Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-01-25
INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS.

We oAe PiedeuIe III quOunR tne fOIIOW.
ing paragraphs from Mr.. Thsyer's excellen,
lille book, "Spor's in our Fess,s of Chari-
IT," They are taken from the chapter on
maternal associations, and afford fsir SAM
pie Of the spir'' and style Of the book
Some years ego, q ssgacious statesman
from one OF the South American Republics,
who had long mourned over The failure q,
self-governmen. in his own country, came
to the United States for the purpose Of ex-
aiming our institutions and learning the Sc
cre!s OF our prosperity. One of tho FRS.
scenes which he witnessed was . military
display and supposing The enthusiasm ,ha.
prevailed was indicative Of q general passion
for arms, he remarked, ''That, sir, will ruin
you. ]. is the passion Of The people for
war, and their reliance on the sword TO car
~ their points, which has been our bsne
and ruin in South America and unless you
check 1t in season i. will prove you ruin,
too" But afterwards he spent en- evening
in New Haven, where males and females Of
the mos. accomplished class in The city
were assembled on retiring from the party
he said, 81 have found il now. have ssces.
tsined the secret of your success in self-gov-
ernment, and Of your character, prosperity,
and greatness as a republic. You owe i. 10
your WOMEN. never saw the like before.
Such mothers must, end no others can,
make nation like yours. Give US in South
America such women for mothers, end we
should ere long, follow hard af.er you in
the race Of national prosperity and happi-
ness"
We are accustomed to speak of The a.
chievemen.s of such men as Bacon, Hall,
Edwards, Newton, Dwight, and hos. Of
like renown, wishou. duly approaching tue
worlds Indebtedness TO their gifted and
faithful mothers. That maternal influence
had much to do in preparing them for the
spheres Of extensive usefulness, is evident
from such facts as the following
Bishop dali acknowledged maternal a.
gency in the formation Of his own charac-
ter, ind on one occasion, wrote of his moth.
er, "How often have blessed The memory
Of those divine passages Of experimental
divinity which have heard from her mouth!
Wha. day did she pass without large task
Of sFiya,e devotion, whence she would still
come forth with d countenance of undissem.
bled mor,iics'ion +: Never any lips have
read 10 me such feeling lectures Of piety !;
neither have ! known any soul tha. more
accurately practised them than her own"
John Quincy Adams once paid the fol-
lowing tribute to his mother: sit 10 due
to gratitude and nature tha, ! should &C.
knowledge and avow that, such as have
been, whatever i. was, such as hope to be
in all futurity, must be ascribed, under Pro-
vldence, to The precep's aud example Of my
mother"
The following very interesting testimony
of Rev. Richard Knill is quoted at length :
81 have vivid recollection Of the effect OF
maternal influence. My honored mother
was religious woman, and she watched
over and instructed me as pious mothers are
accustomed to do. Alas! ! often forgot her
admonlions; but in my mos. ,houghtless
days | never lost the impressions which
her holy example has made on my mind.
"Afser spending large portion of my
life in foreign lands, | returned again to vis-
it my native village. Both my parents had
died while was in Russia, end their house
is now occupied by my brother. The fur
ni'ure remains just the same as when ] was
a boy; and at nigh. was accommodated
with the same bed in which | had often
slept before but my busy thoughts would
not lie. me sleep. ! was thinking how God
had led me through the journey Of life. A,
last The light Of the morning darted through
the little window, and then my eye caught
sigh. of The spo. where my sa;nted moth.
er forty years before, took me by The hand
and said. Come my dear and kneel down
with me, and | will 60 to prayer
"This completely overcame me. seem.
ed 10 hear the very tones Of her voice; re.
collected some of her expressions and
burst into tears, and arose from my bed, and
fell upon my knees just on the spot where
my mother kneeled, and thanked God shs
had once praying mother. And O, j
every parent could feel wha! ] fel. then,
am sure they would pray with their chill
dsen, as well as pray for shem."
Equally TO the poin. and touching is th'
following incden. in the life Of Dr.. Todd
as related by himself. His mother was de-
prived Of her reason when he was child
and referring 10 this he says, can recollec
,ha. when child was standing at the oper
window, at the close of a lovely summer
day. The large, red sun was just setting
away behind the western hills the sky ws'
gold and purple commingied; the wind
were sleeping and soft solemn stiffness
seemed 10 hang over the earth. wa
watching the sun as he sen! his yellow ray
through the trees, and fel. kind Of aw,
though knew no. wherefore. Just ihel
my mother csme 10 me. She was ravinI
with frenzy for reason had long since lei
i.s throne, and her victim Of Madness
She came up to me wild with inesnity.
pointed to the glorious sun in the west, ant
in a momen, she was calm. She took m,
little hands within hers and told me thu