Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-11-25
HOW REV. Mr., MIlBURk BECAME CHAPLAIN
0f G0heRESS,

The Rev. Mr.. Milburn, the blind /
preacher, is to lecture this evening in the
Pine Street Church course, in aid of the
enterprise of Rev. Henry NJ. Dexter
Mr.. Miburn is preacher Of much celeb
rity, not so much from transcendent
talent, as from native ability which has
been cultivated under very unfavorable |
circumstances. The following extract
from "Ten Years of Preachers Life"
which contains his autobiography, will be
interesting, as showing the character ofI
the man
"We left Cincinnati on the steamer
Hibernia early on Friday morning, the
captain promising to land US at Wheeling
by Saturday night. The boat was very
much crowded, and among the passen-
gers was a considerable number of Con-
gressmen, members of both houses, on
their way to the capital to take their seats.
/ As several of them were men known to
fame, whose names | had been familiar
with for years, / took great interest in
observing them and in listening to their
conversation when, as is often their
manner in such environment, they talked
for the benefit of the company. | cannot
say how much | was shocked, nor how
indignant [ became, at discovering that
not few of these representatives of the
sovereign people of the United States
swore outrageously, played cards day and
might, and drank villainous whiskey to
excess. l expressed my surprise and
ehagrin to my friend; but the only com
fort that / received was, that this was the
fashion in which many of our politicians
acted.
The river was low-fogs came on.-
Sunday morning arrived; we were yet
eighty miles below Wheeling, and there
was no place where we could land to
spend the Sabbath. At breakfast time a
committee of the passengers waited upon
me to know if would preach to them
+ Never did l say yes more gladly; foI
, never had I been so anxious to speak my
mind. A congregation of nearly three
hundred persons assembled at half-pas
ten o'clock, and / took my stand between
! the ladies and gentlemen's cabins
Seated in the places of hunor upon my
right and left hand were most of my late
objects of interest, the members of Con,
i gress. had never before spoken undel
o such circumstances, b ut nevertheless
preached as well as | could, which is no
:, saying much. At the close of the dis
! course proper, however, | could not re
sist the impulse to speak straight
forward word to the men on my righ
: and left. Turning to them, therefore
a said something to the following effect
l understand that you are members 0
tue Congress of the United States, and a
q such you are or should be the represen
: tatives not only of the political opinion;
# but also of the intellectual, moral and re
# ligious condition Of the people Of thi
country. As had rarely seen men {
e your class, felt, on coming aboard thi
ir boat, natural interest to hear your cor
versation and to observe your habits
am to Judge the nation by you, ca
come 10 no other conclusion than that it
composed Of profane swearers, care
players and drunkards. Suppose ther
should be an intelligent foreigner on th
boat, travelling through the country wit
the intent of forming q well-considere
and unbiased opinion as to the practic
working Of our free institutions-seeir
" you and learning your position, VIII
i0 would be his conclusion? Inevitabl
y that our experiment is failure, and OF
u country is Fastening to destruction. Col
v slider the influence Of your example upo
the young men Of the nation-what
u school of vice are you establishing!
' you insist upon the right Of running you
selves, do not by your example corru
ni and debauch those who are the hope
IA the land. / must tell you, that as I
Il American citizen / feel disgraced
o' your behavior; as preacher Of the Go
pei / am commissioned to tell you, th
unless you renocnce your evil course
ho repent of your sins, and believe upon Il
he Lord Jesus Christ with hearts IN
er righteousness, you will certainly
S. damned
n At the close Of the services, / retired
ID my stateroom, to consider my improm
ar tn address word By word, aud wheth
ng if were called to a reckoning for It,
Ter should be willing to abide by It and
ed consequences. Plain speaking and ste
ed acting are common things among t