The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-24
The Late Mrs, Grinder.

Mrs GRINDER has passed away peacefully
To :, better world. Her last hours were placid
and serene, ~ might be expected from one
.,Au had led Il life 50 exemplary. She well
rou,rd he sheriff upon his approach rs a min
,~trr from heaven, Il lcgate from the skies, sent
T., convey her 10 the bowers of Paradise With
,ut,ural,ablp hrnignily, size declared upon
,hr\rry Scailold that she forgaye al her enc
mics This must be a source of precious con-
..oltl,n 10 the Judges sheriff and other officers
uf tilr l.w, which they can never sufficiently
aIurreIatc. The persons whose exit from this
vale Of tears her benevolent eXertions accele-
rated that wife and mother, those little chill
Urru, whom her pious arts enticed from
,,vrlG Of sin and sorrow 10 4 holier and brighter
sphere, we may humbly trust hurried anXi
ous!y to the gates OF Heaven TO greet the
approach of Mrs. GRINDER, and 10 escort her
10 Il place by the side Of the holy STEPHENS and
other bratilcd confcssors and martyrs, of
whom the world was not worthy.
The account now before us of the execution
of this departed saint states that her features
wore pleasant smile from the time she left
her cell until the fatal white cap was drawn
over her face. "Shc bestowed on the sheriff
remarkably graceful inclination of the head,
coupled with Il sweet smile " Before the
leap was drawn down over her face, she glanced
pleasantly aronnd ut the spectators, end then
'.cast her expressive blae eyes upwards" Her
declarations of confidence in her salvation
we're most emphatic and edifying. Mrs.
GtINuEK has taught al who beheld her eXecu-
Iiou how TO die, rs she had previously taught
Mrs CAErTHERs and Miss BUCHANAN.
These persons, Mrs. CARrrHERs and Miss
Buchanan, were among those who had been
assisted by Mrs. GRINDER 10 attain everlasting
happiness She had benerolently furnished
Them with food, which contained in it some
properties not favorable TO the prolongatlon
pf human existence. a chemical analysis OF
their Stomacls after death revealed large
quantities Of arsenic and antimony MRS
GRINDER. on hospitable thoughts intent, also
cent a bowl of soup to 4 Mrs. SMITH, who, with
six children resided in that nelghDorhood'
The whole family was taken sick, ana Mrs.
SMITH was relieved at once Of the farther sup
port of one of her children. Mrs. GRINDER, IL
- true, disclaims her agency i'll This benehcai
transaction but we must attribute this DIS
,.laimcr TO an extreme mOdeSty of character,
which does good by stealth, and blushes 10 lind
1t fame.
But, in sober earnest, for this is literally
grave subject. we conceive there must be
something radically wrong in the popular
religious notions of the day. when we hear SO
often of the most depraved and malignant mur-
dcrers expressing the most entire and assured
conviction that, after giving the derilthe ker-
mel OF their whole existence, they can present
ihc shell TO the just and holy Judge of the
earth, and expect il 10 be acceptable and pre-
yious Noman commits deliberate murder Till
III "A xal nj
and yet we are called upon to believe that this
tiger, by Il death bed repentance has his whole
nature changed, and is transformed into an
angel Of light. The conversion OF the thef
upon the cross was the last of a series of mira
cles which the Saviour worked upon earth,
nor is there any proof that the peni-
,eot thief was n hardened offender. At
I'll events whilst no one can set limits 10
The power of the Almighty, and whilst lie
will save every sinner who truly repents, II Is
not to be supposed that there is much reality
in the repentance of men who have been
great sinners all their lives, and then, when
they are suddenly called upon to face death,
soothe their terrified souls with the imagina-
ton that few penitential tears will clear
whole lifetime of guilt. Repentance means
amendment of life as well ~ sorrow for sin,
and how can there be any amendment OF life
when man is about TO diey Ii Is the plain
teaching OF Scripture that personal religion
is the work of 4 whole eXistence-a gradual
.rowlh like that from infancy 10 manhood.
Every human being has u Priest i'll his own
clf-love, who is always ready TO absolye him,
no matter what sins he commits. IL seems TO
us that nothing can well be more demoral-
ling than the encouragement. of such delu-
.ions in the human heart, and the conversion
of The scafiold into Il ladder TO inimorta bliss.