our fellows, are instructed by actual observation consequent upon being
present when they were made--we were not standing by when the heavens
were made; so that source of information is closed up. There is now but
one resort left to us--but one reasonable means of information. That is,
the maker of all things must, necessarily, have told man that he created
all these things. Then, with David, he could sing, "The heavens declare
the glory of God." Man first learned from God that he was the creator of
all things, for God alone could tell it. Gentlemen, the Christian is
the only reasonable being upon the earth, and the only _fearless
free-thinker_. The atheist, you see, is proved a fool, and the deist is
no better. Think this over, then call again.

_Deists_--We will. _Good evening._

THOMAS PAINE

WAS NOT AN INFIDEL WHEN HE WROTE HIS WORK CALLED COMMON SENSE.

"In the early ages of the world, according to the Scripture chronology,
there were no kings, the consequence of which was there were no wars. It
is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion. Holland,
without a king, hath enjoyed more peace for the last century than any of
the monarchical governments of Europe. Antiquity favors the same remark,
for the quiet and rural lives of the first patriarchs have a happy
something in them which vanishes when we come to the history of Jewish
royalty." (Common Sense, p. 12.)

Mr. Paine, did the God of the Bible approve of the Jewish royalty?

_Ans._ "As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest can not be
justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended
on the authority of Scripture; for the will of the Almighty, as declared
by Gideon and the prophet Samuel, expressly disapproves of government by
kings." * * * Near three thousand years passed away, from the Mosaic
account of the creation, until the Jews, under the national delusion,
requested a king. Till then their form of government (except in
extraordinary cases, where the Almighty interposed) was a kind of
republic, administered by a judge and the elders of the tribes. King
they had none, and it was held sinful to acknowledge any being under the
title but Lord of Hosts. * * * Monarchy is ranked in Scripture as one
of the sins of the Jews, for which a curse in reserve is denounced
against them. The history of that transaction is worth attending to. The
children of Israel being oppressed by the Midianites, Gideon marched
aga