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07 - The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe · Classic Adventure Books - Daily

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Speaker 1: Chapter six, The French Clergyman's Council, Part two, I am persuaded,
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Speaker 1: says he had those men lived in the savage country,
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Speaker 1: whence their wives came the savage as would have taken
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Speaker 1: more pains to have brought them to be idolatas and
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Speaker 1: to waship the Devil, than any of these men, so
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Speaker 1: far as I can see, have taken with them to
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Speaker 1: teach the knowledge of the True God. Now, sir, said he,
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Speaker 1: though I do not acknowledge your religion or you mine,
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Speaker 1: yet we would be glad to see the Devil's servants
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Speaker 1: and the subjects of his kingdom taught to no religion,
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Speaker 1: and that they might at least hear of God and
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Speaker 1: a Redeemer, and the resurrection, and of a future state,
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Speaker 1: things which we all believe, that they might at least
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Speaker 1: be so much nearer coming into the bosom of the
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Speaker 1: True Church than they are now in the public profession
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Speaker 1: of idolatry and devil worship. I could hold no longer.
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Speaker 1: I took him in my arms and embraced him eagerly.
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Speaker 1: How far said I to him, have I been from
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Speaker 1: understanding the most essential part of a Christian viz. To
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Speaker 1: love the interest of the Christian Church and the good
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Speaker 1: of other men's souls. I scarce have known what belongs
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Speaker 1: to the being a Christian. Oh, sir, do not say so,
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Speaker 1: replied he. This thing is not your fault, No, said I,
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Speaker 1: But why did I never lay it to heart as
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Speaker 1: well as you? It is not too late yet, said he.
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Speaker 1: Be not too forward to condemn yourself. But what can
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Speaker 1: be done now? Said I. You see I am going away.
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Speaker 1: Will you give me leave to talk with these poor
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Speaker 1: men about it? Yes, with all my heart, said I,
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Speaker 1: and oblige them to give heed to what you say too.
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Speaker 1: As to that, said he, we must leave them to
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Speaker 1: the mercy of Christ. But it is your business to
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Speaker 1: assist them, encourage them, and instruct them. And if you
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Speaker 1: give me leave and God his blessing, I do not
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Speaker 1: doubt but the poor ignorant souls shall be brought home
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Speaker 1: to the great circle of Christianity, if not into the
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Speaker 1: particular faith we all embrace. And that even while you
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Speaker 1: stay here upon this, I said, I shall not only
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Speaker 1: give you leave, but give you a thousand thanks for it.
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Speaker 1: I now pressed him for the third article in which
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Speaker 1: we were to blame. Why, really, says he, it is
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Speaker 1: of the same nature it is about your poor savages,
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Speaker 1: who are, as I may say, your conquered subjects. It
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Speaker 1: is a maxim, Sir, that is or ought to be
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Speaker 1: received among all Christians of what church are pretended churchsoever,
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Speaker 1: that the Christian knowledge ought to be propagated by all
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Speaker 1: possible means and on all possible occasions. It is on
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Speaker 1: this principle that our Church since missionaries into Persia, India
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Speaker 1: and China, and that our clergy, even of the superior sort,
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Speaker 1: willingly engage in the most hazardous voyage aes and the
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Speaker 1: most dangerous residents amongst murderers and barbarians, to teach them
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Speaker 1: the knowledge of the true God, and to bring them
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Speaker 1: over to embrace the Krishan faith. Now, Sir, you have
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Speaker 1: such an opportunity here to have seix or seven and
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Speaker 1: thirty poor savage as brought over from a state of
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Speaker 1: idolatry to the knowledge of God, their Maker and Redeemer,
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Speaker 1: that I wonder how you can pass such an occasion
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Speaker 1: of doing good, which is really worth the expense of
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Speaker 1: a man's whole life. I was now struck dumb, indeed,
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Speaker 1: and had not one word to say. I had here
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Speaker 1: the spirit of true Christian zeal for God and religion
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Speaker 1: before me. As for me, I had not so much
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Speaker 1: as entertained a thought of this in my heart before,
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Speaker 1: and I believe I should not have thought of it,
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Speaker 1: for I looked upon these savages as slaves and people whom,
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Speaker 1: had we not had any work for them to do,
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Speaker 1: we would have used as such, or would have been
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Speaker 1: glad to have transported them to any part of the world,
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Speaker 1: for our business was to get rid of them, and
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Speaker 1: we would all have been satisfied if they had been
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Speaker 1: sent to any country, so they had never seen their
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Speaker 1: own I was confounded at his discourse and knew not
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Speaker 1: what answer to make him. He looked earnestly at me,
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Speaker 1: Seeing my confusion, Sir says he, I shall be very
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Speaker 1: sorry if what I have said gives you any offense. No, no,
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Speaker 1: said I am offended with nobody but myself. But I
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Speaker 1: am perfectly confounded, not only to think that I should
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Speaker 1: never take any notice of this before, but with reflecting
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Speaker 1: what notice I am able to take of it now?
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Speaker 1: You know, sir, said I, what circumstances I am in.
