Family Worship—Anecdote of Mr. Clay.
A highly respectable Baptist minister of Kentucky, still living, related to us the following anecdote: He had just commenced preaching and had for a few years been married and house-keeping. He was in humble circumstances and of a limited education—modest and retiring to a fault. It was with great difficulty that he could summon resolution to address a congregation. Mr. Clay, in the discharge of his duty as a lawyer, came to the neighborhood of our informant, ("Clover Bottom," Woodford Co.,) to have surveys made of some land then in litigation. He was accompanied by another lawyer of note. They made the humble cabin of Bro. B. their home. On the first night they staid with him, our brother was reduced to great extremity. He was in the habit of holding family worship morning and evening; but he trembled at the thought of doing so in the presence of guests so distinguished as Mr. Clay and his friend. His little children were becoming sleepy; and his wife, by significant gestures suggested that the time for prayer had come. Bro. B. hinted to his guests that perhaps "they would choose bed." But Mr. Clay, with great politeness, said, "that he did not feel at all sleepy, and that, unless it was intrusive, he would be happy to enjoy his society longer." Of course Bro. B. could not object. Still the matter of prayer could not be postponed without sending his children to bed in advance, which was contrary to his settled principles of procedure. At last, with considerable trepidation, he stated to Mr. Clay and his friend what was his custom; and said that they could stay and unite with his family in their devotions, or retire at their option. Mr. Clay promptly and with some feeling replied, "that they would remain by all means—that the earliest recollections of life were associated with such exercises—that his father was a Baptist minister, and his mother was still a member of that communion, and that they had taught him to reverence the institutions of religion, and none more so than that of family worship." Bro. B. then proceeded with his wonted exercises, but with much fear and trembling. He says that he never felt so much embarrassment in his life. When the season of prayer was passed, Mr. Clay approached him and said, "Mr. B. never again feel the least hesitation in the discharge of your duty to God on account of the presence of men. I saw your embarrassment, and remained on purpose that you might never feel it again. Remember, my dear Sir, that every man of sense will respect the individual who is not ashamed to acknowledge his dependence upon his Maker; and he deserves only contempt who can cherish any other feelings than reverence for 'the consecrated hour of man in audience with the Deity.' And what are myself and friend here, but frail and feeble mortals like you and your little children—indebted for all that we are to the great fountain of good, and dependent on Him for every blessing of life? We and you are destined to the same grave and to the same final retribution. The king upon his throne and the beggar in his rags are the same in the eyes of the Omniscient. Think of this, Mr. B., and you will never hesitate again to engage in prayer to God on account of the presence of men. For myself, I would rather know that the prayers of a pious man, no matter how humble his position in life, were ascending in my behalf, than to have the wildest applause of listening Senators." Mr. Clay and his friend then retired for the night. Brother B. says it was the best lesson of his life. He often afterwards heard the great statesman in all the grandeur of his resistless eloquence, but he insists that in no effort he ever heard was he so impressive as on the occasion named.—Western Rec.