Try as he would, he found
the effort to push aside early convictions and early impressions a
simple impossibility; and, notwithstanding these had been laid on
the foundation of a far more literal interpretation of Scripture
than the one to which he had just been listening, his maturer reason
accepted the preacher's clear application of the law; and
conscience, like an angel, went down into his heart, and troubled
the waters which had been at peace.
Mr. Braxton was a man of thrift. He had started in life with a
purpose, and that purpose he was steadily attaining. To the god of
this world he offered daily sacrifice; and in his heart really
desired no higher good than seemed attainable through outward
things. Wealth, position, honor, among men--these bounded his real
aspirations. But prior things in his mind were continually reaching
down and affecting his present states. He could not forget that life
was short, and earthly possessions and honors but the things of a
day. That as he brought nothing into this world, so he could take
nothing out. That, without a religious life, he must not hope for
heaven. In order to get free from the disturbing influence of these
prior things, and to lay the foundations of a future hope, Mr.
Braxton became a church member, and, so far as all Sabbath
observances were concerned, a devout worshiper. Thus he made a truce
with conscience, and conscience having gained so much, accepted for
a period the truce, and left Mr.
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