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their nails and hair to grow without cutting till they die. Some spend all their property in building choultries and in digging tanks; some go from place to place, washing themselves often and praying much; some strip themselves of all their clothing; and we might mention many other particulars. Now, who told our fathers to do so? Where is it said that God is pleased with such things, and commands such services? No where. Then why is this done? What hope can they have of heaven? Hear me, my countrymen, whilst I speak of this. They say God dwells every where, and is in every thing. God does not dwell every where in the sense they mean. God is every where present, but he does not dwell with the sinner, because he is holy, and hates sin. They say every man's soul is God. If this were the case, then it would not be necessary for one man to teach another, nor even speak to each other, for they would all understand each other's thoughts. If the body returns to its former state, and the soul goes to be joined with God, there is no necessity for them to go from place to place, to pray, to wash, to spend their property, to strip themselves of their clothing, to torment themselves; because there is no danger of their being sent to hell. Their soul, they say, is God; they cannot therefore go to hell; if they wish to take away their sins by washing, by tormenting their bodies, and praying, why do they not say so, and confess they are sinners? and why do they not ask for pardon? Then why do they not acknowledge that God who pardons them is greater than they are? Now, if their souls be

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God, there can be none greater. I could say many things more to you, my countrymen, about the great folly of our fathers' religion if it did not waste our time. There is no benefit or profit for me to explain every part.

But you are ready to ask me, "How is it that all heathens are not equally stupid? how is it that some know there is an invisible God the same as you mention? O, my countrymen, concerning that, I am going to explain. All that we have said about the religion and gods of our fathers is not important in itself, neither is this question. Yet to understand the folly of the religion of our fathers it is necessary to mention these things.

Are you not fully satisfied that all the Shasters and all the gods which our fathers worshipped, are altogether false and unworthy of our regard? Yes, you appear satisfied that all these things are great folly, Before I from the last question you have asked me. answer your last question, let me explain some parts of our holy religion. This holy religion is not from man: its author is the living and true God. Do not hear me with indifference, as if I were now going to explain to you any of our fathers' useless gods, which we have already noticed. The God who is the author of this holy religion, is to be feared, and reverenced, and honoured. I am not worthy to take his holy name into my sinful lips; but through Jesus Christ, I shall receive pardon for mentioning his holy name. This great God hates all sin. He hates it with a perfeet hatred. He is without beginning or end. is a Spirit. God is eternal, unchangeable.

God

God is

love, which he shows to dependant creatures by supplying their wants out of the bounties of his goodness. He shows it to his unworthy, miserable, sinful creatures, by bestowing the riches of his grace and mercy on them. God is just, holy, true, wise, almighty. He is infinite. He sees all things and is every where present. This is the living God. I am not able to know this myself, but he loved his creatures so much, that he made known to them this his character in his holy word. This must be the only true God. Do not be surprised because I speak about his word. It is not necessary that he should speak or make known his will by a tongue to his creatures. He has no mouth such as we have, for he is a spirit. He is allwise and powerful, and perfectly able to teach his creatures without such means as we have to use.

You may consider how many different ways we are taught sounds without the help of a tongue, viz. by musical instruments, the blowing of the wind, the noise of thunder. Do you not wonder that the love of God is so great as to make known his will to his creatures? It is great love, because by comparison we would say, it is a very great thing indeed for a slave to become such a friend of a mighty king, as to receive all the particulars of his great character from his own lips. We are so helpless, so sinful, that we are not worthy even of being called the slaves of God. This great God, who made every thing in the space of six days, and who, when he had put every thing in proper order, created man to enjoy and be lord over the things which were made, he

gave man wisdom above the beasts of the field, or the fowls of heaven. He made the soul of man after his own image, which consisted in righteousness and true holiness, and he did write his law upon the heart of man. This law taught him to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and to love his neighbour as himself. This law he perfectly obeyed till he transgressed, then he hated God. When man was holy, the spirit of God gave him inward light by which he could read the law which was written on his heart, and know how to love and enjoy God. As soon as he sinned the inward light was put out. The Holy Spirit left him. This temple of God immediately fell into ruins, and the law which was written on the heart was also disfigured. Still however the light of nature discovers these broken characters to man, and every one therefore is inexcusable: his ignorance is wilful, if he knows not there is one living and true God.

This is the reason why all the nations know there is one God. This imperfect knowledge of the true God, and the fear of punishment, lead men to take different ways to please him, and be made happy. Some worship the clay, the wood, the stone, the silver and gold, formed into idols. Some leave their families and go to the jungle. Some fast and pray, and wash themselves, and give their money to build choultries. All these acts proceed from imperfect knowledge of the character of God, and they mistake the object of their love. They love themselves and seek their own happiness, and this love they fondly believe is directed

to the living and true God. This is the reason, my countrymen, why some of the heathens are less stupid than others as it regards the knowledge of God.

Now are you not all satisfied, that what our forefathers have done and believed is great folly? That there are no such beings in existence as the gods they have worshipped, and that all the acts of these men you call pious are unmeaning and foolish? You un

derstand all that I have said: it is your duty to reject at once and throw all these things aside. Is it not your duty? If you do not forsake these evils you are not only wilfully ignorant but very wicked, and deserve great punishment from God. But I will not leave you here, I will direct you where to get salvation. The God whom I have mentioned to you is the only living and true God-he is the only lawgiver-he is the only preserver, pretector, and teacher. He needs no assistance from any other. This is the God whom I serve. This is the God whom multitudes serve both in heaven and in earth. All who are in heaven are serving him, and all who go to heaven must and will serve him. This is the only true God for and me, and all people to serve and love. This is said by God himself. Your faces seem to express anxiety to know where he says so. You seem to rejoice that God has declared this, and you are ready to ask, "Where is all this written ?" I answer here; in this holy book it is written. It teaches us how men departed from God, who was tempter, and what all men became after they rebelled against God. It informs us how God reproves and punishes wicked men,

you,

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