Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-07-06

the kindness and Charity oil connexions
and friends. The desertlon ofthe hus-
band and father in a great degree
broke up the family, scattered them in
different directions and drove them for
shelter into different benevoient.fami-
lies in Norwich and its vicinity. The
want of parental care and instruction
which this unhappy event occasioned,
may have contributed to form the char
acter and habits Of Maria; but there
is no evidence Of the least deviation
from the most rigid rules of female
IPropriety, prior to the year 1923.
During that year the town in which
Maria resided, was visited with a re-
Ivival Of the work.
With a temperament naturally ar
dent, and high flow of spirits, it is
not surprising that she should be
wrought up to high degree of feel
ing and excitement on all subjects in
which she might take deep and a.
biding interest, particularly IN the all
absorbing subject of the salvation Of
the soul. But there is a line where
religion and piety terminates and en-
thusiam begins, and it is supposed by
those who are most cor.yersant with
the facts, that Maria overstepped this
line and wandered away into the may
and UNEMPLOYED regions of religions
fanatlcism. Having lost sight of the
simple precepts and spirit of the gos-
pei, and committed herself to the gui-
dance of vivid and perverted imagin-
alton, it is not irrational to suppose
that the most extravagant notions
would follow.
Soon after this she became wan
derer, and is known to have sacrificed
her chastity, and improbably in the
first instance, on the altar Of a heated
and misguided zeal. There is de-
gree in religious fanaticism, at which
virtue loses its beauty, and crime its
horror. and at this point Maria is sup
posed to have arrived before the foun-
dation Of her vii tue gave way. The
reins of moral and religious restraint
being loosened and the mirror of the
imagination having ceased to reflect
the deformity ofvice, nothing was left
to regulate her connexions and asso-
Citations in the world, but the impetu-
osity Of her passions unrestrained even
BY the tender warnings and entreaties
of a mothers love. Away from her
friends, rowing from place to place
without the polar star of,irtue to erect
her course. 1t IS astonishing that the
evidence of her itiamy was so long
concealed from the public slew, aud
that she no sooner fell victim to her
vices. Bet a kind providence fol-
lowed her to most Of the manufactur-
ing villages and towns of New England
and at last &c fall River, where, in a
retired place, she found sthe bounds
she could not pass Nothing is iar;h-
er from Us, and those from whom we
have derived our knowledge of the
facts. than to impute the mlsfortunes
and death of Maria t, the spirit or ten
dency Of vital religion. or the ieg.ti
mate influence ofrevivals; but % that
ianatical aud enthusiastic spirit which,
though no part ofrevivais Of religion,
is often found obtruding itsel: upon
tae-,l, and endeavorl0g 10 entice away
the young convert from the simplicity
Of the gospel.
The person and address Of Maria,
at the age, of sixteen, was unusually
fascinating. She was of middllng
stature, Of dark complexion, with dark
hs.zle eyes, and blach hair. In her
address and manners she was easy. I'M
assuming and familiar perhaps to a
fault. In her conversation she was
intelligent, sprlghtiy and interesting,
and in every respect admirably fitted
to secure the esteem and friendship of
her associates. At the time Of her
death she might be called a faded
beauty. Her di>solute life, and its ex-
posure to the world, had preyed upon
her health and blighted her charms.
Her sensibility had also become blum
ted by repeated presentations and
subterfuges to conceal her shame and
keep herself within the pale of the
Christian church. Revenge, the most
cankering and corrupting passion Of
the wicked heart, was ranking in her
bosom. Impetuous and impatient for
its qualification, and following its in
tended victim, she swore she would be
revenged if endless perdition was the
consequence.-Her course Of life had
also contracted numerous ODDITIES and
eccentricities, and occasioned frequent