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Mtnral Cabinet,
VOL. 11.
THE CABINET
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FROM THE ITINERANT.
‘‘And he that was dead sat up, and began to
speak,’’
The following;, while it affords a strik
ing illustration of the exercise of divine
grace upon a poor, illiterate, and as we
must suppose, penitent sinner, furnishes
a strong proof of that supernatural agency.
■which to the infidel is ‘foolishness,’ but t*>
many, ‘the wisdom and the power of God ’
It has come to us with evidence sufficient
to warrant confidence in any fact in histo
ry; and to douot it under such circum
stances, would argue an affected scrupu
losity, as foreign from the can- and caution
of a Christian as it would be from the ere
dulity of a Heathen.
To *h® fuprrhneJitul Christian, tbio
simple narrative will oe no more‘marvel
ous’than are all the works of God. His
faith solves difficulties where the reso :r
ces of philosophy are exhausted—whert
the future is blindness. His whole ex
perience is a living testimony of a divine
and supernatural influence. And, if a
miracle be a •deviation from the laws ot
nature,’ the miracle of regeneration which
has passed upon his h< art, is no less the
effect of the immediate and special opera
tion of the Holy Spirit acting duectly and
positively upon the >oul. than the creation
of the world is the effect of omnipoten>
power. But whether every conversation
b considered a miracle or not, we per
Same this will be thought such, by all wao
dare to believe it; as it is a ‘deviation
from those general ‘laws’ of Divine Prov
idence, as known and defined from the
wo>d of God and the common experience
of Christians.
FOR THE ITINERANT.
Mr, Cox: —The following extraordina
ry Narrative was put into my hands for
perusal by a friend of high respectability,
vouches for the correctness of the co
py from the original, now in the possession 1
of the family of th*; comtrfander of the
shin *f war. The name of the parties,
with the exception of the deceased, you
will please suppress, as I believe they are
all now living; and it would not be proper
without their consent, to give their names,
or the name of the shp t<> the public.
A VOICE FROM THE DEAD to the liviilg—
a spirit from the eternal world proclaim
ing that he had seen unutterable things,
and that he hail been ‘commissioned by
God,’ and ‘sent back to earth,’ to call to
repentance and reformation his former
comrades—discoursing, eloquently, upon
eternal things, causing, the stoutest hear -
to quake and fear, and every eye to weep,
was methinks, calculated to leave an en
during impession, and produce a raotal
and religious change in the character, of
not only his astonished audience, but all
that, should ever hear of the ‘message en
trusted to him.’
! therefore regret exceedingly, with the
narrator, that the addresses of this embod
ied or disembodied spirit—l know not
which—were not‘taken down at the time,’
for the benefit of those who think they
night be influenced by a voice from the
grave. But alas! we are informed, at the
close of the narration, that the monitory
void* of the messenger who had declared
“he had seen the g’ories of the world of
spirits ’ with all the solemn and appaling
incidents which seem°d to occur to fasten
more deeply the exhortations and warn
ings upon ihe hearts and memoiies of the
a-tonished sp°ctitors, produced, for a
time, a remarkable change in the morals
of the crew, but the effects of w hich aftei
a while‘wore off by degrees;’ and long
before this, it is more than probable, that
the survivors who v itnessed those awful
scenes, remember them only as the ‘base
less fabric of a vision *
In the very fact of the forgetfulness of
so awful a warning we have a scriptural
tru’h illustrated and established, which,
no doubt, many have received w ith scep
ticism. ‘lf they hear not Moses , and the
Warrenton, August <S, I8?9.
Prophets , neither will they be persuaded ,
though one rose from die dead To the
inquisitive and enquiring inind, there ait*
some circumstances wanting to elucidate
and satisfactorily explain at wh it time the
great moral change was produced in the
heart and mind of Kemble; and whether
it was gradual or instantaneous. It see
tlfogether to have escaped the notice of th
surgeon, who appears only intent on pic
turing the general character, the supernat
ural eloquence, and the extraordinary
incidents in the case of the deceased.
It was quite easy for the surgeon of a
large ship of war, to pass unnoticed th
spiritual workings of a poor illiterate
sailor, whom he visited only for a mo
merit, professionally; and it is also quit*
probable that however strong & powerfu
were his convictions and repentance, tha f
lie would scarcely have made them known
to any but a spiritual adviser; and it is no
less probable that at the close ot his life,
his debility was so great from the di
charge of blood, that he wa3 unable t .
