Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-06-28
Original Alissciialllj.
ETHAN ALLEN AND PARsON
HTJTCHTNSOy -.

49, -0-----7 - + e ~ -~o,9o-~-o-~,-
ETHAN ALLEN AND PARsON
HUTCHINs SON.
1t is well known that Allen, At one period Of
his life, professed to be Freq Thinker, became
warmly engaged in religious Controversy, and
published series Of stricturesOn the Old and
New Testament in book ofsome two or three
hundred pages, which uilorwaRs went by the
name of Ethan Aliens Bible The bias, which
led his mind into these speculstons, and caused
him to adopt a course as llttleto be looked for
IN one of his temperament an4eharacteK as it
was greatly to be regretted, vas received it is
believed, before he appeared dlthe stage of ac-
tim in Vermont Ii is said bss0me Of the old
settlers, that Allen, when vi ssnan, studied,
for short time, in the oilic9 o Thomas Young,
of PhiladclPhla who figures nour history as the
advocate of our State independence, -that while
he was there, Edwards ceIebrqed work on the
Will first made its appearanceAand was much
criticised and denounced by Yong and knot
ofskcptcal friends who frequelbdhis Office; and
that TO the effect of their discussions on Aliens
mind, at that time, may be traced those subse-
quent developments of religioss sentiment that
form almost the only part of is character, of
which, as Vermonters, we ar8idt proud Al
though we suspect that the geeer proportion
of the anecdotes in circulation, moving up Allen
in this light, arc entirely sNnrlRis, yet our re-.
searches have put US in possossbnof one which
we are well satisfied is AUTHENTIC and which we
will venture to give, not only because il is char
acteristic Of the man, but becaEeit brings into,
view the highly contrastod chaaeter Of another
parsonage Of the olden time, wso was scarcely
less noted among the settlers tofearessness and
promptitude in his calling otpeace than was
Allen in the opposite one of wats
Soon after the publication Of Aliens Bible, it
so happened that Parson Hutchiason,as the man,
to whom we nave just alluded, vas called, held
a meeting, in the neighborhood where the old
hero had taken up his residence, which was on
| farm situated, we believe, near themoutlt of the
t Winooski River Allen, as vas his CUSTOM,
) when preaching was to be heard attended the
meeting,and at the close Of the @ieFnoou's exer-
cises, invited the preacher to 60 y his house and
| delveran evening lecture. Although the parson
shrewdIy suspected that Allen, WHO was known
to be a bold and ready debater lad invited him
home to preach, only that he might have an OPP.
:, portunity to answer the discourse, or in some
way bring out his peculiar religious notions,
yet believing what is said to behue in the
the physical, should also hold goqlin the moral
world, that every locality furnlslQn antaote 4 e
the poison it produce.', lie reso tnot 10 ie' VIZ
opportunity slip of boarding til, ion in his own
den and he therefore promptypccepted the in
> vitation,and departed with hisstrange opponent,
secretly girding on the auoo Of his spirit for
the expected encounter, with sensations, proba.
bly, somewhat akin to those Of C5riSlian in Pill
grims Progress, when .}poIiJOn, came out to
dispute his way to the Celestial city,
When the appointed hour had arrived, and the
audience assembled, Allen set table before the
preacher, and laid upon it two separate volumes
rcmarking,
Here, Parscn, are two Bibles-onc the old
" Common bible, and the other ate one, If my
own production. You can take your choice Of
them for the occasioi; but didn't know but
you would like to take a text from mine'
awe will see" SAID the paron, not at al
disquietcd-" we will see, perhupswo shall have
occasion to use both; but you hage brought INC
no hymn book"
Allen opologislng for the oversight, rose ont
- soon brought forward copy of Watts.
. "This conclude you have no. improved up
=, on" remarked the former, iniefo5atiyely, Il!
he took, and glanced over the booi
80, no, that is well enough" rpliod Allen.
g "Then you admit this to be aEihorily;' per
. sisted the Parson.
eyes again answered Allen, pot suspcctin!
the DRIFT of these questions.
DWELL, that point being admittd and settled
we will now commence the exercises by rcadin,
II the following PSALM" said the Other rising, an
~ with significant tones and gesture pointing t
- the two books before him.
Il Let all the hoathen writer's loin
To iorm one perfect book,
Great God, if once compar'd with thine
r How mean their writings look"
= Hold up" interrupted Allen, porceying at
" glance, that he had unexpectedly found a Gus
toner, from whom it were wisdom to back O,
while he could do SO gracefully, "hoh up, / az
knowledge myself fairly foored, Parson, an
will knock under so you need moi trouble you
ID self any farther about my divinity but 60 q
Of with your own"
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