The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-10-04
Frtm the California Courier.
NV Mothers Bible

4 Mv ll0LnerS BLDG
MessrS. Editors.-About sixteen months
ago, young man called at my study and
introduced himself as a stranger. He
brought no letters; nor did he bring me
tidings from my friends. He told me he
was an adventurer for gold; and before
/ lea wing me asked that information and ad-
vice, 20 usually sought and so freely gi-
ven BIT to obtain this was not the object
Of his c,7l. had observed, on his enter
inp the RON, something under his arm
carefully wra upe 4 around with a handker-
chief. From ils size judged it to be one
of those bundles OF tracts and religious
books put into the hands OF adventures,
by benevolent individu Is ana socie'les al
home for distribution at the ulihes' Ou'
which so many miners had foGnd ! con'e-
nient to leave behind the counte, oil some
pious merchant. or in the corner It s. VDe
clergyman's study. But was mistah en-
The young man sa d:"l have come to ask
favor-l have something here more pre-
cious than gold, which wish you to keep
in safety till my return" Unwinding the
handkerchief from it, be said, at the same
time handing me large we'll worn book;
1T is my mothers Bible. She gaze tito
me, on her dying bed, and | would not
part with II for all the gold in the noun
tains. have another one which take
with me, but this last gif Of my mother.
| wish to leave with you, lest it should be
injured or lost in my wandering through
the mines" | took it. gave it place in
my table, and as you may well suppose,
sat down 10 cultivate an acquaintance SO
auspciously begun. But our interview
was short. am sorry to add that it was
our last. He took his passage that very
dav for the enchanted river, but to my
knowledge he has not returned. Perhaps
he has died; and gone to has mother.
Perhaps,-but | think it not-gold has
corrupted his heart, and he cares not for
his mothers Bible. Perhaps,-which |
hope-he YET reads daily the little Bible
he took with him, and yet thinks of and
chershes as sacredly as at fist his mo-
theirs last gift to her son.
need not dwell on an incident SO rare
and delightful. 1t exhibits feelings too
admirable for praise. Il appeals to the
sensiblities of too many Of your readers to
be forgotten.
After he IeftI opened the volume he had
deposited in my care. II is Boston edi-
tion, published by Langdon Coffin in 1884,
embeIlished with a vignette of Christ
washing the disciples feet. Some Of your
New England readers may recognize it as
the venerable book, around which they
; gathered for family worship. But it is moi
to introduce you to its title page that pro-
long this article. wish to read to you q
few "lnes" from the "Family Record. >
; They are from the pen of well-knowr
poet, and are here subscribed and dedca
ted by dying mother to her son. Many
Of you readers may have read them, year.
ago, but they will be glad again to perust
them on the shores of the Pacific. Per
haps even more of beauty and truth vii
attach to them, from the circumstances il
which they are once more presented 10 tht
public:
, Remember. love, who gave thee this,
When other days shall come;
When she who had thy earliest. kiss,
Sleeps in her narrow home.
] Remember twas mother gave
! The gift TO one she'd die 10 save.
Another sought pledge of love,
The holiest, for her son,
0 And from the gifts of God above,
+, She chose-a goody one.
0 She chose for her beloved boy,
The source of light and life and joy
), And babe him keep the gift-that when
: The parting hour should come,
: They might have hope, and meet again
! In an eternal home.
She said his faith in that should be,
Sweet incense to her memory.
. And should the scofFer, in his pride,
:, Laugh his fond faith to scorn,
And bid him cast the pledge aside,
:, That he from youth had borne
:! She bade hlm pause, and ask MS breast,
II If he, or she, had loved him best!
: A mothers blessing on her son,
: Goes with this holy thing:
e The love that would retain the one,
5. Must 10 the otner cling.
V Remember! It's no idle toy
: Thy mothers gift Remember, boy!
i shall have accomplished the object I
e this communication, if, after reading it, b
" who loves and reads his bible daily, sha
/ love and rea1 it more; and he, whose bib
Y perhaps the parting gift Of mother {
" sister-lies neglected in his trunk, {
Il forgotten on his shelf, shall wipe the du
a. from its cover, and in remembrance of th
n weeping giver, shed tear over It's III
is needed pages.
i Yours, in behalf Of may readers,
s. T. DWIGHT Hunt.
r San Francisco, July 18th, 1850.
ST THE AMERICAN PIONEER OF CAL
IFORNIA.
C,nt John A Sutter the well known phone