Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1853-07-28
ANECD0TE OF HENRY CLAY.

ANECDOTE OF HENRY CLAY.
The following is related by highly
respectable Baptist minister OF kentucky,
Illustrative Of very important duty
We recommend il TO the careful perusal
of all our "men fearing" heads of faini-
/ lies:
! He had just commenced preaching, and
! had for few years been married and
kee ping house He was in humble CIR
cuslstances, and. of limited educa ton
modest and retiring to fault. 1t was
with great difficulty that he could sum
mon resolution to address congregation on
Mr.. Clay, in the discharge of his duty as
a lawyer. came to the neighborhood of
our informant (rClover Bottom" Wood
ford county, to have surveys made of
some land then in litigation. He was
accompanied by another lawyer Of note.
( They made the humble cabin Of brother
b. their home. On the first night they
staid with him, Our brother was reduced
to great extremity. He was in the habi
of holding family worship morning and
evening, hut he trembled "a. the thought
of doing SO in the presence of guests so
distinguished as Mr.. Clay and his friend.
His little children were becoming sleepy.
and his wife, BY significant gestures, sug-
ges;ed that the lime for prayers had come.
Bro. B. hinted TO his guests that perhaps
"they would choose to go to bed" But
Mr.. Clay. with great politeness, Id that
'he did not feel at all sleepy. and that.
unless it were intrusive, he would be hap
py to enjoy his society longer" OF course
brother B. could not object. Still. the
matter of prayer could not be postponed
without sending the children to bed in
advance. which was contrary to his set
tied principles Of procedure. At last,
with consider erabe trepidation, he stated:
to MIR. Clay and his friend what was his
custom. and said they could stay and
unite with his family in their devotions.
or retire, at their option. MIR. Clay.
promptly, and with some feeling. replied
that they would remain by all means;
that the earliest recollections of life
were associat ted with such exercises; that
| MS father was Baptist miniotcr, tha, his
mother was still member of that COM
munion. and that they had taught him TO
reverence the institutions Of religion, and
none more SO than that of family wor
ship.
Brother B. then proceeded with his
wonted exercises, but with much fear and
trembling. He says that he never felt so
much embarrassed in his life. When the
season of prayer was passed, Mr.. Clay
approached him and said:
MIR. B., never again feel the least hes
itation in the discharge OF your duty to
God on account of the presence OF men.
l saw your EN- barrass ment, and rema lned
on purpose that you might never feel Ii
again. Remember. my dear sir. that ev-
cry man of sense will respect the indi-
vldual who is not ashamed TO acknowl-
edge his dependence upon his Maker; and
he deserves only contempt who can cher
ish any other feeling than reverence for
"the consecrated hour of man In audience
with the Deity" And what are myself
and friend here but frail and feeble NOR
tails. like you and your little children.
indebted for all that we are 10 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 finsl retribution. The king upon
his throne and the beggar in his rags are
the same with the Omniscient. Think
Of this, Mr.. B.. and you will never hesi-
tate again to engage 10 prayer TO God on
account of the presence of men. For my
self, l would rather know that the prayers
OF pious man. no matter how humble
his position in life. were ascending in
my behalf than to have the widest ap-
plause OF listening senator's
MIR. Clay and his friend then retired for
the night. Mr.. B. says it was the best
lesson Of his life. He afterwards heard
the great statesman in all the grandeur
of his eloquence; but he insists that in
no effort he ever heard, was he so i'm
urec-iva nc nn the occasion FAMED