Men of great eminence who acknowledge allegiance to a Divine Master, are often so engrossed in public life as to neglect religious duties till their religious life becomes dormant, only to be awakened in moments of emotion.

This seems to have been the case with Mr. Webster, the great American statesman. He had deep religious sensibilities and convictions, but his legal and political pursuits occupied so much of his time and thoughts, that it was very seldom that this phase of his character exhibited itself.

Mr. Webster had a brother-in-law named Colby, whom he never saw but once, and then not until near the end of his life. Visiting, when an old man, at Salisbury, N.H., among the scenes of his childhood, in company with his intimate friend, the late Hon. Peter Harvey, he determined to go in quest of this brother-in-law, and once, at least, in this world shake fraternal hands with him. He started one beautiful summer day, taking Mr. Harvey with him. They grew up in front of a pleasant white house, where a venerable looking man sat alone on the porch reading the Bible.

"Are you John Colby?"

"Yes."

"Well, I am Daniel Webster." And the two old men met at the gate with moistened eyes as they embraced each other. They sat down on the porch together, and talked in broken voices. Mr. Colby was quite overcome, and then there was so much to say. The honors and achievements of his great brother, whose name filled the land, and of whose fame he had been so proud, the regrets that his wife, the statesman's sister, had not lived to be present at that happy meeting, all came up to him, and thoughts and memories more than could be uttered. Suddenly the old man paused, and looking earnestly at his kinsman, said,--

"Brother Daniel, are you a Christian?"

"I trust I am," said Mr. Webster.

"Then let us pray," said Mr. Colby, fervently; and they knelt together, Mr. Harvey kneeling with them. Mr. Webster then prayed, and his prayer, in grandeur, beauty and fitness, was such as men seldom hear. It was full of reverent thanksgiving, and its eloquence and pathos were Webster's alone. In its spirit all united, for he breathed up to God from a full heart, and he uttered the sentiment of all.

Many years afterwards Mr. Harvey told this story, and its facts (gathered from him) were first recorded in the Boston Journal. He used to say that never before and never again had he listened to such a prayer as that of Mr. Webster.

The two aged kinsmen passed away from earth not long after this interview; but it sweetened their last days to remember that they had met, and that their meeting had been made sacred by the acknowledged presence of Him who hears prayer.