His very soul
was love; and no doubt he felt himself strong enough to "bless those
who cursed him," and to give up his spirit, like the good missionary
whose death had first turned him toward the worship of the one true
God, praying for those who took his life.
The ways of Divine Providence are past the investigations of human
reason. How often, in turning over the pages of history, do we find
civilization, the arts, moral improvement, nay, Christianity itself,
following the bloody train left by the conqueror's car, and good
pouring in upon a nation by avenues that at first were teeming only
with the approaches of seeming evils! In this way, there is now
reason to hope that America is about to pay the debt she owes to
Africa; and in this way will the invasion of the forests, and
prairies and "openings," of the red man be made to atone for itself
by carrying with it the blessings of the Gospel, and a juster view
of the relations which man bears to his Creator. Possibly Mexico may
derive lasting benefits from the hard lesson that she has so
recently been made to endure.
This, then, was Peter, changed into a civilized man and a Christian!
I have found, subsequently, that glimmerings of the former being
existed in his character; but they showed themselves only at long
intervals, and under very peculiar circumstances.
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