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Speaker 1: I am bound to the East Indies in a ship
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Speaker 1: freighted by merchants, and to whom it would be an
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Speaker 1: insufferable piece of injustice to detain their ship here. The
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Speaker 1: men lying all this while at victuals and wages on
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Speaker 1: the owner's account. It is true, I agreed to be
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Speaker 1: allowed twelve days here, and if I stay more, I
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Speaker 1: must pay three pounds sterling per diem demurage. Nor can
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Speaker 1: I stay upon demurrige above eight days more. And I
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Speaker 1: have been here thirteen already, so that I am perfectly
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Speaker 1: unable to engage in this work, unless I would suffer
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Speaker 1: myself to be left behind here again, in which case,
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Speaker 1: if this single ship should miscarry in any part of
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Speaker 1: her voyage, I should be just in the same condition
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Speaker 1: that I was left in here at first, and from
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Speaker 1: which I have been so wonderfully delivered. He owned the
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Speaker 1: case was very hard upon me as to my voyage,
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Speaker 1: but laid it home upon my conscience whether the blessing
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Speaker 1: of saving thirty seven souls was not worth venturing all
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Speaker 1: I had in the world. For I was not so
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Speaker 1: sensible of that as he was. I replied to him, Thus, why, sir,
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Speaker 1: it is a valuable thing, indeed, to be an instrument
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Speaker 1: in God's hand, to convert thirty seven heathens to the
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Speaker 1: knowledge of Christ. But as you are an ecclesiastic and
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Speaker 1: are given over to the work, so it seems naturally
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Speaker 1: to fall in the way of your profession. How is
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Speaker 1: it then, that you do not rather offer yourself to
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Speaker 1: undertake it than to press me to do it? Upon this,
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Speaker 1: he faced the bout just before me as he walked along,
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Speaker 1: and putting me to a full stop, made me a
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Speaker 1: very low bow. I most haughtily thank God, and you, sir,
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Speaker 1: said he for giving me so evident a call to
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Speaker 1: so blessed a work. And if you think yourself decharged
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Speaker 1: from it and desire me to undertake it, I will
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Speaker 1: most readily do it, and think it a happy reward.
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Speaker 1: For all the hazards and difficulties of such a broken,
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Speaker 1: disappointed voyage as I have met with that, I am
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Speaker 1: dropped at last into so glorious i work. I discovered
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Speaker 1: a kind of rapture in his face. While he spoke
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Speaker 1: this to me. His eyes sparkled like fire, his face glowed,
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Speaker 1: and his color came and went. In a word, he
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Speaker 1: was fired with the joy of being embarked in such
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Speaker 1: a work. I paused a considerable while before I could
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Speaker 1: tell what to say to him, for I was really
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Speaker 1: surprised to find a man of such sincerity and who
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Speaker 1: seemed possessed of a zeal beyond the ordinary rate of men.
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Speaker 1: But after I had considered it a while, I asked
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Speaker 1: him seriously if he was in earnest and that he
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Speaker 1: would venture on the single consideration of an attempt to
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Speaker 1: convert those poor people to be locked up in an
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Speaker 1: unplanted island for perhaps his life, and at last might
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Speaker 1: not know whether he should be able to do them
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Speaker 1: good or not. He turned short upon me and asked
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Speaker 1: me what I called a venture? Pray, Sir, said he,
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Speaker 1: what do you think I consented to go in your
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Speaker 1: ship to the East Indies? For aye, said I that
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Speaker 1: I know not, unless it was to preach to the Indians. Doubless,
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Speaker 1: it was said he. And do you think if I
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Speaker 1: can convert these thirty seven men to the faith of
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Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, it is not worth my time? Though I
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Speaker 1: should never be fetched off the island again. Nay, is
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Speaker 1: it not infinitely of more worth to save so many
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Speaker 1: souls than my life is, or the life of twenty
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Speaker 1: more of the same profession, Yes, sir, says he, I
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Speaker 1: would give God thanks all my days if I could
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Speaker 1: be made the happy estramant of saving the souls of
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Speaker 1: these poor men, though I were never to get my
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Speaker 1: foot off this island or see my native country any more.
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Speaker 1: But since you will honor me with putting me into
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Speaker 1: this work, for which I will pray for you all
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Speaker 1: the days of my life, I have but one humber
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Speaker 1: petition to you. Besides what is that said I? Why
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Speaker 1: says he? It is that you will leave your man
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Speaker 1: Friday with me to be my interpreter to them and
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Speaker 1: to assist me, for without some help I cannot speak
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Speaker 1: to them or they to me. I was sensibly touched
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Speaker 1: at his requesting Friday, because I could not think of
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Speaker 1: parting with him, and that for many reasons he had
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Speaker 1: been the companion of my travels. He was not only
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Speaker 1: faithful to me, but sincerely affectionate to the last degree,
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Speaker 1: and I had resolved to do something considerable for him
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Speaker 1: if he outlived me, as it was probable he would.
