Washington, its sights and insights [1909] — John Shaqi
Washington, its sights and insights [1909]Monroe, Harriet Earhart
History
Washington, its sights and insights [1909]
Monroe, Harriet Earhart
Washington (D.C.) -- Description and travel
Judge Taney sleeps at Frederick, Md. (where most of his private life had
passed), beside his wife, who was sister to Francis Scott Key, author of
"The Star-Spangled Banner."
In the summer of 1888 I heard Dr. Wardell, at Ocean Grove, N. J., tell
this incident concerning Salmon P. Chase, who was appointed Chief
Justice by President Lincoln in 1864, and who died in 1873. Dr. Wardell
claimed to have the story direct from Dr. Newman, then pastor of the
Metropolitan Methodist Church, Washington, D. C.
He said that Chief Justice Chase was in the habit of attending the
Metropolitan Church, on Four and One-half Street, Washington, and Dr.
Newman (afterward Bishop) noticed that while the Chief Justice was a
member of the official Board, and attended faithfully to its duties, yet
he always left the church when the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was
administered.
After one such occasion Dr. Newman went to him and said: "Why do you not
avail yourself of the means of grace in the Lord's Supper?"
The Chief Justice answered: "I do not consider myself worthy to partake
of the communion."
The Doctor said: "We invite all who love the Lord, and who do truly and
heartily repent of their sins, to join with us in this service."
"Yes, that is just it. What do you mean by 'repent'?"
Then the Doctor gave him a full and clear explanation of repentance.
On the next communion day instead of leaving the church the Chief
Justice remained in his seat. After all had communed, Dr. Newman said:
"If any soul feels its unfitness for this service, to him this
invitation is specially given. If such a one fails to acknowledge the
Savior and his own unworthiness before his fellowmen, we are assured
that the Savior will not acknowledge him before his Father and His holy
angels."
The Chief Justice rose, and staggered, rather than walked, to the front,
and fell on his knees at the altar railing. After giving to the kneeling
man the bread and wine, the Doctor, seeing the strong face of the
penitent drawn with grief, with the Justice still kneeling, pronounced
the benediction and dismissed the congregation.
The next day, in the robing-room of the justices, Chief Justice Chase
said to Justice Miller: "Oh, I want to tell you to-day what the Lord has
done for my soul! He came very near me yesterday."
Justice Miller replied: "Well, we will talk of that some other time; now
we have the wages of sin and not righteousness before us."
After court adjourned that afternoon, the Chief Justice went down to
Alexandria to see an old servant who had sent for him. He said to her:
"Oh, Auntie, I received a great blessing yesterday; all life is
different. I want to have a closer walk with God."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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