Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-01-26

there were times when the sniDee' OF rchgion
strongly exercised the mind OF Mr.. Rand dph.-
| lie was IN some respects most remarkable man.
| In relation to his religious character we have no,
formed and therefore cannot express IN opinion
| In his hest DAYS he wrote, sp "a, ard ac'od as
Christian, but at other times his department vas
! much opposed to such character. How far the
las, may have been the acts of mn Irresponsible he
! ing, il 10 not for US to Gccide.-lED.
Richm nj, My l9h, 1915.
My DEAR SIR:-It ~ with very grea, regret
TIM, leave town about the time that you are con-
6dcnily expected TO arrive. Nothing short OF ne
cessity should carry me away at this time. !
have very great desire TO see you; 10 converse
with you on the subject, before which, all others
sink into insigni6canee. II continues daily to &c
cupy more and more Of my al'enon-whch It has
nearly engaged to the exclusion OF every her /;
and it is source Of paIa NJ well NJ occasional
comfort to NO. My he who alone can do IT, shed
| light upon my mind and conduct me through faith
to salvation. Give me your prayers. ! have the
most earnest desire for more perfect faith ihnn !
| fenr possess What shall do to be saved ]
know the answer, but It Is not free from difficulty
| Lard % merciful to me sinner. submit my
self most implicitly to his holy will, md eren' IS
my reliance on his mercy But when reflect on
the corruption Of my nature, | tremble Wills, a
dore The merits of an all atoning Saviour hard
1 " dare 10 plead, when ! think of my weak faith
| Help Lord, or perish bur thy will be done on
nth az 1t is in heaven. | know that deserve to
suffer for my SINS for time misspcni faculties mis-
cmploycd-bnt above oil that have not loved
God ard my ighbo rs we sre commanded to do.
Blu, will try to confje in tho promises we have
received, or rather to comply with their conditions
Wha,cvcr be my fate, will not harbour n muir
mus in my heart az inst the justice tmy Creator
Your afflicted friend,
Joua RANDOLPH Of Roanoke.
Rcr. William Meade.
H.
Roanoke, Sept, 1n. 1873.
My DEAN Sia:-l have delayed too long to
thank you for your truly kind letter OF the 18th Of
July, which has lain unanswered, or rather unac'
knowlclgod for moro than three weeks The kind
interest winch you take IN my welfare il most CRATE
ful TO me in my present state o: mind, yet not uncx
poc,cd-and 50 far from finding your letter tedi-
Gus, had i, consisted OF ns many 9ulres rs ii con-
tains sheets, should not have found It too long.
| wish could tell you tina, my mind is in more
salts factory state than when | wrote to you from
Richmond or this world and its affairs | am
sick to loahns, mud Of nothing moro than of my
self feel that there is no coincidence of circum-
stances that could contribute to make me toleraby
hapny without better assurance than have of re-
Cancellation to God. Could command events,
could wealth, power, youth, health, all tho suppo'
scd constituents OF earthly happiness, come at my
bidding still feel that there would be something
wanting to Rll the void in my heart, ard that
would prefer sickness and poverty and sorrow
and shame for my portion in this life, provided
might look FOR ward With an humble hope Of &C
ceptance by him that made me. When | ool
around upon my fellow sufferers and fellow sin
ners,
, see that all nrc wanderers, gone nstrav
r.,.h ; bic e'uiusiuu ,hey are lost
In chacc Of fanceJ happiness still wood
And never won. Dean after dream ensues
And still, they dream tina, they shall still succeed
And still are disappointed"
+ Sometimes am tempted to wish that coul,
dream too-bnt am wide awake to Il sad reality
that unless il comes from above, there is 10 com
fort for me even In this world. This conviction
ought TO produce correspondent spirit Of piey
and prayer, and ye, do not find such to be the
case. Sometimes am callous and dead 10 de-
gree that exoites my own wonderful others,
have hardly the heart pray. Meantime my du.
ties are neglected, and things AMI persons become
Indifferent, q me that once excited the chest in.
terest. Indeed, how contemplate are tho mighty
affairs and concerns OF this life to any one who
will tako a serious view Of them. Suppose thai
it could even endure to the age of the pariarchs,
what its enjoymcnts that they should fill the
soul of a rational creature.
lay open my thoughts to you, my COOL sir,
with free 'on tina, knows no reserve, and en-
treat tho continuance of your goo advice and OF
your prayers for my salvation. BY great many,
perhaps the major part am considered MS fana
tic or a hypocrtcthat does not disturb at all !;
but this does that cannot minsle with my fol
low men as was wont, without giving taking
offence. SO that | feel strong rcpusnance a, the
thought of going abroad and shrink from the idea
o. spending tho ensuing winter at Washington
even think seriously of retiring from a station
which is as unfit for mo as | am for it. must
now close this long strain of cgotism but we are
allowed TO detail to our physician our maladies and
bad feelings. Alicu, my good friend and may
every blessing attend you. Your obliged
JoHN RANDOLPH Of Roanoke.
Rep. UiUtam Meade.
Roanoke, Dec. 2lsi, 1918.
Yes, my dear sir, you have " right" to address
mo us you have done. Your claims upon me are
the last that | shall dsavow.
The prayer OF n righteous man avacth much
and am persuaded that yours and Mr. IIoge's
have been earnestly offered up in my behalf
find it impossible at this time, and on paper, to en-
ter into the detail which you intimate willing
ness to hear. But He who IN his own good time
(blosscd be his holy namc,) spake peace to my al
most despairing soul, has inf,r ned your hear, oil
wha, has passed within my own. can compare
il to nothing well as the dawning sun after a
dark ,cmpestuous night Then it was-and moi
until then-tha, ] conf lently believed knew
what was passing in he minds of all to whom sim
liar mercy had been extend d and when, few
weeks afterwards, | took up at an inn on the roaC
Cor the first time, the Life Of John Bunyan, found
!, a peroct coincidence bctwecn his feelings anr