Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-05-04
Andrew Marshall.
SAVANNAH, April ii, l

SAVANNAH, April II, 1858.
Cn Sabbath morning attended divine
service with the Presbyterian church, of
which the Rev. DR.. Preston is pastor: he
was absent, and his pace was supplied BY
New England minister.
In the afternoon l determined to hear
Andrew Marshall, the veteran pastor OF
the African Baptist church. This soldier
Of the cross has worldwide fame, and 3
very interesting notice of his pulpit serri-
ces may be found in Sir Charles Lyelrs
travels. Mr.. Marshall breaches in fair
old building, in its interior much reser'b-
ling NewEngland country meeting house.
The audience, without exception, was we'll
dressed.
The preacher vas 90 years old, on last
Christmas day, and is therefore now in his
Tooth year. His voice has great sweetness
and power; he read his hymns without
spectacles--and such reading! in sober
truth, know no Northern doctor that
can read as we'll 1t was read as Staughton
used toread, and those who remem bcr that
style Of giving out psal,rody, will long to
hea. Andrew Marshall. | came to church
expecting to hear wreck Of negro
preacher--I fosnd in The pulpit master
in Israel. Age has not touched his facul-
ties, his mind i. as vivacious, and its work
iugs are as true and faithful as are the it,
tellec,s of men Of thirty cr forty years of
age. lie preached for an hour an ezposi-
tory sermon on the man cut of whom
Christ expelled the devils who were per-
miited to 60 into the herd Of swine. The
sermon will remain in my memory associ-
ated with the dircour,es cf great mer. The
exposition was scripturai, a,gument.tive,
full of i'm aginatior, and abounding in wit,
yet in all keeping with the place. l was
reminded all through the sermon Of three
great preachers in the old country, each
eminent in his peculiar way. l refer to
Rowland Hill, Christmas Evans and Will
liam Jay. Marshall has much Of the wit
which corruscated from the desh of Surrey
Charnl, rrbilo the graphic sketching of
the Welsh Demosthene:, and the admira-
bic colloquial style Of Jay, are found all
through his serron. He made more
points Of power in that hour than l have
heard in any sermon for Eve years. re-
gard him as the most astonishing preacher
| have ever listened to, when his age, his
social position, and his illiteracy are all
considered. No pulpit in New York or Bos-
ton but would have been hcnored By such
sermon: the limits of letter will not
permit me to give an outline, but it will
liTc in my memory, and its illustrations
would have been stock in trade for tyro
in theology and many sprig Of divinity.
Mr. Marshall's voice is euphonious, his
manner dignifed. Nothing but his white
hair indicates his ese, and should never
have supposed him over sixty-hve, had l
not been informed. l must not forget his
prayer; it was man talking with God, re-
verently wrestling with God. He saw
the portals of the city-hc had been often
at its gates, and it seemed as he knew the
holy ones.
Among the hearers were several white
ladies and gentlemen, and l vas glad to
meet there with the Hon. Francis Gran
ger and his daughter. They both unite
with me in my high appreciation Of the
preacher, and Mr.. Granger told me that
he thought the reading Of the hymn was
ere Of the most impressive exhibitions of
sacred oratory nc had ever witnessed.
M..:!arshall-then -lare-drove Cen
.f.l Washington from Virginia to Sa7ar-
nah, .nd LIE observed that during the en-
lire journey he never saw him smile.