Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-03-05
Volume III.---No. 81.
The Power Of Truth.


7 showing the power of truth, than this
which follows. 1t is from the pen of s.
, II. HAMMOND, the author of . Country
Margins" and most pleasant and genial I.
: writer:
: whncsseda short time ago, in one OF
our higher courts, beautiful illustration
OF the simplicity and power Of truth. A
little girl, nine years Of age, was offered
as a witness against a prisoner, who was
: on trial for felony committed in her faith
! er's house,
Now, Emily said the counsel for
'gthe prisonef, uponlhcr being offered az
V witness, II desire 70 know if YOU are
acquainted with the nature of an oath p
g don't know what you mean was
the simple answer.
"Therc, your honor, said the counsel,
addressing the court, g is anything fur
Their necessary to demonstrate the validity
of my objection? The witness should
be rejected. She does not comprehend
the nature of an oath"
"Let us see, said the Judge. Come
here, my daughter"
Assured by the kind tone and manner
q the Judge, the child stepped towards
him, and looked confdingly up in his
face, with calm, clear eye, and in
manner so artless and frank, that il went
straight to the heart.
"Did you ever take an oath ?" inquired
the Judge.
The little girl stepped back will, look
| nj horror and Ia r,J IloaI l..
a blush all over her face and neck, and
she answered:
"No, SIR"
She thought he intended to inquire
if she had ever blasphemcd
g do not mean that, said the Judge,
who saw her mistake 81 mean we're
you ever witness before p
"No, sir, was never in court before"
i, was the answer
4" Do you Know this book my daugh-
ter Z" said the Judge, handing her the
bible open
She looked at it and answered: eyes,
sir; it is the bible"
=" Do you ever read it p he asked.
Yes, sir, every evening""
Can you tell mo what the bible is?'
inquired the Judge
A" 1t is the word Of the great God. she
answered
Well, place your hand on this bible,
and listen 20 what J have to say" and he
repeated slowly and solemnIy the oath
usually administered to Witnesses
Now" said the Judge, f" You have
! hoon rsftfn iii
me what will befall you if you do not tell
the truth z"
81 shall be shut up in the State Prs-
on" answered the child
Anything else 2" asked the Judge.
II shall not go to Heaven" she replied.
How do You know this?" said the
Judge again.
The child took the bible, and turning
rapidly to the chapter containing the
commandments, pointed to the injunction,
Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor."
:" / learned that, she said before /
could read"
" Has any one talked 70 you about
being witness in court against this
man p inquired the Judge.
" Yes, sir" she replied. Ny mo-
ther heard that they wanted me 10 be
witness, and last night she called me To
her room, and asked me to tell her the
Ten Commandments, aud then we kneeled
down together, and she prayed that
might understand how wicked it was 10
bear false witness against my neighbor,
and that God would help me, a little
child, 10 tell the truth as it was before
him. And when came up here with
father, she kissed me and told me 10 re-
member the ninth commandment, and
that. God would hear every word said
'Do you believe this?" asked tho
Judge, while tear glstened in bis eye,
aud his lips quivcred with emotion.
yes, sir, said the child, with a
voice and manner that showed her con-
viction that the truth was perfect
JuagGg,o God 5yS6ds have @av gJR51F @JtBSart5e
This witness is competent" he continued
Were on trial for my life, and inno-
cent Of the charge against me, | would
pray God for such witness as this
Let her be examined"
She had told her story with tho SIM
plicity Of child as she was, but there
was drectness abcg. Il which carried
conviction Of It's truth to every heart
She was rigidly cross-examined. The
counsel piled her with infinite and
ingenius qucstionings, but she varied
from her drst statement in nothing
The truth Us spoken by tina. little child
was sublime. Falsohood and perjury
had preceded her testimony The pris-
oner had intrenched himself in lies, until
&c deemed. himself impregnablc Wit
ncsses had falsiGed facts in bis favor,
and yillany had manufactured for him
sham defence. But before her testimony
falsehood was scattered like chaf The
| little child, for whom mother had
prayed for strength to be given hor TO
speak the truth as IL was before God.
broke the cunning devices Of matured
villiany in pieces like a potter's vessel.
The strength that her mother had prayed
for was given her, and the sublime and
terrible simplicity terrible, / mean to
the prisoner and his perjurcd associates,)
with which she spoke was like reyc-
lation from God himself.
/ Ez- Let US not burden our remcm-