The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-01-26
Letter from Daniel Webster on Sabbath
Schools.

PROF. PEAsE-Dear Sir &: have received
your very able and interesting annual report OF
the condition of the New York Sabbath School
Association, and read it with great pleasure and
instruction. 1t is gratifying to learn that, in
"a city where vice and immortality run riot
with impunity," few humble Christians have
devoted their time and energies to the cause Of
religion, and fervently pray that your labors
may be crowned with success.
The Sabbath School is one of the great insti-
tutions 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 inestimable value
as a 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 until the end of time !!
I once defended man charged with the aw-
full crime of murder. At the conclusion of the
trial, asked him what could induce him to
stain his hands with the blood of fellow-be-
ing. Turning his bloodshot 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 aud praise" Could we 60 back to
the early years of all hardened criminals, be-
lieve, yes, firmly believe, that their tirst de-
parture from the path of morality was when
they abandoned the Sabbath School, and their
subsequent crimes might thus be traced back to
the neglect Of youthful religious instruction:
MANY wears ago spent Sabbath with
Thomas Jefferson at his residence in Virginia.
It was in the month of June, and the weather
was delightful. While engaged in discussing
the beauties of The Bible, the sound OF bell
broke upon our ears, when, turning to the sage
of Monticello J. remarked, Chow sweetly
sounds the Sabbath bel" The distinguished
statesman for a moment seemed lost in thought,
and then replied, eyes, dear Webster, yes; it
melts the heart, it calms our passions, and
makes us boys again" Here observed that
man was only an animal formed for religious
worship, and that Notwithstanding all the So
phistry of Epicurus, Lucretious and Voltaire,
the Scriptures stood upon rock as firm, as
immovable as truth itself; that man, in his
purer. ioftier breathngs, turned the mental
ewes toward immortality; and that the poet only
echoed the general sentiment Of our nature in
saying that ''the soul secure in her existence,
smiles at the drawn dagger, and dehes its
point"
Mr. Jefferson fully concurrcd in this opinion,
and observed that the tendency of the Amerl-
can mind was in different direction, and that
Sunday Schools (he did not use our more cor
rect term Sabbath) presented the only legltl-
mate means, under the Constitution, of avoiding
the rock on which the French republic was
wrecked. Burke" said he, ''never uttered a
more important truth than when he exclaimed
that a religious education was the cheap de-
fence of nations" "Raikes," said Mr.. Jefer-
son, "has done more for our country than the
present generation will acknowledge. Perhaps
when am cold, he will obtain his reward; !
hope so, earnestly hope so. am considered
by many, Mr. Webster, to have little religion ;
but now is not the time to correct errors of this
sort. have always said, and always will say,
that the studious perusal of the sacred volume
will make better citizens, better fathers and
better husbands" I took the liberty OF saying
that I found more pleasure in Hebrew poetry
than in the best productions of Greece and
Rome; that the "harp upon the willows upon
Babylon" had charms for me beyond anything
in the numbers of the blind man of Smyrna.
I then turned to jeremiah There was a fine
folio of the Scriptures before me of 1859, and
read aloud some of those sublime passages that
used to delight me on my fathers knee. But
fear, my dear friend, shall tire you with my
prolix account of what was pleasant Sabbath
spent in the company Of one who has filled a
very large space in our political and literary
annals.
Thanking you for your report and heartily
concurring with you in the truth of your quo
tation that righteousness exalteth nation
but sin is Il rcproach to any people" remain
with high regard your friend,
D. WEBSTER.
Mansfield, June 18th, 1852.