Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-07-12
JEFFERSON AND WEBSTER.
Their Views ON the sabbath, the Bible and
sunday Schools,
From the boston Traveller, june

During the late anniversary meet
ings in this city, some pains were
taken to circulate about the hall
where many of the meetings were
held, tracts, designed to bring into
discredit the Bible, the Sabbath, and
the institutions OF religion generally.
Previous to the anniversary of the
American Sunday School Union,
some one took the trouble to scatter
over the seats of fremont Temple
tract designed to show that Mr.. JEFF
ferson had no very good opinion of
the Bible or the institutions of re-
ligion founded on it's teachings. The
attention Of the Chairman of the
meeting, Hon. Il. S. Tobey, having
been called to this, he thought it pc
culiarly appropriate to read a letter
in his possession from Daniel Web
ster, written thirty-eight years ago
to Professor Pease, Of New York, in
response to his report of the New
York Sabbath School Association,
which the Professor had sent to Man
chester. In this Mr.. Webster de-
scribes an interview which he had
with Thomas Jefferson many years
previous, while spending the Sabbath
at isresidence Virginia, and repeats
Mr. Jetferson's utterances respecting
the Sabbath, the Bible, and the Sab
bath School institution, which very
clearly show that whatever specula-
tive opinions he may have expressed
at any time, he was very far from
being the scoffer which some would
have us believe. And this converse
ton, and the entire tone of Mr.. Web
ster's letter, prove conclusively the
deep respect and reverence for relig-
ious things which were ever cherish
ed by this most eminent of American
lawyers and statesmen:
LETTER FROM MR.. WEBSTER.
MARsHPIELD, June 10, 1852.
Professor Pease:
DEAR SIR Il received your very
able and interesting annual report of
the condition of the New York Sab
bath School Association, and read it
with great pleasure and instruction.
1t is gratifying, very gratifying, to
learn that in ga city where vice and
immortality run riot with impunity,"
a few humble Christians have devo-
ted their time and energies to the
cause Of religion, and l fervently
pray that your labors may be crown
ed with success.
The Sabbath School is one of the
great institutions of the day. 1t
leads our youth in the path Of truth
and morality, and makes them good
men and useful citizens. AS school
of religious instruction it is of inesti-
mable value; as civil institution it
is priceless, and has done more to
preserve our liberties than grave
statesmen and armed soldiers. Let
it then be fostered and preserved un-
til the end of time.
once defended q man charged
with the awful crime of murder. At
the conclusion of the trial | asked
him what could induce him to stain
his hands with the blood of q fellow
being. Turning his blood-shot eyes
full upon me, he replied, in voice of
despair, "Mr. Webster, in my youth
| spent the holy Sabbath in evil
amusements, instead Of frequenting
the house Of prayer and praise"
Could we go back to the early years
of all hardened criminals, | believe,
yes, firmly believe, that their first de-
parturo from the path Of morality
was when they abandoned the Sab
bath School, and their subsequent
crimes might thus be traced back to
the neglect of youthful religious in
struction.
Many years ago | spent Sabbath
with Thomas Jefferson, at his resi-
denco in Virginia. 1t was in the
month of June, and the weather was
delightful. While engaged in discuss
ing the beauties of the Bible, the
sound of bell broke upon our ears,
when, turning to the Sage Of Monti-
cello, | remarked, elbow sweetly,
how very sweetly sounds that Sab
bath bell !" The distinguished states
man for moment seemed lost in
thought, and then replied: Eyes,
my dear Webster, yes, it melts the
heart, it Gains our passions, and
makes US boys again" Here l OBJ
served that man was only an animal
formed for religious worship, and
that Notwithstanding all the sophis-
try of Epicurus, Lucretius and Vol
taire, the Scriptures stood upon a
rock as firm, as unmovable as truth
itself; that man in his purer, loftier
breathings, turned the mental eyes
toward Immortality, and that the
poet only echoed the general senti-
ments of our nature in saying that
'sthe soul, secure in her existence,
smiles at the drawn dagger, and de-
fies its point"
Mr.. Jefferson fully concurred in
this opinion, and observed that the
tendency Of the American mind was
in different direction, and that Sun
day Schools Che did not use our more
correct term, Sabbath) presented the
only legitimate means, under the
Constitution, of avoiding the rock on
which the French Republic was
wrecked. Burke" said he, ':never
uttered more important truth than
when be exclaimed that "a religious
education was the cheap defense of
nations "Raikes," said Mr.. Jeffer-
son, has done more for our country
than the present generation will ac-
knowledge; perhaps, when l am cold,
he will obtain his reward | hope so,