1858. July 18.—The squadron which returned from the unsuccessful efforts to lay the Atlantic electric cable, has refitted with coal, etc., and quit again to-day for another attempt.
July 2008
1858. July 5.—Yesterday, the Fourth of July, was commemorated for the first time, at a public dinner, by an association of Americans at London Tavern, in the city. The company was large, and remained together, speaking most tediously to toasts, until twelve at night. I thought the occasion a good one for announcing definitely the cessation of visiting or searching our merchant vessels.
Dined with the Duke of Newcastle; a brilliant and delightful company,—Lord Brougham, Earl Stanhope, Earl Grey, Lord Broughton, Bishop of Oxford, Sir Charles Wood, Lord Ashburton, Mr. Gladstone, etc.
Sunday, July 4, 1858.—This is Communion Sunday and quite a number united with the church on profession of their faith. Mr Gideon Granger was one of them. Grandmother says that she has known him always and his father and mother, and she thinks he is like John, the beloved disciple. I think that any one who knows him, knows what is meant by a gentle-man. I have a picture of Christ in the Temple with the doctors, and His face is almost exactly like Mr Granger’s. Some others who joined to-day were Miss Belle Paton, Miss Lottie Clark and Clara Willson, Mary Wheeler and Sarah Andrews. Dr Daggett always asks all the communicants to sit in the body pews and the non-communicants in the side pews. We always feel like the goats on the left when we leave Grandfather and Grandmother and go on the side, but we won’t have to always. Abbie Clark, Mary Field and I think we will join at the communion in September. Grandmother says she hopes we realize what a solemn thing it is. We are fifteen years old so I think we ought to. No one who hears Dr Daggett say in his beautiful voice, “I now renounce all ways of sin as what I truly abhor and choose the service of God as my greatest privilege,” could think it any trifling matter. I feel as though I couldn’t be bad if I wanted to be, and when he blesses them and says, “May the God of the Everlasting Covenant keep you firm and holy to the end through Jesus Christ our Lord,” everthing seems complete. He always says at the close, “And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives.” Then he gives out the hymn, beginning:
“According to Thy gracious word,
In deep humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord
I will remember Thee.”
And the last verse:
“And when these failing lips grow dumb,
And mind and memory flee,
When in Thy kingdom Thou shalt come,
Jesus remember me.”
Deacon Taylor always starts the hymn. Deacon Taylor and Deacon Tyler sit on one side of Dr Daggett and Deacon Clarke and Deacon Castle on the other. Grandfather and Grandmother joined the church fifty-one years ago and are the oldest living members. She says they have always been glad that they took this step when they were young.
