Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/260

 , then such men as Sam Houston give the strongest of all testimony that they are born of God. The pastor, the wife, see that life hidden with Christ in God, shining out so often and so brightly, that they can not err in judgment. The world, and even the mass of Christians who see only occasional exhibitions of Christian principle, seldom called out in the routine of busy life, should trust these better judges. The angels see more clearly; they know who truly repents, and they rejoice over him; they come when he dies to bear him to their home; and they will gather all such with unerring certainty into one band, in the day of the revelation of God's righteous judgment. It is more than a hope, it is the intelligent confidence of his long-attached pastor, that Sam Houston will be there found among that band. "I am, your brother,

An interesting incident in the religious life of Gen. Sam Houston is subjoined, furnished by Rev. George W. Baines, of Salado, Texas:

"When Gen. Houston made a public profession of religion I was living at Anderson, in Grimes County, Texas, and serving the church at Brenham, Washington County. I heard of the revival meeting at Independence, where Gen, Houston then lived, and of his conversion. On my way to Brenham, on Friday, I went by Independence, and rode up to the General's gate about dusk. Sister Houston saw me, and came out to meet me, evidently excited, and exclaimed: 'Oh, Bro. Baines, I am so glad to see you. Gen. Houston has professed religion, but says he can not join the church, and I want you to talk to him about it, for I know he has the greatest confidence in your knowledge of such things. Communion is his difficulty. He says he can never take the communion elements, because, while he thinks he is a Christian, yet he may be mistaken, and if he should be, then by eating and drinking unworthily his damnation would be sealed.' She further said that brother Burleson and others had tried to satisfy him, but had failed, and she was very anxious for him to see me. He was gone to the meeting, and I did not see him until we met at the table next morning. There he proposed to ride with me on my way to Brenham, which he did. On our way he said to me: 'My wife and other friends seem anxious for me to join the church, and I would do so if I could. But with my present convictions, which I received when a boy, it is impossible.' I then asked him to state his convictions, which he did as follows; said he: 'When I was quite young I went with my mother to the Presbyterian church, of which she was a member. It was a communion season, and the great Dr. Blackburn preached. During the communion service he quoted the passage in Corinthians which sets forth the fearful danger of eating and drinking unworthily, and urged the awful necessity that each one of the communicants should be very careful in examining himself lest he should not really be in the faith—not be a real Christian—and therefore not be worthy to eat the emblems of the sacred body and blood of the Lord Jesus, and he told them plainly that if they should thus eat and drink unworthily they would thereby seal their damnation forever. Now,' said Gen. Houston to me, 'while I enjoy a sweet peace of mind in believing in the Lord Jesus as my Saviour, yet I know it is possible that I may be mistaken in this matter. And if I should be, then should I join the church and