Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-01-28
Influence Of Mothers.
GREY.

Some years ago, a sagacious statesmen from
| one of the South American Republics, who had
long mourned over the failure at sefgovernment
in his own country, came to the United States for
the purpose of examining our institutions and
learning the secrets of cur prosperity. One of
the first scenes which he witnessed was military
display; and supposing the enthusiasm that pre-
vailed was Indicative of general passion for arms,
he remarked, THAT, sir will ruin you. IL is the
passion of the people for war, and their reliance
on the sword to carry their points, which has been
our bane and ruin in South America; and unless
YOU check it in season it will prove your ruin, too"
But afterwards he spent an evening in New Ha-
ven, where males and females of the most accom-
plished class in the city were assembled; on re-
firing from the party he added, al have found it
now. have ascertained the secret Of your sue
cess in self government, and of your character.
prosperity, and greatness as republic. You
owe il to your WOMEN. | never saw the like be-
FORE Such mothers must, and no others can,
make nation ike yours. Give us in South A.
merica such women for mothers, and we should,
ere long, follow hard after you in the race Of ma
| tiona prosperity and happiness"
| We are accustomed TO speak of the achieve
ments of such men as Bacon, Hall, Newton,
| Dwight, Edwards, and host of like renown,
without duly approaching the worlds indebted
ness to their gifted and faithful mothers. That
maternal influence had much to do in preparing
them for the spheres of extensive usefulres, is ey-
! ident from such facts as the following:
! D;.hon H. Ok r,afarnaI in
the formation of his own character, and on one
occasion, wrote of his mother. "IIow often have
| blessed the memory of those divine passages OF
| experimental divinity which ave heard from her
mouth. What day did she pass without large
task of private devotion, whence she would still
come forth with a countenance of undissemsed
modification! Never any lips have read TO me
such feeling lectures of piey; neither have
known any soul that more accurately pTactised
them than her own"
John Quincy Adams once paid the following
tribute to his mother: sit is due gratitude and
nature that should acknow ledge and avOw that,
such as have been, whatever it was, or as hope
be in all futurity, must he ascribed under Provi-
dence, to the prccepts and example of my moth
| en-"
The following very interesting testimony OF
Rev Richard Knill is quoted at length: 81 have a
vivid recollection of the effect ofmaterial influence
Nv honored mother was a religious woman, and
she watched over and instructed me piOus mo-
| theirs are accustomed to DO. Alasi ! often for
got her admonitons; but in my most thoughtles;
days never lost the impressions which her holy
example has made on nv uind.
"After spending large portion of my life IL
foreign lands, returned again to visit my nativ
village. Both my parents died while was IL
Russia, and their house is nov occupied By m.
brother The furniture remains just the same a
when was a boy; and at night was accommo
dated with the same bed 10 which had often slep
before; but my busy thoughts would not let m
sleep. l was thinking how God had led m
through the journey Of life At last the light {
the morning dsrted through the little window, an
then my eye caught sight of the spot where m
sainted mother, forty years before, took me
the hand and said, Come, my dear, kaeel dow
with me, and will go to prayer
'Ths completely overcome me. 1 seemed
hear the very tones of her voice; | recollectt
, some of her expressions; and l burst into teal
and arose from my bed, and fell upon my lcne
just on the spot where my mother kneeled, al