Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-10-07

US the reco!!cctionS of past times, and they in
sist upon our purchasing their vile domestic
stutfs; but it won't do, cit no ',cooden nut
n'egs for old Virginia No, sir zoe Virgni-
ans hold fast TO the West Riding sir, and
will still trust TO your looms for our domestic
supplies sir
Speaking of this worthy Yorkshireman (who
is now in his gravc) Mr.. Randolph often said to
inc
| Il esteem him much, sir, because what he
docs know, he knows thoroughly--and what he
don't know he leaves to others! Sir, he is
worth dozen of your modern dGndtcs, who re-.
/ peat Latin and Greek quotations and live by O..
! ther mems wits and who eat with staten
prongd fork' If should visit his native
town, sir, shall call and eat Yorkshire pud-
ding with him, and am sure he will give me
a welcomc,
Before meeting with Mr.. Randolph, had
some way or other imbibed the idea that he
was lattudinarian in religious matters: but
! he very soon undcceived me. The first Sun
day after our departure, he inquired whether
we would have any objection to his reading a
( chapter in the Bible and part OF the church
service, and he seemed pleased when we an
swercd in the negative. He read both with
great solenni,y and apparent devotion, and con-
tinued 10 do so, each succeeding Sunday when
not prevented by bad weather Of i'll health
| Once, he made an extemporaneous prayer, and
! N,
deck, he wrnte some religious remarks suta.
bic to the day, which were admirably expressed
in the purest English.
In the course ofconversation, he tolA me thai,
in early life he had been Influenced by the in.
! fidelity which prevailed among many Of the
leading politicians in Washington, and hIs scep.
ticism continued, with occasional doubtings,
mp 10 1916. In that year, he said during Sc
vere fit Of sickness. he had remarkable vision.
which completely diSpcled the delusion under
! which he had previously surrendered his faith,
and ever since he had been firm believer in
the truths Of Christianity.
| questioned him as TO the piston, and asked
il it WAS not some imaginsSy working of the
/ brain. He said mo, it was rsaliiy,' and 10
/ prove tfis, he showed me letter which he
had written from his sick chamber. addressed
10 bosom friend in Virginia, in which he gave
n circumsianiial detail Of his conversion In
THE letter lie gave .he very words which were
uttered in his ear by his invisible monitor
This letter. continued he, contains nothing
but the truth, strange as 1t may appear to you
and !, would make me miserable TO doubt it =
He uttered this last sentence with such lcrvor,
dri not, by either word or look, give him rea-
SON to suppose that ! doubted the narrative /;
for hold, that i,tle superstition ii vastly bet
ter than an spkling of infdeity
At Mr. Jefierson's table, unfortunately, he
did not hear much 10 strengthen his Christian
iah-and being young man, he felt ashamed
Of being thought singusr-so that whatever
carly impressions of piety lie possessed, were
quickly dispcllcd by the wit and sarcasm ofthe
chosen few who used to delight in calling in
question rhe orthodox faith
In those days, he said, he had not the mora
courage to contend against men who We're al,
enough to be his father, and, b. degrees, h,
sucked in the poison as if i, were his natura
ioou' iuh'Sn reasJn was held up to him q
inc u''crrlng r.'Iide, and his vanity was nastere,
oy occas .onal appeals to his opinion in the pre-
ser.ce of these great men ofthelr day, until a
length he made complete 'shpwrcck OF hi
faith, and remained in mental darkness Gas be
fore rela,cd) for many years.
Shortly after his recovery from sickness, il
1916, he was dining al the house OF dlstln
gushed politician, with larged and mike,
| company. Amongst them, 10 use his owl
words, 'was hoary-headed debauchee, whos
vices had completely shattered his constitution
? whose days seemed to be numbered, and yet
e sir, he had the audacity to call in question th
+. existence of the Deity, presuming, | suppose
. that there we're many kindred spirits present
1 l happened to sit directly opposite to him, an
i iel, SO disgusted at his imple,y, | could not a
a void saying, Il think, sir you might better hav
i. been silent on that subject, for. judging sfof
$ Appearances, you will have in a very shol
$ time, occulor proof of the porer of that Co
t. whose erisieRce you now 50 boldly question
Q You can efford to wait sir, Cor the fe;S remain
y ing days Of your life, and, in Common courte,
d should not shock the ffsings Of others by Il
4 exhibition Of yoar blasphemy! He tnrnf
b pale with anger. and even trembled but mad
~ no rejoinder, and the company soon after sep
70 | ratpd W. mot more than once subseanpntl