Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-02-25
GROUND TO POWDER.
ny REV. LYMAN ABBOTT.


A few weeks since stood by the grave
Of Thomas Paine, in the town of New
Rochelle. A plain monument marks the
site of his former house and his final
resting place. Erected by few friends,
it is covered with significant quotations
from his political-religious writings. As
| stood there and reflected on his genius,
his apparent power and his real weak
ness, | thought Of Christ's striking proph-
ecy and its singular historical iulfillment
"On whomsocver this stone shall fall il
shall grind him 10 powder"
Thomas Paine's career was full ol
promise. He welded pen whose pop
ular power has rarely been cqualed. never
perhaps, excelled. His Rights of Man,
published in England during the excitng 9
scene of the French Revolution. reached
tho unparalleled circulation Of over q
million OF copies. His "Common Sense,
published six months before the Declara.
ton of Independence, is said to have sew
cred the last link that bound the colonies
to the mother country. Six days before
the battle of Trenton. the first number OF
his American Crisis" was read at the
head of every regiment, and first aroused,
1t is said. the dropping ardor of the dis
heartencd people.
When at length that independence
was secured, to which his various services
in the cabinet. the fiel and with the pen
had afforded no mean conclusion, no
honors seemed to II triumphant Republic
too great TO be lavished upon him. Gen
eral Washington received him with Pc
cular honors as his guest. The National
Congress appropriated $4,000 as testi-
monial of n nations esteem. New York
presented him with 4 magnificent estate
OF three hundred acres at New Rochelle.
Pennsy lyania voted him gratuity OF
$500. Nesy Jersey offered him home
stead within bcr borders. Virginia failed
only by q single vote in the attempted
appropriation to him of tract of land
valued ut $20,O at is doubtful SAYS
the historian. Botta. "whcther any writer
ever possessed in higher degree the an,
of moving and guiding the multitude at
his will" mo writer says Thomas
Jefferson" has exceeded Paine, in famii.
arity Of style, in perspicuity of express
sion, happiness OF elucidation. and in
simple and unassnming language"
Such was the man. who, in drinking
in the irreligious philosophy OF the French
Encyclopedias. undertook in his Age OF
Reason" ut the end Of an otherwise mem
orable life, to subvert the principles
and undermine the authority ofihe Chris
,ian religion. He did not deny. but as
serted the existence of God, the claims
OF conscience, and the reality OF an inn
mortal existence beyond the grave. lie
simply set his lance in poise 10 demolish
the Cross of Christ. In vain did Bena-
min Franklin bcscech him To rcpress n
work 50 shocking to the religious sensi.
bilities Of mankind. "Among u.s." said
the sage, ut is not necessary, rs among
the IIottcutols, that 4 youth, to be raised
in TO the company Of men. should prove
his manhood by beating his mother" p"
Paine persisted. His Age of Reason
for the moment oulrvallcd the wide.
spread popularity of his Common Sense"
and his Rights OF Man" The Church
of Christ seemed Tor the moment TO trem.
bic under the blow. Christian men fear.
ed for the safety OF their faith before an
attack SO audacious from Il pen SO power
iul. But The lance that struck the Cross
OF Christ was shiyercd into thousand
pieces in his hand.
the Rock oil Ages as The thunder storm
10 shake the granite hills over whose
heads its harmless anger plays. The
stone which the builders refused fell upon
him and ground him to powder. lie is
left without sect, and almost without
follower. His services to liberty have
been obliterated from the memory OF
mankind by his assaults upon religion.
He is known to but few save rs repre-
sentative Of the coursest infidclity. Even
the broad-minded Quakers would not
yield to his bones final resting place in
their Christian burial ground. He was
Inferred upon his own farm. But even
death brought no repose. Halfa century
ago, from his violated tomb, his remains
were removed to England. An enthusi-
astic friend anticipated for them there a
warm welcome. But none were SO poor
as to do them reverence. Dispersed, rs
by the judgments Of Almighty God. not
even the place Of their final burial has
history recorded His works have well
nigh disappeared from fame, his very
bores from their grave. And the uame
and life OF Thomas Paine remain II mon.
umental testimonial to the truth Of the
prophecy, "On whomsoever it shall fall il
shall grind him to powder"
Beg0ars, and HOW to Treat Them.
One ofthe most difficult things in the
world is the right administration OF