Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1859-02-02
A Remarkable Conversion.

bors as missionary in Africa accompanied
! by his wife, who was Miss Elizabeth Blee-
ker Hadden, of New York, is related as
follows in the Express:
Some yearsago there lived in Boston, a
young man, of one of the best families in
! the city, handsome, intelligent, well edu-
Gated, of agreeable manners and address,
and exceedingly popular with all who
knew him. Still he was most generally
known as q very fast young man, and no.
ted for his extravaganza in the eXpendi-
( ture of money, his disregard for those con-
ventionalties and moralities, of which so-
ciety requires the observance of all with-
( in its pale. The result of such career
need not be described, as il is seen every
day in all grea cities, happening in spite
( of the pIecepts of the judicious and warns
ing examples Of the imprudent The last
chance that seemed to be-left for the rein
statement OF the suhjeCtof our story in
/ the good op Mon of his friendr, Of himself
and OF the world, was a voyage in some
responsible capacity that would test the
sincerity of his desire to redeem himself
by the aid Of friends he procured such
an opportunity, and left his native city as
the commander Of merchant vessel.
bound on q long and somewhat hazard
Gus voyage. In the course of it he found
| himself among the Fecjee Islands and ha-
wing oceas.o on to 90 on one of them he Vi
sited the rude dwelling of q native chief
who entertained him Hospitality. and, as
he was about to depart, requestedllim to
pray to the Christian God, with and for
that savage family.
gsIIapa ,rou u flilot,,rg,o T'l,a attitude
and act of PRAYER had long been strange
to the youth, and he was not prepared for
such request; and in default of his abil-
Iity to comply with it, the Feeiee chief,
who had probably been visited and taught
by some wandering missionary who had
casually landed on that island, raised his
voice in prayer, while the native of Chris
tan' and civilized land, himself unused to
devotion, stood by and listened Was not
this a striking scene? But mark the res
suit. Ouryoung sailor returned to his ship,
land, in duo course of time, to his home.
fastening to his brother, a clergyman of
the Episcopal Church, residing in the
neighborhood, he told him the story of the
prayer he had heard put up by a savage
Islander in that far distant ocean, and con-
fessed to him that the prayer had been
followed by answering effect in the CON
version of him who was strangely called
upon to listen toit. He was desired to re-
deem the time he had SO sadly wasted and
to devote himself actively, and in the
most sacrificing way, to the cause Of reli-
gion. Steadily adhcring TO his purpose,
he became a church member, a candidate
for orders in the church, and an accepted
. 1-r,g A ,,-hf hp 4 al
to 60 under the auspices of the Foreign
Missionary Committee of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. But not alone"
HIGHLAND MARY.-The mother ofBurn's
Highland Mary, who resided in Greenock
for a long period, died there on the 9th
of October, 1871, at the advanced age Of
IS years. This venerable looking woman
remembered TO almost the 'ast moment of
her existence, with an alfectiouatc regard,
one who inspired Burns finesys eiiusions,
and was the object Of his purest attachs
ment, and it was impossible to hear her
enter mnutely into the particulars OF her
lie, and the aimable qualities OF her
heart, without Icing con iIccd ;hat Mary
Campbell had something more than ordl.
nary attractions TO iucinaie the mind Of
the poet Were we To- judge, from the
mother. who.e tine bllcN eye, and regular
lea ares, at ncruivanyed age, gave ndlca-
tons OF early beauty, we wouid Say that
Highland Mary probably had also pe.so.
nal charms, which would have Influenced
a less sensitive mind than that Of Robert
Barns. Among the little stores of the
deceased there was nothing to Ju tyuuu
as Inemen. ges of the gifted bard, but tne
bible which he gave his beloved Mary on
that day when they met on the banks Of
the AYR, "to live one day Of parting love
1t is indeed a curiosity, and was written
on the first leaf, in Burns hand writing,
the following passage of scripture, which
is strihingly illustrative Of the poets feel
inrs and circumstances Thou shalt not
foreswear thyself, but perform unto the
Lord thine oaths." Its well known thai
natter this they never met again, and that
nine could not etiuce the solemnity OF this
larting from his mind and it is to be re.
acted that two letters. which he wrote
aler her DEATH to the afflicted mother have
ben destroycd-the old woman saying,
: "4e could never read them without she'd
dig tears The mother and daughter are
moi sleeping in the West Church Yard.
Arb is MARY" to remain without stone
to ell the stranger of her place Of rest?
luz RIVER JoRDAN.-A correspond en-