The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1828-10-16
9Ssan The Christian Waterman.
LAST DAYS OF BONAPARTE.

The Christian Observer for June last,
contains an extraordinary notice of this
extraordinary man. 1t is no less than an
attestation, that in the closing scene of his
life he had some impressions on his mind
of serious, if not of a religious character,
which led him to solemn Supplicato1s to
God, through Jesus Christ, for the saliva
ton of his soul. A correspondent of the
Christian Observer, a work of high and
respectable credit in England, gives in
that periodical brief narrative of Bona
parties last days. This correspondent
was stationed in St. Helena, as an officer
of the picquet guard in the immediate vi
entity Of Bonaparte's residence, during the
last two years of his life. Undoubtedly
this came to the Editors of the Christian
Observer so well atIested, as to have gain
ed their belief, or they would not have
published it. We therefore present the
extract, in the words of the officer, viz:
81 should state, that at the period to
which allude, there had been a remark
able revival of religion in the island one
effect of which was, that several officers,
and other Christian friends, were in the
habit of assembling together for devotional
purposes, and to exhort, watch over, aud
console each other, in the sacred course
which, by the mercy of God, they had
been led to adopt a practice which we
found the more useful, as we were in
great measure secluded from the public or
dinances of religion. Bonaparte lived "a
bout gunshot from our picquet, Oh the
other side of the valley; and at all our
prayer-meetings, we never failed to pour
out our supplications tervently in his be-
half, that God would mitigate his severe
bodily suferings during his long illness, land
sanctify them to the conversion and saliva
ton of his soul. He was frequently the
subject of our conversation, and we con-
So, ed him truly all object of pity and
O. isl. benevolence. We were desi-
rors Ct curing, if possible, any thing rela-
ticc 10 his spiritual idaas and views, but new
er con- fu,mn ny satisfactory informa-
toy i. ..ter b,Ed h; when his suite in
fo~'ed na saa ."w3rds t"e close of his
Gse5, - h.,u n5t only been in tie constant
h2bit OF praying with tue Ysyest, but that
also, when'nc vas moi awarc that any Ler-
SCI w. III ne apartment, he was often
heasG 30 pray raroeS''k 10 God, through
Jesus Chris. ~. ne salvation of his soul.
We never c.-n., however, learn more
than shls. lie must at this time have felt
some alarms of conscience, to have indu-
ced him thus to pray for at the caller Pc
Rod of his illness, he never seemed afraid
of death, but would speak of his approach
inc end with philosophical calmness. The
Christian will, however, know how to
trace this insensibility to its true source
the natural ignorance and pharisalsm of the
human heart: to the want of serious re-
Election upon the awful consequences of
death and to his persuasion, as he often
stated, that not only had he not been gull
ty of the fragrant crimes imputed>to him by
his enemies, but that he had abused his
power less in crime, according to the
worlds estimate of crime, than any o'her
monarch; in vindication of which asser-
ton, he used to appeal to the page of his
tory. We have always heard that he be-
lieved in the Divine Inspiration Of the
Scriptures; and he certainly spoke of them
with respect and reverence, and often read
them, particularly towards the close of his
life. His reading had, however, been
chiefly in the historical parts, sucn as the
accounts of Joshua and David; whether
he afterwards selected portions of more
devotional kind, and for higher objects
than mere amusement or information, must
be left to Him who alone can search the
heart. Notwithstanding all his liberaliiy,
and his large intercourse with mankind,-
he was so bigoted,-if he spoke what he
believed, and if the Statements of those a.
round him may be relied upon,-as to
think that no person could be saved out OF
the pale of the Catholic Church; and he
even urged Dr.. A. to 60 to Mass. But he
certainly disbeleved the efficacy of the
Pnpish sacrament of extreme JUNCTION, and
would not and did not receive it. A day
or two before his death, and knowing that
he was dying, he received with great appa-
rent earnessness and devotion, the Sacra-
ment of the Lords Supper, as we heard
from Madame Bertrand and others of his
household.
The late venerable DR.. Bogue sent out
several copies of his essay on the New
Testament to Bonaparte and his suite
One Of these copies I obtained from a
0f L.,