The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-18

n copy for publication in the Times, a. fol
lows:
BALTIMORE. March %, 1880 - I owe you
several letters. my dear friend, but you are
Kind and can allow for my situation.
have had such a winter as never had be
lore. having eases 10 argue. with broken
heart aud exhausted strength. when AZ every
sep feel FAR better disposed 10 Ie down in
1.-The grave. II wa~ rot in sucb a frame that
could address YOU. Even now am unit
TO write, for The heavens are hung with
mourning, ana the earth with d1rkness.
The charm oi life is gone. look at nv be-
loyed wife. ana mg still remaining circle oi
lovely chidren, aud my heart reprOaches
me with ingrattude TO heiven. | have
been too blessed, and am still far TOO blessed
for ms lust deserts The selection OF The
victim is too striking not 10 he understood.
There Is better world, II which have
thought TOO llitle. TO that world she has
cone, and thitber my affections have follow
ed her This was heavens design. see and
feel II a. distinctly a. il an angel bad re-
Nealcd it--8s il my angel daughter had been
permitied 10 reveal IT.. Indeed, | often i'm
agIne that can see her beckOnlng me to the
happy world TO when she has gone. She
was my companion NV Office companion,
nv librarian. my cleik. My papers now bear
her endorsement. She pursued her studies
in nv Office, by my side; sat with ne, walk
ed with me, was my ineXDr(s>Iby sweet
and inseparable companion; never left me
but to 90 and Iii with her dear mother, ard
dotted upon Us both as VT did her. We
knew all her intelligence, all the Quickness
aud power OF her perceptions, all her Sc
raDhic love. She was all love; loved all
Gods creation. even the animals, and trees,
and plants. She loved her God and Saviour
with an angels love, and died like saint.
Voltare and BOlinobroke, and the maiel ial-
lists OF France and En-land and the whole
! earth, would never be able to pers uade me
that such spirit was the result of material
organization.
On! my dear friend, there is a future
world. land of spirits. to which we are
Fastening. Would to God you could be-
lieye with me that the 4. bic j. true, tie re-
yeaed will Of God, and offers 10 us the only
terms Of salvation. Humln reason may re-
volt at IT., and what is poor human reason,
unable to explain how /; blade of grass
| grows. Surrounded every moment with
realities which 1t admits 10 be ineXpIic'b able
MYSTERIES. and vet pTesuming 10 measure
and pronounce uDOn the cOunSels Of On
niscieDce. and rejecting the Christian re-
li0iOn because it Is a mystery. Can any
thing be more mysterious than the union OF
soul and body, unless ii be The still greater
mystery, which some profess 10 believe,
that matter can be 80 Organized a to pro-
duce the amaZIng intellectual results
which we witness IN man? In beliey.
ing our own existence we believe
la mystery as great as any that the
/ Christian religion presents, for there are no
degrees in mystery. Pass the sphere OF rea-
| aIl far Of Il do tIl
the works of the Almighty are mysterious to
our poor, lAlted faculties.
| What &ries OF magnifcent mysteries
does astronomy present.. Philosophers re-
solve the motion OF the planets into graviia-
| tion, and what is grayIa.iOn? Let reason
answer the question. 1t cannot DO ii. She
! finds herself involved in "a world of mystic
iiee, and yet she rejects the Christian rel-
| zion because il is mystery. Is not God
himself mystery? or, II the solar system
is believed 10 be uncrealed and eternal, is
not that mystery? Would have man
renOunce bis reason? No. | ask only that
he " i'll confne il TO its proper sphere, aud
not pronounce the ocean without bottom
because he cannot touch ii with an inch OF
line.
Believe me, my dear friend. this subject
requires a more solemn reconsideration.
have read VOitaIe, BOlngb Oke, GibboD,
Hume, and a great many more of those
writer's. They have puzzled but never
convinced me. In my younger days was
struck with their novelty, yivacity, wit, in-
genuity. and powef OF ridcule but there
was always Il t&.king belief IN nv heart
that il was all false and hollow, however
plausible tie exterior. Within a year or
two / have been reading Horne's Intro
duction 10 the Study OF Scriptures, where
all their arguments are arrayed, and, accord
ing To nv judgment, most triumphantly re-
futed. VIII YOU read that bookl WillyOu
read 1t carefully! WIN YOU READ Ibe letters
OF Ointhus Gregory want your society
IN heaven. ! have loved you on earth more
dearig than any other man. and would
love 10 enjoy you forever in heaven. If
human virtue alone could carry you there,
YOU would he certain OF IL. But, my dear
friend, there must be spiritual change.
Would TO God you could be persuaded OF
this. You will think me mad The whole
subject, 1 fear, Is dlstasteful 10 you. You
will say that YOU have thought enough OF
il that you have made up your mind, ana
must take your chance. 1 hope YOU VIII
not say so. am no raving enthusiast. j
abhor hysterieal and maniacal screams
a. much as you can do. True reli-
zion is calm, serene, sublime. There |
Is nothing sour or ascetic aboat ii. 1t ~ a
swcetener OF the spirits, and the parent OF
ali That is kind, and pure, and benevolent In |
human affections. 1t is not gloomy, but |
cheerful and social. TOwalk with God and |
10 commune with Him in HE works, and
through His spirit, what can be more ex-
altiRg, ennobiingy hat so well calculated
20 Bill the heart with love TO our fellow
the most expanded philan-
hropyi Do not reject the Christian reli-
ZION because its mysteries confouBd your
easOn.
Forced as you are 10 believe so many
'ther mysteries, VIII YOU not believe that
his Is Dossibley Then examine its evil
ences, ana II the facts on which II rests be
veil atiesteG, would il not be illogical stili
o resist IL because IL Is a mystery! Exam
ne these evidences as Horne has collected
hem. Examine tHem with candor, and not {
Win prejudice and prepossession. II is not |
ecessary that you should wish 10 lind them
rue; only do not wish to find them false.
'nly look at the prophecies OF the Messiah. I
heir eeDuneDess Is placed beyond ques- s
on. The evidence comes from the ene-
lies OF the cross. They would not sophis-
cate them, and the detaii Is too full and
Ilpute 10 refer the verlfcation to chance. ,
owpare the state Of the Jews With the 10