Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-20
NO. II.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
LETTER FROM JOHN RANDOLPH.


A recent number of the Washington Union
contains the following letter from the late
John Randolph, of Roanoke, written to his
half brother, the Hon Henry st. John Tue
ker and it is said, never before published
1t will be read with Interest,"
"May be who has the power, and always
the will, when earnestly, humbly and deVo-
tedly entreated support and comfort you, my
brother! | will not point you to the treasure
that remains to you in your surviving children
and their mother, dearer than these pot to-
gether. No; | have felt too deeply bow little
power have words that play around the head
to reach the heart when it is sorely wounded.
The common places Of consolation are at the
tongues end of all the self-complacent and
satisfied from the pedant to the wasberw0-
man. They who don't feel can talk ab-
lure them all. The father of Lord Russell,
when condoed with according to form by the
book, said, Il would not give my dead son
for any other mans living"
May this thought come home to your bosom,
too; but not on the same occasion. May the
Spirit of God, which is not the chimcra Of
heated brains, nor device of artfal men to
frighteu and cajole the credulous, but is as
stood, as the whisperings your own heart, or
the love you bore to him you have lost-may
the Spirit, which is the comforter, shed his
influence upon your soul, and incline your
heart and understanding 20 the only right
way, which is that of life eternal. Did you
ever read Bishop Buffers Analogy? If not,
| will send it to you. Have you read tho
Book? What say upon this subject not
only believe, bat | know to be true-that the
Bible, studied with an humble and contrits
heart, never failed to do its work, even with
those who from idosyncracy or disordered
minds have conceived that they were cut on
from its prOmiseS of life to come.
ASK and ye shall receive; seek and ye
shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto
YOU" This was my only support and stay
during years Of misery and darkness; and
just as had almost begun to despair, alter
more than ten years of peuitence and prayer,
it pleased God to enable me to see the truth,
to which until then my eyes had been sealed.
To this vouch-safement have made the most
ungrateful returns. But | would not give
up my slender portion of the price paid for
our redemption-the ransom of sinners-of
all who do not hug their chains and reinse to
come out from the house of bondage say
that would not exchange my little portion
10 the Son of David for the power and glory
of the Parthan or Roman Empire, as des-
cribed by Milton in the temptation of our
Lord and Saviour Of men.
This is the secret of the change of my
spirits, which all who know me must have OBJ
served within few years past. After years
spent in humble and cOntrite entreaty that
the tremendous sacrifice on Mount Calvary
might not have been in vain for me, the chief
est CT sinners, it pleased God to speak in peace
unto my heart-that peace Of God which pas
seth all understanding to them that know lt
not, and even to them that do. And although
! | have now, as then, to reproach myself with
| time misspent and faculties unemployed; al
though my condition has on moro tnan one
occasion reEembled that Of him who, having
one evil spirit cast out, was taken possession OF
| by seven other spirits more wicked than the
| first; yet trust that they, too, by the power
and mercy of GCd, may be, if they are not
yanquished.
But where am | running to? On this sub
iect moro Meanwhile, assure yourself of
! what IL of small value compared with that OF
those who are piece Of yourself OF the un-
! changed regard and sympathy of your
mothers son. All. my God! | remember to
! have seen her dc--to have followed her to the
grave-to have wondered that the sun con-
tinued to rise and set, and the order of nature
/ 20 90 on.
! But enough-and more than enough
can scarcely guide my pen. | will, however
| add that no ukewarm seeker ever became
real Christian, from the days of John the
Baptist until now, the kingdom OF heaven
| sufiereth violence, and the violent taketh it
| by iorcc"--a text which read five hundred
times before had the slightest conception OF
its true application. Your brother,
j. K. or ROANOKE.