pride, of confidence in himself, than in any precept derived from
others, or of any deep reasoning process whatever. He conceived that the
theory of the incarnation of the Son of God was opposed to philosophy and
experience, it is true; and, thus far, he may be said to have reasoned in
the matter, though it was in his own way, and with a very contracted view
of the subject; but pride had much more to do with even this conclusion,
than a knowledge of physics or philosophy. It did not comport with the
respect he entertained for his own powers, to lend his faith to an account
that conflicted with so many of the opinions he had formed on evidence and
practice. Credulous women might have their convictions on the truth of
this history, but it was not necessary for men to be as easily duped.
There was something even amiable and attractive in this weakness of the
other sex, that would ill comport, however, with the greater sternness of
masculine judgment. Roswell, as he once told Stimson, hesitated to believe
in anything that he could not comprehend. His God must be worshipped for
the obvious truth of his attributes and existence. He wished to speak with
respect of things that so many worthy people reverenced; but he could not
forget that Providence had made him a reasoning creature; and his reason
must be convinced. Stephen was no great logician, as the reader will
easily understand; but Newton possessed no clearer demonstration of any of
his problems than this simple, nay ignorant, man enjoyed in his religious
faith, through the divine illumination it had received in the visit of the
Holy Spirit.

That gloomy month, however, had not been thrown away. All the men were
disposed to be serious; and the reading of the bible, openly and aloud,
soon became a favourite occupation with every one of them. Although
Roswell's reading was directed by the marks of Mary, all of which had
reference to those passages that touched on the Divinity of the Saviour,
he made no comments that betrayed his incredulity. There is a simple
earnestness in the narrative portions of the Gospel that commends its
truth to every mind, and it had its effect on that of Roswell Gardiner;
though it failed to remove doubts that had so long been cherished, and
which had their existence in pride of reason, or what passes for such,
with those who merely skim the surface of things, as they seem to exist
around them.

On the evening of that particular day in October,