Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-09-24


grel among those who knew him intimately than
the late Ex-Governor Mcdowell. The purity Of
his character. consistently maintained in all the re-
lations of life, was pre- eminently beautiful and in
the death Of such son, Virginia has true cause for
mourning. The occasion Of his death was alluded
10 in sermon preached in one Of the churches at
Washington on Sunday last, Of which the Repub-
lie has the following noie
The LATE E1.GovERNoR McDowELL.-A
discourse was delivered by The Rev. DR.. Junkin
yesterday morning, in tbs +. street Presbyterian
church, suggested by The recent death of Ex- Gov
ernor Mcdowell, of Virginia. File chose his text :
"llep, Lurd. for The gudiy man ceaseh, for the
faithful fail from Among the children of men,
Psalm xii, v. |.
He first showed that god and faithful man is
blessing to society and To his race and secondly
that the lUss Of guod and faithful man is public
calamity; and then drew bright and attractive
picture OF what Christian patriot is, maintaining
that godllness is true greatness, and that Chris
lan is the highest style Of man. all other things
being equal" He doubled not that "ihe prayers
of Washington did as much for his country as the
sword Of Washington" Yes, ga Christian pairi-
OF is blessing ~ his kind, an ornament to our ma
lure, a triumph Of grace, majestic column erected
amidst the ruins Of the fall TO remind US what maR
was and what he should be-"
The death of such a person is indeed natiOuai
calamity, and over such loss this Church, the an
cient and hohored Commonwealth which gave JAS
Mcdowell birth, and the country, are called 10
mourn. faithful man fallen from among the
children of men," The dignifpd gentleman. the
ripe scholar, the commanding orator, the christian
statesmen, he Of unbounded integrity and lofty
patriotism is no more. He was born in Virginia,
nearly fifty years ago, and the blood which
flowed in his. veins was that of The intelligent good,
Bible reading Scotch Irish, who fleeing from per-
secullOn at home, sought an asylum in Ibis land;
race which engaged prominently in The war Of the
Revolution, TO maintain the great principles which
that contest involved.
The reverend gentleman briefly alluded to the
early history Of the deceased and observed that,
being modest Christian, he would ever have pre-
ferred To remain in retirement, rather than to have
resorted TO The sorry tricks of mere polilicians.-
No life of pleasure or of power could ever sway him
from the true dignity Of his character He always,
as an orator, spike from the depths of his soul,
which was too powerful to have full sway. His
great effort, in The House of Representatives, du.
ring the first session Of the last Congress, inscribed
dIHOiS lno StdteSIIldU WHO saved tue COuH-
try and blessed mankind. Seldom has greater
compliment been paid to any one than that which
was expressed towards him when,o that occasion,
having spoken during The one hour allotted by the
rule, there was general and anxious cry from his
fellow members, who hung upon his eloquent lips,
$50 on-go !" When the history Of The recent
fearful crisis in our nations history shall be clearly
and fully given. 1t will probably be fund that his
magnificent effort was one ofthe instruments which
alayed the causes Of sectional anHosty, and pre-
served to US our glorious Union.
DIR. Junkin said that Governor Mcdowell laid
at the foot of The cross and that it was in 1881
on the eve of his election To the Legislature. when
the minds of most men would have been absorbed
with the political canvass. that he first pub
licly evinced deep concern and interest in the
great salvation. This was during revival Of ~
llglOn In Lexington, under Dr. Baxter. 10 all the
events Of his subsequent life his ligh. SHINE, He
lived and died Christian. He was Presbyteri
an.
We do not pretend to give even synopsis Of
the discourse. but merely aIlude thus disconnected
ly TO few of the prominent points upon which the
reverend gentleman SO feelingly and eluquently en-
larged.