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Speaker 1: Then I knew that as I had bred Friday up
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Speaker 1: to be a Protestant, it would quite confound him to
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Speaker 1: bring him to embrace another religion, and he would never
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Speaker 1: while his eyes were open believe that his old master
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Speaker 1: was a heretic and would be damned, and this might
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Speaker 1: in the end ruin the poor fellow's principles, and so
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Speaker 1: turn him back again to his first idolatry. However, a
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Speaker 1: sudden thought relieved me in this strait, and it was
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Speaker 1: this I told him. I could not say that I
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Speaker 1: was willing to part with Friday on any account whatever,
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Speaker 1: though a work that to him was of more value
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Speaker 1: than his life ought to be of much more value
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Speaker 1: than the keeping or parting with a servant. On the
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Speaker 1: other hand, I was persuaded that Friday would by no
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Speaker 1: means agree to part with me, and I could not
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Speaker 1: force him to it without his consent, without manifest injustice.
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Speaker 1: Because I had promised I would never send him away,
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Speaker 1: and he had promised and engaged that he would never
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Speaker 1: leave me unless I sent him away. He seemed very
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Speaker 1: much concerned at it, for he had no rational access
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Speaker 1: to these poor people, seeing he did not understand one
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Speaker 1: word of their language, nor they one of his. To
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Speaker 1: remove this difficulty, I told him Friday's father had learned Spanish,
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Speaker 1: which I found he also understood, and he should serve
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Speaker 1: him as an interpreter. So he was much better satisfied,
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Speaker 1: and nothing could persuade him, but he would stay and
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Speaker 1: endeavor to convert them. But Providence gave another very happy
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Speaker 1: turn to all this. I come back now to the
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Speaker 1: first part of his objections. When we came to the Englishmen,
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Speaker 1: I sent for them all together, and after some account
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Speaker 1: given them of what I had done for them, viz.
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Speaker 1: What necessary things I had provided for them, and how
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Speaker 1: they were distributed, which they were very sensible of and
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Speaker 1: very thankful for. I began to talk to them of
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Speaker 1: the scandalous life they led, and gave them a full
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Speaker 1: account of the notice the clergyman had taken of it,
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Speaker 1: and arguing how unchristian and irreligious life it was. I
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Speaker 1: first asked them if they were married men or bachelors.
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Speaker 1: They soon explained their condition to me and showed that
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Speaker 1: two of them were widowers and the other three were
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Speaker 1: single men or bachelors. I asked them with what conscience
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Speaker 1: they could take these women and call them their wives,
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Speaker 1: and have so many children by them, and not be
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Speaker 1: lawfully married to them. They all gave me the answer
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Speaker 1: I expected, viz. That there was nobody to marry them,
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Speaker 1: that they agreed before the governor to keep them as
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Speaker 1: their wives, and to maintain them and own them as
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Speaker 1: their wives. And they thought, as things stood with them,
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Speaker 1: they were as legally married as if they had been
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Speaker 1: married by a parson, and with all the formalities in
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Speaker 1: the world. I told them that, no doubt they were
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Speaker 1: married in the sight of God, and were bound in
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Speaker 1: conscience to keep them as their wives, but that the
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Speaker 1: laws of men being otherwise, they might desert the poor
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Speaker 1: women and children hereafter, and that their wives, being poor,
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Speaker 1: desolate women, friendless, and moneyless, would have no way to
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Speaker 1: help themselves. I therefore told them that unless I was
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Speaker 1: assured of their honest intent, I could do nothing for them,
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Speaker 1: but would take care that what I did should be
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Speaker 1: for the women and children without them, And that unless
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Speaker 1: they would give me some assurances that they would marry
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Speaker 1: the women, I could not think it was convenient they
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Speaker 1: should continue together as man and wife, for that it
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Speaker 1: was both scandalous to men and offensive to God, who
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Speaker 1: they could not think would bless them if they went on. Thus.
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Speaker 1: All this went on as I expected, and they told me,
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Speaker 1: especially will Atkins, who now seemed to speak for the rest,
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Speaker 1: that they loved their wives as well as if they
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Speaker 1: had been born in their own native country, and would
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Speaker 1: not leave them on any account whatever. And they did
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Speaker 1: verily believe that their wives were as virtuous and as modest,
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Speaker 1: and did to the utmost of their skill as much
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Speaker 1: for them and for their children as any woman could
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Speaker 1: possibly do, and they would not part with them on
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Speaker 1: any account. Will Atkins, for his own particular, added that
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Speaker 1: if any man would take him away and offer to
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Speaker 1: carry him home to any England and make him captain
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Speaker 1: of the best man of war in the navy, he
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Speaker 1: would not go with him if he might not carry
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Speaker 1: his wife and children with him, And if there was
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Speaker 1: a clergyman in the ship, he would be married to
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Speaker 1: her now with all his heart. This was just as
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Speaker 1: I would have it. The priest was not with me
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Speaker 1: at that moment, but he was not far off, so
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Speaker 1: to try him further, I told him I had a
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Speaker 1: clergyman with me, and if he was sincere, I would
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Speaker 1: have him married next morning, and bade him consider of
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Speaker 1: it and talk with the rest. He said, as for himself,
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Speaker 1: he need not consider of it at all, for he
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Speaker 1: was very ready to do it, and was glad I
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Speaker 1: had a minister with me, and he believed they would
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Speaker 1: be all willing also. I then told him that my
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Speaker 1: friend the minister was a Frenchman and could not speak English,
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Speaker 1: but I would act the clerk between them. He never
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Speaker 1: so much as asked me whether he was a Papist
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Speaker 1: or Protestant, which was indeed what I was afraid of.
