The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-01-06
WEBSTER'S RELIGIOUS FAITH.
Statement Of the Rev. DR.. LOthrOp.
His Boston Pastor.

Lie hCN. LII. ICdllluel n. 1LOtlIOp,
pastor of the Bra.tle Square church,
Boston, writes, as follows in a letter to
the Rev. c. C. Wendte, of CINCINNATI:
''Mr. Webster had his faults and sins,
as we all have, but he was man of
strong religious faith and deep re
igious faith and deep religious rev.
erence. The include eun, sders' was a
law with him. He was one of the most
impressible men religiously that ever
prea ched to or talked with. | re-
member several religious conversations
with him, yet l never asked him if he
was a Unitarian, nor did We ever dis
cuss that particular point. The wonder
full and sublime character of Jesus Of
Nazareth, the wonderful portraiture
given Of him in the gospels, the i'm
portance of the New Testament history,
and the integrity OF its record as a
basis Of christian faith and the source Of
christian knowledge at the present day;
the Importance ofprayer, and the need
of the spirit of rcverence.when engaging
in it, especially often the part of clergy
men: the influence of sacred poetry,
and the general characteristics and de-
fects of English sacred lyrics; upon
these and more kindred themes l have
heard him talk with a knowledge
appreciation, judgment, taste,a land force
that would have been in the highest
degree creditable to a professor in a
theological school. . : Mr.
Webster owned a pew at Brattle Square
church for more than thirty years;
worshiped and communed there habitu-
ally; was occasionally present at meet
ings of the society, and took an interest
in parish proceedings; regarded and
treated the pastors of that church as
his pastors; called upon them for any
special religious administration requir-
ed in his family, and even after he had
sold his pew, and relinquished his
domicile in Boston, and only very few
years before his own death, he sum-
moned me, as the pastor of Brattle
Square, his minister as he called me,
to officiate at the funeral services of his
son, Maj Edward Webster, whose re-
mains had been brought home from
Mexico, where, he met his death is an
officer in the volunteer army of the
United States. [ answered that sum-
mons and conducted those services ex-
clusively and alone-no other clergy
man participating-at the house of
Mr.. W. Paige, in Summer street,
Boston, and one Of the most memoir
able hours Of my life-my call on Mr..
Webster the day after Maj Edwards
funerals very distinctly impressed
upon my memory. 1t was approach
ing dusk; the light in the room was
struggle between the freight and the
waning light outside. He came into
the room with subdued yet grand and
solemn air; our greeting was a silent
pressure of hands, and we sat down. I
did not feel that it was for me to speak
first in his presence, and he did not
speak, AMI watched his face. He
looked at me, not expecting or de-
handing thatI should speak, but as if
my simple presence was an expression
of sympathy grateful to him. Atlength
after the silence seemed to me to be-
come very oppressive, though l sup
pose it did not last very long, he turn
ed to me and said: I feel this hour,
Mr.. Lothrop, that all that gives dignity
and glory to man is contained in the
religion Of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
and could wish that on my tombstone
at Marshfield, where hope to be
buried, after my name and the dates of
my birth and death, there might be
simply this inscription: 'sHe was a
believer in the gospel of Christ" the
best thing that can be said of any man.
He then went on, l, of course, having
only very secondary part in the con-
versation, tc speak Of the great COM
fort which his christian faith afforded
him, and then of Christ's wonderful
life, character. and instructions as a
help, guidance. and inspiration to any
one who would so pass through this life
as to be prepared for future and high
er life. His conversation at this inter
view, and the letter which he wrote me
a few days after, had nothing in them
to indicate that he looked upon the
gospel from a Trinitarian or Calvinistic
point of view, and, 1 may add, also
nothing bnt the absence of this to in
dictate that he did not.