Smyrna times., 1856-12-03
From the Presbyttriaazzssa.
The Last Days of the Hon. John nj.
CLAYTON, =,


Fewsmen could have died whose death would 20
'e SO generaily> and deeply lamented, or whose d
oss to the country would be SO great as that of
The Hon John Nj. Clayton of Delaware. AS "a q
lawyer, statesman, cabinet officer and diploma a
tlst, he stood as high auy man of his age.-
Buthe has gone to occupy higher and ha Ppi- p
er position than earth affords. Before his death b
he cordially embraced the religion of Jesus t
Christ, and became possessed of bright and
cheering hope blessed immortality. beyond y
the grave. For thirty year he had been a firm i
believer In. the Christian religion, and uniform
ly defended it in public and in private, when '
ever the occasion required. His convictions
on this subject were the result of a. full and
thorough examination ofthe evidences of Chris
tanity. The external evidences, he thought,
were conclusive; but those which had most
weight or influence with him were the internal F
evidences, for they appealed, as he said, to the
heart.
The claims Of God upon him, and the neces-
sity of a personal interest in the atonement of
Christ occupied his thoughts for many months
before his last illness. When called upon, as
a minister. to visit him, found him reading
such works as Baxter's Saints Rest; but he |
seemed not to have discovered the plan of sal
tvation. Like most others under conviction of
sin, he seemed to be attempting to work him.
bcll lHlO ct0bS VI BtdCO Wy al tuOoC tucduc
which are commonly resorted to by those who
are inquiring what they must do TO be saved.
And it was not until all earthly dependencies
and human merits and means were removed ss
the ground of justification, and he was led TO
see himself utterly lost and helpless, and to look
alone to Jesus and his righteousness as the
ground of his acceptance with God, that he
found true comfort and peace. Before, he SEEM
ed to be building his hope on a foundation OF
{ sand; now he was established upon "the Rock
of Ages" AhOpe sprang up within him which
was as an anchor to the soul. His last words
to me were, "My hope grows brighter und
r brighter, all the time. Thank God, not cloud
: is permitted to obscure it,
Mr. Clayton often expressed the great plea
sure and profit he derived from the reading OF
i" The Way of Life," by DR.. Hodge. shall
not soon forget how he wept, wondered and
= adored as Christ was presented TO him in the
Z character of surety. His legal mind at once
y comprehended the scriptural idea, and ever af.
= I. ter he was enabled by faith to rest upon and
u u trust in Him. Not long after this he told me
&c that his doubts were removed and his fear;
were gone. He saw how God could be JUS
" and yet the justifer of the ungody. During
le my frequent interviews with him he gave m,
=: y abundant evidence that good work of grac,
:" had been wrought in him by the Spirit.
a. He became very anxious TO join the Churcl
- - and take the sacrament. Fearing that he wa
entertaining false notions of the nature and de
" sign of this ordinance. asked him if he though
:" it was necessary to salvation. 1t is necessar
~ said he, because commanded. We had hop
:" that he would recover from his sickness h
e had none. and thought he had but short tim
Vi to live, and baptized him and administered tn
~ Lords Supper to him. When asked him
u " he would be ashamed to acknowledge Chris
u- before men, he looked me in the face and sal
'S with great emphasis-l' Mono Let it b
:" known as far as | am known, that have rG
:" M nounced the world and professed the religion
" Christ" In the profession of his faith he CAV
full and hearty assent to all the doctrines r,
"1 qured in the membership uf the Presbytera
~ Church. s<
nu During his sickness he sften stated and al
"a swered the objections Of inhdels TO the Bibl
A few hours before he died (when he was alb
~ ~ to talk but little) he called me to his bedsit
~, and said" Skeptics have asked, Where W,
r the wisdom OF God in giving his only begette
Ia co-equal and co-eternal Son to die for such
% os race as ours!' This said he, " is my answe
NV The arrangement intensifes the love of the siI
ner, and to all eternity, not only to one, but
all the manifestations of the Godhead."
OILS These were nearly the last distinct words
ng a connected form he spoke. He soon after IL
err asleep in Jesus, and death was swallowed up
ION victory. He thought it strange that he hs
er- not many years ago embraced religion, al
lii- wondered that men cannot now be persuade
led to be reconciled to Christ. Being told il VI
Tn because the carnal mind is enmity again
'ls- God, he replied, "lt must be so." He said
was good for him that he was afflicted. If
OF had not been, he never would have cou
re- to Christ. The thought that such affiic,io
he hun,hInI nd ha
san liked a chastened child. ..s
OBJ He deplored the infdeity of public men.
.~- we'll as his own irreligious lfe and towards L
at end desired to live and return to Washingto
ted that his example and influence might be diffe
ard ept from what they had been. He often r
OH GREETED that he had not been in the habit of q
IL tending the public preaching of the gospel, a
san that in all his life he had done nothing
Ter, the cause of Christ, who had suffered so mu
ea- for him. 1t was upon one of these occasio
when he was expressing such regrets, and Ga
.- ing that now there was nothing that he COT
ans do, that the case of I" aged minister in nee
- was brought to his attention. He immediate
laid said, I'll help him." and gave his check fol
handsome sum. lie was a large-hearted a
t1 liberal-souled man naturally, but this was Civ
,ers to disciple in the name ofa disciple. He
se- ten spoke of his love for Christians-all Chr
of tians-and over and over again said that
hey forgave his enemies, and cherished not an g
,uld thought against any one, though they sou
pipe times arose in his mind. BY the grace OF
ion, he was enabled to Danish them.
tar, Any one who knew Mr.. Clayton in life a
ans health will think, upon reading this occou
that great change bad been wrought in hiI
and SO there was. He ascribed the change
nan the grace of God; and surely no other Pers
'irst could have effected it. TWAS the spirits wo
tt OF this'l feel assured.
and The rilgion which had brought so mt
y Of comfort to him he earnestly recommended
the others, and urged them to seek it. A few d'
- before the last he addressed one of his relati
a. and asked him whether he had ever seriou
contemplated a death-bed! and urged upon !
"a, to do 80. His voice will be heard no more,
we will our eyes behold his form again, until
T. last great day, when the voice of the arch
ding gel and the trump of God shall wake the de
Dell Let those who knew him, and for whom