raise his voice, above a whisper, and hi
aspirations to heaven broke forth in con
trite sighs, which God alone heard. It
instances of death bed repentance ar
-a'd to be rare, perhaps it is because that
grace and mercy have been often offered
and rejected by us, when in the enjoy
merit of health and in the vigor of our
mental faculties; but if there ever was a
-object for the exercise of grace anu
and mercy in a dying hour, it is just such
a case, I should conceive, as th sos the
youtl ful, ignorant and illiterate Kemble
-hit off, as he was by his profession, from
the enjoyment of hearing the word of
God, with ail the crude and imperfect
notions of God and those obligations to
i lim, which such a person might be sup
posed to entertain, the spirit ot the go*
pel would prompt us to believe, that b*
who said to the penitent thief on th
cross, ‘ This day shalt thou be with me i<
Paradise,’ might have said to the dying
Kemble ‘Thy sins, which were many,
are all forgiven thee.’ When, there
fore, his first cries to God were heard
with the characteristic feeling of a
converted man, his next was tor Ins
poor shipmates; that he might be permit
ted to warn them to flee from the wrath to
come. reprove their wicked practices t* li
them of ‘heir moral and religious duties;
and as far as he was permitted, the gin
ries of the world of spirits.’ The ways >d
God are unsearchable and past finding
out. B-*
MIRACLE OF MERCY
Although the event-* now for the first
tim<* recorded occurred ten years ago,
they are s it I fresh in my recollection, and
have made so -trong an impression upon
my mind, that time can never obliterat
vellous, that 1 would not dare to commit
them to paper, were there not so man)
living witnesses to the truth *l the sac s
narrated; some of them of the greatest
respectability, and even sanctioned by
Commodore The story is consider
ed by all who have heard it, too interest
ing to be lost. I therefore proceed to the
task, while those are in existence who can
confirm it.
Living in an enlightened age and coun
try, where bigotry and superstition hav*
nearly lost their influence over the minds
of men. particularly among the citizens of
this republic, where knowledge is so uni
versaliy diffused, l have often been deter
red from relating a circum-tance, so won
derful as to stagger the b lief ot the m-*st
credulous; but facts are stuborn things,
and the weight of testimony in this case,
cannot be resisted. Unable, for the
want of time or room, to ente as fur into
particulars as I could wish, I will give to
thp best of my recollection the most
prominent and stiking occurrences, * in
the order in wh ch they took place, with
out comment or embellishment.
*Since the above was handed to us, we
have been informed by P. that he submit
ed the narrative to gome members of the
| fhrn’ily of the Commodore of the the ship
: distinguished for their respe tabiiity and
intcll <• nee, who express* <; their convict
lions of the truth of this n ost singular
| occurence.
Same time in the hitter part of Decern-,
her, 1813, a man by the name of William
Kemble, aged about ‘23 years, a seamen on
board of the United States’ frigate ,!
commanded bv Commodore , on
cruise, then near fte W stern Islands,
was brought to me fimn one of the tops,}
in which lie had beer\ stationed, having
mrsted a vessel in hislungs. Being, at
hat time, in great danger of instant death
the blood gushing with g\**at violence from
his mouth and nostrils, \t was with much
Uliculty th t I succeeded in stopping the
discharge. He was immediately put on
he use of remedies suite! to hi- case. I
*.-isited him often, and had ihe best oppor- !
tunity of becoming acquainted with his
einper, habits and intellectual attam
uents, and under all circumstances during
lis illness, found his language and behav
iour such as stamped him the rough, pro
ane and illiterate sailor. If is my belief, 1
though I cannot positively isseit it, that
ie could not either read or writ *. It p
certain that his conversation never differ- i
e.l in the least from ’hat of the most igno-j
‘ant am! abandoned of his associates—
constantly mixed w*th oaths and the low-j
est vulgarity. II id Ik possessed tal
ents or learning, lie must have betrayed it
to me during his long confinement.
In the early pat of Januaiv, a vessel,
bore down upon us with eve*y appear- 1
• nee of being an English frigate. All
hands were called to quarters; and after
a short and animat’ and address by the
Commodore to the crew, all prepared lo
do their duty. B. fore I descended to
the cockpit, well knowing K nibleS spir
it, and how anxious he would be to par
take in the glory of the victory (defeat
never entering our thought** ) I thought it
better to visit him. After stating to him
tiie peculiar situ it ion he was in, and the
g eat danger lie would be exposed to, by
l ie least emotion, I entreated him, and ,
••rdcred lmn not to stir, during the action, |
vtiich tie pioinised to observe. Wei
were soon after ob'iged to fire. At the
sound of the first gun, he could restrain
himself n > longer —r gardless of :ny ad
monition, and of his own danger, he
rushed upon deck and flew to his gun.
laying hold to help to run her out. A
fresh, and tremendioua dischaige from his
lungs was the consequence, and he was
brought down to me again, in a most de
plorable state. I apprehended immediate
death; hut by the application of the prop
er remedies, l succeeded, once more, in
stopping the hemorrhage, by winch lie
was reduced to a state of extreme debility.
