New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-17

FRUITS OF observation-disclosures Christians
often have occasion to lament the folly and anatcism OF
professors whose zeal not being according TO know
ledge is An overmach for their judgment and common
sense and not unreoueny leads them &c the adoption
of measures which work immense injury to the cause OF
Religion An instance of this kind, extraordinary as
TO be almost incredible find related in The Herald
of Freedom published in Concord, N. H. Names and
dates being given shall publish the substance OF the
account and If ii shall afterward prove to be untrue or
In any respect exaggerated the correction shall be
promptly given to our readers.
In the village OF Pequonoc In the town Of Groton N H.
on the evening tf the 9TH ut meeting for preaching
and prayer held at Schoolhouse, by Elder S. B.
Bailey Pastor Of Baptist Church in the neighborhood,
assisted by semicerical brother named Rice In the
exhortaons that followed the Elders sermon sllusion
was made to Inddes of whom several were present;
and the Elder himself is said have remarked, that
any Inde would read the Bible through his knees,
PRAYING the Lord reveal to him the truth he would be
conver,ed-else would renounce his faith and leave
his pastoral office This remark was followed by chal-
cnge to any nfdel Pequonoc pray with
him during the night aud the Elder expressed his faith
tina, whoever consented do this would be converted to
Christianity An nfdel named Crandall Immediately
accepted the challenge, on condition tina. the Elder
ected TO- was withdrawn aud finally arranged that
Elder Bailey and Mr. Rice on the Christian side aid Mr.
Craudal and another man named Msnierre that OF
Iu6del,y should remain the Schoohouse through the
night and spend the time in praying alternately.
The audience was accordingly dismissed and the bias
phemous contest commenced The Elder and his friend
PRAYED irs;-,he former abiding TO the unolemished
morality of the sinners" insufficient to save them
and invoking the nerposition of God in their oeha-tne
latter u,terng noisy calculations and making incoheren
scrpturu illusions. 1t now The turn OF the lnhoes'
and Mr. Crandall addressed prayer to the universal
Cause tina, they might all be delivered from bgo'ry
intolerance and hypocrisy. Mr. Msnerre followed IN
similar strain taking spice his blaspheny win
sarcastic illusions his Christian opponents. Alter THIS
The Elder is said TO have indicated his wish to recede
from his foolish pledge but his friend Rice said in Ian
suagc bordering closely on profanity that he would not
leave the ship long there wes plank LETT so the
four kneeed again and prayed successfully before
The Elder having said in his that nnetentbs OF
proessed Christians unbelievers and hypocrites the
nides did forget make singing illusions TO the
admission but prayed that their hypocrisy might be
made manifest &C &c. After all had prayed there
a brief intermisson, and then the same b!asphemous
farce was repeated The parties waxing beiserent then
found more natural exercise for their conbstveness IN
a fierce discussion OF the merits Of their respective
creeds When this had continued long time the parties
acted over again the farce Of praying and when 1t came
to Mr. Manerres turn. he poured forth such orren, Of
humorous sarcasm and fun that Mr. Rice, the Elder
companion could longer control the muscles OF his
pou. face and laughed outright Notwithstanding this
another season OF prayer followed after which, at ).
O'Clock in the morning the disgrscefu proceeding was
brought end and the parties lett for their homes
the paper in which this account appears were no
conducted by man highly esteemed for his integrity
and if names and other particulars were not thus mil
nu;ely given could for moment believe il to De
true but who Get bounds 70 tanancism and fouyi