Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-16
NO. l42.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS OF DISTIN.
GUISHED MEN

A strong argument in favor of evangel ,aI
religion, might be drawn from the relc
convictions Of men who never embrace II.
is an interesting fact that many Of our n"
distinguished statesmen, who manifesto
interest in religion in their early lite
their decided testimony in its fevor, IL
ripper and maturer years. Many VIII" T.
personally embraced it, were decided i"
intellectual convictions. Some Of them 81
bodied these convictions in their will, =
Patrick Henry and Jno. NJ. Clayton. Tne
first said: Il leave to you, my dear children,
first of all, the Christian religion. With /;
you are rich without shilling; without II,
you are poor, though you have all the world
The latter says: LET my humble testimony
am deeply and thoroughly convinced Of its
truth" One class have left their testimony
in this manner There is another class who
have left itin their regrets, likeJ ames X. Polk,
and Aaron Burr and John Randolph. Said
Mr.. Polk to DR.. Edgar, IF had supposed
twenty years ago that should have come TO
my death-bed unprepared, it would have made
me wretched man; yet am about to die
Said Mr.. Burr: God will not let me die till
the prayers of my father and mother are ans
wered. 1t is impossible that a child OF SO
many years will be lost" Mr.. Randolph's
"Rcmorse," doubly underscored, is known
throughout the Christian world. There Is
another class of statesmen, still, whose con-
victions on religion are dropped to their
friends all along through their mature life, like
those of the late Secretary Marcy and Mr.
Webster. There is still another class who
have made profession of religion In their
old age, or as they drew near the period OF
three score years and ten. Of these, were
General Jackson, Jeremiah Mason, and Hen
ry CLAY, and we may add, General Harrison,
who was intending to make public proies-
sion ofhis faith, the Sabbath after his decease
if he had lived. The testimony of such men,
thus expressed, though not as decided as we
could wish, nevertheless carries great weight
with it in favor of evangelical truth. The
strong convictions of men of truth which II
bride of heart or fear of man will not allow
them to embrace, have peculiar force. 1t Is
conviction against inclination, interest ana
all that worldly heart loves. These the
testimony of dying statesmen, who nave sur
yeyed all that is attractive In high lie, ana
have worn the highest crown OF honor when
n great nation could bestow, ought to have It's
weight with the thousands who are saying
when my laurels are won here, l will LOOK
out for the laurels to be won hereafter. Inc
testimony likewise, of men Of war, and Sen
atorial conflict. after their battles are won,
in their old age, with ripe judgment and calm
deliberation, should be regarded. when
such men come forward to the baptismal altar,
give their assent to the Articles of Faith IN
the Christian Church, and tn US confess their
wrong in early life, as well as their purpose
now to do right, then young men should IN
quire their duty. Here are experience, tai
ent, official standing, and in many instances
large mental endowment, all bowling before
the Cross. Here are men who have travelled
the whole circumference of worldly honor,
who have stood upon the highest pinnacles
and looked far off into the fields of pleasure,
and at last have come back to die in the arms
of the once neglected and despised church.
Coma