DE. GODMAX. 17 



student of yours should recommend the perusal of such 

 writings as Thomas Paine's. 



" I had, thank heaven, before I asked you the question, 

 and still have, the "Apology for the Bible," by the cele- 

 brated Lord Regius, of Landaff, (Bishop Watson.) 

 There is a great comfort in the belief of that glorious 

 doctrine of salvation, that teaches us to look to the Great 

 Salvator for happiness in a future life ; and it has always 

 been my earnest desire, and I must endeavour to die the 

 death of the righteous, that my last end and future state 

 may be like his. It would be a poor hope indeed it 

 would be a sandy foundation for the dying soul, to have 

 no hope but such as might be derived from the works of 

 Bolingbroke and Paine ; and how rich the consolation 

 and satisfaction afforded by the glorious tidings of the 

 blessed Scriptures. It is my opinion, there has never one 

 of these modern deists died as their writings would lead 

 us to believe ; nor are but few of their writings read at 

 the present day." 



In the year 1814, when the war raged in the Chesa- 

 peake, he became a sailor under Com. Barney, and was 

 engaged hi the service at the bombardment of Fort 

 IM'Henry. Early in the next year, Dr. Luckey, capti- 

 vated by his genius, and touched by his misfortunes, re- 

 solved to invite him to his house, in Elizabethtown, and 

 afford him all the facilities in his power for studying the 

 profession to which he aspired. It does not appear how 

 he had rid himself of his apprenticeship; but he seems to 



