Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-12-01

of Der neices very barbarously. Her usual
remarks turn upon people who had great
estates, but never enjoyed them, by reason Of
some flaw in their own or their fathers De-
havior. She can give you the reason why
such a one died chldless why such one
was cut off in the flower Of his youth; why
such broke his leg on such particular spot
Of ground ,and why another was killed with
a buck-sword rather than with any other
kind of weapon. She has acrime for.esery
misfortune that can befall any of her acqualn-
lance; and when she hears of a robbery that
has been made or a murder that has been
committed, enlarges more on the guils of the
suffering person than on that of the thief or
assassin. In short, she is 80 good a christian
that whatever happens to herself is trial,
and whatever happens to Der neighbors is a
judgment.
The very description OF this folly in ordi-
nary life, is sufficient to expose it; but when
it appears in a pomp and dignity OF style 1t
is very apt to amaze and terrify the mind oil
the reader Herodotus and Plutarch, very
often apply their judgments as :mpertinently
as the old woman | have before mentioned.
though their manner Of relating them makes
the folly itself appear more venerable. In
deed, most historians, christian as well as pa
gan, have fallen into this idle superstition and
spoken of i'll success, unforeseen disasters and
terrible events, as if they had been let into
the secrets of Providence, and made acquain-
ted with that private conduct By which the
world is governed. One would think seve al
of our own historians liz particular had many
revelations of this kind made to them. Our
old English monks seldom let any of tier
kings depart 10 peace who had endeavored to
diminish the power or wealth of which the
ecclesastcs were in those times possessed.-
William the Couqueror's race generally found
their judgments in the new forest where their
fathers had pulled down churches and mon
asteries In short, read one Of the chronicles
written by an author in this frame of mind
and you would think you were reading an
history of the kings of Israel or Judah, where
the historians were actually inspired, and
where by particular scheme of Providence,
the kings were distinguished by judgments or
blessings, according as they promoted idolatry
or the worship of the true God. -
/ cannot but look upon this manner of
judging upon misfortunes, not ouly to be very
uncharitabe in regard to the person on whom
him who is supposed to inf1ict them. 1t is q
strong argument for a state OF retribution
hereafter, that in this world virtuous persons
are very often unfortunate and vicious ones
prosperous; which. is wholly repusnant to
the nature of Being who appears infinitely
wise and good in all bis works, unless we may
suppose that such promscuous and undis-
tinguishiug distribution of good and evil,
which was necessary for carrying on the de-
signs of Providence 10 this life, will be recti-
fed and made amends for in another. We
are not, therefore, to expect that fire should
fall from heaven in the ordinary course Of
Providence nor when we see triumphant
guilt or depressed virtue in particular persons,
that Omnipptence will make bare its holy
arm in the defence Of the one or the punish
ment of the other. 1t is sufficient that there
is day set apart FIR the hearing and requit-
ing of both, according to their respective
merits.
The folly Of ascribing temporal judgment to
any particular crimes may appear from seve-
raj considerations. l shall only mention two:
first, that, generally speaking, there is no ca
lamity or affection which is supposed to have
happened as Judgment to a vicious man
which does not sometimes happen to men of
approved religion and virtue. When Diago-.
ras, the atheist, was ON board one Of the A
thenian ships there arose very violent temp
est upon which the mariner told him that it
was just judgment upon them for haS-
ing taken SO impious a man on board. Dla7
suras begged them to look upon the rest OF
the ships that were 10 the same distress, and
asked them whether or no Diagoras was CD
board every vessel in the fleet. We are all
involved 10 the same calamities and subject to
the same accidents; aud when we see any Of
the species under any particular oppression,
we should look upon it as arising from the
common lot of human nature, rather than
from the guilt Of the person who suffers.
Another consideration that may check our
presumption in: putting such construction
upon misfortune, is this: that it is impos>i'
BILE for us to know what are calamities and
what are blessings. How many accidents
have passed for misfortunes which have turn-
ed to the welfare and prosperity Of the persons
to whose lot they have fallen 2 How many
disappoiutments have, in their consequences,
saved man from ruin? II we could look
into the effects Of everything, we might be al
lowed to pronounce boldly upon blessings and
JuuStuOuto3 WI W. q Nhoh W SisS okipion
of what he sees but in part, and in its begin
nings is an upjusti6able piece Of rashness and
folly. The story Of Biton aud Clitobus, which
was in great reputation among the heathens
flor we see it quoted by all the ancient auth
ors, both Greek and Latin, who have written
upon the Immortality of the soull may teach
as caution in this matter. These two broth
ers being the sons Of lady, who was priestess
to Juno, drew their mothers chariot, to the
temple at the time Of great solemuity, the
persons being absent, who. by their. office,
were to have drawn her chariot on this occa-
sion. The mother was so transported with
that instance of filial duty that she petitioned
her goddess to bestow upon them the greatest
gifts that could be given to men; upon which
they were both cast into deep sleep and the
next morning found dead in the temple
This was such AN event as would have been
construed into Judgment had it happened to
the two brothers after an act Of disobedience,
and would doubtless have been represented as
such by any ancient historian who had given
US an account Of it. 80 .-t =. -
MARRIED,
At Christ Church, in this village, on We'd
nesday, November 18th, 1871 by the Rev. DR..
LEVIN, ANDREW G.. CHAPMAN, ESQ.,, and
Miss HELEN MARY, daughter Of PEARSON
tn p16A n Esu all of this countv. "a ~.