22 May 1842
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Religion
150 Washington— Sunday 22. May 1842.

22. V. Sunday

Mary E. E. Cutts Adams Joseph H Rush Richard Cutts Richard jr Anna Payne

I went, with Mrs John Adams, her daughter Mary Louisa, and Miss Cutts to the Capitol, heard Mr Maffitt deliver his sermon, from Luke 15.7. “I say unto you that like wise, joy shall be in heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.[”] He omitted these last underscored words— He said it was not his custom to preach from given texts; but he had received an anonymous letter in very respectful terms requesting him to preach from this beautiful text, and he took pleasure in complying with the request— I still believe that it was intended for, and felt to be a stab Joab-like under the fifth rib, whether merited or not, certainly given in no Christian Spirit— The Sermon itself indicated the performance of an unwelcome task. The house was full but not crowded— Mr Maffitt’s oratory is superficial, flashy and shallow, but very attractive— There is a difficulty in the sentiment of this text, which seems to countenance the idea that in Heaven itself reformed wickedness is more estimable than stedfast and unsullied virtue.— Mr. Maffitt could not grapple with this difficulty, nor did he once allude to the incomparable parable of the prodigal Son, introduced by this text and illustrative of its meaning. Mr Maffitt gave notice that he should preach at the Capitol next Sunday upon the resurrection—and that he expected to preach this Evening at the Wesleyan chapel— Pass’d Midshipman Joseph H. Adams dined with us. After dinner at St. John’s Church, Mr Hawley read the evening service for Trinity Sunday, and Mr Laird from Indiana, preached from 1. Peter 2.7. [“]Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.” The Sermon was a discourse upon the various considerations whereby Jesus Christ should be precious to all believers. After church I called to visit Mr Thomas B. Johnson, but he was riding out— We had evening visits from Richard Cutts junr. and his Sister with Anna Payne, Mrs Madison’s niece, quite delighted with my lines written in her Album, but anxiously earnest to know whether any other person had ever read them, before I sent them to her—while Miss Cutts was not pleased that they were so much prettier than those I had written for her. Mr Richard Rush likewise took tea with us—he has been here several days— He says, only for the settlement of some private concerns of his own. Long conversation with him on the Colonial trade questions.

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