Being near the equator, and suffering
much from heat, his hammock was
hung upon the gun deck, between
the ports, as affording the be-tcircula
tion of air. He continued some tun
free frorfi hemorrhage, but was un
der the constant use of mod c:nes, and
was confined to a particular diet. i bis
made him fretful, and he would frequent
ly Charge my motes with starving him,
and at the same time damning them in the
irue sailor style. After some time, being
again called to quarters at night, he was
necessarily removed below to the sick
birth, (commonly called boy;) this wa<
followed by auother discharge of blood
from his lungs, which was renewed, at
intervals, until hi* death. On the 17th ol
January, in the afternoon, Ur* ,
(ray fir-,t mate,) came to me on deck, ami
reported Kemble to be dead. I directed
him to see that his messmates did what
w.is usual on such occasions, preparat >ry
to committing his remains to the and ep.
About two hours after this, Ur —,
again called upon me, and said that Kern
bie had come to life, and was holding
forth to the sailors in a strange way. i
directly went down, where I witnessed
one of the most remarkable and unac
countable transaction*, that perhaps has
ever fallen the lot of man to behold.
Kemble had awakened, as it were, from
sleep, raised himself up, and called for
his messmates in particular, and those :
men who were not ou duty, to attend to I
Ins words. He told them he had experi-;
enced death; but was allowed a short!
space of time to return, and give them, as,
well as the officers, some directions fur
their fntu e conduct in life. In this situ
ation I found him, surrounded by the
j crew, all mute with astonishment, and
paying the most s* rious att nti m to every
word thaf esiaped from his lips. The
j oldest men were in tears—not a dry eye
was to be seen, or a whisper to b** heard—
■ all was as solemn and silent a* the grave.
His whole body wa* as cold as death
could make it. There was no puGat'ofl
in the wrists, the temples, Or the chest,
peiceptible. His voice was clear and
powerful; his eyes uncommonly b illiant
land animated After a short and pertin
ent address to the medical gentle en. lie
told me in a peremptory manner, to bring
I Commodore —— to him, as lie had anme
i thing to sav to him before he finall > left
us. The Commodore consented to go
with me, when a was presented
truly novel and indiscribable, and •ah U
lated to fill with awe the slowest
heart. The sick (boy or birth) in
which he lav is entirely set apart
to the use of those win* are co fin id to
their b**ds by illness d b\ the
surgeon**, surrounded by his *ee i> g &. as
toni-hed comrades, a crowd of
looking thro* the IntMce wo; k which n
closed the room, a common j tpanned lamp,
throwing out a siklv Mg't, anti a vatu iff
held opposite his face by an at e* da-it,
was the situation of tilings, when our wor
thy Commodore made his appear aice;
And well does he remember the effect
produ el by so uncommon a spectu* le,
especially wheo followed by the Jtteranre
of tnese words, from the nio'*:h of <*ne
lung supposed to have been de ul! *o< tn
modore , I have sent fur you, sir,
being commissioned hy a higher power to
addiess you for a short time, and io deliv
er the message, ent: u.-teil to m*, when I
was permitted to revi-it the earth. Once
[ trernbl and in y<*ur p esence, and was ear
ger to obey you* commands, but now I
am your superior, being no longer an in
habitant ofthia earth I have seen the
glories of the world of spirits lam not
permitted to make k town what I have
beheld Indeed wore I not fin hidden,
language would be mad quate to the tusk,
*Tis enough for you and ih- crew to know
that l have been sent b, k to earth to ie
animate, for a few hour*- m* Id I body,
commissioned by God, to perform the
work lam now engaged in.’ He then,
hi langn *g“ so chaste and appropriate,
as would not have disgi iced the lips or
th** pen of a Di ine, took a ha-tv view
of all the mural and religious duties in
cumbent upon the cornmauder of a "ip
of war; he reviewed the vices prevalent
on boaid a ship; pointed out the relative
duties of offi* era and men, and o iiludod
by urging the necessity of refo (nation
and repentance. He did not, a* as
feared by our brave Commodore, attempt
‘o prove the sinfulness *f fighting and
wars; hut on the contrary, warmly re
commended to ihe men the performance
of their duty to their country with cour
se and fidelity. His spee* he- occup ed
about three quarters of an huu ; and
if the whole could have been taken
down at the time, they would have
made a considerable pamphlet, which
vould, no doubt, have been in great
demand- Doctor ———, now at Bos
ton heard all the a.dresses, 1 only
the last. When he finished with the
Commodore, iiis head dripped Upon his
breast, his eyes clo-e.d and he appeared
to pass through a second death; no pul
-atiou nor the bast degree of warmth
could be perceived during the time he wag
•(leaking. I ordered him to be laid a
side, and left him.
I was soon cal led into the cabin,
the Commodore required from me an ex
planation of the ca*e on rational & philo
sophical principles. This I endeavored
to give-l but in part succeeded, it would
swell this narrative too much to repeat all
I said, in endeavoring to elucidate the sub
ject; at least it proved a lame att, mpt.
for, when a-k“d, how this man, witoout
education or reading, or mixing in other
society than that of common sailor*;
-houid acquire the command ot the puiest
language properly arranged, and d* iiv*
ered clearly, with much animation and
great effect, I gave no reply; as it was,
and v • will remain, inexplicable, with
out admitting supernatural agency: The
days ot miracles are passed, and l know
N 0., 9.