Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-10-21
D. P. THOMPSON. EDITOR & PROPRIETOR.

tof note. They made the humble cabin of Bro.
| B. their home. On the first night they stayed
with him, our brother was reduced to great ex-
tremity. He was in the habit of holding family
worship morning and evening but he trembled
at the thought of doing so in lhe presence Of
guests so distinguished as Mr. Clay and his
friend His little children were becoming slee-
Py, and his wife, BY, significant gestures, sug-
gested that the time for prayer had come. Bro.
B. hinied to his guests that perhaps " they would
choose bed" But Mr.. Clay, with great polite.
ness, said I" tlat he did not feel at all sleepy,
and that, unless it was intrusive, would be hap
py to enjoy his society longor" OF course Bro
B could not object. Still the matter of prayer
could not be oslponcd without sending his
children to bed in advance, which was con-
trary to his settled principles Of procedure.
At last, with considerable trepdation, he stated
to Mr.. Clay and his friend what was his custom !;
and said that they could stay and unite with his
family in their devotiOTs, or retire ut their op-
tion. Mr. Clay promptly and with some feeling
replied, that they would remain by all means
sociated with such exercises-that his father
was Baptist minister, and his mother was sti II
a member of that communion, and that they had
taught him to reverence the institutions of re-
ligion, and none more 50 than that OF family
worship"
Bro. B. then proceeded with his wonted ex-
ercises but with much fear and trembling. He
says that he never felt so much embarrassment
in his life. When the season of prayer was
passed, Mr.. Clay approached him and said:
"Mr. B. never again fell the least hesitation
in the discharge of your duty to God on account
of the presence of men. saw your embarrass-
ment, and remained on purpose that you might
never feel it again Remember my dear Sir,
that every man Of sense will respect the indivld-
ual who is not ashamed to acknow ledge his
dependence upon his Maker; and he deservos
only contempt who can cherish any other feel
ings than reverence Tor the consecrated hour
of man in audience with the Deity And what
are myself and friend here, but frail and feeble
mortals like you and your little chidren-indebt-
ed for all that we are to the great fountain of
good, and dependent on Him for every blessing
of life? We and you are destined to the same
grave and to the same final retrbuon. The
king upon his throne, and the beggar in his rags
are the same in the eyes Of the O,nniscient.
Think of this, Mr. B., and you will never hesi-
tate again to engage in prayer to God on account
of the pres ence of mon. For myself, would
rather know that the prayers of pious man,
no matter how humble his position in life, were
ascending in my benaf, than to have the widest
applause Of listening Senator'S"
Mr.. Clay and his friend then retired for the
night Bro. B. says it was the best lesson of
his lie. lie often afterwards heard the great
statesman in all the grandeur Of his resistless
eloquence, but he insists that in no effort he
ever heard, was he so impressive as on the oc-
casion named.-Western Recorder