Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-10-26
Thaddeus Stevens.

the claim of Thadeus Stevens as q skep-
tic is of very doubtful propriety. In the
year 1929 the Pennsylvania Bible So.
ciety, through her auxiliaries, resolved
to explore and supply the destitute fam
lilies of the State with copies of the
Holy Scriptures. Mr.. Stevens at that
time resided in Gettysburg. Meeting
student one day in the street, he said
to him: Young man, are you a stu
dent?" eyes, sir well, what are
you going to do during vacation?'' III
don't know: perhaps will visit York,
my old home" Would you like to have
job whereby you could earn some
thing?" ''Yes, certainly" "Well. /
have job for YOU" What is it?n
why, the Bible Society has resolved
TO have this county visited and have all
the destitute families supplied with BIZ
bles, and have promised to have one
township explored and supplied, and if
you will undertake it will furnish YOU
horse and pay you dollar day.
"Well," | replied, Il will So in a
day or two l got Stevens horse and
borrowed a pair of saddle-bags and
started out on my mission. When I
was about to start Stevens gave me five
dollars as a donation to begin with. L
explored the township west of the col
lege and Stevens footed the BILL
Some months previous to Mr.. Stevens
sick, likely 10 die. Rev. |. II. Torrence.
being in Washington City, took occa-
sion to call at the residence of Mr.
Stevens on Sunday afternoon. The
housekeeper informed him that Mr..
l,.a-
his card with a request to see Mr..
Stevens if agreeable, he heard the voice
of the old Commoner distinctly say:
admit him; tell him to come up"
On entering the room, after passing the
courtesies of the day and rcmarkiny
that it had been announced that Mr..
Stevens was dead, he replied: YES;
and | have no doubt but some people
would be very glad if it were true; but
! yet live Mr.. Terrence then re-
marked: ut is no idle, curiosity that
has led me to make this call. I desire
TO communicate with you on the sub
ject of religion. Anything you may say
will be considered strictly confidential,
if you desire it, TO which he replied:
Il have nothing to conceal ON that sub
ject." ! then asked him: "Should
this sickness result in your decease,
what shall we say about your bslief in
the Bible?p He raised himself up in
bed, drew his mantle around HIM, adj
iusted his cap, and said: The Bible?
Take that away and there is nothing
left then said: 'What about the
atOnement?' To which he replied: Il
don't know what effect the death of a
man eighteen hundred Years ago could
have on me to-day" TO which l re-
piled: Nor do / understand the mys-
terry of redemption. But suppose it
could be made out that redemption
through Christ is n fact, what thenpn
He answered: II should be compelled
to believe it" Il propose, Mr.
Stevens, to give YOU the onn-
ion of n friend of yours, a
member of your profession, a lawyer
who, l think You will admit, was well
circumstanced to understand the facts
in the case" "To whom do You refer?"
said Mr.. Stevens. replied: ..St
Paul" "Ah," said he, that's very
ingenious. What does ne say?' re-
feired him to the tenth chapter of He
brews and tenth verse: 'By the which
will we are sanctified through the offer
ing of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all" This proves that the atone
ment is Gods plan for saving the world,
Whether we accept it or reject it, it is
for us to determine. Mr.. Stevens re-
piled that if he were TO say that he was
a Christian he would consider himself
an arrogant hypocri.e, but remarked
with great deal Of feeling, subducd
tone and softened eye: ""My old Bap-
fist mother had it, and believe in my
mother The interview was continued
at considerable length as to, what con-
stituted genuine Christian life and
faith. Mr.. Terrence placed his. finger
on the marble stand by the bedside and
said This is sensation which we
call cold. which is the absence of heat.
This is proven through the medium of
the senses and may be considered q
physical fact demonstrative through the
nervous system. but there are other
facts which do not partake of the ma
ture Of physical form that are equally
true Mr.. Stevens replied;lf "What
are they?' To which Mr.. Terrence
answered: Twice two is four. This
is purely intellectual and yet veritable
fact; so likewise is Christian faith. The
fact of the atonement being settled, its
acceptance becomes a matter of faith
and therefore a TRUTH Buffers canal
ogy of Religion was referred to, the
evidences of the truth and genuineness
of the disciples as given by legal writ
ers, to all which Mr.. Stevens gave a
ready assent to the force of the argu-
menis. Mr.. Stevens did not die from
that attack of serious illness, bat lived
for months afterwards, and these Incl
dents are given now illustrative of his
/ general character.--Ircin IL Terrence.
In Philadelphia Times. 800.
Tuo Christians t.sf q. as 2