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Speaker 1: We then parted, and I went back to my clergymen,
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Speaker 1: and will Atkins went in to talk with his companions.
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Speaker 1: I desired the French gentleman not to say anything to
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Speaker 1: them till the business was thoroughly ripe, and I told
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Speaker 1: him what answer the men had given me before I
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Speaker 1: went from their quarter. They all came to me and
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Speaker 1: told me they had been considering what I had said,
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Speaker 1: that they were glad to hear I had a clergyman
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Speaker 1: in my company, and they were very willing to give
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Speaker 1: me the satisfaction I desired, and to be formally married
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Speaker 1: as soon as I pleased, For they were far from
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Speaker 1: desiring to part with their wives, and that they meant
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Speaker 1: nothing but what was very honest when they chose them.
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Speaker 1: So I appointed them to meet me the next morning,
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Speaker 1: and in the meantime they should let their wives know
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Speaker 1: the meaning of the marriage law, and that it was
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Speaker 1: not only to prevent any scandal, but also to oblige
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Speaker 1: them that they should not forsake them whatever might happen.
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Speaker 1: The women were easily made sensible of the meaning of
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Speaker 1: the thing, and were very well satisfied with it, as
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Speaker 1: indeed they had reason to be. So they failed not
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Speaker 1: to attend altogether at my apartment next morning, where I
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Speaker 1: brought out my clergyman. And though he had not on
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Speaker 1: a minister's gown after the manner of England, or the
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Speaker 1: habit of a priest after the manner of France, yet
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Speaker 1: having a black vest something like a cassock with a
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Speaker 1: sash round it, he did not look very unlike a minister.
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Speaker 1: And as for his language, I was his interpreter. But
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Speaker 1: the seriousness of his behavior to them, and the scruples
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Speaker 1: he made of marrying the women because they were not
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Speaker 1: baptized and professed Christians, gave them an exceeding reverence for
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Speaker 1: his person, and there was no need after that to
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Speaker 1: inquire whether he was a clergyman or not. Indeed, I
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Speaker 1: was afraid his scruples would have been carried so far
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Speaker 1: as that he would not have married them at all. Nay,
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Speaker 1: Notwithstanding all I was able to say to him, he
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Speaker 1: resisted me, though modestly, yet very steadily, and at last
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Speaker 1: refused absolutely to marry them unless he had first talked
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Speaker 1: with the men, and the women too, And though at
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Speaker 1: first I was a little backward to it, yet at
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Speaker 1: last I agreed to it with a good will, perceiving
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Speaker 1: the sincerity of his design. When he came to them,
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Speaker 1: he let them know that I had acquainted him with
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Speaker 1: their circumstances and with the present design, that he was
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Speaker 1: very willing to perform that part of his function and
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Speaker 1: marry them as I had desired, but that before he
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Speaker 1: could do it, he must take the liberty to talk
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Speaker 1: with them. He told them that in the sight of
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Speaker 1: all indifferent men, and in the sense of the laws
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Speaker 1: of society, they had lived all this while in a
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Speaker 1: state of sin, and it was true that nothing but
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Speaker 1: the consenting to marry or effectually separating them from one another,
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Speaker 1: could now put an end to it. But there was
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Speaker 1: a difficulty in it too, with respect to the laws
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Speaker 1: of Christian matrimony, which he was not fully satisfied about,
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Speaker 1: that of marrying one, that is, a professed Christian to
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Speaker 1: a savage an idolater and a heathen one that is
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Speaker 1: not baptized. And yet he did not see that there
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Speaker 1: was time left to endeavor to persuade the women to
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Speaker 1: be baptized, or to profess the name of Christ, whom
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Speaker 1: they had he doubted heard nothing of, and without which
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Speaker 1: they could not be baptized. He told them he doubted
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Speaker 1: they were but indifferent Christians themselves, that they had but
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Speaker 1: little knowledge of God or of His ways, And therefore
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Speaker 1: he could not expect that they had said much to
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Speaker 1: their wives on that head yet, but that unless they
