The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-05-12
DANIEL WEBSTER ON SUNDAY SCHOOLS,
MARsIiFIELD, June Is. 1852.


cclvcd your very ablo and interesting An.
nuaI Report OF the Condition of tho Now
York Sabbath-School Association, ard
read it with great pleasure aud instruction.
1t is gratifying, very gratifying, to learn
that sin city where vice and immortality v
run riot with impunity," few humble
Christians have devoted their time and
energies to tho cause of religion, and
fcrvcntly pray that your labors may DO
crowned with SUCCESS.
The Sabbath-Schoo is ono Of the great
institutions Of the day. 1t leads our youth
in tho path of truth and morality, and
makes them g,od men and useful citizens.
AS school Of religious instruction, it is Of
incstinablc value as a civil institution, i,
IS priceless, and has done moro to preserve
our liberties than grave statesmen and
armed soldiers. Let it then Lo fostcrcd
until the end Of Time!
once defended man charged with tho
awful crime Of murder. At tho conclusion
OF the trial, asked him what could have
induced him 10 stain his hands with the
hlooc of his fellow being. Turning his
blood shot eyes full upon me, he replied in
f" voice of utter despair: "Mr. Webster, in
my youth | spent the holy Sabbath in evil
amuscments, instead Of fequcning tho
house OF prayer and praise" Could wo
go back to the carly days of all hardened
criminals, [ believe, yes, firmly believe,
that their first departure from the path of
morality was when they abandoned the
Sabbath-school, and their subsequent crimes
might thus be traced back to neglect Of
youthful religious instruction.
Many years ago, spent Sabbath with
Thomas Jefferson, at his residence, in Vir-
ginia. II was in the month of June, and
the weather was delightful. While engaged
in discussing the beauties Of the Bible, tho
sound of bell broke in upon our ears,
when turning 10 the Sage of Monticello,
remarked, GLOW swectly, how very sweet
lyv sounds the Sabbath bell !" The distin-
gu,shed statesman for q moment seemed
lost in thought, and then replied: "Yes
my dear Webster; yes, it mots the he art
it caIms tho passions, and makes us boys
again" 1tore observed that man was
the only animal formed for religious wor-
ship, and tha! notwithstanding all tho soph-
lstry of Epicurus, Lucretius, and Voltaire
the Scriptures stood upon rock as firm,
as unmovable as truth itself; that man, in
his purer, loftier, breathings, turned tho
montal eyes towards Immortality, and that
the poet only echoed the general sentiment
OF our nature in saying that
The sonl secure in her existence, emies
Al the drawn dagger. and defies its point"
Mr.. Jefferson fully concurred in this
opinion, and observed that tho tendency of
the American mind was in different di.
rection; and that Sunday schools - he
did not use our more correct term Sabbath)
presented tho only legitimate means un-
der tho Constitution, of avoiding the rock
on which tho Fronch republic was wrecked.
"Burkc," lie said, "ncver uttered more i'm
portant truth than when he exclaimed that
religious education was the cheap de.
fence of nations.'" "Raikes," said Mr..
jefferson, "has done more for our country
than the present generation will acknowl
edge: perhaps, when I am cold, ho will
obtain his reward; I horo so, earnestly
hope 50: I am considered by many, Mr..
Webster, to have little religion, but now is
not the tilne to correct errors of this sort.
have always said, and always will say,
;hat the studious perusal of the sacred vol
umc will make better citizens, better fathers
and better husbands. Of the distinguished
lsaiSe:, he was claruns ct venernJle asomcn."
| took the liberty Of saying That found
more pleasure in Hebrew poetry than in
the best productions of Greece and Rome.
That the sharp upon the willows by Baby
lon" had charms for mo beyond anything
i'll the numbers Of the blind man Of Smyrna.
l then turned to jeremiah (there was a
fino folio of the Scriptures before me of
1859 and read aloud some of those sub
lime passages that used to delight me on
my fathers knee. But fear, my dear
friend; shall tire you with my prolix ac
count of what was a pleasant Sabbath,
spent in the company of one who has filled
very largo space in our political and lit
erary annals.
Thanking you for your report and heart
lily concurrng with you in the truth of
your quotation, that righteousness ex
aIteth nation, but sinris a areproach to any
people," l remain, with a high regard,
your friend, -e.s ea =,
s.~. 81, tr. d. WEBSTER.
A celebrated physician said to Lord
Eldon's brother, Sir William Scott, rather
more f1ippantIy than became the gravity
of his profession 0You Lnoy oGnx