Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 17–18 March 1843
Source Note
JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to , , New Utrecht, Kings Co., NY, 17 Mar. 1843; handwriting of ; three pages; Simon Gratz Autograph Collection, 1517–1925, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Page [2]
or the , has had the solemn opportunity and awful facts presented, that sudden and violent moves, too often bring shame and disgrace, in this world, and wretchedness and ruin, hereafter. No government; no body of men, or person, can long exist, and do business in the sight of heaven without truth and virtue. You say, “well, peace be to his manes,” but permit me to declare, that while intelligence continues, therewillbenopeace for the wicked, according to scripture.
As to , I think he will be satisfied what my opinion is of him, when he reads the story of the “lion” in the Times and Seasons of Feb, 15 1843. I have no knowledge that he holds a commission in the : His name is on not on the Rank Roll. You can best account for this. Your relation of his intentions in extracting from the Times and Seasons, is all in course; the great object was too glaring upon the face of it to be mistaken, aside from the folly and vanity,— and hotch potch which spotted his comments in the Herald. He and all men should know that decency, virtue, honesty sobriety and truth, are among the most precious essentials of life, and especially in matters relating to eternity. There is a quidproquo in pure religion, by which pretentions are weighed as well as actions and words; and so the promise is that God will bring every man into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil; and it is written in another place, that they shall be rewarded according to their works.
Your goodly expression,— “Go ahead,” &c. will (as has been the case,) be fully verified, while God goes with me:— And if you have a <would only> notionto join me before you die, count the cost as Jesus says, and go for eternal reward in [p. [2]]