Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-04-12
From the Episcopal Recorder.
VAIN FEARS.

IN the CCutr6 Ol WHICH COtliOl - piaSCd Us
q lure. is surrounded, after the wolves are
known to have cn:ercd. by pieces Of canvass
extended upon poles driven in the ground
for this purpose. On j, are painted in slar'
in. colours tn. heads of men. animals. &C.
The wolves &c frightened, by the h'deoas
figures dangling in the wild. from as'onP'
ting TO escape, while preparations are maoe
for their destruction.
Obecs Of fear no more real tAan 'heS'
painted figures deter thousands from escap-
ing the misery which sin has brought upon
them. They ere BY their own admission
mole foolish than the wolves : for we cam
no, suppose death is by them believed the
consequence Of remaining in the enclosure.
Blu, men admitting this TO be their o"n
case, fear SO much the lillle difficulties at.
tendant upon religious life as TO neglect
doing just what they must do, or perish for
ever. There are no difficulties in the way
Of leading an openly religious life, if tie
heart be right, more real or more reasonably
feared than the pic:uies mentioned above.
is this doubted? How is truth to be ascer.
tanned in such case BY the testimony
ofthose VINO have honestly made trial Of
he change, or Of tn Sc who have not How
shall we form an idea ofParis ? From the
account Of man who has never left this
city, or from the accurate statements Of n
traveller who has nXnu,ely examined the
place ? Common sense is at 70 loss for an
answer in either case.
Tto., toc 10 tho
rcctness OF the common notion that all men
seek happiness. A, least If it is correct,
anoher proposition is equally 50, viz men
speak falsely in saying they believe the Bi.
BILE while they pay no regard 10 its leading
tru:Es. But what is TO be gained by the
faisehood? Or shall we call it simply a
mistake? But why make the mistake TO
suppose we 6,lieve in heaven ofunspeak-
able bliss, when we take no pains to reach
itf Why imagine we believe in the exis-
tence Of a hell, which we take no pains to
avoid Will the careless person say,
swell, shall not be at the pains TO find
how belief a,E action can be separated !
have my way of thinking, and you have
yours?" True, and so has your Maker his
way ofthinkiag. ,fyour way and his coin.
eide, all his safe |; if not, who is at last to
yield the point?
Proiessedly religious persons hedge up the
way ofife BY their conduct and conversation
respecting i, as part ofunpleasant self:dcni-
al. Now we remind all candid inquirers fer
truth, that most modern rcligonists have 10
great extent, mistaken their way. In an
Glen, times, the ways Of wisdom were
ways Of pleasan,ness, and all her paths.
paths of peace" Just examine for your
selves. Forget that you ever saw Chris
iian, unless you have seen some very good
one examine the Bible as your Makers
chart of]iie; see if religion is what seems IN
the lives Of moping professors 1--WE intend no
olhers,) who never know its joys, moi having
courage enough 10 be honest followers OF
the Saviour; come up TO the work like men
Of sense and spirit show your fellow men
the Example Of tha, nobleness and purity of
life which all admire, but few make their
own. 1t surprising that men have so little
courage in them matters. They dare not
openly reject a religion which they canuo,
prove to be false, and yet fear TO act upon
the suposi,ion Of its truth. Why not settle
the point in some way? 1.-THE Bible can be
shown false, come out boldly and tell US. If
motif after all the showing Of men who
have ranged the whole magazine of guess
work and false history, hoping to find argu-
menis against q Bible which they hate,
(what candour does this secure nothing is
found deserving attention, except in its ia
vour--- in that case do not fear 10 adopt its
system of dcliverance for fallen man. Are
you not certain that some extraordinary
deliyerancc is needed =? Bu, how do you
know exactly in what light God may regard
the few and small sins which, by your own
admission, you have committed A ques-
ton hero occurs, How did the idea oil the
great derneri, OF sin ever ener The human
mind ? All bad men deny it. All good
men say il comes from God. The charac-
ter of those who have been most universally
acknowledged as pieus, secures them againsl
charge Of misrepresentation. If Mey are
liars, the race is still worse than we have
imagined {; and there is still more need of
some extraordinary arrangement for res,or-
alton to moral purity. No man can prove
the Bible unworthy Of credit, without prov.
ing the race Of man thousand times more
depraved than religious teachers have ever
supposed. They never have said that the
most irreproachably upwrght men are q
common race Of liars. This is said by
every reflector of Divine revelation. In ex.
aminiug the arguments for any opinion, we
must see where The most dificul'ies are to
be encouaere ,as we'll as the most specious
things said. Suppose the Christian religion
false, and let any intelligent person-and