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Speaker 1: would promise him to use their endeavors with their wives
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Speaker 1: to persuade them to become Christians, and would as well
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Speaker 1: as they could, instruct them in the knowledge and belief
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Speaker 1: of God that made them, and to worship Jesus Christ
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Speaker 1: that redeemed them, he could not marry them, for he
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Speaker 1: would have no hand in joining Christians with savages, nor
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Speaker 1: was it consistent with the principles of the Christian religion,
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Speaker 1: and was indeed expressly forbidden in God's law. They heard
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Speaker 1: all this very attentively, and I delivered it very faithfully
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Speaker 1: to them from his mouth, as near his own words
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Speaker 1: as I could, only sometimes adding something of my own
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Speaker 1: to convince them how just it was, and that I
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Speaker 1: was of his mind. And I always very carefully distinguished
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Speaker 1: between what I said from myself and what were the
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Speaker 1: clergyman's words. They told me it was very true what
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Speaker 1: the gentleman said, that they were very indifferent Christians themselves,
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Speaker 1: and that they had never talked to their wives about religion. Lord, Sir,
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Speaker 1: says will Atkins, how should we teach them religion? Why
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Speaker 1: we know nothing ourselves? And besides, Sir said he, should
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Speaker 1: we talk to them of God and Jesus Christ and
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Speaker 1: Heaven in hell, it would make them laugh at us
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Speaker 1: and ask us what we believe ourselves. And if we
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Speaker 1: should tell them that we believe all the things we
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Speaker 1: speak of to them, such as of good people going
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Speaker 1: to heaven and wicked people to the devil, they would
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Speaker 1: ask us where we intend to go ourselves that believe
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Speaker 1: all this, and our so much wicked fellows as we
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Speaker 1: indeed are. Why Sir, tis enough to give them a
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Speaker 1: surfeit of religion at first? Earring folks must have some
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Speaker 1: religion themselves before they begin to teach other people. Will
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Speaker 1: Atkins said I to him, though I am afraid that
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Speaker 1: what you say has too much truth in it. Yet
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Speaker 1: can you not tell your wife she is in the wrong,
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Speaker 1: That there is a God and a religion better than
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Speaker 1: her own, that her gods are idols, that they can
19:25
Speaker 1: neither hear nor speak, That there is a great being
19:28
Speaker 1: that made all things, and that can destroy all that
19:31
Speaker 1: he has made, That he rewards the good and punishes
19:35
Speaker 1: the bad, and that we are to be judged by
19:37
Speaker 1: Him at last for all we do here. You are
19:40
Speaker 1: not so ignorant, But even nature itself will teach you
19:43
Speaker 1: that all this is true. And I am satisfied you
19:46
Speaker 1: know it all to be true, and believe it yourself.
19:49
Speaker 1: That is true, sir, said Atkins. But with what face
19:52
Speaker 1: can I say anything to my wife of all this?
19:55
Speaker 1: When she will tell me immediately it cannot be true,
19:58
Speaker 1: not true? Said I. What you mean by that? Why, sir?
20:02
Speaker 1: Said he? She will tell me it cannot be true
20:04
Speaker 1: that this God I shall tell her of can be just,
20:07
Speaker 1: or can punish or reward, since I am not punished
20:11
Speaker 1: and sent to the devil, that have been such a
20:13
Speaker 1: wicked creature, as she knows I have been, even to
20:16
Speaker 1: her and to everybody else, and that I should be
20:19
Speaker 1: suffered to live, that have been always acting so contrary
20:23
Speaker 1: to what I must tell her is good and to
20:25
Speaker 1: what I ought to have done. Why truly, Atkins said,
20:28
Speaker 1: I I am afraid thou speakest too much truth. And
20:32
Speaker 1: with that I informed the clergyman of what Atkins had said,
20:36
Speaker 1: for he was impatient to know. Oh, said the priest.
20:39
Speaker 1: Tell him, there is one thing that will make him
20:41
Speaker 1: the best minister in the world to his wife, and
20:44
Speaker 1: that is repentance. For none teach repentance like true penitence.
20:49
Speaker 1: He wants nothing but to repent, and then he will
20:52
Speaker 1: be so much the better qualified to instruct his wife.
20:55
Speaker 1: He will then be able to tell her that there
20:57
Speaker 1: is not only a God and that he is the
20:59
Speaker 1: just rewarder of good and evil, but that He is
21:02
Speaker 1: a merciful being and with infinite goodness and long suffering
21:07
Speaker 1: for bears to punish those that offend, waiting to be
21:10
Speaker 1: gracious and willing not the death of a sinner, but
21:13
Speaker 1: rather that he should return and live, and even reserves
21:17
Speaker 1: damnation to the general day of retribution. That it is
21:20
Speaker 1: a clear evidence of God and of a future state,
21:24
Speaker 1: that righteous men receive not their reward or wicked men
21:28
Speaker 1: their punishment till they come into another world. And this
21:32
Speaker 1: will lead him to teach his wife the doctrine of
21:34
Speaker 1: the resurrection and of the last judgment. Let him but
21:37
Speaker 1: repent himself, he will be an excellent preacher of repentance
21:41
Speaker 1: to his wife. I repeated all this to Atkins, who
21:45
Speaker 1: looked very serious all the while, and, as we could
21:49
Speaker 1: easily perceive, was more than ordinarily affected with it, when
21:53
Speaker 1: being eager and hardly suffering me to make an end.
21:56
Speaker 1: I know all this, master, says he, and a great
22:00
Speaker 1: deal more. But I have not the impudence to talk
22:03
Speaker 1: thus to my wife, when God and my conscience know,
22:06
Speaker 1: and my wife will be an undeniable evidence against me
22:09
Speaker 1: that I have lived as if I had never heard
22:11
Speaker 1: of a God, or future state or anything about it.
