The Portland daily press., 1880-07-01
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM. IN ADVANCE.

a deeply read theologian. 1 have declared
my faith in my books many times, and. in face Of
really too unscrupulous in itself, and the base Of
another calumny; for my deceased friend. though q
less instructed, was firm believer. She acted the
sospel more than she talked it. but she could speak,
too remember once, when some sceptica1 opin-
ions were mooted in her presence, she said, with
certain majesty and power she could command on
uncommon occasions, 'AyD WHAT CAN THEY GIyE
THE WORLD TO MAKE UP FOR THE GLORIOUS HOPE
THEY WOULD ROB RI OFF" These were her wor $
to the letter.
q Mrs. Seymour and were old people, you
know. During the nineteen years lived In the
same house with her she led an innocent life self
denying life and sngularly charitable life. In the
exercise of this grace there scarcely Scriptur-
al injunc tion she did not fulfil to the letter. She
was merciful to all God's creatures She took the
stranger into her house for months; she cared for
the orphan; she visited and nursed the sick; she
comforted the afflicted in mind; she relieved the
poor in various classes of e constantly hiding her
bounty from Others and sometimes from its very
objects. Those charities still continued out of
her funds and through the influence of her exam
pie. God drew her nearer to him by five months Of
acute suffering She bore her agonies from cancer
of the liver with meek resignation, and sorrow for
me, who was to lose her, but none for herself
Several days before her death she made distinct
declaration of her faith, viz that she relied not
her good and charitable works, but only on the
merits of her Redeemer. Three days before her
death she partook of the Holy Communion with fer
vent responses and such an expression Of pous RAP
grief for her is selfish. You know what have lost
peerless creature, wse Just, and full Of genius,
yet devoted to me. She alone sustained me in the
hard battle of my life, and now. old and broken,
must totter on without her sick and lonely. My
remorse is for this 1 had lived entirely tor the
world, and so dsqueted her with my cares instead
of leading her the path Of peace, and robbed God
of saint, though not of believed. did .also af
iict myself with doubts Of her eternal welfare, but
where there is great affection there is always great
solicitude. Bereaved Christians torment themselves
with this tender anxiety more than bereaved Ra-
tionalists do. Mr.. e: Graham, when he knew the
particulars Of her life and death, never shared my
anxieties He removed them entirely That living
evangelist showed me my doubts were, in reality,
doubts of Gods goodness and wisdom, and Of his
special promises. But the words Mr. Stanton has
put into his mouth deny the faith and ignore the
which is positive doubt, upon her condition at her
death.
For the reason gave you, do not object to minor
inaccuracies; but kindly make 1t understood that
do not in my person indorse any mans religious
animosities. 1t would ill become me to asperse the
Church of England, or any other community that
has bred holy men, whose shoes am not worthy TO
tie. am, mydear Hatton, yours sincerely.
CHARLES READE.
Mr. Hatton, in contributing this letter to the
New York Times, borrows from Mr.. Reade's
earlier letters something of his pungent invec-
tive for the gossipiDg clergyman who made
this explanation necessary, and after vouching
for the Christian spirit of Mr.. Reades books
from Peg Wellington to The Cloister and the
Hearth, applies to his tormentor's allusion to
Mrs. Seymour the protest of Laertes at the
grave of Ophelia, which, with the change of
one word, seemed to fit the situation:-
tell thee churlish priest,
ministeriHg angel shall our sister be
When thou lest bowling. .t....... .