304 THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

OI eieemeseneaemenrrenennestaneent mm

At as early a period as the boyhood of
William Penn, people in England did
not allow as much freedom of opinion in
matters of religion as they do now. The
government did not allow so much free-
dom as it does now. William was taken
up, a good many times, because he at-
tended some religious meetings that were
not sanctioned by the laws of the land.
He was fined and imprisoned, because he
did not believe as the church of England
did, and because he would not worship in
a church established by the government.
All this made no difference, however, with
William Penn. He determined that he
would think just as he pleased in matters
_ of religion, and that he ‘vould worship
God according to the dictates of his own
conscience.

When he was twenty-four years old,
he wrote a book, called “The Sandy
Foundation Shaken.” This book gave
great offence, and he was imprisoned in
the Tower for writing it. After his release
from prison, he wrote another book, en-
titled, “ No Cross, no Crown.” Not long
afterward, he was indicted for “ being
present at, and preaching to, an unlawful,
riotous, and seditious assembly.” He
pleaded his own case, and was this time
acquitted by the jury..

When bis father died in 1671, William
came in possession of a large estate.
Twice, within a few years, he visited Hol-
land and Germany, where he was received
by many pious persons as & beloved min-
ister of Christ.

In 1681, he solicited a patent from
Charles IL for a province in North Ameri-
ca. Charles granted the patent in consider-
ation of his father’s services. Penn soon af-
ter published a description of the province,
proposing easy terms of settlement to such

as might be disposed to emigrate to the
new world. He then drew up the “ Fun-
damental Constitution of Pennsylvania,”
and the following year he published his
“Frame of Government,” a code which
held out a greater degree of religious
liberty, than had been before known in
the world. Here is an extract from the
laws: “All persons living in this province,
who shall confess and acknowledge the
one Almighty and Eternal God to be the
Creator, Upholder, and Ruler of the
world, and hold themselves obliged, in
conscience, to live peaceably and justly in
civil society, shall in nowise be molested
or prejudiced for their religious persuasion
or practice in matters of faith and wor-
ship; nor shall they be compelled, at any
time, to frequent or maintain any religious
worship, place, or ministry, whatsoever.”
Upon the publication of these proposals,
many respectable families removed to the
new province. The city of Philadelphia
was laid out on the banks of the Dela-
ware. In 1682, Penn first visited his
province. At two different periods, he
resided for some time in this country ; but
he afterward returned to England, and
died there, in 1718. |

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  

cera Gores emen

Hail in India.

ar srones in India are generally

from five to ten or twenty times

the size of those in this country,

from six ounces to a pound being

nothing unusual. Hail with us rarely eX-

ceeds the size of beans or filberts, while

that in India is often the size of orange
or pumpkins.