The day was cloudy with so much rain that in the afternoon Mr. Brooks did not attend Church. We went in the morning and heard from Mr. Stetson a Sermon from 1 John 3. 2. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.” He discussed as his subject for one half the day the question what we are, and how the sons of God; leaving the residue for the afternoon.

I read a Sermon by him preached lately upon the outrages at Charlestown. Text from 1 Peter 2. 13 to 16. “Submit yourselves unto every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as servants of God.” He maintained the doctrine of Christianity to be a submission to the law, violence more especially to be foreign from it. Governments were either of men or of Laws, those of men were dangerous and despotic, those of law peaceful and moderate. Nobody here ought to complain of government for he 382had a right to a voice in changing it if unsatisfactory. The doctrine is sound but man is made blind by prosperity.

The remainder of the day I passed in reading German. This novel grew so interesting I could not leave it until after reaching the crisis.