Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-04-26
Last Hour. OF senator Foot.

.Ts.'N HsSohS - va sc.htOt IVY
DR.. Sunderland pf the New School Pres
byterian Church, Washington City, attend
ed Senator Foot, Of Vermont, in his las
hours. Monday, March l3tb, the sick mar
said to him: -
l know il is but poor time for man Ia
pay attention to the concerns of his sou
when he is brought face to face with death
and ! can say that, having always assented
Intellectually at least. to the truth Of ths
Christian doctrines, have only been toe
prone to postpone the practical question fol
80 long a time to find at last, what now
have 70 lament, that life has been wasted
in not having been devoted to life s creates,
end. This thought indeed, has more deep.
ly impressed me for the last two years. and
at the commencement Of this illness I was
about preparing to assume duty long neg
leeted, but which have felt that | would
take up in hope Of receiving some further
light and strength from the only source ot
our help-.that is, from our Maker and Goo
The duty refer to is that of family worship
morning and evening, day by day. FoI
years | have daily read the Bible in the
presence Of my wife, but when have seen
her seeking her God in prayer. so hubitually
and earnestly, have felt that we ought to
be united in it, aud have purposed. il ever
permitted to do so, that this privilege as
well as duty shall no longer be neglected.
Continuing, he said:
| / feel that never can be thankful enough
to God for giving me pious ancestry. My
! father and mother we're both devoted Chris.
tains, aud i was fully instructed in early
childhood in the lessons of the Gospel oil
Jesus Christ. | have never doubted from
that dav to this the truth Of those teach.
ings. l know and feel that am sinner.
! believe that Christ made an atonement
sufficient for all men, and this atonement is
the only ground OF salvation to human be
ings | am even convinced that none will
ever be saved by the works Of righteous.
ness which they have done. have strong
desire to accept these terms of mercy. if |
only might have an assurance that God will
not now reject me after my long rejection of
him That is the point to which | have
come. Is there anything for me to do that
| have not done, and will you point out the
way that | may go onward in it?
We quote as follows the account given by
DR.. Sunderland: ..
visited him daily for several days, and
perceived that he was becoming more aud
more simple and strong in faith. He said at
length that he thought he had found the
way. ~ have he continued, been think
ing much of these two lines repeated the
other day: F l.
Here. Lord, give myself away.
'Tis all that can do
begin to understand that this comprehends
all, and am beginning to lean alone on
Jesus Christ, as my Savior and friend.
On Tuesday morning, March 9th, re-
paired early to his chamber, arriving about
9 o'clock, and, with short time of absence,
remaining till about the hour of o clock ia
| the evening. This was the last day with
him on earth. As if forewarned of his ap.
preaching end, he spent the whole day in
receiving and parting with his friends, and
performing his last acts of religious devo
ton. For several hours he talked almost
incessantly. He seemed to have fnished
his work, and was ready to depart. As
approached him in the morning, there were
none present but members of the family.
and proposed we should have season of
prayer. 20, yes" he Immediately ex.
claimed, that is what want. Close the
door, shut it tight, and come then and kneel
down and pray here. All kneel down -
All pray Pray that my faith may be
strengthened. that my heart may be renew
ed that my sins my be forgiven through
that one atonement OF Jesus Christ, that
my views of it may be clear, that | may see
in it a sufficency for the sins of the whole
world, and particularly for my sins, which
have been so many and so aggravated dur
ing long life, that they may be all cleansed
away and remembered no more.
AT 10 clock the tidngs that he was sink.
ing brought many of his friends to his bed
side, among whom were the Secretary OF
State. the Secretary of War, several of the
| Senators and members of the Vermont dele.
CATION and others of the House of Repre-
sentativcs, and many other persons in pri-
vate life About one o'clock Dr.. Baxter,
one Of his physicians, came in and took him
by the hand, with an emotion which he
could not conceal from the quick notice of
the dying statesman. As if clearly reading
the thoughts Of his friend while there, sor-
row was SO deeply depicted on his counte-
nance, he Immediately began TO address him
in language of the most touching gratitude,
and recalled many an affecting reminiscence
of his past intercourse with the members of
his family, especially with his father. To
the suggestion that he might be worried by
so many visits. so much excitement and
talking, he said: mo, it does not hurt
uic l. TutuoT ucnlIc IL. uh
on angels wings. 1t is no effort for m q to
converse. or hear you speaking. " On the
renewal of his wish to have the singing. we
were obliged to change the words he had
repeated from that beautiful and now fa-
miliar hymn, Just as am, without one
plea. etc As we sang this he lay as if en-
tranced by it, aud, suddenly perceiving all
present in tears, and his wife sobbing, her
head bowed upon his hands in the grief OF
her atflicuon, he said, looking around on the
circle, "Why these tears? There is no oc-
casion for weeping. This is heaven begun
below am only going home a little soon
er, that is all. At the conclusion OF the
hymn, as if repeating the sentiment of the
/ last stanza, he said a" do trust in my
| Savior" ti. rl' F.a
A few moments after, when his brother,
DR.. Foot, but two years younger than him.
self, who had arrived few days before
from his home in Canada, and to whom 10
their frst meeting he had expressed the
same feeling that he should not recover,
t6w came toward him, but filled with emo
tion, Immediately turned away to conceal it,
he said to me, 10 an under tone, IF God
has given it to me to leave such name as
my family will not be ashamed to remem Der,
il is not cause Of pride or boasting, but of
| gratitude to Him only who doeth all things