22:15
Speaker 1: And a talk of my repenting alas, and with that
22:18
Speaker 1: he fetched a deep sigh, and I could see that
22:21
Speaker 1: the tears stood in his eyes. Tis past, or that
22:24
Speaker 1: with me past it? Atkins said, I what dost thou
22:28
Speaker 1: mean by that? I know well enough what I mean,
22:31
Speaker 1: says he. I mean tis too late, and that is
22:34
Speaker 1: too true. I told the clergyman word for word what
22:38
Speaker 1: he said, and this affectionate man could not refrain from tears, but,
22:42
Speaker 1: recovering himself, said to me, ask him, but one question.
22:46
Speaker 1: Is he easy that it is too late? Or is
22:49
Speaker 1: he troubled and wishes it were not? So? I put
22:53
Speaker 1: the question fairly to Atkins, and he answered, with a
22:56
Speaker 1: great deal of passion, how could any man be easy
22:59
Speaker 1: in a condition that must certainly end in eternal destruction?
23:03
Speaker 1: That he was far from being easy, but that, on
23:06
Speaker 1: the contrary, he believed it would one time or other
23:09
Speaker 1: ruin him. What do you mean by that? Said I?
23:11
Speaker 1: Why he said he believed he should one time or
23:14
Speaker 1: other God his throat to put an end to the
23:17
Speaker 1: terror of it. The clergyman shook his head with great
23:21
Speaker 1: concern in his face when I told him all this,
23:24
Speaker 1: but turning quick to me upon it, says, if that
23:27
Speaker 1: be his case, we may assure him it is not
23:29
Speaker 1: too late. Christ will give him repentance. But pray, says
23:33
Speaker 1: he explain this to him, that, as no man is
23:37
Speaker 1: saved but by Christ and the merit of his passion
23:40
Speaker 1: procuring divine mercy for him, how can it be too
23:43
Speaker 1: late for any man to receive mercy? Does he think
23:47
Speaker 1: he is able to sin beyond the power or reach
23:49
Speaker 1: of divine mercy. Pray tell him there may be a
23:53
Speaker 1: time when provoked mercy will no longer strive, and when
23:56
Speaker 1: God may refuse to hear, But that it is never
23:59
Speaker 1: too late for men to ask mercy. And we that
24:03
Speaker 1: are Christ's servants are commanded to preach mercy at all
24:06
Speaker 1: times in the name of Jesus Christ too old that
24:10
Speaker 1: sincerely repent, so that it is never too late to repent.
24:15
Speaker 1: I told at Gons all this, and he heard me
24:17
Speaker 1: with great earnestness. But it seemed as if he turned
24:21
Speaker 1: off the discourse to the rest, for he said to
24:23
Speaker 1: me he would go and have some talk with his wife.
24:26
Speaker 1: So he went out awhile, and we talked to the rest.
24:30
Speaker 1: I perceived they were all stupidly ignorant as to matters
24:33
Speaker 1: of religion, as much as I was when I went
24:35
Speaker 1: rambling away from my father. Yet there were none of
24:39
Speaker 1: them backward to hear what had been said, and all
24:41
Speaker 1: of them seriously promised that they would talk with their
24:44
Speaker 1: wives about it and do their endeavors to persuade them
24:48
Speaker 1: to turn Christians. The clergyman smiled upon me when I
24:52
Speaker 1: reported what answer they gave, but said nothing a good while,
24:56
Speaker 1: but at last, shaking his head, we that are Christ,
24:59
Speaker 1: so lads said. He can go no further than to
25:02
Speaker 1: exhort and instruct. And when men comply submit to the
25:06
Speaker 1: reproof and promise what we ask, tis all we can do.
25:10
Speaker 1: We are bound to accept their good words. But believe me, sir,
25:14
Speaker 1: said he, whatever you may have known of the life
25:17
Speaker 1: of that man you call will that Gins, I believe
25:19
Speaker 1: he is the only sincere convert among them. I will
25:23
Speaker 1: not despair of the rest. But that man is apparently
25:26
Speaker 1: struck with the sense of his past life, and I
25:29
Speaker 1: doubt not when he comes to talk of religion to
25:31
Speaker 1: his wife he will talk himself effectually into it, For
25:35
Speaker 1: attempting to teach others is sometimes the best way of
25:38
Speaker 1: teaching ourselves. If that poor Atkins begins but once to
25:42
Speaker 1: talk seriously of Jesus Christ to his wife, he will
25:46
Speaker 1: assuredly talk himself into a thorough convert, make himself a
25:50
Speaker 1: penn at hand. And who knows what may follow upon
25:54
Speaker 1: this discourse, however, and their promising as above, to endeavor
25:59
Speaker 1: to persuade their wives to embrace Christianity. He married the
26:03
Speaker 1: other two couples, but will Atkins and his wife were
26:06
Speaker 1: not yet come in. After this, my clergyman, waiting awhile,
26:10
Speaker 1: was curious to know where Atkins was gone, and turning
26:13
Speaker 1: to me, said I entreat you, sir, let us walk
26:16
Speaker 1: out of your labyrinthier and look. I dare say, we
26:20
Speaker 1: shall find this poor man somewhere or other, talking seriously
26:24
Speaker 1: to his wife and teaching her already something of religion.
