The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-27
DANIEL WEBSTER ON THE NEcrS.
sITY or RELIGION.

4
webster. or even see him, without re-.
neinoering 1t, there was something .o
majestic In his very person. in the
colossal head. and the dsep-set syes
looking out from under the heavy eve.
ofo~s' The effect of oil this was
increased as soon IS he opened bis lips
by the deep tones OF bis voice. We
nan tne opportunity to hear him once.
Dot on On occasion perhaps less fitted
70 call out the powers OF mis- mind than
70 show the tenderness Of his heart.
jeremiah Mason. the great rival of
Webster at the bar. with whom he hai
had many . legal contest, had jus.
died, and appropriate resolutions were
70 be presented in the Court in Boston.
II Was q striking scene. Chief Justice
Shaw. 80 long The pride of the Massa-
chusetts bench. presided. Before bin
sat kufus Choats and ell the most EN-,
inent men of the Boston bar. MIR
Webster arose. amid profound stiffness
and 70 speech OF half an hour, inter,
rupted only as he was overcome by his
emotion. he paid . touching and
beautiful tribute to his life long friend
After Q sketch Of his public career, and
an analysis OF his mind. showing what
were the elements OF his power and
success at the bar. Mr.. Webster closed
with this tribute to his religious
character:
'Bat. sir, political eminence and pro
fessional fame fade away and die with
all things earthly. Nothing of chsrac-
ter is really permanent but virtue and
personal worth. These remain. What
ever Of excellence is wrought into the
soul itself belongs to both worlds.
Real goodness does not attach itself
merely TO this life; it points to another
world. Political or professional re-
putation cannot last forever; but
conscience void of offense before God
aud man is an inheritance for eternity
Religion, the refore, is q necessary and
indispensable element in any great
human character. There is no living
without it. Religion is the tie that
connects man with his Creator. and
holds him 10 His throne. Ii that tie
be all sundered, all broken, he floats
away, . worthless atom in the uni
verse; its proper attractions all gone,
its destiny thwarted, and its whole
future nothing but darkness. desolat;on
a3d death. A man with no sense of
religious duty is he whom the Scrip.
lures describe. in such .srse but
terrific language. as living without
God in the world Such man is out
Of his proper being. out OF the circle of
bis duties. out of all his happiness. and
away. far. far away. from the purposes
of his creation.
"A mind like Mr.. Mason's, active,
thoughtful. penetrating, sedate. could
not but mediate deeply on the oondi-
ton of man below. and feel its
responsibilities. He could not look ON
this mighty system.
This universal frame, thus wondrous fair
without feeling that it was created and
upheld by an intelligence TO which all
other intelligences must be responsible.
sm bound TO say that in the course
of my life never met with an individ.
ual. IN any profession or condition of
life. who always spoke, and always
thought, with such awful reverence of
the power and presence of God. No
irreverence. no lightness. even no too
familiar allusion to God and His at
tributes. ever escaped his lips. The
very notion of Supreme Being was.
with him. made up of ave and solem-
nifty. Il filled the whole OF his great
mind with the strongest emotions. A
man like him. with oil his proper sen
timents and sensibilities alive In him.
must, In this state of existence. have
something 10 believe and something to
hope for; or else, ~ life 10 advancing
TO It's close and parting. ell 10 heart
sinking and oppression. Depend upon
it. whatever may be the mind OF an old
man, old age 10 only really happy
wheu, on feeling the enjoyments Of this
world psss awsy. il begins to lay
stronger bold on those OF another