Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-05-31
Religious Convictions of Distinguished Men.

Religious Convictions of Distinguished Men.
A strong argument ir favor Of evangelical re-
| ligion, might be drawn from the religious con-
victions ofmen who never embrace 1t. IL is an
interesting fact that many of our own distln.
guished statesmen, who manifested no lnteres!
in religion in their early life left their decided
testimony in its favor, in their ripper and maturer
years. Many who never personally embraced
Lit, were decided in their intellectual convictions.
Some of them embodied these convictions in
their wills, as 9. g., Patrick Henry and John NJ.
Clayton. The first says: II leave to you, my
dear children, first of all, the Christian religion.
With ii, you are rich without shilling; with
out it, you nre poor, though you have all tie
world" The latter Gays. "Let my humble
testimony stand in favor of the Christian re-.
ligion. am deeply and thoroughly convinced
of its truth" One class have left their testimo.
ny in this manner There is another class who
have left in their regrets, like James K. Polk
and Aaron Burr and John Randolph. Said Mr..
Polk to DR.. Edgar, SIT had supposed twenty
years ago that should have come to my death
bed unprepared, it would have made me q
wretched man; yet am about to die" Said
Mr.. Burr "God will not let me die till the
prayers of my father and my mother are an
prayers will be lost" Mr.. Randolph's Remorse,
doubly underscored, is known throughout the
Christian world. There is another class OF
statesmen still, whose convictions on religion
are dropped to their friends all along through
their mature life, like those of the late Score
tary 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 Henry Clay, and, we may add, General
Harrison, who was intending to make public
profession of his faith the Sabbath after his
decease, if he had lived. The testimony OF
such men, thus expressed, though not so deci.
ded as we could wish, nevertheless carries great
weight with it in favor of evangelical truth
The strong convictions of men of truth which
a pride of heart or fear of man will not allow
them to embrace, have peculiar force. 1t Is
conviction against inclination, interest, and all
that worldly heart loves. These the testi.
nony Of dying statesmen, who have surveyed
all that is attractive in high life, and have worn
the highest crown of honor which q crest us-
ton could bestow, ought to have its weight with
the thousand who are saying, when my laurels
are won here, will look out for the laurels to
be won hereafter. The testimony likewise, OF
men of war, and Senatorial conflict, after their
battles are won, in their old age, with ripe
judgment and calm deberation, should be re-
garded. When such men come forward to the
bsptsnal altar, give their assent to the Articles
of Faith in the Christian Church, and thus con-
fess their wrong in early life, as we'll as their
purpose now to do right; then young men should
inquire their duty. Here are experience, talent,
official standing, and in many instances, large
mental endowments all bowing 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.-Cnng.