Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-06-25
1858.
THE INTELLIGENCER.
PANEL wiebstsr's I.e.ter On rauday sehool'
MAasnyElLp. June %. -.

Daniel Webater's Letter On Sauaay seHoota
MARsuTKlLD, June 10. 1852
PRor. PEAsE-Dear Sir. 4 have received your
very able and interesting animal report OF the
condition cf the New York Sabbath School As
Sociation, and read it with great pleasure and
instruction. It is gratifying, very gratifying to
learn, thst in .'eity where vice aud immoEallty
run riot with impunity," a few humble Chris
tians have deYOtcd their time and energies 10
the ealse Of religion, and lerventiy pray that
y0uIr labOrs may be crowned with success q 4
Tins. Sabbath school Is one Of the great insii-
tutions Of the day. u leads our youth in the
path OF truth aud morality, and makes Them
gO0d men and useful citizens As school Of
religious instruction it IS Of inestimable valnei
as a civil institution It is priceless, and has
done more to preserve our liberties than grave
statesmen and armed soldiers. Let II then be
fostered and preserved until the end OF tn'es
once defended q man charged with the aW-
f1l crime Of murder. At the conclusion Of the
trial asked him what could induce him to
stain his hands with the blood ola fellow being.
Turning his bl0od-shot eyes full upon me, he
replied, in voice Of despair, "AF. Webster, IN
my youth spent the holy Sabbath in evil
amUsements, instead Of fTequenting the house
the carly years Of all hardened criminals, be-
lieve. yes, firmly believe that their first depar-
tlrg from the path Of morality was when they
abandoned the Sabbath School, and their sub
sequent crimes might thus be traced back 70
the neglect Of youthful religious instruction.
Many years ago spent a Sabbath with
Thomas Jefferson, at his residence IN Virginia
II was in the month Of June, ard 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 Monticello, remarked, HIlOw sWeetly, how
very sweetly sounds that Sabbath belL The
distinguished statesman for moment seemed
Loot r., ~ md
dear Webster, yes, It meits the heart It ealtns
our passions, and makes rs boys again Here
observed that man was only az animal formed
for religious worship, and that notwithstanding
all the sophistrY of Epicurus, LucretiuS, ana
VOltaire, the Sculptures stood upon rock rs
firm, as lnnoveabie ss truth itself That man,
in his purer, loftier breathings, turned the mem
tai eyes toward Immortality, and that the poet
only echoed tile general sentiment Of cur nature
in saying, that
aThe SOUL secure Inher existence,
smiles At the drawn dagger, aiA dsael its point"
Mr.. Jefferson fully concurred in this opinion,
and observed that the tendency Of tile American
mind was IN a different directiOni aud that
Sunday schOOis-(be did not, usF plir more cor.
rect term Sabbath l--Trc erted the only leet1-
mate means, under e % TIN tio Z,
~ - 57i57ist1Iich lhe French fcpuolc Nas
wrecked. Burke, said be, never utlele1 .
more Important ruth than when he exclaimed
tnaG TeflelOuN vas luo SAA1--
fence ofnati0ns. "RaikeS," said Mr. Jefer-
son, "hns done more for our country than the
present generation will acknowledge perhaps
when am cold he viii obtain his reward; hope
50, earnestly hope 50; I am considered by many
Sir. Webster, to haye little religion. but now 8
not the time 70 correct errors OF this sort
have always said, aud always will say, that the
studious perusal Of The sacred volume will make
better citizens, better fathers, and better hns-
bands. OF the distinguished Raikes, he vas
.eLdTunl ct eenertb5le nomee.' took the
liberty of sayirg that found more pleasure m
Hebrew poetry than in the best productions OF
Greece aud Rome. That the ''harp upon the
uillo,vs, by Babylon" had charms for me beyond
arvthiug in the numbers Of the blind men Of
SMYRNA then turned to jeremiah there
vas fine folio Of the Scriptures before me Of
1887 and read aloud some Of those sublime
passages that used to delight me on my fathers
knee But fear, my dear friend, shall tire
you with my Prolix account Of what was
pleasant Sabbath, spent in the company Of one
who has filled very large space IN our political
and literary Annals
Thanking you for your report, and heartily
coneurT1ng With yon in the truth Of your quota
lioI. that 'Righteo6sness exalteth nation, but
sin is a reproach TO any people," remain, with
high regard, your friend,
". WEBSTER