Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-09-20
ALEXANDRIA VA. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 1875

cause for alarm, and he INDUCED the hope that
be would survive at least through the Summer,
and even perhaps few years longer. He had
not goue far on his journey before he received
the tidings that the agedPresideot had died on
the afternoon of the 4th. 'My father" he
writes had nearly closed the ninety first year Of
his llfe--a life iuStrious 10 the anoals Of his
country and of the world He had served to
great aud useful purpose his patton, bis age,
and his God. He is gone. and may the bless
ing of Almighty Grace have attended him to
his account! say not, May my last end be like
his 1T were presumptuous The time, the
manner, the coincidence with the decease of
Jefferson, are visible and palpable marks of Di-
vine favor, for which | would humble myself in
grateful and silent alteration before the Ruler
of the Universe. For myself, all that | desire
to ask is, that | may live the remnaut Of my
days in manner worthy Of him from whom
came, and, at the appointed hour of my Maker,
die as my father has died, in peace with God
aud man, sped to the regions Of fu,urlty with
the blessings Of my fellow men F." MIR. Adams
was four days on the road from Washington,
reaching Boston only FIVE days after the funeral.
His visit to the faulty mansion, which had been
made desolate, is described with much fecliog.
After breakfast came out with my two sons,
George and John, to Quincy. | found at
my fathers house my brother with his family.
Everything about the house is the same I
was not fully sensible of the change till eu-
tered his bed-chamber, the place where had
last taken leave OF him, aud where | had most
sat with him at my two last year. y visits to
bin at this place. That moment was inexpres.
sby painful and struck me as if it had been
an arrow to the heart, My father aud my
mother have departed. The charm which has
always made this house to me an abode of en-
chaotment is dissolved; and yet my attach
ment to 1t, and to the whole region round, is
stronger than ever felt it before. | feel it is
and to prnrare for the churchyard myself.
Other du 10 tie mcau time devolve upon
me from this 7, caut event, the full extent of
which l pray that may know; as do for the
holy Spirit of grace 70 discharge thcm."
Considerable space in the diary is devoted
by~hfr.> Adams to com1neuts on the various
preachers whose dscourses he had listeue ed to,
often accompanied by naive confessions of his
oWu religious feelings and experience Thus,
after hearlog sermon, which might as we'll be
called speech from MIR. Little, Unitarian
minister 10 Washington, 10 defense of the mi
racles recorded 10 the Scriptures, he remarks:
This is not The lnanuer 10 which that subject
ought to be treated The miracles of the New
Testament appear to have been performed as
evidence of the divine mission of Christ; faith
was to be founded on the mighty works hy
which it was authenticated. But now the order
OF proof is reversed: it is the doctrine of the
Scriptures alone that can obtain credence for
the miracles. Mr.. Little read several extracts
from Dudleian lecture of Mr.. Channiug's up.
90 this subject, with great commendation.
They were very Ingenious and eloquent, but
the drift OF them was to prove that there is DO
reason for dlsbelieviog the Scriptural accounts
OF miracles, or that the Creator should bind
him elf to exclusive operation by general laws.
This is very true; but it does not meet the
question, which Is not upon the power of the
The miracles in the Bible furnish the most pow
erful Of all the objections against its authcuti-
city, both historical and doctrinal; and we're it
possible to take it's sublime morals, its unpara-
lelcd conceptions Of the nature Of God, and it's
irresistible power oyer the heart, with the SIM
pie narrative of the life and death of Jesus,
stripped OF all the supernatural agency aud all
the marvellous Incidents connected with it,
should receive it without any Of those misgiv-
iDgs Of unwilling incredulity as to the miracles,
which | find it impossible altogether to cast
off. !" The death of Mr. Little took place not
long afterward, which gave Mr.. Adams the oc-
caslon to dehue his position In regard to one
of the leading religious controversies of that
day. "This is az event" be writes, deeply
to be lamented by bis congregation, of whom
l was one. | had constantly attended
on bis ministration for the last seven years,
though have never formally joined his socie-
ty. | did not subscribe to many of bis doc
trines, particularly not to the fundamental one
of his Unitarian creed. believe 10 one God,
but Il $ Dature is iDcomprehensibe to me, and
of the question between the Uniarians and
Trinitarians have no precise belief, because
DO de6uite understanding But Mr.. Littlc's
moral discourses were always good, and some
times admirable. steuel to them with
pleasure aud profit, and shall miss them if
live to return to Washington" 10 the midst
of his public carer, MIR. Adams never ceased TO
indulge his love of letters and often intersper
ses the. political comments in his diary with
critical rcmarks 90 the authors that had en-
ployed the leisure OF passing hour.