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Show 102 N ARRA1'1VE OF thought vcq profoundly about it. But I feel satisfied so 1ong as I have the assurance that the revealed \Vord .is on my side." "But, Captnin," said :1[ary, "I am not willing to allo\1' that the Bible is on yolll' side. It shocks me to hear yoU say so." •· '\V ell, Miss St. Clair, I must turn you OYer to bro· tbcr Gracclius, who is wen posted up in Bible matters. Ilc will be able to show you that piracy is a Bible in· stitution." "Yes, my young sister," said 1\.fr. Gracclius, who had not been inattentive to the conversation, while he was enjoying an excellent cup of coffee. "'l'hc Scrip· turcs clo most certainly sanction the institution of piracy." Ilcre Mr. Gracelius took from his pocket a small Bible, and proceeded to say: "On such a question, I am strongly clisposed to pass by all ethical and meta· physical dissertation, and appeal at once to the only standard of right and wrong which can prove decisive. It is the responses of the sacred oracles to which we must after all appeal." "I could wish, Mr. Gracelius," said Albert, "that you would discuss this question rather upon the foun· ALnErtT AND MAttY. 103 dation principles of morality, than by arguments from a volume which sanctions war, slavery, death penalt ics, and a host of other evils, by the very confessions of Christians thcmsclves.n " I perceive,, sai~ :Mr. Gracclius, "that you, sir, have never yet learned the true grace of God through regeneration, or you too would bow submissively to the teachings of the sacred Scriptures, and ackno,vlcdgc them as the highest sbndan.l of right and morality. I cannot, therefore, hope to seriously affect your mind by an apj •• alto the Bible. But Miss St. Clair, being a Christian, will feel the force of such high authority." " Truly, Mr. Gracclius," said Mary, "I do take the Bible as my highest standard of truth; and it is from the principles taught by the Bible that I have the assmance tl1at piracy is awfully criminal. And I am utterly astonished that a man of your apparent piety, and who so well understands the doctrines of Christianity, can for a moment think that the Bible jnstifics such crimes." ' 1 My dear young sistcr,'1 said the minister, 11 you aTe begging the question when you call piracy a crime, for that is the very thing you are to prove. But let us see what piracy is: |