Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-05-28
WHOLE NO. 269.
[From Abbott's Religious Magazine.
THE INFIDEL RECLAIMED.


many particulars of his moral character,
but he was noioriously prolane. +; Hrd
u negro boy at whom his neie iehbors Ia.
to hear him swear with awful violence.
One day, this gentleman met an elder Of
the Presbyterian Church, who was also
a lawyer, and said to him: 81 wish, sir,
to examine into the Truth Of the Chris
tian Religion. What books would You
advise me 10 read Oh the evidences Of
Christianity"
The elder, surprised at tho enquiry,
repIied-"Thnt is a question, sir, which
you ought TO have settled long ago. You
ought not TO have put off subject SIS
important TO this late period Of life."
"Is it too late," said the inquirer, 81
never knew much about it; but always
supposed that Christianity was rejected
by the greui majority Of learned men.--
J intend, however, TO examine the sub
ject thoroughly myself. i have upon
Inc, as my phy sician says, q mortal dis
ease, under which may live year and
a half or two yenrs, but not probably
longer. What books, sir, would You ad-
wise Inc 10 Tead;"
"lhe Bible," SAID the elder
eel believe you do not understand me-"
resumed the unbeliever, surprised IN his
turn; 81 wish 10 investigate the TRuTn
Of the Bible"
81 would advise you, sir" replied the
elder, "tO read the Bible. And" he
continued, "l will give you my reason :
most lnidels are very ignorant Of the
Scriptures. Now TO reason on any SUBJ
ject with correctness, we must UNDER
stand what it is about, which we reason.
n the next place, | consider the inter-
nal evidence Of the truth Of tire Scrip
lures, stronger than the external"
"And where shall begin" inquired
the unbcleyeY. "At the New TestaA
mcnt!"
"No," said the elder; eat the begin
ning-at Genesis"
The ln6del bought a commentary,
went home, ard sat down to the serious
stu y Of the Scriptures. lie applied all
his strong and well disciplined powers Of
mind to the Bible, to try rigidly, but inn
partially it's truth. AS he went on in the
perusal, he received occasional calls
from the elder. The lnfdel freely re-
marked upon what he had read, and
stated his objections. He liked this
passage, he thought THAT touching and
beautiful, but ho could not credit u third.
One evening, The elder called and
found tho unbeliovcr ut his house or Of
flee, walking the room with a detected
look, his mind apparently absorbed i'm
thought. lie continued, not noticing
that any one had come in, busily to trace
and retrace his steps. The elder at
length spoke. "You seem, sir" said
he, "to be in u brown study. OF what
are you thinking?"
g! have been reading" replied the
| Infdcl, "the moral law"
"Well, what do you think of it," nsk-
ed the elder.
81 will tell you what used to think"
answered the In6del 81 supposed that
Moses was the leader of horde of ban
ditti; that having strong mind, he &C"
quired great influence over supcrsti-
tious people; and that on Mount Sinai,
he played off some sort of fireworks, to
the amazement of his ignorant follow
ers, who imagined, in their mingled fear
and superstition, that the exhibition was
supernatural"
"But what do you no,u think'" inter-
posed the elder.
81 have been lool ing into the nature
Of that law" said the Infidel. have
been trying 10 see whether can add
any thing to il, or take any thing from
it, so "a 10 make it better. Sir, l cans
,nt IL ;s ppuru,r
"The first commandment," continued
he, "directs us to make the Creator the
object OF our supreme love and rcver-
ence. That is right. If he be our
Il Creator, Preserver, and Supreme Bene-
| factor, we ought to trent him, and none
! other, as such. The second iorbids
idolairy. That certainly is right. The
third forbids proianeness. The fourth
fixes n time for religious worship II
there is a God, I've ought certainly TO be
woishipped. Ii is suitable that there
should be an outward homage, signiii'
cant of our inward regard. II God be
worshipped, il is proper that some time
should be set apart for that purpose,
when all may worship him tremendously,
md without interruption. One day n'
seven, is certainly not too much; and y
do not know that it is too little. Tbs
fifth defines The peculiar duties arising
from the family relations Injuries to
our noighbors, nre then classified by the
moral law. They are divided into of-
fences against lie, chastity property and
character. And, said he, applying u
legal scutoncss, 81 notice that the great.