The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-03-31
with which the enemy tempted tho Saw

with which the enemy tempted the Saw
iour of man.
This is the secret of the change of my
spirits, which all who know me must
have observed within a few years past.
After years spent in humble and con-
trite entreaty, that the tremendous sac
ri6ce on Mount Calvary might not havo
been made in vain for me-the chiefest
Of sinners-it pleased God to speak his
peace into nay heart-that peace Of God
which passeth all understanding to them
that know it not, and even to them that
do. And although 1 have now as then,
ITO reproach myself with time misspeut
and faculties misemployed although
my condition. has, on more than one
occasion, resembled that Of him who,
having evil spirit cast out, was taken
possession of by seven other spirits more
wicked than the first, and the first also:
yet I trust that they too, by the power
and mercy Of God, may be, if they are
not, vanquished.
But where am I running to1 On
this subject more hereafter Meanwhile,
assure yourself of what is Of small value
compared with that of those who are
piece of yoursclf-of the unchanged re-
gard and sympathy of our mothers son.
Ah! my God remember to have seen
her die, to have followed her to her
grave, to have wondered that the sun
continued to rise and set, and the order
of nature to 60 on. Ignorant Of true
religion, but not yet an atheist, I remem-
ber with horror my impious expostula-
tions with God upon this bereavement
e" but not yet an atheist" The exist
ence of atheism had been denied; but I
was an honest man. Hume began and
Hobbs finished me. I read Spinoxa
and all the tribe. Surely I fell by no
ignoble hand. And the very man (-)
who gave meHume's Essay upon Human
Nature to read, administered Beattie
upon truth as the antidote-Venice
t eaclc against arsenic and the essential
oil of bitter almonds-a bread and milk
poutice for the bite of the cobra capella.
Had l remained successful political
leader, might never have been Chris
tian. But it pleased God that my pride
should be mortified /; that by death and
desertion should lose my friends; that
except in the veins Of maniac, and he
too, poss ,ssed of child by "deaf
and dumb spirit" there should not run
one drop of my fathers blood in any
living creature beside myself. The
death of Tudor finished my humiliation.
| had tried all things but the refuge to
Christ, and to that with paternal stripes
was l driven. Often did I cry out with
the father of that wretched boy, "Lord!
| believe, help thou mine unbelief;"
and the gracious mercy of our Lord to
this wavering faith, staggering under the
force of the hard heart Of unbelief. I
humbly hoped would, in his own good
time, be extended to me also.-St.
Mark, 7: 1923.
Throw revelation aside, and can
1rive any man by irresistible induction,
10 atheism. John Marshall could not
.esist me. When I say any man, 1
mean man capable of logical and con-
reasoning. Deism is the
'etuge of those that startle at atheism,
md can't believe revelation; and nv
(may God have forgiven us
10Th, and myself USED, with Diderot
nd Co., to laugh at the deisticll bigots
Who must have milk, not being able to
ligest meat. All atheism n derived
rom rev,htion-that of the laws con-
essedly. Our own is from the source
so is the false revelation of Mahomet;
nd can't much blame the Turks for
onsidcring the Franks and Greeks to
e idolaters. Every other idea of one
iod that floats in the world is derived
ON the tradition Of the sons of Noah,
anded down to posterity.
But enough-and more than enough
Il can scarcely guide my pen. will,
owever add that no lukewarm seeker
yer became real Christian for " from
he days of John the Baptist until now,
le kingdom of heaven suffereth violence
nd the violent take it by force"-a
,xt which 1 have read Eve hundred
mes before / had the slightest concep-
ou of its true application. - +
Your brother, j. R.,
- ''"' of Roanoke.