e the bitter bread of neglect and
sorrow. His friends were untrue to him because he was true to himself
and true to them. He lost the respect of what is called society, but
kept his own. His life is what the world calls failure, and what
history calls success.

If to love your fellow-men more than self is goodness, Thomas Paine was
good. If to be in advance of your time, to be a pioneer in the
direction of right, is greatness, Thomas Paine was great. If to avow
your principles and discharge your duty in the presence of death is
heroic, Thomas Paine was a hero.

At the age of 73, death touched his tired heart. He died in the land
his genius defended, under the flag he gave to the skies. Slander can
not touch him now; hatred can not reach him more. He sleeps in the
sanctuary of the tomb, beneath the quiet of the stars. A few more
years, a few more brave men, a few more rays of light, and mankind will
venerate the memory of him who said:

"Any system of religion that shocks the mind of a child can not be a
true system. The world is my country, and to do good my religion."

The next question is: Did Thomas Paine recant? Mr. Paine had
prophesied that fanatics would crawl and cringe around him during his
last moments. He believed that they would put a lie in the mouth of
death. When the shadow of the coming dissolution was upon him, two
clergymen, Messrs. Milledollar and Cunningham, called to annoy the
dying man. Mr. Cunningham had the politeness to say: "You have now a
full view of death; you can not live long; whoever does not believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ, will assuredly be damned." Mr. Paine replied:
"Let me have none of your popish stuff. Get away with you. Good
morning." On another occasion a Methodist minister obtruded himself.
Mr. Willet Hicks was present. The minister declared to Mr. Paine that
"unless he repented of his unbelief he would be damned." Paine,
although at the door of death, rose in his bed and indignantly
requested the clergyman to leave the room. On another occasion, two
brothers by the name of Pigott sought to convert him. He was
displeased, and requested their departure. Afterward, Thomas Nixon and
Capt. Daniel Pelton visited him for the express purpose of ascertaining
whether he had, in any manner, changed his religious opinions. They
were assured, by the dying man that he still held the principles he had
expressed in his writings.

Afterward, these gentlemen, hearing t