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given it for our own good, for our improvment in virtue and piety; how singular it that man should choose to incur his ⟨Maker's⟩ frown, to gain the applause of a ⟨deceiving⟩ world. You may riot in vice for a ⟨while⟩ and try to believe religion a lie, but the ⟨time⟩ will come when you will not be able to ⟨shield⟩ yourself from conviction, evil company ⟨may⟩ represent religion dull, gloomy and ⟨deformed⟩ but all who have tried it have declared ⟨its⟩ yoke to be easy and its burden light; ⟨and⟩ though many who walk in the ways of ⟨religion⟩ suffer affliction, the Lord is at ⟨hand⟩ that loves them. Should this little ⟨work⟩ meet the eye of any who have been ⟨blessed⟩ with a religious education, and who are ⟨in⟩ danger of having the good seed plucked ⟨away,⟩ let them beware of the first step to vice ⟨however⟩ small it may seem, and learn to ⟨resist⟩ the temptations of designing men. ⟨Thomas⟩ Graham was once all could be wished, ⟨and⟩ had he guarded against the company ⟨which⟩ proved so fatal, we should not have had ⟨the⟩ painful task of recording his premature ⟨death⟩ among those whose death we have also ⟨related⟩.
