Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-11-20
Religious Character Of Tgr. wehu
ctor-

Rev. DR.. Alden, in the course of Sermon
the 3Ist October, in the House Of the FRS, q,
IRISH, Marshfe'd, abiding to Mr.. Webster, said
In early me he made a public profession Of
reiIglon ana MS own decision harmouizinD with
the influences Of families and frje nd. and
region OF country in which lie was .durnt.J
shaped the direction of bis mind. AT ON. NO
ROD he contemplated the work of the Gosrs,
Ministry: This shows the view he then ent4,
tanned OF the true end Of existence. the o]orr &c
God. Although he has not written sernons
ne probably never made a speech Of any imnor'
lance into which was not iBtelu oven mora or
less of religious truth. x x X x b,ro
accordingly chosen as a portion of Scripture 70
guide our meditations, that which deserih.s
the burial of Jacob. The good old patriarch,
when advanced in years, went down from Can.
aan INTO Egypt, and there spent the last seven
teen years OF his life. There he died. But
according to the oath which he took of his son.
MS body was carried up to Canaan, and deposi-
ted IN the Old family tomb, in which were tho
remains Of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Re-
becca, and the wife of Jacob, Leah. X x \
The passages from Gods words upon which
our thoughts are now engaged suggest three
topics; the attention which Jacob himself cave
w "S cNf'A' Wv Pi"tS VI IL grave, ana Inc
character Of those who followed him tbjtber.
These are three facts connected with tn.
burial of Mr. Webster upon which we NAV pro-
flta5Iy reflect. He prepared his own tomb
He selected its location in an old pi!orim burial
ground. In accordance with his known wishes
he was followed 10 the tomb by his family and
neighborS. X x + X We might speak Of
its proximity to the sea in its vastness, restless.
ness and grandeur, so embIeuatic of him whose
body reposes near its shore. We might allude
to the fact that from the deck of every shin
bound INTO or out Of the city with which he was
so long connected and with whose prosperitv
up TO his death he was identified, his tomb will
be visible while time shall last. Ii seems fit
ing that men, carrying on our commerce,
should be reminded Ut him to whom they owe
so much. But such considerations are of jnie-
worth. To our mind there is an iuexpress-
bile interest in this, that the great son oil New
chose his grave among the fathers Of
New England.
Here are some more "last words that are
new TO the public, and are presumed to be
rue.
Just before he died, while lying in a half
ireamy state, apparently unconscious, except
slen addressed Of what was passing around
the room still and solemn as the tomb. b.
broke forth. not in the low, weak voice
an invalid, but in accents loud, clear and
hr'E'ng as ever echoed through the Senate
lhamber. LIFE LIFE! DEATH. DEATH,!
hoe curious ii is" 1t pierced to The tartLest
of the house, startling those who
card it like the sound of a trumpet. Stroud
d from the outer world, that vast mind was
iruggling with the yas;er theme of Life and
Death.
We have not seen the coincidence anywhere
oticed that Mr.. Webster was not the onlv
reat man to whose mind "Grey's EIegy" has
on the eve of death, but we read that
rem. Wolfe was moving at midnight in his
oats to the attack on Quebec, with the shade
+ his approaching fate upon his mind. he re.
eated to his officers this poem, and at its close
nd, "Gentlemen, | had rather be The author cf
lines than take Quebec TO BORROW" The
might be continued, for none can
oubt from the calm manner of Mr.. WeP,~ters
apar'ure, that he, like Wolfe, though he in \
higher field of conflict, was also a conque.
" even in death.-Proridence Jounak.