Communications-
F03 THE FREE TRESS.
A new plan to tend Cot to n while
young.
Work a harrow of the following
dimensions, (viz:) It is to be of an
oblique triangular form, two feet
long, with six iron pins each twelve
inches long, placed in the follow
ing order, (namely:) the two front
or foremost four inches apart; the
two next eight inches apart, and
twelve inches behind the two fore
most; and the two hindmost twelve
inches apart, and twelve inches
behind the two middlemost. The
above is to be worked in the form
of a plough, the horse to go di
rectly over the cotton, and the two
front pins to straddle it. I am
confident that all who may try the
above plan of weeding their cot
ton, will find it to their advantage;
as it thins the cotton, destroys the
grass, and leaves the young plant
in every respect in much better
order than any instrument I have
ever yet seen tried. The simpli
city'of this harrow, and the facili
ty with which it enables farmers
to clean their. crops of cotton, are
certainly sufficient inducements
lor trying the experiment. I wish
all my triends to try the plan and
judge for themselves.
Dempsey Bryan.
Mr. Howard will confer a favor
by inserting the above in the col
umns of his paper, as the assiiiner
thinks it worth the attention of
every farmer.
jand wisely improved. Then in
more auvanceu age, -nnu upuu
line and precept upon precept"
must be given, received, practised
and blessed to fit souls for immor
tal glory. But are no pains and
exertion requisite to fit souls for
the depths of perdition? Un
doubtedly there are. But of a
kind the reverse of those necessa
ry to make men good and happy.
A very different course of means
must be used to make thorough
going a? heists. But before noti
cing these means let us inquire:
"What is an atheist?" Suppose
we take a Scripture definition. It
is contained in this passage: "The
fool hath said in his heart, there
is no God." An atheist, then, is
a fool, a nicked fool, whose doc
trine is that there is no supreme,
FOR THE FREE PRESS.
Mr. Howard The following
catirical effusion, at a late Exhi
bition in the Quanky Academy,
was delivered by a young gentle
man to whom was awarded the
palm for speaking, by a committee
chosen to assign the relative me
rits of the performers. The au
thor of the production is well a
ware that atheism is a delicate
subject for sarcasm. But as ma
ny, it is to be feared, are fata I In
drawn into this horrible delusion,
by ridicule and sarcasm against
religion; why may not these pow
erful weapons of swaying man
kind be sometimes wrested from
the enemies of truth and wielded
against themselves? Then, from
the Bible itself we have examples
01 the kind, as that of the ironical
advice to those youth who might
choose to foster practical atheism,
found in Ecclesiastcs, xi. D, "Re
joice, O young man, in thy youth,
ana let thy heart cheer thee in the
days of thy youth, and walk in the
-ways ot thine heart, and in the
sight of thine eyes: but know thou,
that for all these things God will
bring thee into judgment."
Therefore, Sir, if you deem pro
per you can oblige one of your
subscribers, and publish in your
usetul print
How to become a thorough-gout"
Atheist, even in a land culight
ened by Christianity.
Respected auditors: much pains
and exertions are necessary to
make good Christians and honest
men." Many maxims of wisdom
must be given to the young, and
these must be carefully regarded
well as deists, reject the faith
of the gospch Notwithstanding
they have a faith a faith stronger
in degree but differing in hind
from that of the Bible. It is
stronger in opposition to greater
difficulties; because, in accordance
with reason and common sense,
which evince that every thing use
ful, or curious made among men,
is the product of design or intelli
gence, the Bible ascribes the
beautiful fabric of the universe,
and all living creatures in it, to
God the supreme intelligence; but
atheistical faith, in contrariety to
every principle of reason and ex
perience teaches to believe, that
all things arose from one of two
indescribable mysteries called,
chance, and eternal necessity.
Atheistical faith differs in kind
and stars; this earth we inhabit,
ourselves, and all other creatures
in the universe exist by eternal
necessity, or come into being by
chance, and move on under the
guidance of a blind fatality. A
very comfortable doctrine, truly ! !
ties confute any creed. Thr
allusion to the infinitude of th'?
vine nature, ask, ynn l,1
God!" And, as no o-T
a direct answer, you rmxt
the existence of a supreme bS
nn t in cnmn 1 i
u" ouiuu giouna that aw.
auu ucny there was
space, because snnr.n io dlli
i ulllJoijriii.
u, nnu;, oucausetinieim
...vj miliums urn ft to
ty. But should a wily aiHa.J;
turn your weapons of diffi,?,,!.-'
upon yourself, and ask vm, Uv?
made your strange sort ofCre?
ture Chance, or your eternal n,
cessityl" you must chaise 1
note, and dnnhiro thn auk . '
attached to your creed dUm
nothing. Or take a bolder Ve
Allege that should atheism be afl
difficulty, yet it would be rcasona
ble to believe it, because
creed; while one difficulty
set aside faith in the divine exist'
ence, because the creed of Chris
tians. o much has been saidonatk
istical faith, that we must dispatch
the other points of our subject ve
ry briefly. And, in resard to in.
fluence to confirm yourself in
IIIIIK 1 O llllll 1 1 I V I to 11 U Olllly i
f i from that of the rrosnel: for os-
M H lp V It I, V'iil II I l'XJ t. Vy It V 11.1111 I O
the Universe; that the sun, moon,! pel faith is a faith founded on ra-
uoiiai ground, or, on uciutucc, uie
common ground of all human be
lief. But, the faith of atheism is
directly against evidence, and the
dictates of common sense. Again,
atheistical faith differs from that
of the devils in hell, and even falls
llrmr ir,Mi 1; I.-,- it- A-InnrK.) homw thpir-3 m nnint nf r innnlt.
