[N.B.  This dialogue between W. Atkins and his wife, as I took
     it down in writing just after he told it me, was as follows:]

Wife.  Appointed by your God!  Why, have you a God in your country?

W.A. Yes, my dear; God is in every country.

Wife. No your God in my country; my country have the great old Benamnekee God.

W.A. Child, I am very unfit to shew you who God is; God is in heaven, and made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that in them is.

Wife. No makee de earth; no you God makee de earth; no make my country.

     [W.A. laughed a little at her expression of God not making
     her country.]

W.A. No laugh:  why laugh me?  This no ting to laugh.

     [He was justly reproved by his wife, for she was more serious
     than he at first.]

W.A. That’s true, indeed; I will not laugh any more, my dear.

Wife. Why you say, you God make all?

W.A. Yes, child, our God made the whole world, and you, and me, and all things; for he is the only true God; there is no God but he; he lives for ever in heaven.

Wife. Why you no tell me long ago?

W.A. That’s true, indeed; but I have been a wicked wretch, and have not only forgotten to acquaint thee with any thing before, but have lived without God in the world myself.

Wife. What have you de great God in your country, you no know him?  No say O to him?  No do good ting for him?  That no impossible!

W.A. It is too true though, for all that:  we live as if there was no God in heaven, or that he had no power on earth.

Wife. But why God let you do so?  Why he no makee you good live!

W.A. It is all our own fault.

Wife. But you say me he is great, much great, have much great power; can make kill when he will:  why he no make kill when you no serve him? no say O to him? no be good mans?

W.A. That is true; he might strike me dead, and I ought to expect it; for I have been a wicked wretch, that is true:  but God is merciful, and does not deal with us as we deserve.

Wife. But then do not you tell God tankee for that too?

W.A. No, Indeed; I have not thanked God for his mercy, any more than I have feared God for his power.

Wife. Then you God no God; me no tink, believe he be such one, great much power, strong; no makee kill you, though you makee him much angry!

W.A. What! will my wicked life hinder you from believing in God!  What a dreadful creature am I!  And what a sad truth is it, that the horrid lives of Christians hinder the conversion of heathens!

Wife. Now me tink you have great much God up there, (she points up to heaven) and yet no do well, no do good ting?  Can he tell?  Sure he no tell what you do.