The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-05-01
From the Presbyterian Weekly.
THE JACKSON GENERALS.
BY REV. G. W. KENNEDY.

While reading with interest your good
natured controversy with the editor of the
s. s. Times, as to the validity of the Daniel
Webster letter, it occurred to noe to send you
the views of the jackson men" on Sunday
Schools and kindred sutjectq--that is, of
General Andrew jackson and General 7. j.,
known as "Stonewall jackson" Hence
this paper. l think the opinion of these
great, good and Christian men is worth as
much on any question of morals as that of
the great lawyer and statesu an
A long time ago, when the interests and
claims of the national institutions of Christian
benevolence we're presented to the churches
by we'll authenticated agents, an excellent
brother, who resided at Louisville, visited
annually, for number Of years, the churches
of Kentucky and Tenn essee, in behalf of the
American Sunday School Union. The Leb-
anon Church, KY, Of which l was then pas
or,.always received him gladly and contrib
uted literally to his cause. He came up
from Nashville short time before the death
of Gen. Andrew Jackson, and in very elo-
quent and interesting address to our people,
said he was in Nashville few days before,
and having heard that Gen. Jackson had
lately united with the Presbyterian Church
he felt as if he must 60 out to the Hermitage
to bin, as it might be the only opportunity
he should ever have. And most interest
ing Interview it proved to be. Instead of
staying for an hour, as L intended," said che
speaker, cat his urgent request staid near
" two days." 1t was delightful to hear the
"Old Hero" magnify the grace of God that
had brought salvation to him, even at the
eleventh hour.
He manifested much interest in benevolent
causes, and as he heard what we were doing
to establish Sunday Schools in the country
and especially in the West, he became quite
excited, and pointing his finger at my friend,
said, in his peculiarly emphatic manner
"Sir, you are engaged in great work Go
on, sir go on, until you establish Sunday
School in every neighborhood in our whole
country. The safety Of our country depends
upon the morals and intelligence of our peo-
pie! We have all the physical force that is
necessary. The resources of our country
can make our army and navy equal to any
emergency, and if we have GOOD schools and
books and papers, so that the rising genera,
tions grow up moral and intelligent, with the
blessing of God, We have nothing to fear. l
have thought much of late years of the power
of early impressions. When | was boy
mother sent me away to boarding school,
and when opened my little trunk found
there little Bible; and here it is" contin-
ued the old soldier, holding in his hand
little weather beaten book, 81 knew it was
my mothers hand that placed it there, with
mothers love and mothers prayers. Sir,
/ have been great sinner but have never
entirely forgotten the prayers and the early
religious instruction of that Christian mother.
1t may seem like superstition, but I have1al-
ways fel; little safer, in times of danger, if
I had my mothers gift-this Bible with me
Sir, I repeat it, you are doing grand work
in establishing Sunday Schools, and may God
bless you in i'll!
ST0NEWALL JACKSON.
For five years previous to the civil war, |
visited thechurcheS of Virginia, as General
Agent of the American Tract Society. On
my first viat to Lexington, preached in the
large Presbyterian church, Of which the Rev.
DR.. White was pastor, and presented the in
terests of ny cause. There was large con-
gregation in the body of the house, and the
galleries we're lined with young meD--the
college students on the one side and the mil
itary students on the other. | had not
preached very long before | was sure | had
at least one attentive nearer.
After service, on our way TO the parson-
age, inquired of DR.. White who that gen.
tleman was, dressed in blue, with brass but
tons, at the right of the pulpit "That," said
he, "yas Mejor Jackson, one of the Professors
in the Military Institute. He is very at
tentive hearer and very superior man. In
deed, do not know how we could get on
without him. He is in our church what
hub is in wheel, or the handspring is in
watch, and always deeply interested in all
the work and benevolent enterprises of the
day. If any thing goes wrong, he is the first
one to have it righted If my salary gets
one or two hundred dollars in arrears, the
Major will not rest till he has the elders and
trustees together, and in few days there.
after | receive notice that the money is ready
for me. 1t is 80 with everything in the
church. He is model deacon-active and
prompt"
At night | saw the same gentleman equal
ly interested, and after service was intro
duced to him. AS passed out at the door
he took me cordially by the hand and re-
marked: 81 shall probably be with my class
in the morning when you call, and will give
my mite now" Opening my hand l found
a ten dollar gold piece; and l could but think
how unlike some others who dodge an agent
rather than see him. But here was g man
so bent on giving that he took time by the
forelock to secure the opportunity.
My last visit was at his house, only few
weeks before the breaking out of the war
We had long, and, to me, very interesting
Conversation. The country was all aglow
with excitement in the prospest of war. OF
course our conversation soon turned in that
direction. my sympathies, " said the Ma
jor, "are with, the South, but at heart am
a Union man. l deprecate a civil war. l
do hope our, wise men at Washington may
devise some way by which we shall be saved
from the horrors of a civil conflict"
Our conversation then turned on the be-
nevolent work of the Church. Heremarked:
" 1 am a true blue Presbyterian; / believe
in sustaining the Boards of our own Church;
but always have little left for our great ma
tional societies-the American Bible, Tract,
and Sunday School Union. !
81 became particularly interested in the
Tract cause during our war with Mexico
saw how much our men needed something
good to read, and procured large quantity
&c tracts and had them Distributed among