Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1837-09-05

'nOii CONSTANT anu OXEN unklndNeXpfeS
4 SONS OF disagreements no isfh6re tina
does not remember the struggles Of his
own mind when he first attempted to GRASP
The important truths connected with God
with heaven, with his own immortality
4 who does not trace all that is good or evil
nm his character (whie the process was
lnsensibly going forward which was 10
mould the future many to the avowaI oil
Ioplnlons, sometimes to the even casual Oh
lservatlons OF those 10 whom he was wont
to look with respect as his superiors, and
lind that they exerted an influence which
must be enduring as the mind itself? This
influence Frank Ellwood felt in all its
force. While apparently coming his Lat
in with deep attention, his mind was in
tent upon the conversation of his parents;
the long and daily repeated arguments
which poor Frank hoped would terminate
by removing some Of the insuperabIe OBJ
lecllons which prevented his comprehend
ing and adopting a fai h urged upon him
oy all the strength of maternal influences
mated with cutting invective, pointed sal SAL
ire, or open rebuke. The spirit of peace,
of Christian love was not there; domestic
happiness was the daily sacrafice on the
altar opinion. Had Franks mind been
more matured, had he been older, the eff
feet might have been different; he might
have resisted the influence and examined
for himself; but with religion, from his
earliest childhood, he had associated ideas
of discord, contention and unkindness; TO
him she had never worn that gentle, kind
and endearing aspect which is so pecul-
iarly her own; he had witnessed only the
harsh features of sectarian bitterness
Tho result was, that when he entered col
lege, he was not only destitute Of settled
religious principle, but had even drunk at
the fountain of French phlloSophy--he
was an open unbeliever.
Years passed away; the brilliant talents
OF the young man procured him the high
est rank among his fellow students; col
legiate honors were his, and his proud and
satisfied parents felt that he was all their
fondest wishes could ask--they knew not
that the being in whom their earthly
hopes all centered, while he was the sought
for and courted ofthe gay circles on which
he had just entered, was the prey to gloom
and felt a void which nothing yet had
been able to fill They thought not of the
WEAKNESS he experienced, when his bril-
liant saIlies had been most applauded, OF
the utter safety he felt when the cup of
pleasure had been drained-they little
imagined that this very mental superior
ity was but adding fuel to the fame which
burned with more than volcanic fury
Soon after entering on his professional
studies, for he had chosen the sphere of
action embraced by the profession of the
law, he met one day, at the house of
friend, with Catharine Howard; he had
frequently seen her in public, but chance
had heretofore precluded the introduction
which he had wished; for, without exqui-
site beauty she had that charm, "that
something than beauty dearer," that intel
lectual fascination before which mere
beauty is forgotten. She was the duugh-
ter of pious and respectable parents, whose
combined influence had been as POWERFUL
in the formation Of her character as had
been that which Frank had experienced,
though widely different in its results, for
Catharine had been deeply imbued with
the spirit OF Christian truth. At their
first interview each felt the hope that this
might be only the commencent OF their
friendship, each felt that the other must be
more than a mere acquaintance: and soon
did Catharine return with sincere though
silent devotion, the warmth OF Franks
ardent attachment. But the tale of mu-
tual love has been so often told, that, bright
indeed, must be the genius that could now
give one new shade TO the picture. There
was between them union OF taste and
feeling, and as Frank would dwell with
enthusiasm on some favorlte author, OF
with the powers of his own eIoquence
; portray some scene or character OF inter-
est. Catharine would breathe the silent
; wish that he would raise those thoughts
above the admiration of mere human eX-
cellence, and often would she breathe the
prayer that the powers of his gifted nina
might flow through consecrated channel.
Yet so ready are we to dtScOoer or 'npem
an excuse for those we love-so ingenious
are we in devising means for 6et'eo'ng
what we DiSh. that she attributed his stud
led silence whenever her remarks were OF
a nature to elicit his sentiments on the sub
iect of religion, to any thing rather than
the true cause--truly the blindness which
love occasions, is of the most moderate
kind. since our wishes aid in continuing
the deusion Days and weeks passed BY
and their swift flight but strengthened the
ties which united them together
Who, as he has gazed upon the rich and
glowing beauty ofautumnal scenery,torm-
nv, forming, as it does, so unique picture