The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1859-07-15
Religious Convictions of distinguished
Me en-.

/
A strong argument in favor of evan
gieal religion, might be drawa from
the religious convictions of men who
never embrace it. It is an interesting
fact that many of our own distinguish
ed statesmen, who manifested no in.
terest in religion in their earlys1ife, left
their decided testimony in its favor, in
ftheir ripper and maturer years. Many
who never personally embraced it, were
decided in their Intellectual convictions.
Some Of therns embodied these convic-
tons in their wills as e. G., Patrick
Henry, and John NJ. Clayton. The
first says T" I leave to you my dear
children, first of all, the Christian re-
fgion. With it, you are rich without
shilling without II, you are poor
though you have all the world" The
latter says " Let my hnmble testi-
mons stand in favor of the Christian
religion. | am deeply and taeroughly
convinced of its truth" One class
have left their testimony in this man.
ner. There is no other class who have
left his regrets, like James K. Polk,
Aaron Burr and John Randolph. Said
Mr.. Polk to DR.. Edgar, IF had sup,
posed twenty years ego that should
have come to my death-bed unprepar-
ed, 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 farther and my
mother are answered. It il impossible
that a child of SO many prayers will be
lost. Mr.. Randolph's significant Re
more doubly underscoured, is known
throughout the Christian world. There
| is another class Of statesmen still,
whose convictions on religion are drop
| ped to their friends all along through
their mature life, like those Of the late
Secretary Marcy and Mr.. Webster,
| "a
There is still another class who have
made profession of religion in their
old age, or as they drew near the period
t.of three score years and ten. Ofthese
were Gen. Jrckson, jeremiah Mason,
Henry Clay and, we may add, General
HARRISON, who was intending to make
a public profession of his faith the Sab.
bath after bis decease, if be had lived.
The testimony of such meh, thus ex-
pressed, though not 50 decided as We
could wish, nevertheless carries great
weight with it in favor of evangelical
truth. The strong convictions Of men
/ Of a truth which a pride of heart or
fear Of man will not allow them to en-
brace, have peculiar force. 1t is con-
yiction against inclination, interest
and all that . worldly heart loves
These the testimony of dying states.
men, who have surveyed all that is at
tractive in high life, and have worn the
highest crown of honor which greai
:, nation could bestow, ought to have ii:
weight with tlse thousands who are
saying when my laurels are won here
after. The testimony likewise, Of men
of war, and senatorial conflict, aftel
their battles are won, in their old age
with ripe judgment aud calm delibera
ton, should be regarded. When such
men como forward to the baptisma
altar giye their assent to the Articlel
| of Faith IN the Christian Church, ant
hus confess their wrong in early life
as well as their purpose nov TO do right
then young men should inquire theiI
duty. Here are experience, talent
official standing, and in many instances
i
large mental ENDORSEMENTS. Here ars
men WHO have travelled the whole cir
conference Of worldly honor, who l.sfe
stood upon the highest pjy~aeies ana
looked far off into helds Of pleas
ure. and at las.have come back to die
lin the s1fs of the once neglected and
despised ehuroh.-Isx.
DR. Adam Clark had perfect ad-
horrenee of both pork and lodaceo.--