In like manner; it was seen that, while the Calvinist was very distinct in his recollection of the ninth chapter of Romans, his memory was very faint as respects the exact wording of some of the verses in the Epistle of James; and though the Arminian had a most vivacious impression of all those passages which spoke of the claims of the law, he was in some doubt whether the Apostle Paul’s sentiments respecting human depravity, and justification by faith alone, had not been a little exaggerated.  In short, it very dearly appeared that tradition was no safe guide; that if, even while she was hardly a month old; she could play such freaks with the memories of honest people, there was but a sorry prospect of the secure transmission of truth for eighteen hundred years.  From each man’s memory seemed to glide something or other which he was not inclined to retain there, and each seemed to substitute in its stead something that he liked better.

Though the assembly was in the main most anxious to come to a right decision, and really advanced an immense way towards completing a true and faithful copy of the lost original, the disputes which arose, on almost every point of theology, promised the world an abundant crop of new sects and schisms.  Already there had sprung up several whose names had never been heard of in the world, but for this calamity.  Amongst them were two who were called the “Long Memories” and the “Short Memories.”  Their general tendencies coincided pretty much with those of the orthodox and the rationalists.

It was curious to see by what odd associations, sometimes of contrast, sometimes of resemblance, obscure texts were recovered, though they were verified, when once mentioned, by the consciousness of hundreds.  One old gentleman, a miser, contributed (and it was all he did contribute) a maxim of prudence, which he recollected, principally from having systematically abused it.  All the ethical maxims, indeed, were soon collected; for though, as usual, no one recollected his own peculiar duties or infirmities, every one, as usual, kindly remembered those of his neighbors.  Husbands remembered what was due from their wives, and wives what was due from their husbands.  The unpleasant sayings about “better to dwell on the house-top” and “the perpetual dropping on a very rainy day” were called to mind by thousands.  Almost the whole of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes were contributed, in the merest fragments, in this way.  As for Solomon’s “times for every thing,” few could remember them all, but every body remembered some.  Undertakers said there was a “time to mourn,” and comedians that there was a “time to laugh”; young ladies innumerable remembered that there was a “time to love,” and people of all kinds that there was a “time to hate”; every body knew there was a “time to speak,” but a worthy Quaker reminded them that there was also a “time to keep silence.”

Some dry parts of the laws of Moses were recovered by the memory of jurists, who seemed to have no knowledge whatever of any other parts of the sacred volume; while in like manner one or two antiquarians supplied some very difficult genealogical and chronological matters, in equal ignorance of the moral and spiritual contents of the Scriptures.