The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-05
II am engaged elaewhere.n ..

+" I am engaged elsewhere." ---'s r.
Doctor, repeated tho General, ri
want yOu to come home with me tonight"
DR.. Edgar said that he had promised to
visit that evening sick lady, and be felt
bound to keep his promise. Gen.. Jack
son, as though he had not heard the re-
ply, said the third time, and more plead
ingly than before, "Doctor, I want You
to come home with me tonight"
"Gen. Jackson" said the clergy nan,
"my word is pledged; ! cannot break ite
but l will be at the Hermitage tomorrow
morning very early
The anxious man was obliged to be
contented with thearraNgement, and went
home alone. he retired to his apartment.
lie passed the evening and the greater
part of the night 10 meditation, in reading,
in cOnversing with his beloved daughter,
and in PRAYER. He WIS sorely distressed.
Late at night, Ehen his daughter len him,
he was stiIl agitated aDd sOrreyIiil. What
thoughts passed through his mind, as he
paced the room inthe silence of the night,
Of 1hGt sin be reported, and s0hGt actions
Of his life he wished he had not done, no
one knows or ever will know.
But the value Of this upheaving Of the
soul depends upon that. There is re-
pcntance which is shallow and fruitless.
conversion means turning 1t is only
when we know from what man turns,
whether his turning is Of any benefit to
him. There is such a thing as a mans
emancipating himself in one night of
agony or Joy, in one thrilling instant Of
time, from the dominion Of pride and de-
sire. He who is wslkiRS aAeHS tie plain.
cannot reach the mountain top in mo-
ment; but in q moment he can set his
sSs~ Z -. ~ = s,Sh xisae&Je the
iSs~fget. f0deislAg tae nature zaa .ssGFrd
of this crisis in Gen. Jackson's life, I
sttnii;; Soon have an opportunity of observ
ing whether the spirit Of the man had
changed, or whether, to the last, he re-
mained what we have seen hitherto.
As the day was breaking, light seemed
to dawn upon his troubled soul, and q
great peace fell upon lin.
To DR.. Edgar, who came to him Soon
after sunrise, Gen. jackson told the joy
ful story Of the night, and expressed a
desire to be admitted to the church with
his daughter that very morning. The
usual questions, respecting doctrines and
experience, were satisfactorily answered
by the candidate. Then there was q
pause in the conversation. The clergy
man said at length:
General, there is one more question,
which it is my duty to ask you. Can you
forgive all your enemies?"
| The question was evidently unexpected,
and the candidate was silent for while.
"My political enemies" said he, 81
can freely forgive; but as for those who
abused me when | was serving my coun-
try in the field, and those who attacked
me for serving my country-Doctor, that
is different case"
The Doctor assured him that it was not
Christianity, he said, forbade the in
diligence Of enmiiy, absolutely, and in all
cases. No man could be received into
the Christian church who did not cast out
Of his heart every feeling of that nature.
1t was a condition that was fundamental
and Indispensable. ..
After a considerable pause, the candi-
date said he Ynpught he could forgive all
who had injured him, even those who had
assailed him for what he had done for his
country in the field.
The clergyman then consented to his
sharing in the solemn ceremonial Of the
morning, and left the room to communi-
cate the glad tidings to Mrs jackson. She
FASTENED to the Generals apartment.
They rushed with tears into each others
arms, and long remained in a fond, silent
embrace.
The Hermitage church was crowded to
the utmost OF its small capacity; the
very windows were darkened with the
eager faces Of the servants. After the
usual service, the General arose to make
the required public declaration of his con-
currence with the Doctrines, and his re-
solve to obey the precepts of the church.
He leaned heavily upon his stick with
both hands: tears rolled down his cheeks.
His daughter, the fairy young Marion,
stood beside him. Amid silence the
most profound, the General answered the
questions proposed to him. When he was
formally pronounced a member Of the
church and the clergyman was abont to
continue the services, the long-restrnined
feelings Of the congregation burst forth in
sobs and exclamations, which compelled
him to pause for several minutes. Rhecler-
gyman himself was speechless with emo
ton, and abandoned himselfto the exulta-
ton of the hour. a familiar hymn was
raised, in which the entire assembly. both
within and without the church, Joined with
ecstatic fervOr, which at once expressed
and relieved their feelings.
From this time to the end of his life,
Gen. jackson spent most of his leisure in
reading the Bible, biblical commentaries
and the hymn book, which last he al
ways pronounced in the old-fashiOned
way, himc book. The work known as
SCOTS Bible" was his chief delight
he read it through twice before he died.
Nightly he read prayers in the presence
of his family and household servants.
say read prayers, for so was informed
bv those who often heard him do it. But
there has been published description OF
the family worship at the Hermitage,
which represents the General as deliver,
ing an ertemp0re- prayer .--
The Hermitage church, after the death
of Mrs. jackson, and the Generals reno.
val to Washington, had not been able TO
maintain itself; but the event we have Just
related caused it to be fe-organized. AT
one of the first meetings of the resuscita.
ted church, Gen. jackson was nominated
"ruling elder"
NO" said he, 1.-THE Bible SAYS, be not
hasty in laying on Of hands am too
Young in the church for such an Office -
My cOuntrymcn have given me high hon.
ors, but should esteem the office of 'ru.
! ling elder in the church of Christ far
higher honor than have ever received.
propose brother -, and brother -
two aged neighbOrs.) |
How PRICE GETS oN--The Napoleon
ARK Planter gives the following expla-