"
Now, my dear sir, I am sure you believe that I want to be liberal and
reasonable, and not to act like those weak alarmists who, whenever the
silly sheep begin to skip as if something was after them, and huddle
together in their fright, are sure there must be a bear or a lion coming
to eat them up. But for all that, I want to beg you to handle some of
these points, which are so involved in the creed of a good many
well-intentioned persons that you cannot separate them from it without
picking their whole belief to pieces, with more thought for them than you
might think at first they were entitled to. I have no doubt you
gentlemen are as wise as serpents, and I want you to be as harmless as
doves.
The Young Girl who sits by me has, I know, strong religious instincts.
Instead of setting her out to ask all sorts of questions, I would rather,
if I had my way, encourage her to form a habit of attending to religious
duties, and make the most of the simple faith in which she was bred. I
think there are a good many questions young persons may safely postpone
to a more convenient season; and as this young creature is overworked, I
hate to have her excited by the fever of doubt which it cannot be denied
is largely prevailing in our time.
I know you must have looked on our other young friend, who has devoted
himself to the sublimest of the sciences, with as much interest as I do.
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