Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-07-28

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

Come all the praises that now bestow,)
lie t~asl complete in feature and in mind,
WIN all good grace to grace gentleman"
Two GENTLEMAN OF VERONA.
When men who are distinguished. either for
their heroism, their genius, their learning, or
their noble efforts in the council chamber, or
the hall of the Legislature, descend to the
sepulchTe, they afford partial friendship, a
happy, yet a melancholy opportunity,to to speak
of their virtues;-to recount the benefits they
have rendered to mankind, and the achieve
ments they have performed. 1t is up to such
men that we look with reverence; and admir-
ing the history of their lives, offer to them the
incense Of grateful and generous hearts;-
and whilst we speak Of the lustre of their
characters, wo should be melted to initiate
their examples.
We reverence them for what they were;-
they engage our affections, and though we
bow not the head and bend not the knee"
still do we honestly pay them our homage,
and with fondness linger round the bright halo
that hovers around their memories.
Among the eminent Clergyman, who have
within the last twenty years, taken leave of
the world, and sped their way to the regions
Of the blessed. the untimely departure of no
one has been more sincerely or more Justly re-
gretted and deplored, than the pious, talented,
and eloquent Clergyman who is the subject of
this brief and imperfect notice, and who is
now, as we humbly trust, reposing on the bo-
som Of his maker and his God, and partaking
Of the enjoyments, in waiting for "just men
made perfect"
We allude to the Rev. WILLIAM GAM
NELL, late Pastor of the First Baptist Church
and Society Of Newport, a man who was
beloved by all who knew him, and who, by a
life devoted to uprightness, piety and virtue.
had won the respect Of every christian denom-
ination; and who had enjoyed the reverence,
adulation.a applause even of those, who did
not strictly adhere to the doctrines he advanc-
ed, and the dogmas he proclaimed.
Mr.. Gammell was born in Boston, on the
9th Of January, 1856, and when quite young,
made display Of that juvenile piety, and rec
titude of action, which was the harbinger OF
his future excellence and usefulness. and OF
the able discharge Of these responsible duties,
| which he was destined to control
When yet quite lad, he made profession
of his adhesion to the principles Of modern
christianity; and after having devoted some
time to the ordinary duties ofthc pious christian,
he conceived the design Of preaching the gos-
pei Of Jesus Christ; and in the year 1906,
commenced course of Theological Studies,
with the Reverend William Williams, Of
Wrentham Massachusetts, where he was dis
tinguished for his intense application, clearness
Of perception, and facility in solving the most
abtruse problems in Theology; and for that
uprightness Of action, and purity Of zeal, which
so eminently marked his after life. After hav-
ing gone through his preparatory studies, he
was, on the slst day of May 1906, licensed to
preach by the first Baptist Church Of Boston,
then under the pastoral care of the Reverend
Samuel Stillman; and in June, 1906, was call
ed upon to preside over the Baptist Church
and Society, Of Belngham, Mass. Here he
remained, dispensing the gospel, till the year
1910, when, receiving an unanimous call, to
take the pastoral charge of the Baptist Church
of Medfeld, Massa chusctts, he accepted the
invitation, and was ordained pastor Of that
people sometime in the month ofAugust 1910.
During his residence in Medfeld, he was
equally admired by the clergy and laity, and
was respected by all classes Of society, for his
piety, zeal and industry, as we'll as for the ef-
ficient efforts, he made in endeavouring to win
| sinners TO repentance, and to extend the king
dom of the Redeomcr. In the year 1923, he
| received an invitation to remove TO Newport
Rhode-Island, to dispense the gospel to the
Baptist Church Of that ancient city, to which
place he removed, in the month Of August of
that year, where he remained till the day of
his death, which melancholy event took place
on tho thirtieth day Of May 1927; and his
untimely and sudden departure for the world Of
spirits, cast a gloom over his church and soci-
ETY., which extended its influences over the
whole community, and was realized by all who
know him.
His habits, his constitution, and unusual
good health, promised good old age, but at
the early period Of forty-one years,he was uncx-
pectedly cut off from his friends, and from So
ciety, and doomed to dwell among the moul-
derng remains Of the eternal Shoppers, in the
dull and gloomy Getty ofthe dead" Although