Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

A Prayer of an Eastern Philosopher.

LORD, I understand none of those disputes which are continually made concerning thee: I would serve thee according to thy will, but every person I consult would have me do so according to his will. When I would pray to thee I know not what language I should use; nor do I know in what posture I ought to put myself; one says, I ought to pray standing; another that I should sit; and a third requires me to kneel. This is not all. There are those who pretend, that I ought to wash myself every morning with cold water; others maintain that thou wilt regard me with abhorrence, if I do not cut off a small piece of my flesh. The other day I happened to eat, at Caravansary, a rabbit; Three men who were present made me tremble; they all three maintained that I had grievously offended thee: one, because this was an unclean animal; the other because it was strangled; and a third because it was not a fish. A Brahman who was passing by, whom I desired to judge between us; says, to me, they are all wrong, for certainly you yourself did not kill the creature. But I did, said I. Ah! then you have committed an abominable action, and God will never forgive you. says he to me in a severe tone; how do you know that the soul of your father hath not passed into this animal? All these things. Lord, greatly embarrass me; I cannot move my head that I am not threatened with having offended thee; though all the while I desire to please thee, and to that end employ the life I hold from thee, I know not whether I deceive myself, but I believe the best way to please thee is to be a good citizen in the community which thou hast made me to live in, and a good father of the family which thou hast given to me.