Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-08-13

ascetc is, perhaps, the most selfish calculator
Of the two, in-asmuch as the reward he claims
IS Infinitely greater and Of longer endurance.
lie is usurious in his dealing with heaven, and
does not put out the smallest modification ex-
ccpt upon the most enormous interest. His very
self denial is selfish, for the odds arc ncaloula-
bly, in favor of the man who bets body against
soul. They who impcriousy imagine that the
happiness of the Creator consists in the unhap-
pincss Of the creature arc thus offending Him
in their very fear of giving olfcnse, since they
find sweetness even in their sourness, and 10Y
in the very want of it. We'll for them, too, If
they go not astray. in their over anxiety TO walk
straight. GAS for those that will not take lawful
pleasures" says Fuller, 81 am afraid they will
take unlawful pleasure, and by lacmg themselves
too hard, grow away on one side"
AriEiST--Supposing such an anomaly to eX-
ist, an atheist must be the most miserable Of
beings. The idea of fatherlcss world swing
ing by some blind law of chance which may
every moment expose 1t to destruction. through
an infinite space, filled, perhaps, with nothing
but suffering and wrcchcdness, unalleviatcd by
the prospect of future and n happier state,
must he almost intolerabc to a man who has
single spark of benevolence in his bosom. 'All
the splcndor of the highest prosperity says
Adam Smith, can never enlighten the gloom
with which so dreadful an idea must necessarily
ovcrshadow the Imagination; nor in wise and
virtuous man can all the sorrow of the most
gliictng adversely ever dry up the Joy which
Necessarily springs from The habitual and thor
ough conviction of the truth Of the contrary
system The word atheist has done ycomans
service as "a nickname whcrewith to pclt all
those who disapproye of the thirty-nnc articles,
or who venture to surmise that there are abuses
i'll the church which need reform; but this sort
of dirt has been thrown until it will no longer
stick, except to the fingers Of those who handle
it. The real atheist is the Mammonite who,
making goodness great GAIN worShips a
golden calf, and calls it godj or the miserable
fanatic, who, endUwing the phantom of his own
folly and fear with the worst passions Of the
worst msn, dcthrones the deity to set up de-
mon and curses all those who will not curse
themselves by joining in his idolatry
CANplpATEs-for Holy Orders, are some
times persons claiming authority to show their
fellow creatures the way to heaven, because they
have been unable to make their own way upon
earth. Some of the clamorers against the abu.
ses of the church object that the gratest Ounce
in families OF distinction is often selected for the
ministry. How unreasonable! is it'not better
that the ground should be ploughed by asses,
than remain untitled? l cannot, by any means,
approve the flstidiousress, any more than the
bad pun Of the Canadian bishop, why, finding,
after e%lmlnhS one OF the candidates tor holy
orders, that he was grossly Ignorant, refused 10
ordGn h'm. My lord" said the disappointed
aspront' 'thare snn imputation upon my moral
characier-i have due sense of religion, and
am a member OF the ProYrgnndt Society,"
'fhat | can easily believe replied the bishop,
Tor you are proper gooa1.
CANDIDA very pretty thing to talk about
In SOM people may be compared TO ha@iey-su-
gar drops, II which the aeid preponderates over
the sweetness.