CONFERENCE 1. 405 life arise from these vicissitudes of things, they ascribe alI that is constant and regular to a course of nature ; and what is accidental, or irregular among these common appearances, they ascribe to more chance, and look no further. They content, themselves to mind their proper businesses of hunting, fowling and fishing, to support their lives, and never think of any providence of an all-wise and almighty Being, unless they see some very uncom- mon and extraordinary event, as hurricanes and earthquakes, some terrible storm, or some spreading desolation, which perhaps they may attribute to some invisible mighty Being that is angry with them. Lon. But surely they must all know that they did not make themselves, and that some almighty Beine made them, and there - they should be naturally and easily led to address their acknow- ledgments and praises: PITH. When you infer, Logisto, that praise and acknow- ledgments are due to the almighty Being that made them, they will hardly allow of your prime proposition, nor do they sup- pose, that any other being, besides their parents, had a hand in snaking them : And this cuts oft all their devotion to an invisible. Creator. For though they may perhaps be led to think, that a Being of great wisdom and power made this world atfirst, and formed the first creatures that were in it, if they ever look so far backward, yet now they imagine he has left the great engine of the world to work of itself : And that seeds produce trees, fruits, and flowers ; that fishes produce fishes; birds makebirds; lions and sheep produce new lions and sheep; and men and women breed children. Nor do they imagine there is any need of any superior power to preserve them, since they find their parents who produced them, have no other hand in their preservation but by taking care of them when they are children ; and when they are grown up, they preserve themselves by providing food and raiment for themselves, and other necessaries. Nor indeed is it so very easy a matter for an untaught American, under his pre- judices, rising from the customs and opinions of his ancestors, to find out that any God at all has a present influence on the events of the world, or the affairs of men ; but only as I hinted before,. when they see some uncommon appearance in nature or profii_ deuce, it awakens them to think of some superior power govern- ing that event ; and then perhaps they may ask this fancied power. to favour their enterprizes; but much oftener they endeavour to pacify some God when they suppose he is angry, by some awkward superstitions, or perhaps with murder and human sa- crifices. Loe. Then you will grant, my friend, that there are some seasons wherein they worship God, though it be in a wretched way ? c c 3
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=