Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-07-15

curaie, being from the pen Of the rector or the
Parish in which Mr.. c. is COMMUNICATE,
who officiated at the interesting ceremony;
The Baptism of Henry Clay.
A notice was very generally circulated
through the public papers Of the country some
two or three years ago, TO the effect, that MIR.
Clay had become member OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church. The wish was, doubt
less, father TO the thought, as Mr. Clay had
not a, that time taken any such step. He has
always been known TO have the highest res
pect for the institutions Of Christianity, and
10 have been decided believer in the divine
authenticity Of the Christian religion-his
amiabe and now deeply afflicted wife, having
for many years been an humble follower OF its
Blessed Author. When the weather permit
ted il, living as he does mile and a halt
from the church, Mr.. G.. has always been a
regular attendant on its services, and for two
or three years past, having had more leisure
from public duty, his attention had evidently
been turned to the high considerations connec-
ted with things spiritual and eternal his
life having been devoted so intensely to
the good of others, as scarcely, until this pc
riod of retirement, TO leave him an opportuni-
| ty 70 think Of himself. But he has at length
consecrated his great powers to God. He
was baptized in the little parlor at Ashland,
on Tuesday afternoon the 22d inst, together
with one o. his daughters-in law, (the other
! being already a member of the Church, and
her four children, BY the Rev. Edward F.
Berkeley, Rector of Christ Church, Lexington
| The baptism was administered privately, for
! the reason, that the congregation Of Christ
| Church, are replacing their old Church, with
a new edi6ce, now in rapid progress of cree
ton, and are not suitably situated for the most
solemn and decent administration of this rite
in public.
When the minister entered the room on
this deeply solemn and interesting occasion,
| the small assembly, consisting OF the imme-
date family, few family connexions, and
the clergyman's wife, rose up. In the middle
/ Of a room stood large centre table, on which
was placed, filed with water, the magnificent
cut glass vase, presented to Mr. C.. by some
gentlemen of Pittsburgh. On one side of the
room, hung the large picture Of the family OF
| Washington, himself an Episcopalian by birth,
! by education, and devout communicate OF
| the Church; and Immediately opposite, on a
side-table, stood the bust OF the lamented Har-
rison, with a chaplet of withered flowers hung
upon his head, who was TO have been con
| frmed in the Church the Sabbath after he
| ded-ft witnesses of such a scene. Around
the room were suspended number of family
| pictures, and among them, the portrait of a
| beloved daughter, who died some years age, in
the triumphs of that faith which her noble ia
ther was now about to embrace; and the pic.
ture Of the late lost son, who fell at the battle
OF Buena Vista. Could these silent lockers
on at the scene about transporting, have spoken
| from the marble and the canvass, they would
heartily have approved the act, which dedica-
ted the great man TO God. There was deep
emotion pervadlng that small assembly, at
the recital, under such circumstances, OF the
sublime ordinal of the Church, and every
heart thrilled with a solemn Joy, when the
the merciful and glorious covenant was sealed,
sin the name Of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost"
This act will be publicly ratified at the yisi-
tatlon of the Bishop, on the third Sunday in
July, in the Apostolic rite OF Confirmation.
What noble and powerful recommended
ton OF Christianity to the world to see this
great old man, the greatest man of his day, in
all the vigor of intellect, and ardency OF feeling,
bending the knee before God, and with the
simplicity o. little child, receiving upon his
head, a handful of water, in the name of the
Holy Trinity thus attesting his faith in the
Christian religion, and his determination to
live and die by its sacred principles.
One of the prominent sins Of the present
day is, that the great men of our country, as a
body, although it NAV be, for the most part,
speculative believers in Christianity, are, ne
yertheless, not regardful of religion, and of
ftod. Let them review their ground-let
them look at the Tremendous influence they
WELD in behalf of irreligion and Of evil; and
consider the mighty power they might exert
for religion and for good Let them fix their
eyes upon the practical testimony to the truth
and value of Christianity, given by the giant
in intellect, whose name stands al the head of
this paper, and, go and do likewise. 49,
Lexington, Ky, June 25, lS47.
Hon. Dixon Fl. LEwIs.-The friends Of
Free Trade in general, and the admirers ofthe
Hon Dixon II. Lewis in particular, as one
OF It's most hearty advocates, have taken adj
vantage Of the temporary stay of that distiu
gulshed gentleman in New York to tender
him a public dinner. The invitation was
couched in very fiattering terms, and was
signed by some one hundred names of the
IL