The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-08-22
A Speech before being Beheaded.

N. O.. Delta. :
A Speech before being Beheaded.'
The Rev. c. Love, minister of Lawrence
Jewry, in London, was beheaded on Tower
Hill, August 22d, 1861, in the time Of Crom.
well; for being suspected of plotting against
the government. While standing on The scat:
fold he uttered the following most pathetic and,
weighty remarks:
"Although there be but little between mo
and death, yet this bears up my heart, there is
little between me and heaven. 1t conforted
DR.. Taylor, the martyr, when he was going to.
execution, that there was but two stiles be.
tween him and his fathers house-but two
steps between me and glory. 1t is but lying
down upon that block and shall ascend upon
a throne am this day sailing towards the;
ocean of eternity, through rough passage to
my haven Of rest; through a red sea to the
promised land. think hear God say to me,
as he did to Moses: Go up to Mount Nebo
and die there So to me, GO up to Tower
Hill and die therep
"Isaac said of himself that he was old, and
yet he knew not the day of his death; but |
cannot say so. am young, and yet know
the day Of my death also. am to be put to
the same kind of death as two famous preachers
of the gospel were before me. John the Bap.
tist and Paul the Apostle were both beheaded.
l read also, in Rev. Xxx. 4, the sains were be.
headed for the word of God and the testimony
ofJesus, but herein is the disadvantage which
lie under in the thoughts Of many; they judge
that suffer not for the word of God, or for
conscience for medding with State mat.
ters. To this I shrall briefly say, that it is an
old trick of Satan to impute the cause Of Gods
peoples suferings to he contrivemeuts against
the State, when in truth it is their religion and
conscience they are prosecuted for. The rulers
of Israel pretended to put Jeremiah to death
upon civil account, though indeed it was on.
" the truth of his prophecy that made the ru.
lers angry with him; and yet they pretended
he must die, because they said he would have
brought in foreign forces to invade the land
The same thing is laid to my charge, Of which
am as innocent as Jeremiah was. So Paul,
though he did but preach Christ Jesus, yet his
enemies would have him put to death, under
pretence that he has mover of sedltlon. Upon
civil account it is pretended my life is to be
taken away. Whereas it is because pursue
my covenant, aud will not prostitute my prin-
ciples and conscience to the ambition and lusts
Of men. had rather die a covenant keeper
than live a covenant breaker. Behold, am
this day making a double exchange; l am
changing pulpit for scaffold, and scaffold
for a throne; and might add third, am
changing the presence of this numerous multi.
tude on Tower Hill for the innumerable COM
pany of saints and angels in heaven, the holy
hill of Zion-and I am changing guard OF
soldiers for guard of angels, which will re-
ceve me and carry me to Abraham's bosom.
This scaf;ld is the best pulpit that ever |
preached in. In my church pulpit God,
through his grace, made me an instrument to
bring others to heaven; but in this pulpit ne
will bring me to heaven"
After he said: "Though my blood be not the
blood Of mobiles, yet it is Christian blood, min
ister's blood, yea more, it is innocent blood
I magnify the riches of Gods mercy andgrace
towards me, that I, who was born in Wales, an
obscure country, and of obscure parents, should
be singled out to honorable suferings. For
the first fourteen years ofmy life l never heard
a sermon preached, yet in the fifteenth year OF
my life it pleased God to convert me. Bless
ed be God, who not only made me Christian,
but also minister, which is my glory. lhad
rather be preacher in pulpit than prince
upon throne; had rather be an instrument
to bring souls to heaven, than that all nations
should bring tribute to me. Formerly have
been under spirit of bondage-yea, some
times have had more fear in the drawing out
of tooth than now have for the cutting off
my head. When fear was upon me death was
not near; now when death is near to me, eve
~ fear is vanished. | am comforted in this,
though men kill me, they cannot damn me;
though they thrust me out of the world, yet
they cannot shut me out Of heaven. | am 60.
ing to my long home, and you to your short
shome; but l shall be at my home before you
be at yours"
He prayed, that seeing he was called to DO.
the work which he never did, he might have
the strength which he never had.