26:28
Speaker 1: I began to be of the same mind. So we
26:30
Speaker 1: went out together, and I carried him away, which none
26:33
Speaker 1: knew but myself, and where the trees were so very
26:36
Speaker 1: thick that it was not easy to see through the
26:38
Speaker 1: thicket of leaves, and far harder to see in than
26:42
Speaker 1: to see out. When coming to the edge of the wood,
26:45
Speaker 1: I saw Atkins and his tawny wife sitting under the
26:48
Speaker 1: shade of a bush. Very eager in discourse, I stopped
26:52
Speaker 1: short till my clergyman came up to me, And then,
26:55
Speaker 1: having showed him where they were, he stood and looked
26:58
Speaker 1: very steadily at them. A good while. We observed him
27:01
Speaker 1: very earnest, with her pointing up to the sun and
27:04
Speaker 1: to every quarter of the heavens, and then down to
27:07
Speaker 1: the earth, then out to the sea, then to himself,
27:10
Speaker 1: then to her, to the woods, to the trees. Now
27:14
Speaker 1: says the clergyman. You see my words are made good.
27:18
Speaker 1: The man preaches to her. Mark him. Now he is
27:20
Speaker 1: telling her that our God has made him ah and
27:24
Speaker 1: the heavens, the earth, the sea, the woods, the trees,
27:27
Speaker 1: et cetera. I believe he is said I. Immediately we
27:31
Speaker 1: perceived will Atkins start upon his feet, fall down on
27:35
Speaker 1: his knees, and lift up both his hands. We supposed
27:39
Speaker 1: he said something, but we could not hear him. It
27:41
Speaker 1: was too far for that. He did not continue kneeling
27:45
Speaker 1: half a minute, but comes and sits down again by
27:48
Speaker 1: his wife and talks to her again. We perceived then
27:51
Speaker 1: the woman very attentive, but whether she said anything to him,
27:55
Speaker 1: we could not tell. While the poor fellow was upon
27:57
Speaker 1: his knees, I could see the tears run plentifully down
28:00
Speaker 1: my clergyman's cheeks, and I could hardly forbear myself. But
28:04
Speaker 1: it was a great affliction to us both that we
28:07
Speaker 1: were not near enough to hear anything that passed between them. Well, however,
28:11
Speaker 1: we could come no nearer for fear of disturbing them.
28:15
Speaker 1: So we resolved to see an end of this piece
28:17
Speaker 1: of still conversation, and it spoke loud enough to us
28:21
Speaker 1: without the help of voice. He sat down, again, as
28:24
Speaker 1: I have said, close by her, and talked again earnestly
28:27
Speaker 1: to her, And two or three times we could see
28:30
Speaker 1: him embrace her most passionately. Another time we saw him
28:34
Speaker 1: take out his handkerchief and wipe her eyes, and then
28:37
Speaker 1: kiss her again, with a kind of transport very unusual.
28:41
Speaker 1: And after several of these things we saw him on
28:44
Speaker 1: a sudden jump up again and lend her his hand
28:47
Speaker 1: to help her up. When immediately leading her by the
28:49
Speaker 1: hand a step or two, they both kneeled down together
28:53
Speaker 1: and continued so about two minutes. My friend could bear
28:58
Speaker 1: it no longer, but cries out, Alt, Saint, Poor, Saint, poor, behold,
29:02
Speaker 1: he prayeth. I was afraid Atkins would hear him. Therefore
29:06
Speaker 1: I entreated him to withhold himself awhile that we might
29:09
Speaker 1: see an end of the scene, which to me, I
29:12
Speaker 1: must confess, was the most affecting that ever I saw
29:15
Speaker 1: in my life. Well, he strove with himself for a while,
29:19
Speaker 1: but was in such raptures to think that the poor
29:21
Speaker 1: heathen woman was become a Christian that he was not
29:24
Speaker 1: able to contain himself. He wept several times, then, throwing
29:28
Speaker 1: up his hands and crossing his breast, said over several
29:31
Speaker 1: things ejaculatory and by the way of giving God thanks
29:35
Speaker 1: for so miraculous a testimony of the success of our endeavors.
29:39
Speaker 1: Some he spoke softly, and I could not well hear others,
29:43
Speaker 1: Some things he said in Latin, some in French. Then
29:46
Speaker 1: two or three times the tears would interrupt him, that
29:49
Speaker 1: he could not speak at all. But I begged that
29:52
Speaker 1: he would contain himself and let us more narrowly and
29:55
Speaker 1: fully observe what was before us, which he did for
29:58
Speaker 1: a time, the scene not being near ended yet, for
30:02
Speaker 1: after the poor man and his wife were risen again
30:04
Speaker 1: from their knees, we observed he stood, talking still eagerly
30:08
Speaker 1: to her, and we observed her motion that she was
30:12
Speaker 1: greatly affected with what he said, by her frequently lifting
30:15
Speaker 1: up her hands, laying her hand to her breast, and
30:19
Speaker 1: such other postures as expressed the greatest seriousness and attention.
