Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-09-17


tween the hero, Charles Elwood land Mr.
Smith, u Calvinist minister, who calls
to see him for the purpose Of religious
conversation. There is revival in the
village. Mr.. Elwood Is an iniidel.-
Mr.. Smith attempts TO direct his atten-
ton TO religious subjects, and To remove
his unbeliel. In this attempt, MIR. S.
is signally worsted, and he retircs from
the field, leaving Mr.. Elwood in undis-
turbed possession Of the battle ground.
in the meantime, Elizabeth Wyman,
TO whom G. ElwOo is ienderly attach
ed, and to whom also he is bctrolhed
is converted. She brings to hear upon
him all the persuasions of affection ;
and urges him to attend an inquiry meet
ing. lie attends, and encounters an
other clergy who eludes The grasp
OF his logic by appointing a meeting at
a subsequent time. AT the hour G..
Elwood visits him, and puts him to rout
with almost MS much facility as he had
done his reverend brother Smith.
While matters are in this position, Mr.
Smith calls upon Miss Wyman, and OBJ
trusively dissuades her from marrying
Charles Elwood She resolves TO dis
miss him, and does so. Her brother
treats him rudely, and iorbds him their
house. ln this state Of excitement tro-
duced by those events, he calls, by II
second appointment, on Mr.. Wilson, aud
becomes, by unknd treatment, greatly
exasperatcG. He leaves his home, van
ders for time without object or aim,
until lie resolves in earnest to cure the
evils Of society by creating social rev.
olution. This attempt sIgnally fails,
and poor, dishearlened, aud out Of sorts
with the world, he is on the verge of
madness, when benevolent gentleman,
Mr. Howard, makes his acquaintance,
and strives to do him good. The kindness
of MIR. Howard and his family won upon
the heart Of ear relormer, and he begins
lo think. better of man in general aud of
Mr.. Howard and his family in palticu-
lar. His health, which had become
prostrated by excessive and dispirlIng
labor is restored. The world appears
less sombre than before. by degrees
he begins TO converse with his host on
the subject OF religion, and though an
avow ed atheist, he is convicted by MIR.
Howard Of being not only iheist but Il
Christian and he learns, TO his surprise,
that it was his Christianity, and not his
which created all the hostility
which he had for so long II time cherished
towards clcrgymen aud the church -
This, Of course, set our hero 10 thinking
He found himself, Unexpectedly, in very
strange company. lie went to hear
the Rev. Mr.. Morton, Mr.. Towards
clergyman, preach, and spent much
time IN the company of this learned di-
vine. From this gentleman, Charles
Elwood acquired some new notions Of
Chrlstianiiy, and received a new demon
siration both Of tho being of God and
of The proposition that, let n man say
what he may, or disbclievo what he
may, yet to be an atheist is impossi-
Bile. The arguments and revelations
thus brou2 ht to bear upon him are eiicc-
'ual. Charles Elwood is converted, he
becomes thest and a Christian at
east, SO says'the narrative. For our,
selves, however, as we said before, we
ire unable to perceive in what the con-
version consists. Before any change
nad taken place in him, while to his
own consciousness he was an atheist,
Mr. Howard discovered him to he II
L., 4 III
showing Of the correspondence Of Chris
ianity with his own previous notions.
10 our view, the change, or conversion,
as it is called, is rather IN Christianity
han ~ the, hero, and we think the book
would be much more correctly entitled,
Charles Elwood, or Christianity Con
veried.
1t will be at once perceived, that with
his little narrative may be interviewer
great variety Of discussions upon the most
principles ofsocial and religious
Such, accordingly, do we
ind to he the fact. This, indeed, as we
ire told, was the main purpose OF the
author. To examine all the opinions
by the various dIsputanls in
reduced in these pages would be impos-
ible within the limits To which an article
ike the present must OF necessity be re-
tricted. We, however, are disposed
o examine few of them and perhaps
wen the cursory review which our limits
Illow will he more than our readers IN
General will consider desirable.
One OF the first questions which pre-
enis itself to reader of this book is the
ollow ing-in what light does the anthor
intend that this work shall be understood!
IS IT n narrative Of facts, setting forth
transactions that actually occurred, or Is
fiction Of the Imagination, Intended
merely to deliniaic nauhcrs, and cSbIbh
! state of society in which snch iransac
ions would naturally occur Some things
would lead vs to believe that The former
: the intention of tho author, mud that
10 has here given us The substance of
lis own personal history. Thus, in The
preface, il is obscfvcd-"I am willing
,hat) The public should take the book M
IN account which have though, proper
o give of my former nnb-lie aud pres
mt belief" Such, accordingly, has, We
hlnk, been the general imposition. Ii
,ss been taken as a matter OF undeniablc
'eriiy, that our uu'hsr was actually per-