Charles Hackett

"The body of Lafayette Hackett - like the cover of an old book - its contents torn out, lies here food for worms." Whether the work itself shall here be lost, or elsewhere re-appear, amended by nature, (the mysterious mother of us all) was to me a problem which the unknown future could alone solve, of the multitude of religious beliefs formulated by designing men, and thrown upon the market for others to adopt, I accepted none! I could not accept a dogma which my every reasoning faculty repelled, even under threats of future woe - for loyalty to my convictions was ever my guide in life! I was true to the mental gifts bequeathed me for my use. I have believed what to me seemed true! This was my offense. Guilty of this, I entered the unknown, thoughtful of the future. "I waited the muffled oar, believing that no harm can come to me on ocean or on shore."