30:23
Speaker 1: This continued about half a quarter of an hour, and
30:26
Speaker 1: then they walked away, so we could see no more
30:29
Speaker 1: of them. In that situation, I took this interval to
30:33
Speaker 1: say to the clergyman first, that I was glad to
30:36
Speaker 1: see the particulars we had both been witnesses to that
30:40
Speaker 1: though I was hard enough of belief in such cases,
30:42
Speaker 1: yet that I began to think it was all very
30:45
Speaker 1: sincere here, both in the man and his wife, however
30:48
Speaker 1: ignorant they might both be, And I hoped such a
30:51
Speaker 1: beginning would yet have a more happy end. But my
30:54
Speaker 1: friend added, I will you give me leave to start.
30:57
Speaker 1: One difficulty here I cannot tell how to object the
31:01
Speaker 1: least thing against that affectionate concern which you show for
31:04
Speaker 1: the turning of the poor people from their paganism to
31:06
Speaker 1: the Christian religion. But how does this comfort you? While
31:10
Speaker 1: these people are, in your account, out of the pale
31:13
Speaker 1: of the Catholic Church, without which you believe there is
31:16
Speaker 1: no salvation, So that you esteem these but heretics as
31:20
Speaker 1: effectually lost as the pagans themselves. To this, he answered
31:24
Speaker 1: with abundance of candor. Thus, Sir, I am a Catholic
31:29
Speaker 1: of the Roman Church, and a priest of the Order
31:31
Speaker 1: of Saint Benedict, and I embrace all the principles of
31:35
Speaker 1: the Roman faith. But yet, if you will believe me
31:38
Speaker 1: and that I do not speak in compliment to you,
31:41
Speaker 1: or in respect to my circumstances and your civilities. I say, nevertheless,
31:46
Speaker 1: I do not look upon you who call yourselves reformed
31:50
Speaker 1: without some charity. I dare not say, though I know
31:53
Speaker 1: it is our opinion in general that you cannot be saved,
31:57
Speaker 1: I will by no means limit the mercy of Christ
32:00
Speaker 1: so far as you think that He cannot receive you
32:02
Speaker 1: into the bosom of His Church in a manner to
32:05
Speaker 1: us unperceivable. And I hope you have the same charity
32:09
Speaker 1: for us. I prayed daily for you being all restored
32:13
Speaker 1: to Christ's Church, by whatsoever method he who is all
32:16
Speaker 1: wise is pleased to direct. In the mean time, surely
32:20
Speaker 1: you will allow it consist with me, as a Roman,
32:23
Speaker 1: to distinguish far between a Protestant and a pagan, between
32:27
Speaker 1: one that calls on Jesus Christ, though in a way
32:30
Speaker 1: which I do not think is according to the true faith,
32:32
Speaker 1: and a savage or a Barbarian that knows no God,
32:36
Speaker 1: no Christ, no redeemer. And if you are not within
32:39
Speaker 1: the pale of the Catholic Church, we hope you are
32:42
Speaker 1: nearer being restored to it than those who know nothing
32:45
Speaker 1: of God or of His Church. And I rejoice therefore
32:48
Speaker 1: when I see this poor man, who you say has
32:51
Speaker 1: been a profligate and almost a murderer, kneel down and
32:55
Speaker 1: pray to Jesus Christ, as we suppose he did, though
32:59
Speaker 1: not fully in life, believing that God from whom every
33:02
Speaker 1: sash work proceeds, will sensibly toush his heart and bring
33:07
Speaker 1: him to the further knowledge of that truth in his
33:09
Speaker 1: own time. And if God shall influence this poor man
33:12
Speaker 1: to convert and instruct the ignorant savage his wife, I
33:16
Speaker 1: can never believe that he shall be cast away himself.
33:19
Speaker 1: And have I not reason then to rejoice the nearer
33:22
Speaker 1: any are brought to the knowledge of Christ, though they
33:25
Speaker 1: may not be brought quite home into the bosom of
33:27
Speaker 1: the Catholic Church, just at the time when I desire it,
33:31
Speaker 1: leaving it to the goodness of Christ to perfect his
33:33
Speaker 1: work in his own time and in his own way.
33:36
Speaker 1: Certainly I would rejoice if all the savages in America
33:40
Speaker 1: were brought like this poor woman to pray to God,
33:44
Speaker 1: though they were all to be Protestants at first, rather
33:47
Speaker 1: than that they should continue pagans or heathens, firmly believing
33:51
Speaker 1: that He that had bestowed the first light on them,
33:54
Speaker 1: would Father illuminate them with a beam of his heavenly grace,
33:58
Speaker 1: and bring them into the pale of his church when
34:01
Speaker 1: he should see good. End of Chapter six.