Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-07-13
NUMBER 26.


| once defended a man charged with
the awfu! crime oil murder. Al the con-
clusion of the trial / asked him what
could have indeed him to stain his hands
with the blood OF fellow being Turn.
ing his blood shot eyes full upon me, he
replied:
"Mr. Webster, in my youth spent the
holy Sabbath in evil amdsements instead
of lrequenting the house of prayer and
praise"
Could we go back to the early years OF
all hardened criminals | believe, yes.
firmly believe, that their subsequent
crimes might thus be traced back to the
neglect of youthful religious instructions.
Many years 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 tho
the Bible the sound OF a bell broke upon
our ears. Turning to the sage of Mon.
licello, remarked:
chow sweetly, how very sweetly
sounds that Sabbath bell !"
ThSdistinguished statesmen for mo-
menl seemed lost in thought. and then
tepied:
Yes! my dear Webster, yes, it meIts
the heart; it calns our passions, and
makes us boys again"
Here observed that man was an animal
formed for religious worship; and that
Notwithstanding alI the sophislry of
EpicuruS, Lucretius and Yoltaire, tie
Scriptures stood upon u rock aS firm, rs
unmovcahle H. truth itself; that man, in
his purer. lolller breathings. turned tho
mental eyes towards Immortality; and
that the poet only echoed the general
sentiment ot our nature in saying:
"rhe soul, secure in her existence, smiles
AZ the drawn dagger, and dehe- is point
Mr. Jefferson fully concurred in this
opinion, and observed that the tendency
of the American mind was in a different
direction; and that the Sunday Schools
Che did not use our more correct word
Sqbbath) presented the only legitimate
means under the constitution of avoiding
the rock on which the French Republic
was wrecked.
Burke" said he, "never uttered 4
more important truth than when he ex-
claimed, that n religious education was
the cheap defense OF nations. Raikes
has done more for our country than the
present generation will acknowledge
Perpaps when am cold he will get his
reward. hope so. | earnestly hope so.
am considered, Mr.. Webster, TO have
little religion; but now is not the time to
correct errofs of this sort. have
always said, and always will say, that the
studious perusal OF the sacred volume
will make better husbands. o the dis
tinguished Raikes he was clarUm et rem
erabile nODlen
took the liberty OF saying that found
more pleasure in Hebrew poetry than in
the best productions of Greece and Rome;
that the "harp upon the willows by
Babylon had charms for me beyond any
thing in the numbers OF the blind man of
Smyrna. then turned to Jeremiah
Chere was a fine folio OF the Scriptures
before me of 1S45) and read aloud some
of those sublime passages that used to
delight me on my fathers knee.
But fear, my friend, ] shall tire you
with my prolix account Of what was a
pleasant Sabbath, spent in the company
of one who has filed very large space
in our political and literary annals.
Thanking you for your report, and
heartily concurring with you in the truth
of your quotation that righteousness
exalteth a nation. but sin is a reproach to
any people"
Iremain, with high regard. your friend,
DANIEL WEBSTER.
hn