Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-03-16

very IS tolerated, the condition OF the slave
is not peculiarly subject 10 the infections
OF inhumanity, or liable to any OF the
atrocious barbarites which in my own
country are unsparingly imputed to slave
owners, often, ] believe, by persons whose
zeal is greater than their knowledge.
Ma. Hustler:
In reading lately, the valuable History Of the E.
pi.copal Church in Virginia, by DR.. Hawks, Of
New York ii came across a passage relating to
one who may be regarded the father Of the
Church in thi, part Of the conntry-one who has
many descendants among us; some. bearing his
own name. As an interesting scrap In the History
of county, and asa just testimonial 10 the
i,s of an sxecllen, mar, ask Of you. If you have
room. to give il an insertion in your paper.
D. II. c.
MORGAN MORGAN was native of
Wales, whence he emiera,ed in early life
to the province of Pennsylvania. In the
year 1925 he removed to what is now the
county of Berkeley in Virginia, and built
the first cabin which was reared on the
south side of the Potomac, between the
Blue Ridge and the North Mountain. He
was man of exemplary piety, devoted to
the church; and IN the year l740, asso.
GATED with DIR. John Briscoe and Mr..
Hte, he erected the first Episcopal church
N the Valley of Virginia. The memoirs
nj OF his zeal, it is believed, is still stand.
ing, ond now forms that part Of the parish
of Winchester which is known as Mil
Creek Church." Blu, he has left behind
him other ard more valuable records oihls
quiet and useful lite. He went about
doing good" and WIS most frequently to
be found by the bedsides OF the sick and
the dying. With no mad zeal, assuming
to itself lnialliblity and superior holiness.
bu, with the soherness OF sound mind and
the earnestaess Of pious heart, he sought
TO impress upon others, the value OF the
Gospel OF Christi in this good work he
forgot not his own household, but la5ored
to train up his children ''in tine nurture
and admou,tion Of the Lord" The fruit
of his labor WINS abundauly visible in
the plety of q son who bore his own Fame;
and who, ia the desttution Of Episcopal
clergymen in Western Virginia, otiic'ated
at the early age of sixteen as n lay read
err in the church which his father had
erected. The father lived on. pattern
Of pIety, enjoying at times, under the min.
Istratons of an Episcopal clergyman, the
solemn services and comfortable sacra-
ments Of that church which had his hearts
best affections, until, at the advanced age
Of seventy. eight, he died under the roof
of that son, whose piety and filaI tender
ness smoothtd his passage to the grave.
But clergymen were not always to be
had, and Morgan Morgan had been taught
by his lsther that the public worship of
God was not to be neglected 90 that &C.
count. He oficiated himself, but was
never krown 10 assume the dignity nor
exercise the duties which belong peculiar
ly to the ministry; he confined himself
strictly TO that which layman might
lawfully do. Ia the latter years of his
life, the wants oil the church we're great.
ly increased from the distracted state OF
the country; and he, like Morris, was
often called from home to perform IN VA.
cant churches those religious duties which
were proper for layman. Like Morris,
too, he obeyed the call; and as his cir.
cumstances were easy, he determined, IN
the urgency of the case, to devote him.
self exclusively to the work of keeping
alive and quickeniug piety in the church
of his fathers; and thus did he exhibit
'the singular spectacle of lsymsn, in
his appropriate station, and with due re.
gard to ak the peculsriiles and .egula-
lions Of the church, seeking to keep up
her institutions under circumstances of
peculiar dscouragement. The history
Of his success is thus related by the writer
to whom we are Indebted for our sketch;
and il certainly affords abundant encou-
rsgemcnt TO the zeal and efforts OF the
pious lsyman who may be engaged in
building up the church. "While the
church to which he belonged shall have
existence in the valley of Virginia, his
pious lebors must and will be remembered
with gratitude. In a dark day, when
desulation and death seemed brooding over
her interests, he commenced a career of
active exer,ion. which was hoping almost
against hope; and by efforts of the most
dis,nteres,ed nature, revived the attach
ment of her friends and kept her from
descending to the dust. Though unen.
numbered with the weight of years, and
though but lsyman, thus precluded from
some of the most interesting exercises,
yet his abors were abundantly blessed
by God. and the spirit of pety was kept
alive. Through the counties of Jefferson,
Berkeley, and part of Frederick, Hamp-
shire, md a small portion OF Maryland,
he exercised the duties Of a lay reader.
He was a welcome visitant everywhere,
and was beloved by rich and poor; and,
what does not always happen when the
services of the church are kept up by a
layman, he had large and attentive au-
diences. The character of the man was
his passport 10 respect and attention, and
his love for the church Of his fathers slim
ula,ed the love of Others. II is firmly be-
lieved that the fruits OF his labors viii be
long traced in the valley OF Virginia"
His bones are now resting in the church
yard of "Mill Creek Church," and though
his name on earth was but little known
out Of the immediate sphere of his useful