Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

been indeed and in truth an angel of light, the effect could scarcely have been more divine.

Whatever I had been able to conceive of the sublimity of Massillon, or the force of Bourdaloue, had fallen far short of the power which I felt from the delivery of this simple sentence. The blood, which, just before, had rushed in a hurricane upon my brain, and, in the violence and agony of my feelings, had held my whole system in suspence; now ran back into my heart, with a sensation which I cannot describe; a kind of shuddering delicious horror! The paroxysm of blended pity and indignation to which I had been transported, subsided into the deepest self-abasement, humility and adoration. I had just been lacerated and dissolved by sympathy, for our Saviour, as a fellow creature ;with fear

-but now, and trembling, I adored him as-" a God !"

If this description gives you the impression, that this incomparable minister had any thing of shallow, theatrical trick in his manner, it does him great injustice. I have never seen, in any other orator, such an union of simplicity and majesty. He has not a gesture, an attitude, or an accent, to which he does not seem forced, by the sentiment which he is expressing. His mind is too serious, too earnest, to solicitous, and, at the same time, too dignified, to stoop to artifice. Although as far removed from ostentation as a man can be, yet it is clear from the train, the style and substance of his thoughts, that he is, not only a very polite scholar, but a man of extensive and profound erudition. I was forcibly struck with a short, yet beautiful character which he drew of our learned and amiable countryman, Sir Robert Boyle : he spoke of him, as if "his noble mind had, even before death, divested herself of all influence from his frail tabernacle " of flesh ;" and called him in his peculiarly emphatic and impressive manner, "a pure intelligence-the link between men and angels. This man has been before my imagination almost ever since. A thousand times as I rode along, I

[ocr errors]

dropped the reins of my bridle, stretched forth my hand, and tried to imitate his quotation from Rousseau; a thousand times I abandoned the attempt in despair, and felt persuaded that his peculiar manner and power, arose from an energy of soul, which nature could give, but which no human being could justly copy. In short, he seems to be altogether a being of a former age, or of a totally different nature from the rest of men.

Guess my surprize, when, on my arrival at Richmond, and mentioning the name of this man, I found not one person who had ever before heard of James Waddell! Is it not strange, that such a genius as this, so accomplished a scholar, so divine an orator, should "be permitted to languish and die in obscurity, within eighty miles of the metropolis of Virginia!

SECTION II.

Dr. Mason's interview with Gen. Hamilton.

On the morning of Wednesday, the 11th inst. shortly after the rumour of the General's injury had created an alarm in the city, a note from Dr. Post informed me that "he was extremely ill at Mr. Wm. Bayard's, and expressed a particular desire to see me as soon as possible." I went immediately. The exchange of melancholy salutation, on entering the General's apartment, was succeeded by a silence which he broke by saying, that he "had been anxious to see me, and have the sacrament administered to him; and that this was still his wish."

I replied, that "it gave me unutterable pain to receive from him any request to which I could not accede: that, in the present instance, a compliance was incompatible with all my obligations; as it is a

principle in our churches never to administer the Lord's Supper privately to any person under any circumstances." He urged me no further. I then remarked to him, that," the Holy Communion is an exhibition and pledge of the mercies which the Son of God has purchased; that the absence of the sign does not exclude from the mercies signified; which were accessible to him by faith in their gracious Author." "I am aware, " said he, "of that.. It is only as a sign that I wanted it." A short pause ensued.

I resumed the discourse, by observing that "E had nothing to address to him in his affliction, but that same gospel of the grace of God, which it is my office to preach to the most obscure and illiterate: that in the sight of God all men are on a level, as all have sinned, and come short of his glory; and that they must apply to him for pardon and life, as sinners, whose only refuge is in his grace reigning by righteousness through our Lord Jesus Christ." "I perceive it to be so,' "said he; "I am a sinner: I look to his mercy. 29 I then adverted to the "infinite merit of the Redeemer, as the propitiation for sin, the sole ground of our acceptance with God: the sole channel of his favor to us; and cited the following passages of scripture There is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus. He is able to

[ocr errors]

save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.". This last passage introduced the affair of the duel, on which I reminded the General, that he was not to be instructed as to its moral aspect, that the precious blood of Christ was as effectual and as necessary to wash away the transgression which had involved him in suffering, as any other transgression; and that he must there, and there alone, seek peace for his conscience, and a hope that should "not make him ashamed." He assented, with strong emotion, to

these representations, and declared his abhorrence of the whole transaction. "It was always," added he, "against my principles. I used every expedient to avoid the interview; but I have found, for some time past, that my life must be exposed to that man. I went to the field determined not to take his life." He repeated his disavowal of all intention to hurt Mr. Burr; the anguish of his mind in recollecting what had passed; and his humble hope of for giveness from his God.

[ocr errors]

I recurred to the topic of the divine compassion; the freedom of pardon in the Redeemer Jesus to perishing sinners. "That grace, my dear General, which brings salvation, is rich, rich"-" Yes," interrupted he, "it is rich grace." " And on that grace,' continued I," a sinner has the highest encouragement to repose his confidence, because it is tendered to him upon the surest foundation; the scripture testifying that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins according to the richness of his grace.' Here the General, letting go my hand, which he had held from the moment I sat down at his bed side, clasped his hands together, and, looking up towards heaven, said, with emphasis, "I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ." He replaced his hand in mine, and appearing somewhat spent, closed his eyes. A little after, he fastened them on me, and I proceeded.

[ocr errors]

"The simple truths of the gospel, my dear sir, which require no abstruse investigation, but faith in the veracity of God who cannot lie, are best suited to your present condition, and they are full of consolation. "I feel them to be so," replied he. I then repeated these texts of scripture :-It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and of sinners the chief. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Come now, and let us reason

"This,"

"Shall I

together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. said he, "is my support. Pray for me." pray with you "Yes." I prayed with him, and heard him whisper as I went along; which I supposed to be his concurrence with the petitions. At the conclusion he said, "Amen. God grant it."

Being about to part with him, I told him "I had one request to make." He asked what it was?" I answered, "that whatever might be the issue of his. affliction, he would give his testimony against the practice of duelling." "I will," said he, "I have done it. If that," evidently anticipating the event, "if that be the issue, you will find it in writing. If it please God that I recover, I shall do it in a manner which will effectually put me out of its reach in future." I mentioned, once more, the importance of renouncing every other dependence for the eternal world, but the mercy of God in Christ Jesus; with a particular reference to the catastrophe of the morning. The General was affected, and said, “Let us not pursue the subject any further, it agitates me." He laid his hands upon his breast, with symptoms of uneasiness, which indicated an increased difficulty of speaking. I then took my leave. He pressed my hand affectionately, and desired to see me again at a proper interval. As I was retiring, he lifted up his hands in the attitude of prayer, and said feebly, "God. be merciful to- "His voice sunk, so that I heard. not the rest distinctly, but understood him to quote the words of the publican in the gospel, and to end the sentence with, “ me a sinner."

I SAW him, a second time, on the morning of Thursday; but from his appearance, and what I had heard, supposing that he could not speak without severe effort, I had no conversation with him. Į prayed for a moment at his bed side, in company with his overwhelmed family and friends; and for the rest, was one of the mourning spectators of his

« ПредишнаНапред »