The Lamar register., 1898-02-05
REFORM OF HICKORY.
BECAME A CONVERT AFTER
LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY.
Ills Spirit Would Ffani- Up-rhe Dis
course which Led tho General TO
rre.bytsriApi.m-A Good story which
Went the Rounds After HIS Death.

bulletin says: Your reference to Gen.
Jackson's religion and to the remark
attributed TO Tom Marshall, that the
general finally turned Presbyterian and
cheated the devil. suggests the story
OF how he became converted. The
clergyman who had that honor was the
Rev. DIR. Edgar, who had charge Of a
Presbyterian church In Nashville. he
had preached some sermons which Gen.
Jackson listened to with interest after
he left the presidency and returned to
the Hermitage. A discourse on the
manner in which Providence regulated
and shaped lives and affairs of men and
an impressive application Of the idea 10
the generals own career made a par
ticularly profound impression on his
mind. He sent for Dr.. Edgar and ex-
pressed wish TO be received into the
Presbyterian church at the Hermitage
at once. together with his daughter.
The clergyman propounded to him the
necessary questions concerning the
converts frame of mind. his personal
experiences and his faith in the doc
triues OF the church. Everything went
smoothly. and "old Hickory" answered
all the questions satisfactorily until Dr.
Edgar aroused the sleeping lion within
him by asking: General. Il is my
duty 10 put you one more question. Can
you forgive all your ensmies7'' Yes, .
replied the venerable patriot. with
great earnestness. Il can freely forgive
my political enemies. but warming upl
as for those who abused me VIXEN I
was serving my country In the field and
those who attacked the Sar serving my
countTy-nO. doctor. that Is a different
case"
The clergyman. OF course, informed
him that forgiveness of all utcu would
be necessary condition 20 his spiritual
regeneration and entrancs into the
church. But II required a long ArEu-
ment before DIR. Edgar could convince
him that Il was proper thing to for
give his enemies. He IVES not long az
tsrward admitted as a member OF the
church al the Hermitage. and Il Is said
that he spent a large portion OF his time
until his death reading the Bible. lie
was at one time proposed as a ruling
elder Of the church. bat declined TO
serve. and In his viii he expressed his
religious feeling thus Il bequeaih
my body to tho dust whence Il comes
and my sopld to God who gave 81. hop
ing for happy Immortality through
the atoninE merits OF our Lord Jesus
Christ. the savior OF the world Gen.
Jaekson's spirit toward his enemies
would fame up. however, TO the last,
and even on his dying bed. II was In
his last sickness that this same Pres
byterian clergyman. Or. Edgar. was
sent for. and It was TO him that the
general made his celebrated remark on
Calhoun The doctor had yentured TO
inquire. in the course OF q conversation
about things in the life Of his convert
in the past as TO what be would have
done with Senator Calhoun and nls
South Carolina friends II they had per-
sisted in their scheme OF notification.
Instantly the general exclaimed, rising
in his bed: Il would have hanged
them. sir, as high as Haman; they
would have been terror TO traitors for
all time, and posterity would have pro-
nounced IT the best act of my life.
His last words were that he would meet
all his household. both white and black.
before God in heaven. After his death
there was a story to the effect that a
Democratic merchant met whIg mer-
chant and said to him; "Ah, It's good
and great man we have lost II any
man has gone TO heaven, Gen. jackson
has" The whig replied that he was
no, so sure OF that We'll. SIR" was
the rejoinder. Il tell you that II An