Library Collections: Document: Full Text

I believe that some incorrigible Calvinists may compel God to punish them one thousand years in what, to them, is endless torment, before they will be willing to renounce Calvin's creed, and adopt Christ's creed -- "to do unto others as they would wish to be done by" -- in its stead.

The sum of my practical theology is contained in the fol-lowing stanza:

"With cheerful feet thy path of duty run,
God nothing does, nor suffers to be done,
But what thou wouldst thyself, couldst thou but see
Through all events of things as well as He."

Reflections.

1. This impious, Calvinistic attempt to chain my thoughts, by calling me "insane," for opinion's sake, and imprisoning me on this account, is a crime against the constitution of this free government, and also a crime against civilization and human progress. For who will dare to be true to the inspira-tions of the divinity within them, if the pioneers of truth are thus liable to lose their personal liberty for life, for so doing?

2. The law by which I am imprisoned, which entirely de-prives a married woman of the primeval law of heaven -- the right of self-defence -- is a Calvinistic law, since it conflicts with the gospel -- the golden rule.

3. This notorious family rebellion, is the legitimate fruit of the Calvinistic law of marriage, which enslaves the wife. And the only cure for it, is legal, constitutional emancipation, based upon the principles of God's government, which demand liberty to all.

4. This kidnapping intelligent moral agents of their account-ability is the climax of all human wrongs to which Calvinism gravitates. An imprisonment as a criminal does not begin to compare with it in cruelty -- since a criminal is regarded as an accountable being. He is not locked up to be deprived of the Godhead within him! His capacity to become a guilty, wicked person, is allowed him -- and this capacity, even with guilt at-tending it, is less to be dreaded, than a feeling of annihilation -- an extinction of human capacities and being.

Gentlemen, I claim ability to defend every sentiment herein advanced by sound argument, and I pledge myself ready now to do so, either in an extemporaneous defence, or a written discussion. And I will engage to write a volume in their defence and have it ready for publication at your next meeting, if you will be so kind as to famish me with paper to write it upon.

It would be the greatest luxury to me, to thus be able to improve this opportunity, to advance the cause of truth and righteousness on earth, so that when called to give an account of my earthly stewardship, it may appear, that while numbered with the incapacitated, useless members of society, I did what I could for the cause most dear to my heart.

Dr. McFarland, please to accept my most grateful thanks for permitting me this privilege of presenting some of my most radical views of religious truth before the Trustees.

Gentlemen, Trustees of this Institution, as your friend, I advise you to follow the dictates of your individual consciences, God's secretary within you, in performing the part Providence has assigned you in this great drama. Remember, gentlemen, we are a free people, and every citizen living under this Gov-ernment has a right to form his own opinions, and having formed them, he has a right to express his individual opinions wherever he may think proper. And whosoever seeks to imprison him because he does this, is a traitor to that flag and the cause which it represents.

CHAPTER LV.
The Dawning of a New Dispensation.

The reader will now perceive that a new dispensation has dawned upon me -- that the Superintendent is regarding his prisoner in the light of a citizen, rather than a slave.

And if any of my readers feel disposed to censure me for seeming so readily to forgive this great sinner, let me remind them that they may perhaps be better prepared to judge cor-rectly of my feelings if they could exchange situations with me.

Ever since the Doctor had taken my part in the insult of the Jacksonville aristocrats, I had an occasional cause to feel that my happiness was not an object of such stoical indiffer-ence to him as it formerly had been. And, besides, I had noticed that just in proportion as I had Dr. McFarland's approval, just in that proportion was I regarded as a terror to the evil-doer; neither was my influence over those who were doing well lessened by it.

Therefore, benevolence itself would prompt me to "impress" this influence into a good cause, if possible. And with me it has always been a settled purpose to train my own children and scholars to do right under the influence of encourage-ment rather than censure. I am more watchful to find out some cause for just approbation, rather than for fault-finding.

This being my native or home element it is not strange that I should seize with avidity the first opening bud of promise on this barren stock of manliness, which daily passed under my observation.

Yes, I did strive with all the charity and forgiveness I could command, to find every hopeful sign that possibly could be summoned into the exercise of encouragement to the well--doer; for my principles led me to despise the flatterer as well as the slanderer -- that is, I could no more praise without cause for praise, than I could blame without cause for blame. Both being falsehoods, I could practice neither, and it was not possible for me to determine which evil of the two was the greatest, therefore, I strove to avoid both.