"the precious promises," but she "refused to be comforted," and hastened to
pass them all over to "the elect." He called to mind her rich experiences.
They seemed to her far off in clouds of dim dreamland, and she called them
a reprobate's delusions, "sent" on purpose to make her "believe a lie that
she might be damned." He called her attention to the blessed word, to
prayer and praise. She promptly swept all such observances away from
reprobates to the ransomed "few," and, gnashing her teeth in anguish, sank
to _utter despair!_

We will not attempt to describe a conscious reprobate, "passed by" and
"ordained from eternity" to all eternity a lost soul! Such was the dark,
dank night that settled down upon Elizabeth as she sank under her burdens,
her temptations, and cruel, wicked unbelief. In this dismal, hopeless "hell
upon earth" she pined away for weeks and months, utterly shrinking from
Bible reading, prayer, song, or religious conversation, and studiously
guarding against religious reasoning, and even thought, as abominable for a
"reprobate."

It is not easy, in this age of religious liberty, to understand or
apologize for such intolerance as Mr. Ward and Parson Huntington exhibited
toward this innocent Methodist girl. But it should be remembered in
charity:

1. That that age was about a century nearer the long period of persecution
than this.

2. That a stern and terrible system of religious doctrines prevailed
throughout New England at that day, not fruitful in charity, nor respectful
toward any faith that differed from it.