Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-02-11
REFORM OF HICKORY.
BECAME 4 CONVERT AFTER
LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY.
His Spirit Would Flame Cp-The Dis
course Which Lsd the General to
Presbyterisnism-A Good story Which

Went the Rounds After His Death.
A correspondent Of the Philadelphia
bulletin says: Your reference TO Gen.
1 JacksOn's religion and 70 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
I clergyman who had that honor was the
Rev. Dr.. Edgar, who had charge Of a
Presbyterian church in Nashville He
had preached some sermons which Gen.
Jackson listened 70 with interest after
he LEFT the presidency aud returned 70
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 TO
the generals own career made par
ticularly profound impression on his
mind. He sent for Dr.. Edgar and ex-
pressed a wish 10 be received into the
Presbyterian church al the Hermitage
at once, together with his daughter.
The clergyman prOpounded 10 him the
necessary questions concerning the
converts frame OF mind, his personal
experiences and his faith in the doe
trines Of the church. Everything went
smoothly, and odd 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 enemies?" Yes"
replied the venerable patriot. with |
great earnestness, I can freely forgive /
my political enemies, but warming up |
as for those who abused me when I /
was serving my country in the field and ]
those who attacked me for serving ny
country-no, doctor, that is a different
case"
The clergyman, OF course, informed
him that forgiveness Of all men would
De a necessary condition TO his spiritual
and entrance into the
church. But IL required q long argu-
ment before DR.. Edgar could convince
hin that it was a proper thing TO for
give his enemies. He was not long af-
terward admitted as a member Of the
church at the Hermitage. and il is said
that he spent a large portion Of his time
until his death reading the Bible. He
was at one time proposed as q ruling
elder Of the church, but declined 10 |
serve, and in his viii he expressed his
religious feeling thus: 4 bequeath
ny body TO the dust whence il comes
and my sould 10 God who gave it, hop
ng Tor a happy immortality through
he atOning merits Of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the savior Of the world" Gen
TacksOn's spirit toward his enemies
would fame up. however, TO the last,
md even on his dying bed. 1t was in
lis last sickness that this same Pres
,yterian clergyman, Dr. Edgar, was
ent for. and il vas TO him that the 5
General made his celebrated remark on [
'alhoun. The doctor had ventured 10 e
INQUIRE, IN the course OF a conversation o
bout things in the life Of his convert
. the past, as 10 what he would have :
one with Senator Calhoun and his e
outh Carolina friends if they had per q
isted in their scheme OF notification. q
the general exclaimed, rising a
/ his bed: 4 would have hanged Y
hem, sir. as high as Hannah: they | q
-ould have been a terror TO traitors for o
Il time, and posterity would have pro- Of
0unced it the best act OF my life Il
lis last words were that he would meet G.
Il his household, both white and black, II
afore God in heaven After his death n
lere was story 10 the effect that q Re
emOcratic merchant met Wing mer- e.
liant and said to him: All. it's a good d'
Id great man We have lost II any "
an has gone 10 heaven. Gen. Jackson n
IS" The Wing replied that he was y
u so sure Of that We'll. sir" was 10
e rejoinder, I tell you that if An "
ew Jackson made up his mind 10 90 TO
heaven you may depend upon il he en-
there" n