atheist was delivering his opinions, the thunder
rolled over
our heads in an awful manner, accom-
panied with vivid flashes of
lightning; and, as we
were surrounded with an almost boundless forest,
a most solemn effect was produced. This, how-
ever, he seemed not to
regard. I was not disposed to
think uncharitably of any one, on account of
his opi-
nions respecting religion; yet I confess I was not a
little
perplexed, in my endeavours to make out what
could be this man's motives,
for propagating his
cold and comfortless doctrines; and was not able
to devise any common ground of action, unless it
were a desire to gain
celebrity, even through ab-
surdity. I am aware that it is not in any
man's
power to command his religious opinions; yet a
great deal
depends on our cultivating, or reject-
ing such as offer themselves to our
notice. In
considering the character of this poor atheist,
who I am
told, is a man of good moral con-
duct, I am ready to think that some have
suf-
fered loss, under the apprehension that it is of
little
consequence what our religious opinions are,
provided a good moral conduct
is observed; as if
religion and morality were the same thing. But,
alas! notwithstanding a truly religious character
will ever be found a
character of clean moral con-
duct; yet, as in the case of this deluded
individual,
some moral characters may be found, who can
even deny the
God who made them, and thus shut