The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-22
John Rsndoip's Faith.


brother. Judge Henry ST. George Tucker
evidently upon the loss by the latter Of
q SOM
Nay He who has the power, and always
the Will, when earnestly humbly and
devouty entreated, support and comfort
you, my brotherl shall not point 70
yoT tho treasures that remain TO you in
your surviving children. and their mother
dearer than all these put together. No;
have felt too deeply how little pgHer
have words that play round the head TO
reach the heart when IL Is sorely wound
ed The commonplaces OF consolation are
Of the tongues end Of all the self-com-
piacent and satisfied from the pedant
priest 70 the washerwoman. (They who
don't feel can talk.). / abjure them all
The father OF Lord Russell. when con-
ooied with according to form, by the
book, said. Il would not give my dead
son for any other mans living" May this
thought come 10 your bosom, too; but not
on the same occasion. May the spirit OF
God. which IS not the chimera of heated
brains. nor a device Of artful men 10
frtghten and cajole the credulous. but Is
as much an existence that can be felt
and understood as the whisperings Of
your own heart or the love you bore 10
him that you have lost-may the Spirit,
which is the comforter. shed His in
huence upon your soul, and incline your
heart and understanding 10 the only right
way which is that Of life eternal Did
you ever read Bishop Buffers Analogy
II not l will send II to you. Have you
read the Book What I say upon this
subject I rot only believe. but / know
70 be true-that the Bible. studied with
an humble and contrite heart, never yet
failed 10 do its work. even with those
who from idiosyncracy or disordered
minds have conceived that they were cut
IL 81
ASK and ye shall receive; seek and we
shall ind: knock and 1t shall be opened
unto you" This was my only support
and stay during years of misery and
darkness: and just as had almost begun
to despair, after more than ten years Of
penitence and prayer. II pleased God TO
enable me TO see the truth, to which until
then my eyes had been sealed. To this
vouchsafement have made the most un-
grateful returns. But ! would not give
TIP my slender portion OF the price paid
for our redempton--yes, my brother our
redemption-the ransom Of sinners-of all
who do not hug their chains and refuse
60 come out from the house OF bondage
l say that l would not exchange my little
portion In the Son Of David for the power
and glory OF the Parthian or Roman en-
pires as described by Milton in the temp
tation OF our Lord and Saviour. not for
all with which the enemy tempted the
Saviour OF man.
This is the secret OF the change Of my
spirits. which all who know me must
have observed within a few years past
After years spent I'm humble and contrite
entreaty that the tremendous sacrifice on
Mount Calvary might not have been made
In vain for me, the chiefest Of sinners, II
pleased God 10 speak his peace into my
leart-that peace Of God which passeth
AL understanding TO them that know 1t
not. and even 10 them that do. And al
though / have now as then. TO reproach
myself with time misspent and faculties
unemployed: although my condition has
on more than one occasion resembied that
Of him who. having one evil spirit cast
out was taken possession OF by seven
other spirits more wicked than the frst'
and the first also; yet l trust that they
too. by the power and mercy OF God, may
be II they are not, vanquished.
But where am i running 10? on this
subject more hereafter Meanwhile, as
sure yourself Of what Is of small value
compared with that Of those who are a
piece OF your seif-of the unchanged re-
gard and sympathy OF your mothers son.
All my God! / remember to have seen
her die-to have followed her TO the grave
to have wondered that the sun continued
70 rise and set. and the order OF nature
70 go on. Ignorant Of true religion DuI
not vet an atheist, l remember win
Coo upon this bereavement-"but not yet
an atheist" The existence OF atheism has
been denied: but ] was an honest one
Hume began and Hobbs finished me.
read Spinoza and all the tribe. Surely
/ fell by no ignoble hand. And the very
man O. who gave me Hume Essay
upon Human Nature" TO read, admin
istered "Beattie upon Truth" as the anti
dOte-Nenice treacle against arsenic anu
the essential oil OF bitter almonds-a |
bread and milk poultice for the bite OF !
the cobra cabello. ~
Had / remained a successful polucal !
leader l might never have been Chris |
tan. But Il pleased God that my pride |
should be mortified; that by death and |
desertiOn / should lose my friends that |
EXCEPT in the veins OF maniac, ana ne |
too. possessed ''of a child by a dear ana |
dumb spirit" there should not run one
drop Of my fathers blood In any HVing |
Creature besides myself The death OF |
Tudor finished my humiliation / had |
trisd all things but the refuge 10 Christ, !
and 10 that, with parental stripes. was
driven often did ] cry out with the |
father OF that wretched boy, Lord! l
belteve-heip thou mine unbelief:" and the |
gracious mercy OF our Lord 10 this waV-
ering faith, staggering under the iorce
OF the hard heart Of unbelief, 1 humDiy
hoped would, in his good ume, De extern
ded 70 me also. 81 Mark. vii. l'-zs
Throw Revelation aside, and can drive
any man by Irresistible Induction 10
Atheism John Marshall couIo not reslsS
me When | say man mean man
capable OF logical and consequential rea~
soning. Deism is the refuge OF those
that startle al atheism, and can't believe
Revelation; and my. onay o0e ny
FORGIVEN US BOTH and myself USED WIN
Diderot x Co, 10 laugh at the deisucai
bigots who must have milk; not being
able to digest meat. All thelsm Is de-
rived from Revelation-that OF ,he .a"s
confessediy. our own Is from the same
souFce-so Is the false revelation OF Ma
homet: and can't much blame the iuIhs
FOR considering the Franks and Greeks 70
10 idolators Every other IDEA Oh oiie Wv
that noats On the world is derived from
The tradition OF the sons OF Moan hai'oeu
DOWN 10 their posterity.
But enough-and more than enoush
can scarcely guide my pen. VIII, now
ever add that no jukewarm seeker ever
became real Christian; for from the