Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-03-03
RELIGIOUS MISCELLANY
DEATH OF AN INFIDEI,.

4No Case Vi u yluS unoelleVer mas Deen
made SO much Of by way of a set-of' to
the testimony of christians, as that of Da-
vid Hume. The evident object of Adam
Smith, the narrator, is to put up his friend
for comparison with believers. Gibbon
says che died like a philosopher
Nothing can be more affected, more evil
IDENTIFY contriyed for stage effect; or, even
on inidel principles, more disgraceful to
such mind as Hume's, than the man.
ner OF his death, according to the account
given by his friend. He knew his end
was near. Whether be was to be ami
hilated, or be forever happy or forever
miserable, was question involved on his
own principles, in impenetrable darkness.
1t was the tremendous question to be then
decided. Reason and decency demanded
that it should be seriously contemplated.
How does he wait the approach of eterni-
ty? Said Chesterfield, ian infdel also y
"When one does see death near, let the
best or the worst people say what they
please, it is serious consideration" -
Does Hume treat it as Il serious consider
alton? He is diverting himself! With
what2 With preparing his Essay in de-
fence of Suicide, for new edition read
ing books of amusement; and sometimes
with game at cards He is direrting
himself again! With what next? With
talking silly stnf about Charon and his
boat and the river Styx! Such are a
philosophers diversions, where common
sense teaches other people to be, at least,
grave and thoughtful. But why divert
himself? Why turn off his mind from
death 2 Why the need of his writings,
and his cards, and his books of amuse-
ment, and his trifing conversations 3
Was he afraid to let his mind settle down
quietly and alone to the contemplation of
all that was at stake in the crisis before
him? Whatever be the explanation of
his leyity. it was ill-timed, GU: of taste,
badly go, up; an affected piece of over
acting, intended for posthumous fame, to
say the best of it, He died "as fool d.
eth" Take his own views, as thus ex-
pressed, at the end of his Natural History
of Religion: "'rhe comfortable views ex-
hibited by the belief of futuri,y are ra,ish.
ing and delightful. But how quickly
they vanish on the appearance of its ter
rors, which keep more firm aud dura-
bic possession of the human mind2 The
whole is riddle, an enigma, an inexpli.
cable mystery. Doubt, uncertainty, sus-
pense of judgment, appear the only result
Of our most accurate scrutiny concerning
this subject LII his own estimation then
tf1turity had its terrors Doubt inexpli
cable mystery, hung over his future des-
tinyl Whether he was not to be a child
of hell forever, his most accurate scrutiny
could only suspend his Judgment. II
this tremendous suspense, he plays cards
as it were, on his coffin lid tests abou
ridiculous fables, as he steps down to the
momentous uncertainties, but eternal real
tiles. of the future! If "a finger had beer
about to receive its sentence, whether t,
be amputated or not, he would at the leas
have been more grave. How far such
death-bed scene is honorable to philoso
ply or in6delity, or fit to be compared
with that of millions OF christians, | nee,
not say. But this is the fairest aspect G
the matter on the side of infdelity.