Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-11-15

much noise and pomp and os:cntation have

ihiicil Hoise ana pOinp and OStcntatlCn hay
been hcralded about the world.
II | received the following letter to-day
e The writer IS weil known in this city. an
!, is man of hig!, character:
: PEORIA, Oct. Sth, 1877.
f ROBERT e. INCERsoLL-
Esteemed Fri>nd: Ny parents weY
: Friends (Qnkcrs). Ny father died whel
, was very young. The elderly and mic.
dle-aged Friends visited at my mother
= house. Weifved in the city Of New Yor,,
. Among the number | distinctly remembe
Elias Hicks, Wilet Hicks, and Mr..
: Day. who was a bookseller in Pearl stree.
liefe we're many Others. Whose names
do not now remember. The subject of tlis
rccantation by Mr.. Thomas Paine. of hi,
views ahort the Bible in his last illness. q,
at any other time. was discussed by them
IN my presence at different times. LEARNED
Iohl fiem that some of then. had attended
I upon Thomas Paine in his last sickness.
and ihin2tcrcd to his wants up to the time
Of his death. And upon the question of
whether he did recant there was but one
expression. They Ill said he did not re-
cant n any manner. often heard them
say tdey &i;i''i he had rccunted. In fact.
aecor!ih.' 10 i4Hni, The nearer he approach
/ Ell deau2 t.fe more positive lie appeared to
/ BE- il iIis convictions.
i4ese conversations We're from 1920 to
iS-.2. was at that time from 10 to II
years Old, but these conversations IMPRESS
Ell themselves upon me beca,,sa many
tho"gii!ess people tieH blamed the Society
Oh friends iol their kindness 70 that arch
iniidel,' Thomas Paine.
Truly. yours.
A. {. HANKYSSON.
a few days ago received the following
letter:
ALBANY, \. y. Sept. u. 1877.
DEAR SiR:-it is over twenty Years AGO
tlal professionally made. tie acGu.,intance
OF John Hogeboonl. Il Justice of the Peace
OF the county OF Rensselaer,. New York.
lie was then over seventy Years of AGE and
had III" reputation OF being 4 man of can
dor and integrity. lie Was a great admircr
OF faine. Tie told he that he was Dcrson-
ally acquainted with him. and used to see
iIiin frequently t'uriag the last years of his
lie IN the city OF New York. where Hoye-
boom ti.cn resided. laskod him If there
WAS any truth IN the charge that Paine was
III ihe h%bit OF sett.n" drunk. lie said
'fi;si 1t WAS utterly false: tia. he had never
ne;ti''! OF sa"! Il thing daring the lifetime
OF Nr. Pane. and did not believe any one
else did | asked Him about tie recant;- /
ton OF his religious opinions on his death
bed, aud the revolving Geath-hed scenes
that the world lad heard SO much about. /
lie said that there was no truth in them
that he had received Lis information from
persons who attended Paine in his last i'll
ness, and that he passed peacefully away,
as We may say, in the sunshine OF great
soul. Yours, truly,
". }. NiLToS. /
The witnesses by whom | suhstantiate
the tact that Thomas Paine did not recnt. /
and that lie died holding the religious opin-
ions he h;,,l published. are
Fi.st-Thomas Nixon. Captain Daniel
PeltOn. B. +. Haskin. These gentlemen /
listed him during his last illness for the
purpose of ascertaining whether he had in
any respect changed his views upon relig-
ion. lie told them that ne had not.
Second-JaIes Clcetham. This man
was the most malicious enemy MIR. Paine
had, and yet he admits that Thomas Paine
died placidly. and almost without IA strug-
GLE (See Life Of Thomas Paine, by Jas.
Cheethan..)
Third The ministers. MilIcdollar and
These gentlemen told Mr.
Paine that if he died without believing in
the Lord Jesus Christ he woall be damned. /
and Paine replied, LET me have none of
your pOpish stuff Good morning. (See !
Sherwin's Life of Paine. p. 220).
FOurth-Mrs. IIed,icn. She told these |
same preachers when they attempted to !
obtr,lde themselves upon Mr.. Paine again
that the attempt to convert Mr. Paine was
useess-"that if God did not change his
mind no human power could.'
Fifth--Andrew \. Dean. This man liv-
ed upon Paine's farm at New Rochelle, and
with hiD upon religious sub
jects. (See Paine's Theological Works, D.
3Os).
SiXth-Nlr. Jarvis the artist with whom
Paine lived. lie gives an account Of an old !
lady coming to Paine and telling him that I
God Almighty had sent her to tell him I
that unless he repented and believed in the /
blessed Savior, he would be damned. Paine /
replied t4at God would not send such a /
foolish oitt woman with such an imperti- I
nent l.i,-sage. (oee Clio Rickman's Life /
Of Paine.
Sevenlli-Wm. Carver, with whom Paine T
boarded. Mr.. Carver said again and again /
that Paine did not rec:lnt. He knew him t
well, and had every opportunity of know
ng. (See Life of Paine, by Vale.)
Eig,.th--Dr. Manley, who attended him |
in his last sickness, and to whom Paine
spoke his last words. DIR. Manley asked |
him if he did not wish to believe in Jesus
Christ, and he said, Il have no wish to be-
eve on that subject"
Ninth-Willet Hicks and Elias Hicks.
who We're with him frequently during his
asst sickness, and both OF whom tried to
persuade him to recant. According to
heir testimony. Mr.. Paine died as he had
iyed-a believer in God. and a friend of
nan. Wilet Hicks was offered money to
ay something false against Thomas Paine.
lie was even offered money to remain 81
ent and allow others to siander the dead
Ir. Hicks, speaking of Thomas Paine,
aid: "lie was a good mafl-;.n honest
nan" (See Wales Life of Paine.)
Tenth-Amassa Wordsworth, who was
With him every day for some six weeks
u, IN. IL r,roooI;n.c Lii .lo.,.L