Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-06-28
From the Watchman of the South.
OF AN INFlDEL,

From the Watchman of the South.
CONFESSIONS OF AN INFlDEL.
FROM THE DIARY OF A CLERGYMAN.
Twas this morning sent for in great
haste, by sick man whom | had known
for some years, in consequence ofhis bold
and fearless avowal Of the principles ofinfi
delity. He was originally from England
bu, had been residing for considerable
space oftime-how long do not know
in the vicinity of my charge ana was a
man Of intelligence, as well as OF mucn ano
varied information. In addition TO m'nd
naturally strong and vigorous ne had
lhoupht much, and read much; and on one
s,b;sct ut leost-,hat of religion-had spok.
an much. In short, he was of the school
cfHume, and Payne, and Shaftsbury, and
Vol,aire and was neither slow nor secret,
in his endeavors to disseminate the dogmas
of.his peruicious school, wherever, and
whenever, an opportunity was presented
him. adapted to that purpose. In age, he
was verging closely on the period, ordinarily
allotted for the duration Of human life. He
was also, the father ofa family and from
the circumstance, that none of its members
were ever SET en--or very rarely in a place
of religious worship, the inference was ma
,ural, and in the present case true, that the
poison fthe head had become diftusiye
through all its members.
Why a clergyman, and one too of the
ssricter sort. should be sent for in such haste,
and BY such man, was question which
could neither be resolved by me, nor the
messenger who came after me. Andl ar.
rived at his dwelling-for l did not hesitate
. monen, about complying with his reques.
in perfect Ignorance of his object. He
was III, but from appearances, not danger
ously so and when | entered the room
where he lay, was apparently In close and
serious conversation with some ofthe mem.
bers Of his family. After mutual saluta-
tons, and o,he. circumstances of adjustment
ordinary on such occasions, he proceeded
to inform me, with what seemed, something
like misgiving ormind, ,,hathe had desired
my presence, for a purpose which might
possibly affect me with an emotio. of sur.
prise. 1T is" said he, that I may secure
apeu in your church for my children" !" This
was surprise indeed, aad by an impulse
almostinvoluntary, Immediately exclaimed,
"and why not Mr.. M. include yourselfalso !?
II such an arrangement be regarded as I'm.
portans ia the one case, can it be the less so
in the other? But continuing my
discourse am mistaken. and am to con.
slider the motion, as proceeding not so much
from yourself as from them ; and if so,
though some Of the pleasure which such an
application is calculated 70 afford, will Ger.
tainly be removed, yet it will furnish me no
small amount of satisfaction, in being able
to meet your wishes even thus far"
You are mistaken" he replied, "but not
in the way which your supposition would
seem to indicate. The motion is not from
my children. Ills one Of which, they were
as utterly ignoran, until this hour, as you
were yourself; and no doubt the feeling Of
surprise which it has created in you, is even
,sanscended by that, which at this moment,
j, is producing in hem. No, it is purely
my own and has resulted from very un.
usual condition Of mind into which have
been brought, by peculiar train of reaec-
ton since confined TO this bed OF sickness.
/ have lived, for years, an avowed, and pub
Lcly recognized, unbeiiever, in what you
cali the Bible. am so still, so far as in
nv present weakness and strange confus.
ion of mind, am able to form judg.
ment and can see no special reason Why
! should not remain so unto the end. But
with my family-my chidren"-and here
his voice became tremulous, and the big tear
began to glis:en in his eye" my children,
upon whose hearts have labored, and per.
kaps too successfully, to impress the image
of nv own, could wish it were Otherwise.
For, rnaccountable as it may seem, though
reposing entire confidence in the principles
ofin6delty for myself, yet as to their fitness
for them, have of late, been troubled with
many strange, and most unweIcome mis-
givinss. And, in short, not to detain you
with a long detail ofmy musings on the sub.
iect, amid the tossings and restlessness OF
a sick.bed, have come to the CONCLUSION
at length, tha. it will be bes, for them, to be.
come Christians. 1t was with this view,
that had been sounding them at a distance,
at the period of your arrival-lo prepare
them tor the interview, and to take of
something from the surprise, which the dis
closure Of my wishes concerning them, was
calculated to produce. wish them 10 60
10 chureh-to be steady and respectful in
their at,endence-to listen with candor to
the doctrines which are there preached
to weigh them with seriousness and homes.
ty-and if practicable, to believe ,hem--to
live under their practical influence, and 10
die under fol persuasion of their truth.
My reasons you shall have.
-" During long, and BY no means unob.