The National tribune., 1893-02-16

laxative mood He had been in reserved
state all the evening. and the question was put
to draw him out, and perhaps afford those who
were present an opportunity of seeing and hear
ing him at his best. Mr.. Webster seemed to
ponder the question for moment, and then
glancing around the table, as If scanning the
faces OF all present. in voice and manner SO
impressive as to be almost startling, said !:
"The greatest thought that ever addressed it
self to my mind is, What are my personal re-
sponsibilities to God?" And then for 20 min
utes he proceeded to speak to the question as
could speak. Not word was uttered by any
one else. All listened in silence and in little
less than amazemcnt almost in awe. When
Mr.. Webster had concluded, he arose, bowed to
the company and then retired to another room,
where he remained alone. When he had gone,
the gentlemen, among whom were sop,e VINO
stood in the front rank of the first minds in
the land, could hardly find words with which
to make known how deeply they were i'm
pressed with the grandeur of Mr.. Webster's
exposition of the question that had been put to
him by his friends. The discourse-for this it
was in the highest sense-was preserved only IN
their minds. aud there it lived forever.
Mr.. Wehstcr's parents were orthodox Con-
gregationalsts, and when he came to manhood
this was the denomination he joined. He was
early taught TO read the Bible and in after
he could repeat. the Psalms and the writings Of
the Apostles being among his favorite parts.
No one who heard him ever forgot the way he
repeated page after page of the Book of Job.
He regarded the Bible as the greatest of all
looks. Laying his hand upon the Bible as he
entered the parlor of friend he was visiting in
Rochester, N. Y, he said with emphasis: This
is THE BOoK-thc greatest of ALL" His views
were liberal and broad; his faith deep and last
ing. Nothing SO much displeased him as mar
rowness, ignorance. and superstition in religious
matters When he entered the church at
Marshfeld his manner was that OF one who ielt
that he was treading a holy place. He attended
to all the observances of the church, and
would frequently join in singing the good old
hymns usually sung in the New England
churches The sermons that most pleased him
were those that impressed him with sense of
duty to his Maker. 1t was his wont, after lis
tenng TO a plain sermon by sincere preacher
intoxicating mans duty to his God, TO tarry after
the services and thank the preacher for the
words spoken. He would go miles to hear such
a sermon. Once he listened to one of the
fiowery. ambitious kind by young man who
delivered it with the expectation of special
commentator from Mr. Webster, but was
soIely disappointed, as Mr. Webster offered
none, and did not even tarry to speak to the
young preacher Mr.. Webster once referred to
a sermon preached by plain, pious man, in a
plain church. to a congregation of plain people.
Taking his text from the Book OF Job. the min
lister began by saying: "A mau die but
once" Commenting on il, Mr. Webster said
- never before had the serious truth SO brought
home to me that must die at all" And he de-
clared that the pie words of the sermon ini-
pressed him more profoundly than any he had
ever listened to. -
1t cannot be said that in any sense did Mr..
Webster proseyte his views He was, most
topic. to confine himself to mans personal re-
sponsibiities to his Creator, which, apparently,
with him was the greatest of all questions. He
was always prompt to say, whenever it was
appropriate, that he was believer in the Scrip
lures and advise others to study them as the
greatest code Of morals ever laid down for man.
Mr.. Webster's visit TO John Colby in New
Hampshire who many years before married
his half sister, is described by Mr.. Harvey, to
| show Mr.. Webster's estimate of the Importance
of a religious life in others. Colby such a
wicked man that Mr. Webster would have
| nothing to do with him, though in the main,
| it was thought at the time that his iIalfslster
had done well in marrying him. For this reason
the two had lost sight of each other for many
years. The marriage took place when Mr.. Web
ster was young, and known as Little Black
Dam" Colby was wicked in no single par
ticular, but in nearly every way, without being
| positively criminal. He proiane dsre-
garded the Sabbath, sought the society of bad
men rather than good ones. broke the com
mandments generally and defed public opinion
Mr. Webster heard that Colby, after many year: