Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-02-11
Selected Gales.
From the Philadelphia saturday Eve. Post.
THE RISING OF THE TIDE.
A TALE oF THE SCOTTISH oovENANTERi
By CLAY CLAYTON.


Terrible are the days Of persecution (!
Terrible are those days when, under the
guise Of religious zeal, the eoemy Of all
religion is let loose to ravage the earth;
those days when all that is malignant,
and cruel, and revengeful in society,
cloaks itself under profession Of great
sanctity and love Of God, aud stalks IL
broad unabasbed at MONDAY, gratifying
its hateful passions to the full Such
days have been-let US trust that such
shall never again be. Let US trust that
the holy lesson Of ,oleration, once learn
ed, can never be forgotten, even by
such an erring and forge creature as
man. That lesson learned through much
tribulalion, and traced in letters ofblood
upon the history Of every nation, not
even entirely excepting our own, we
would think could never be forgotten.
No, nor the Martyrs! they who for
the truths sake have not hesi,aied to
lay down their lives even with Joy, al
the stake and on the blood stained scat
fold-they also, Dsy not soon be for
gotten. To their heroic endurance does
mankind owe at length the victory
Their blood truly has been The seed Of
tho Church-the seed, also, Of that no
BILE and Christian principle Of Religious
Liberty under whose widespread branch
es the whole universe, however they
may differ in their opinions and belief,
may dwell in peace. All praise then to
the Martyrs! Praise TO those who
counted poverty, exile, prescription, tor
iure, death itself, nothing, in coDpari-
son with the maintenance Of what they
believe the truth. As the Turks pro-
phot taugh, that those who died lighting
faithfully for their country and their
creed, purchased thus with their blood
q certain entrance into Paradise, 50 may
we believe that Martyrdom, like Chari-
ty, covers a multitude OF sins. But to
our tale.
In the days Of Scottish persecution,
when the Covenanters were hunted like
the deer upon their native hills by the
myrmydons OF a despotic and cruel king,
lived minister by the name Of Cameron
Ever since his boyhood, Robert Cameron
had dwelt in the same vicinity, and in the
same little bu, tidy cottage, pretl'ly situ-
ated upon one Of those frequent lri,hs OF
estuaries which put up from the German
Ocean and indent the eastern shore oi
Scotland. There, man and boy, he had
resided for forty years, always beloved
and respected, and for the last fifteen
years Of that period, revered and almost
worshipped as the spiritual guide and ad-
wiser Of the surrounding community
Married in early manhood to lovely and
serious minded woman, and blessed in the
course Of time with a sweet and healthy
little daughter, Mr.. Cameron considered d
he had good reason to rejoice and be
thank tu that the lines had fallen to him
iu such pleasant places. But as years
rolled on, his shrewd mind began
to perceive the clouds that were gath
erins around the scrupulous and un.
bending sect to which he belonged Bu
though he eudeavored, in the limited
circle of his influence, to produce a
feeling on the part Of his brethren les:
Tenacious Of points really not essential tc
their faith, and in this manner to cal
forth, by the force Of sympathy, Q more
tolerant spirit in THEN opposers, yet al
that any one man could do, however in
huential, would have only served to nit
igate, not avert, the approaching storm
Efie Cameron, at the period our tai,
opens, had almos, reached her eighteenth
year. She was not beautiful, except 4
those ,ha, loved her, though they wer,
all that knew her. Slight and graceful
in her form as the lily, and we had al
mos: said, as fair, though not as fragil
ll-she was the idol, but that perhaps i
too strong an expression, of her father
heart And Efiie, on her part, love,
her father as only a daughter can love
with love which seemed equally blend
ed Of affection and reverence. Sh
would no more have thought Of dispu'in
an opinion or sentiment uttered by hin
than Of caviling at the words other wei
confided Bible. Such love is beautiful
and yet all feel that j, is too blind to la
forpyer-it were moi well thai A shoul