The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-09-20

Is the humble christian, the preacher Of
truth as in tho gospel, the man who fears
not reproach in the cause of his Lord.
Ihope and trust that his sermons will
be printed, that by the perusal Of them
the christian may be edified,and the wa
vcring confirmed in the truths of chris
tianity.
With thanks for the many civilities l
have received during my residence here,
and with the liveliast gratitude to my nu-
merous friends for their kindness, l now
bid them farewell. MERCATOR.
We find the following narrative in the
Stamford (Con.) Sentinel:
HORRIBLE EFFECTS OF RELIC
IOUS FRENZY.
The following melancholy occurrence
from fanaticism which has recently taken
place in an adjoining town, has been re-.
lated to us by a. person who learnt the
particulars from the wife of the unfor-
tunatc man, and from persons residing
in the vicinity of the bloody scene.
A. Mr..tStephen J. Miller, Of New
Canaan, for many years past very
respectable member Of the Congrega-
tional church in North Stamford, under
the pastoral charge of the Rev. Mr..
Fuller, on Thursday night last killed his
two children, and nearly killed his wife,
while in state of alteration Of mind
The circumstances which led to the act
are as follows Not long since the
church at North Stamford held g four
days meeting" Mr.. M. was constant
in his attendance, and was apparently
much exercised in his mind with the
religious services Of the meeting. On
Friday, the I'd instant, he attended n
similar meeting at New Canaan, con-
Quoted by the Methodist persuasion; on
bis return home he told his wife he
should do no more work, and that he
intended to leave all his temporal con-
Germs to Providence, and prepare HIM
self for death. From that moment he
commenced fasting, declaring he should,
in future, live upon faith--he then oc-
cupied most of his time, during the
hours of labor, in reading the Scriptures
or prayer. On Tuesday morning last
hc told his wife she must not cook any
victuals, hut that she and the children
must also fast with this request
Mrs. M. complied, suspecting his mind
was not altogether rational. The neigh
bors, during this time, had no, discover
ed any thing in the conduct Of Mr.. NJ.
to excite suspicion Of his insanity. On
Thursday night he retired to bed at his
usnal hour, with his family, consisting
Of his wife and two children, one three
and the other one year Of age. About
midnight thunder shower rose, and
the noise Of the thunder awoke them
from slcep--Mrs. M. observed to her
husband that the shower was very heavy,
to which he replied, g. Yes, the day OF
Judgment is a, hand, and we must get
mp and prepare for it," He immediate
ly left his bed, took his elder child aud
commenced beating it in n terrible man.
ner, to keep (as he remarked at the
time) "the Devils off''-Mrs. Miller
sprang out Of bed and interfered--Mil-
Ter let 20 Of the child and seized her by
the hair Of her head, and before she
could cxtricate herself from his grasp,
he tore all her night clothes off, and
bruised, bit and scratched her flesh most
shockingly; on making her escape, she
fled below stairs, and he followed close
after her. In the attempt to pass the
outer door, he caught her by the ancle,
she fell outside, the door ut the same
time closing against her leg; in this
condition she lay nearly an hour, naked,
and the rain pouring down in torrents,
he, during the time, holding her by the
ancle inside the door. He finally, and
of his own accord, let go his hold, and
she fled to the nearest neighbor, almost
lifelcss. The ncighbors being alarmed
repaired to Miler's house and found
him ranging about it; the windows
were mostly broken to pieces-the
younger child was found lying in the
weeds, about two rods from the house,
awfaIly wounded in several parts of the
body by blows apparently inflicted
upon it with hoe-it fingered few
hours and died. The other child was
found a corpse in the cellar, wretchcdly
mangied.
From traces of blood, and other up
pearances, it is supposed the last men,
toned child was killed by beating its
head against the cnsings Of the window
in the chamber in which the tragedy
commenced, and that the body was then
hove out Of the window, and afterwards
taken up and thrown through another
window, into the cellar. Mrs. Miller
remained at the house where she first