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Beyond Penn's Treaty

Travels in Some Parts of North America

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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