Courteous Reply to an Infidel.
An American traveler being unexpectedly detained at the mole or quarantine in Odessa, was very civilly offered "half of his apartments, and a sofa to lie on," by a young Englishman who acted as translator to the mole. After they had formed an intimate acquaintance, and one evening had retired to rest, the traveler asked his friend how he could endure the blasphemy which was so constantly heard there. The young Englishman replied, that as a gentleman these things were disagreeable to him, but as to their being intrinsically wrong, it was no matter of concern to him, as he denied the truth of revelation, and believed Jesus Christ to be an impostor. The traveler, without supposing the remark would be heeded except by courtesy, replied, "Either Christ was an impostor, or he was not. If he was an impostor, we have the inconceivable phenomenon of a base man practising virtue, self-denial, charity, forgiveness of injuries, through his whole life, in spite of scourging, contumely, and even crucifixion. Is it philosophical to suppose that a bad man would take so much pains to make men good?" But if he was not an impostor, then he has told the truth, and we must believe him." "Is it possible that I never saw that before?" was the only reply of the young Englishman, but the argument sunk deep into his heart; and when the traveler had arrived at Alexandria, he received a letter from the former sceptic acknowledging him as "the best friend he ever had," encouraging him to be equally faithful to others; and praying him not to forget "his Odessa convert."