Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-27
General IaeI..en.-Ials Rellgien ana nan.

/ General Jaclzsen--E His Religion ana De,sh.
A correspondent Of the Presbyterian Seu,,ue, a
paper recently started Memphis furnishes the fol
| lowing iateres'iun "reminiscences Of Geo. jackson
FeWmsa have figured so prominently in the worlds
eye, or acted so porIant part in the history of
J his country as did Gen. Jackson. As q hero and a
statesman he is well well known TO she present
general need anything By way Of refreshing the
/ memory But not 50 ia regard to his religion and
dea h. These, though they constitute emphaiieally
the glory Of his character, have been emphaically
overlooked. We had remarkable instance and
proof of this in the popular Demonstration in The
city Of memphis. on the 8 h CT January last By
the Ma-oas be was honored Mason. The Gov
ernor Of the STATE and many prominent civilians and
politicians. left thsir positions Of dzsy and came
with the masses 70 homer the memcoy Of the hero
aud the statesman. The Hon. Andrew Ewing. Of
Nashville, who had been reared in the shadow OF
ths Hermitage devoted admirer of Gen. Jackson,
and one Of his favOrie boys, the special orator
Of the day No man in the State, Of his 8 e, had
better opOrtuniiy Of knowing the General than An
drew Ewing And strange TO tell, while the orator
dwell eloqueRtiy upon his character and history Is
great military man aud statesman, hsIgnOred bis
religion. Ia the whole Of Mr.. EWBg's speech, from
beginning 20 end, there not sentence from
Shieh ary one could learn or even infer that Gen.
Jackson eser made any prsiensions 10 religion or
died Christian. In all the services done By which
Il uld be known lhOi Gen. jackson vas Cbrisiiau
save the praJ Of the minister who 5y request Of
fciaied as ehs plain. Il said in the SERVICE b.
The Maf0as that "he di d as every Mason Aould
die. but we're lett copjecturs as 70 what might
be that cath
NOs Ibe truth is religion was the great formative
element in Gen. JaeksOn's character aad gave IL It's
browning finish Of lusre and glory. The true beau
~ and glory Of the sun are his rising and setting
more than his meridian splendor; aud so 1t may be
said Of The great man befJre US. We read his ear
in ia Iiyiou al ha
'ss and the secret glory We peruse st the other
extremity The recorI sud facts OF his death aud
elu lie that verify the glory Of the sun Is often his
se'ring
Gen Jsekson's parents we're Scotch Irish, who
emigrated 10 this country from the north of Ireland
And here you have at the religious mould Of his
character OF eli the people the scotch Irish are
the most noted FIR their iuhexibiiy Of character
an their unyelding devotion to the great principles
ofPrOtesiant faith and liberty true So0Ic5-Irish-
man is, at this hour, the best specimen OF PrOtes-
tant and Presbyterian Christian in t, world
As we would naturally expect, jackson had no
bic mother. She was plain, industrious and ex-
emplsry Seotch>Irish Presbyterian Chris ain. Says
recent biographer: "She possessed many excel
lent qualities. both Of head and heart; and her
children were early in life deeply mbued wi h the
straight forward rssouteness Of purpose and Spar
tan herOism of character for which she was dis
tngEished"
While he was very young JaeksoD's father died.
leaving his mother but little means to educate and
fl for the duties of lie himself aud two brothers
Andrew Was intsndee for the ministry Of the Pres
byieriaR Church. For the accomplishment OF this
purpose be sent to q hourishiDg academy at tia
WashaW Meeting House, in South Carolina, where
he Wss put TO the sturdy Of the dead languages
The Providence Of God. however, had mission for
jackson to fulfill, sad hence the prosecution of the
mothers purrose interrupted, and the whole
course OF the youth changed In his after life Of
trial vieissitudes snd danger, Jackson often app
peared irreigous, and sometimes even SrofAne; yet
how plainly do We see type Of character traees-
bic directly to the early training OF SeOeh Irish
Presbyi erisn mother, and which precisely it ed him
for his work And certainly man. nOt excepting
even John Newton himself. has ever more ssrihing~
ly e1empli6ed the words Of Solomon, Train up
child ID the way he should 60, aud when he is old
he will not depart from it,"
In his old age, Gen Jackson became a devoted
member Of the Old School Presbyterian Church.
Says his late biOgTapher: "He was q sincere and
devoted COMMUNICATE ef the Presbyterian Church,
ard he erected house Of worship IN the immediate
vicinity OF the Hermitage for the convenience Of his
family aud servants The came biOgrsPher also
that during his last illness he WAS constantly
chetTed by the visits Of his old and attached per-
sOnal friends. and the consultations cf re gon, 10
which he loved TO resort, we're nsyer~faiing solzee
to his heart. On one occasion be remarked to a
clergyman who called upon him, that he vas 'in the
hands of q mereiful God. I haze fill confidence
said he, IA Has goodness dHdsHeTcy. Ny lamp Of
life is nearly oar, and the last gkraMsrjng Is
ON reGdy 10 depart wheH called. The Bible IS true
The principles and statutes Of that holy book hare been
The rule Of My AJs and hare tired 10 conform 10 us
spirit possible Upon that sacred VolaBls
ing hope Of eternal saiVa0H through The merits and
blood Of blessed Lori and SAVIOR Jesus Chgist'
Such were the Gying words Of Gen Jackson. And
where, ask in all bis eVentfu and brilliant life,
hiss he uttered written words instructive aud
yaluablef They Weighiy words Of profound
wisdom worthy the last uttersnces Of the great
They ought to be framed snd hung up in every
dwelling as household works"
To the last he continued, when dying. to utter
words full of affection and Christian resignation.
''His mind" says his latest bOgrapher, detained
its vigor TO the last, and his dying mOmeats even
more than his earlier years, exhibited its highest
intellect al light"
1t was remarked by DR. Esslemar "his attending
physician, that his confidence and taih in the great
truths of religion seemed to be more firm and
Wavcring than any man he had ever seen die "He
expires: desire that DR.. Edgar, Of the LIST Pres
byteran Church, Nashville Ell Guild preach his funer
81 sermon, aud that no pOmpous parade should be
made over his grave" So died Gen. jackson; such
his early religious training I'D suea the blessed
fruits in long lie Of brilliant usefulness and a
happy and hopeful death. Well might Distinguish
ed Mason pubhey eXclaim on the 8th OF January
last-''He died every Mason should die"
Appended to the life of Gen Jackson by Jenkins,
dhu Tue euAAOn lot 1000, Is luneraA tsFOu "a Oeh
Jackson delivered by Dr. Behuae of PhiladeP his IN
1915. 1t is Of the best efforts OF that distin-
guished pulpit orator We close this article with
paragraph from that discourse
But, how surprisingly beautiful was his
closing scene, when, the giories Of his earthly
hOaors were fadiOg in the brightness Of his eternal
sntieipatiOns. anu his head humbly roasted upon
the be-om Of Him who erueidsd for our sins, his
latest breath departed in the praises Of that religion
which had become his only boast, and II earnest
counsel that all who loved him might OBJ ain the like
faith Gnd Ineet in heavenl There no doubt 10
his desih; be had prepared to meet his God; and
when his giant heart tainted, and his iron frame
failed, God the strength Of bis heart, and his
portion forever. Little would all his achievements
have won for him, had he gained the whole world,
yet lost his soul; bu fame will survive until
time shall be no more, and his spirit is imuoru
among the redeemed"