The Lincoln County herald., 1870-02-03
TERMS OF ADvER rIsiNC.
Thomas Paine.
BY LYMAN ABBOTT.

A few weeks since stood by tho grave
of Thomas Paine, in the town of New
Rochelle, New York. A plain monu.
ment marks the site Of his former home
and his final resting place. Erected bya
few friends, it is covered with significant
quotations from his politico- religio wri.
tings. As stood there and reflected on
his genius, his apparent power and his
real weakness, thought Of Christ strik-
ing prophecy and its singular historical
iul6llmcnt; "On whoms oever this stono
shall fall, it shall grind him to powder"
Thomas Paine's career was full Of
promise. lie welded pen whose popu.
lar power has rarely been equalled His
"Rights of Man." published in England
during the exciting scenes Of the French
revolution, reached the unparalleled cir
cuation of over million of copies. His
Common Sense" published six months
before the Declaration Of independence,
is said to have severed the last links that
bound the colonies to the mother coun.
try. Six days before the battle of Trcn.
ton, the 6rst number of his american
Crisis" was read at the head of every reg
imcnt, and first aroused, it is said, tho
dropping ardor of the disheartcned peo.
plea,
When at length that independence was
secured, to which his various services IN
the cabinet, the field and the pen, had
afforded no mean conclusion, no honors
seemed to triumphant Republic too
great to DO lavished upon him. Gen.
Washington received him with peculiar
honors as his guest. The National Con-
gress appropriated $4,000 as testimonial
of a nations esteem. New York pre-.
sented him with magnificent estate of
three hundred acres at New Rochelle.
Pennsylvania voted him n gratuity of
$4,000. New Jersey offered him home
stead within her borders. Virginia failed
only by single vote in the attempted
appropriation to him Of tract Of land,
valued at $4,000 ut is doubtful"
says the historian, Botta, "whether any
writer ever possessed in higher degree
the art of moving and guiding the multi
tu le at his will" "No writer" says
Thomas Jefferson, "has exceeded Paine
in familiarity Of style, in perspiculty of
expression, happiness Of elucidation, and
in simple and unassuming language"
Such was the man, who, drinking in tho
irreligious philosophy of the Encyclope-
dist, undertook in his "Age Of Reason
at the end Of an otheawlse memorial bio
life, to subvert the principles and under.
mine the authority of the Christian relg.
ion. He did not deny, but asserted the
existence Of God, the claims of con-
science, and The reality OF an immortal
existence beyond the grave. He simply
sets his lance in poise to demolsh the
Cross of Christ. In vain did Benjamin
) Franklin beseech him to repress work
SO shocking to the religious scnsibilities
of mankind. "Among us, said the sage,
cit is not necessary, as among the Hotteu.
tots, that youth to be raised into the
company of men should prove his man
hood by beating his mother" Paine
persisted. His "Age Of Reason" for the
moment outrivaled the wide spread popu.
larity of his Common Sense" and his
"Rights of Man" The Church of Christ
seemed to tremble under the blow.
Christian men feared for the safety of
the faith before an attack 40 audacious,
from pen SO powerful. But the lance
that struck the Cross of Christ was shiv.
cred to a thousand pieces in his hand.
His assault was as poweress to move
D the Rock Of Ages as the thunder storm
to shake the granite hills over whose head
, its harmless anger plays. The stone
which the builders refused fell upon him
I and ground him to powder. He is left
!, without sect, and almost without fol-
r lower. His services to liberty have been
obli.eratcd from the memory Of mankind
by his assaults upon religion. Ho Is
known to but few save the coarsest inf
dels. Even the broad minded Quakers
would not yield to his bones 6nal rest
j. ing place 10 their Christian burial ground.
He was inferred upon his own farm.
o But even death brought no rcposc.
e Half century ago, from his violent
d tomb, his remains were removed to Eng.
land An enthusiastic friend anticipated
:, for them there o warm welcome-but
4, mono wero 80 poor as to do him rever-
ence. Dispersed, as by the judgment Of
Almighty God, not even his final burying
place is recorded. His works have we'll
nigh disappeared from fame, his very
Q bones from their grave. And the name
and life of Thomas Paine remain mon.
umental testimonial 10 the truth of the
u prophecy, "On whomsoever it sl all fall,
" it shall grind him to powder"