e
speedy discomfiture in the synod. I stuck by him, however. I
rather approved his giving us good sermons composed by
others, than bad ones of his own, though the latter was the
practice of our common teachers."

Had the young man said frankly, "I am rehearsing to you the most
eloquent sermons of the most eloquent English divines," no one could
have found any fault. But for him to assume that the sermons were his
own, and that he personally was entitled to the credit of whatever
power they exhibited, was certainly practicing deception. It was a
gross violation of Franklin's cardinal virtue of sincerity. It was
unworthy of Franklin, in his charitable regard for the offender, to
gloss over the real criminality of the offence.

A year after Franklin's marriage, a son was born to him, to whom
he gave the name of Francis Folger Franklin. All accounts agree
in describing the child as endowed with remarkable beauty and
intelligence. Probably Franklin never loved any being as he loved that
child. In the year 1736, when this wonderful boy was but four years of
age, he was seized with the small-pox and died. Even the philosophic
Franklin was almost crushed by the terrible calamity. The cheering
views of the Christian faith could not sustain him. He had no vivid
conception of his cherub boy an angel in Heaven awaiting his father's
arrival. He could only say that "I am _inclined to believe_ that my
child has not passed away into utter annihilation; but who knows? Many
of the wisest and best on earth utterly discard the idea of a future
existence. They deem the thought the conceit of ignorance and
fanaticism."

We read the following epitaph on his little grave-stone with much
sympathy for the bereaved father. He could only write

Francis F.
Son of Benjamin and Deborah
Franklin.
Deceased November 12, 1736,
Aged four years, one month and one day.
The delight of all who knew him.

In the year 1739, Rev. George Whitefield arrived in Philadelphia. It
is remarkable that a warm friendship should have sprung up between men
so very diverse in character. But Franklin could not be insensible to
the wonderful power of this preacher, in promoting public morals, and
in transforming the worst of men into valuable citizens, faithfully
performing all the duties of life. It is surprising that this effect
of the Gospel did not teach him that Christianity