Vermont Telegraph

MISCELLANEOUS.

(From the U. Village Christian Palladium.)

CONFESSION OF AN INFIDEL

The following affecting document was furnished us by the politeness of Captain C. T. Whitney, of West Mendon, N. Y. to whom we acknowledge ourselves highly indebted. Cramp was one of the unfortunate victims who were shot by the Mexican Gov. on the 14th December last. He was very much respected, and ranked among the first for talent. His death and renunciation of infidelity was a heavy blow to his former associates. But little else was talked of for several days after his letter was received.

TAMPICO PRISON, DEC. 14, 1835.

Dear Friends. I shall not relate the disastrous circumstances which have placed me here, a prisoner under sentence of death-that will reach you by another channel. I have only five or six hours to live, and it is my intention to devote a part of that time to expiate, as far as I am able, the crime which I committed, intending, by my miscalled philosophy, to lead you astray from the paths of religion. I have been at length overtaken, and found that infidelity was but a weak support in the hour of trial. I the scoffer, the ridiculer of Christ's mercies, have found that unaided by Him, death wears a very gloomy aspect to me, cut off in the prime of life, and my only consolation the thought that I shall sleep and mingle with the clay of the brute. I must relate the progress of my philosophical opinions, and if I mistake not, they are similar to those of most philosophers of the same school. The first step taken was to throw off by degrees, the injunctions of the Bible; and, at length, finding how far I had gone, to retrace my steps seemed a difficult and unpleasant task: to elude this step, I set about endeavoring to justify myself, and finding that the word of God condemned me, I was induced to doubt it. From doubting, I was urged to dispute, and from disputing to denying, until pride, without the truth of philosophy taking possession of me, I valued myself upon the skill with which I could brow-beat Christianity, and cause a laugh against religion. You my friends were hurrying down the vortex of ruin with me. But pause! think where you stand-and may the Almighty arrest your dangerous career before you shall have arrived so near the verge of eternity, that a few hours shall have to do the work of conversion, or seal your doom forever I had not the assistance of any one to point out my circumstances; but taking up the Bible was going to lay it down again, when the passage of Christ's pardoning the thief upon the cross met my sight I was induced by this to reflect that even I might not be past the bounds of forgiveness.-- This idea led me on a train of reflections the result of which was that I again addressed a God and Savior, so long un-called-upon, and I have found a relief. It is my dying petition that you would give this to the clergymen of the place, and request them to read it in the churches, as this is the only method which is left me to atone, in some measure, for the injuries done to their members. Adieu! it is past midnight, and I am to be shot at 7 o'clock. Let this have the effect of directing your attention to things spiritual as well as temporal, that when death comes it will find you prepared

From your unfortunate friend

JAMES CRAMP