I was in the world,
and became a worldly man. I mixed with unbelievers, and gradually came
down to their level. I had supposed that a man could be as religious
outside the Church as inside; but I found it otherwise. It was a sad, an
awful change I underwent; but I not only did not see it, at the time, in
its true light, but was actually unconscious for a long time that it was
taking place.
In November 1852, I attended a Bible convention at Salem, Columbiana
County, Ohio. It lasted three days. I spoke repeatedly, and at
considerable length, at its meetings. My remarks wore directed chiefly,
not against the Bible, but against what I regarded as unauthorized
theories of Scripture inspiration. I contended that those theories were
injurious to the interests of virtue and humanity.
I also spoke about the darkness in which the human authorship of
portions of the Bible was wrapt. My remarks were a mixture of truth and
error, but in their general tenor they were unjust, and could hardly
fail to be injurious.
Henry C. Wright spoke at this convention, contending that man had an
infallible rule of life engraven on his own nature, independent of
instruction from without. He was often severe and extravagant in his
remarks. He was fierce, and said things which he could not make good.
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