The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-10-23

WUot buVC yo0 OVOu uOOut 0it tttuU ItuO
Why, have been considering what
] shall do
'o-bot suppose you have nude up
your mind now T.
Umph-why--not--exactly;l like
TO take my time, aud cast about me,
and look before ! leap, you know
'Of course you have decided at last Z
Why pretty nearly. But the truth
is, am SO bewiIdeped with tho liberal
professions and that of merchant, that
have not exactly come to a conclusion
yet
Frank laughed aloud.
Well, ! see we have got to the sama
point once more. You have not made
your choice, aud have chosen wrong.
Let us try again. am going to study
divinity
You'd better consider
And you'd better decide.'
And thus they parted, as usual. each
thinking the other the prince Of block
heads.
Frank, without moments hesitation,
entered upon the study Of divinity, and
plunged deep irto the fathers. One
day he got hold of Turtullian, and was
delighted with his eloquent defamation
The professor snatched the book out OF
HIS hands, or rather from before him,
for it was mighty folio in parchment.
You must not meddls with that book
said he.
Why not, sir y asked Frank
: Tie style is beautiful--it is like ebony
dark md shining. St. Cyprian, I rec
ollect, when he asked for his works
used to say, .da mihi magistrum'-'givs
me my master'-and Latantius, that he
was 'onni literarum genere peritus'-
skilled in every kind of flearning.'
'All that may be true--but have you
not read in ST. Jerome, and others of the
orthodox fathers, that he was more to be
priced for his wit than his opinions :?
Sir, he was tainted with the devices of
Monatus, and is therefore dangerous
companion for young students, who
should never perplex themselves with
false DOCTRINES
Fiction again ! thought Frank they
will certainly be my rum. But, sir, in
what did the heresies Of Montanus con-
sist should wish to know that may
avoid them.'
Humph- why he was---a---a hereto.
In what, sir1
Young gentleman replied the pro-
fessor, hastily, you'd better apply your
self to the study of orthodox writer's, and
let these mischievou, propagators of er-
ror alone.'
But. SIR asked Frank, modestly,
how am i to establish my faith on ba-
SIS of truth nnless by comparing it with
what is false, and deciding according to
reason?
Sir, answered the professor, i'm pa
tiently,' you will never 90 roI ..-Ir-.
in divinity if you talk about reason
Reason, sir--reason 10 a false light-a
jack-a-lan,ern---a frebrand snntched
from the bottomless pit---a beacon to lure
mankind upon the rocks and shoals of err
ror. 1t was the grent cause Of the fall of
Adam, and will be the ruin of his posteri-
~ TO the latest gsHeration.'
Alas sir, had thought it the most
precious gift bestowed upon mnnkind-.-
'reason, says Lord Bacon, is---'
A fiddlestick.'
: The distinguishing mark which sepe-
rates the human race from the beast ofthe
feld---'
The mark of CAIN
Tho browning gift Of a benefcient be-
ing---'
Silence, young man = roared the pro-
fessor ; silence, I say, and be good e.
nough to prepare return home imme-
diately. You will never make eny figure
in your present profession, with your
precious reason i and he bounced out of
the room.
Mercy upon US i thought Frank,
who would have thought that reason
was so all-important in law, and % per-
nicious in gospel =
The professor returned in few min
utes with a letter, which he desired
Frank to carry to his father, giving him
al the same time to understand that he
was not to return. The letter ran as
follows:
SIR--I can make nothing Of your SON
He is the most unreasonable person
ever met with. and is perpetually referr-
ing every thing to The test Of reason.
have therefore sent him home that you
may consign him to some other study,
aud would recommend that of medicine,
where this same mischievous reasoning
faculty may be of some useeto him.
Yours, &c.
'CyRILiUs FULGENTIUs PLUM
The old gentleman scratched his head,
and was coniounded at these reflections
upon honest reason, whom he had ever
held in high respect.
sWhv ths dauno 10 <hav ott>c,ox sc