MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 69 



thing in perfection is simple, so it must be with 

 religion. There may be many moral and religious 

 duties for man to fulfil in his passage through 

 life ; but the rules for doing so are so plain and 

 easily understood that common sense only is 

 necessary for all that is required of us in the 

 performance of them. The beauty and simplicity 

 of the doctrines laid down by the inspired and 

 benevolent Author of the Christian Religion, 

 however they may have been distorted and dis- 

 figured, are yet in themselves perfect. They may, 

 indeed, be compared to a mathematical point a 

 point of perfection for all men to aim at, but to 

 which none can fully attain. The inspired writings 

 of the prophets of old are also full of simplicity, as 

 well as of indescribable beauty, and may be read 

 and considered with ever-increasing delight. The 

 inspired writers, poets, and moralists, of more 

 modern times, have also laboured most clearly 

 to point out the paths which lead to religion, to 

 virtue, and to happiness. As far as I am able 

 to judge, all we can do is to commune with and 

 reverence and adore the Creator, and to yield 

 with humility and resignation to His will. With 

 the most serious intention of forming a right- 

 judgment, all the conclusion I can come to is, 

 that there is only one God and one religion ; 

 and I know of no better way of what is called 

 serving God than that of being good to his 

 creatures, and of fulfilling the moral duties, as that 

 of being good sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, 

 neighbours, and members of society. 



At this time, I had few that I could call 

 intimate acquaintances. My almost only ones 

 were books, over which I spent my time, 