Well, if you like it, you can havef hut above in point of strength, atheism, you must be under tlie
it. The Bible tenches that vnrt For we are told that devils, doubt- control of the scentical and
are at liberty to become atheists less knowing they exist not from tious sentiments of all ages. Ex
if you choose; or if any be alrea-j themselves or by chance, believe tract debasing infidelity from the
dy such, to remain and make ad- there is a God, and tremble: but writings of the Humes, the Spino
vanccs in that sort of religion, atheists, knowing they live in the as, the Voltairs, the Puines, the
Joshua, the ancient leader of the universe by a derived being, with Gibbons, and the Volney's; and a
Israelites, declared tn thorn thn ' a front more brazen than nvnn that ' doi)t their notions nn rplima
' . w . ........ W l u ii tIilUUJ
power of a choice. He said: of devils, seem to consider the subjects as yours. On the other
Choose you this day whom you universe without a supreme head, hand, disregard or scoff at the
will serve. And Christ, who a creation niltout a creator. As opinions and sage remarks of the
taught as never man taught, de- reasonable, as if a man should see1 Newtons, the Lockes, the Wash
dares, "Ye cannot serve God and an elegant dwelling-house, and as-jingtons, and above all the Bible,
Mammon." Intimating that men1 sort, in the face of experience and and all who venerate its preceots.
might serve either as they would common sense, that it was never' You must affect to consider all
choose. Now to serve Mammon built, but come by chance, or ex-! great and good men, under Bible
is virtually becoming atheists: for isted by eternal necessity. In or--influence, as hypocritical decei
atheism means literally without der then to confirm yourself in the 'vers. But all the profligate and
God. And to discern clearlv to above rational sort of faith, thn licent 10I1S. aptino" imilnr llio in flu-
. . j --7 - - - J 111V, inuu
which of these services we would more sottish, immoral, and stupid '"ence principles, you must consi-
uuuiidj mi us lemeniuer mere are yuu uru me oeucr; out as to oth- oer to be actuated bv the jninn
two sorts of atheism: either or ers, vou must have reennrsn tn'motivp. Tlmir,, r.nt,n nnt
both of which we can embrace, some show of reason. For in-! any expense for sceptical books,
but both equally without God. 'stance to reject the gospel, by a and favorin men and things that
The devotees nf tlm rno liol I; n
... ... v.v. -""..jr iwuo viiiuLuy jiilo nuvu, as meir tendency, uie over-
fjr T)l'etl'nd tn bplinvo nr nvn tlw ntlinwm fnnnrr t itl. tl. 'tl.-.,. C i r iiti.m.
iin iUU suiu-.uiiuw ui gospel lniiuencc. line
blance of candor and solicitude,!you must grudge a cent, and con
as to external concerns, that there 'sider lost and worse than lost, all
or pretend to believe, or have the
Jaitfi, that there is no God; no su
perior superintending power above
us. These arc called theoretical
atheists. Those of the other sort
according to a scripture definition
"lice without God, in the world."
That is, without recognizing in a
practical manner their obligations
to serve and worship God. Who
say by the habitual tenor of their
lives, Who is the Almighty that
we should serve him, or what pro
fit shall we have if we pray unto
him ! Or they are those who pro
fess to know God, but in works
deny him. Would any here, then,
wish to encounter the labors re
quisite to settle down upon the
principles and practices of athe
ism! To such a one I would give
the following directions: 1st. As
to faith; how to believe. 2f. As
to influence; how to be influenced.
3d. As to morals; how to shape
the conduct. And 4thly, As to
facts; or how to combact facts jn
regard to the effects of atheistical
principles upon mankind.
1st. Then, as to faith. What!
you say. An atheist have faith!
We thought atheists gloried in the
circumstance of rncclinu all faiib
and setting up, what they call rea
son, instead. True; atheists, ay
are so great a multitude of reli
gious opinions in the world, that
you are greatly perplexed to know
expenditures, for promoting the
institutions of Christianity", and
the benevolent operations of vow
. " I -Villi ULIVIUIIUUU "
lie truemiQ, and you think the day. Finally, as to morals anil
best way is to believe all eouallr! facts On n.w ..fi.t m,, uith
true; that is, mentally understand- the declaration, that atheism, with
iu ueau equally rtfcc. all its kindred systems of faith.
Thus, by a sort of refined hvnon-
risy, you may lead others to adopt
a ciceu, wnicn autis one more, un
der the specious pretence of mn.
King the number less. But sup
pose, that one, whom vou wish tn
proselyte to atheism, should
charge home upon you this flimsy
sophistry! Then, stifilv tnainmin
that, although the fool's creed
viz: lNo true religion, that is, no
Cod's," is multiplying tj,c nnmWir
you just considered too great, vet
. uni;isucai iaith indulges
m... tuauff oi soaring abocc the
vulgar herd of mankind in point
. l, u s u is a convenient
Mumei irom all responsibility to
;!v". therefore the circumstance
l hemg among the multitude,
should not lessen if r.ri;h;i;..
Toxarrv your cunning hypocrisy
a little turther, you must, wlum
arguing against the divine exist
ence, stiffly maintain that difficul-
which teach men to live without
God in the world, have a licen
tious tendency; while genuine
Christianity promotes a sublime
morality, under whoso influence
flourish the sciences, the arts, true
liberty, and all that exalts mac
kind! Cut the argument short,
by declaring that your opinion of
good morals, is very different from
that of some people that refrac
tory conduct airainst lawful au
thority, that profane swearing,
drunkenness, .Sabbath breaking
and the like course of conduct;
that
nation are all crood traits of moral
character, provided they are ac
companied (as they generally arc)
with a good heart, or a benevolent
disposition. Are vou told that
such sort of morals constantly
produce evils amontr mankind-
Keply, that these arise, not fa
vour sort of virtue, but from