approach OF his awful
dissolution. he was quite free from C.
very kind of nervous agitation. and
perfectly calm aud collected in his
department. He said that his mind
was al ease, that he depended upon bis
Saviour, that he was going from an
earthly to a heavenly tribunal. and
that there only he had hope. He left
a sketch Of his life drawn up by him.
self. in the hands of the Reverend
MIR. Cotton. which concludes with
this paragraph;
In this innocent and amusing
manner Calluding to his literary pur-
>uits) nearly two years passed sweet
Is over, when a vacancy occurring In
he Grayesend Bank, I was engaged
as Clerk by the firm. who, cOnsi-
dCriag my general good character as
sufficient security required no other.
Now becoming moro public. the sphere
Of my acquaintance was extended
and, as a consequence, my former
habits OF retirement began gradually
To wear off. The pleasure that had
fuuEd in the closet, was now sought
in the gay circle nf nv companions.
The seeds of inhdcIity which had been
Sewn, began now tn make their ap-
pearanCc. Christianity | considered
a grand political scheme, invented to
preserve order and subOrdinatinn a.
momg the people: but thanks to its au-
thor now view it in another light
Isit to be wondered at, that one stand
ing on such fallacious grounds, could
not withstand the temptation by which
IfrH? :"
Vartie wrote upon the wall of bis
cell the following lines
Thou haplrss wretch, whoa Justice calls
To breathe within these dreary walls;
Know, guiltv man. this very cell
May be to thee the porch Of He'll.
Thy guilt confessed, BY God forgiven,
Mysterious change il leads to Heaven.
Nothing roald exceed the prnpriety
with which he conducted himself IN his
unhappy situation. manifesting at all
times the utmost strength of mind
and resignation of soul 10 the will of
God. Daring his Imprisonment he
wrote several letters tn the Reverend
James Ridge, of Limehouse-the fol-
lowing is copy OF one of them -
"Rev. and Dear Sir-I have peru
sed with much attention your address,
whirh though not expressly made to
Cualemued criminal, abOunds with
precepts and reflections, applicable
to every individual in my Circumstan-
rrs. Something there is in the man
ner pccMiarly calculated to afford con-
ISOLATION 10 characters in circumstan-
res like mine something more etfcc-
tnal in leading the trembling sinner
to the feet Of his forgivins God, than
ak that fiery enthusiasm too common
" in these places poured in unCeasing
torrents in his affrighted soul. l have
been witness to such Incorporate zeal
operating the wrong way. No little
Judgment ia required to address with
effect the psct0ra aiSuOSo Of men under
sentence uf death: like the sea-mi-
racle of Christ, none but the voice OF
God can assuage the tempestuOus sea
Though rely on no other support
but that which the holy scriptures ex-
tend. am aware that some defects in
certain fundamental principles of the
Christian Religion, lie naked to the
penetrating eye. while thoy escape
the multitude. The candid and un-
premdiccd reasoner. contemplating
Christianity in the excellency of its
views authorizations. will. ! am parsua-
arf. overlook its few hidden defects,
al ,,.:,.i. ,,...,,,;os,a IN a plipinn Of