True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-09-29
Wahslar on sabbath Schools.

The following letter written IN 1857
by the late Daniel Webster. to Prof.
Peass, on receiving report Of the New
York Sabbath School Association, which
thai great statesman read with great
pleasure and attention. lis gratifying,
in these days,in large cities where vice aud
immortality run riot with impunity that
there are those--a few humble Christians
--who devote their time and energies to
ihe cause of religion, ami We iervendy
pray their efforts may be crowned with
snccess. Mr.. Webster In his letter 10
Prof Pease says;-
The Sabbath School is one Of tie great
institutions Of the day 1t leads our
youth in the path of truth and morality,
and makes them good men and useful
citizens As a school of religious in
struction, it is Of inestimable value; as a
civil institution ii is prcelsss, and has
done more to preserve our liberties than
grave statesmen and armed soldiers. Let
it then be fostered and preserved until the
end of time
once defended man charged with
the awful crime of murder. At the con-
clusion of the trial, | asked him what
could induce him to stain his hands with
the blood of fellow beiug. Turning
his blood-shot eyes fell upon me, he re-
piled in voice ol despair, Mr.. Webster,
in my youth l spent The holy Sabbath in
evil amusements, instead of frequen'ing
the house of prayer and praise" Could
we go back to the early years of all har-
dened criminals, believe, yes, firmly be-
leve, that their first departure from the
path of morality was when they abandoned
the Sabbath School, and their subsequent
crimes might thus be traced back to the
neglec, Of youthful religious instruction.
Many years ago spent Sabbath with
, Thomas Jefferson, at his residence in
Virginia. 1t was in the month Of June,
! and the weather was delightful. While
engaged in discussing the beauties of the
: Bible, the sound Of bell broke upon our
\ ears, when, turning to the sage of Mon
ticello, l remarked, "IIow sweetly, how
d very sweetly sounds that bell !" The
distinguished statesman for moment
II seemed lost in thought, aud then replied:
9 "Yes, my dear Webster, yes. it meIts the
/. heart, it calms our passions, and makes us
n boys again. Here observed that ma n
!. was only an animal formed for religious
1t worship, and that notwithstanding all the
e sophistry of Epiclurus, Lucretus, and
Te Voltare, the Scriptures stood upon a rock
as firm, as immovable as truth itself; that
pt man, in his purer, loftier brealhings,
d turned the mental eyes toward immortal
'. ily, and that the poet only echoed the
v genaral sentiment of our nature in saying
l. that "the soul, secure in her existence,
,e smiles at the drawn dagger, and defies lis
point.
"A Mr.. Jefferson fully concurred in The
m opinion, and observed that the tendency
$. of the American mind was in different
:. direction and that Sunday Schools (he
e did not use our more correct tenn, Sab
ID batb) presented the only legitimate means
+. under the Constitution of avoiding the
= rock OH which the French republic was
e wreched. Burke" sal he, "never Ut
e tered more important truth than when
Is he exclaimed that religious education
= was the cheap defence Of nations. y
in "Raikes," said MIR. Jefferson, "has done
Is more for our country than the present
o generation will acknowledge; perhaps
when am cold he will obtain his reward;
n | hope so am considered by many,
II Mr. Webster, to have but little religion,
but now is not the time TO correct errors
p of this sort. l have always said, aud al.
$ ways will say, that the studious perusal
q of the sacred volume will make better
n citizens, better fathers and better hus.
Il bands. Of the distinguished Raikcs he
l. was clarnm ct UeneabHe nomen." | took
n the liberty Of saying that found more
10 pleasure in Hebrew poetry than the best
productions of Greece and Rome. That
v the "harp upen the willows by Babylon" /"
d had charms for me beyond anything in
n the numbers of the blind man Of Smyrna.
8 | then turned to Jeremiah, (lhere was a
# fine volume of the Scriptures before me of
l45S,) and read aloud some of those sub.
f. lime passages that used to delight me on
v my fathers knee. ButI fear, my dear
n friend, | shall tire you with my prolix
If account of what was a. pleasant Sabba,h
spent in the company of one who has
k filled large space in our political and
e literary annals.