The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-25
Rev. John Newland Mafit.

Prom the Pen0bscot 10 the Colorado, iron
Galena to the pillars of the Capitol, tn
fame and the victories OF the orator oscilla
ted like the Indian Ocean, the ebb and ilov
Of which resembled most the times whel
Wesley preached in the Babylons of En-
gland. Scarcely even in the Papal City
did one man exercise more potent inau
ence, than in his mid career did John New
land Mafht. Wherever he went, whether il
the crowded metropolis, or the hushed wild
erness; whether the religious atmospher,
was cold or not, it was one continued seen,
Of almost miraculous triumph. Friendship
was converted into feeling akin to adoa,
ton, apd enemies were metamOrphosed int
friends.
lie had but one hObby-it was that Of the
cross, and as If the vision Of Constantine
was ever before his eyes, the preacher held
in the heaven of his soul, the august and
hallowed Emblem. Like the Roman En-
peror, he bcheld inscribed upon it, in let
tiers of ineffable beauty; "ln this con-
quer!"
Men recognized him everywhere a MAN.
and in that man the inspiration of an ApOs-
tie. lie accomplished what genius accom-
plishes among "every nation, kindred,
tongue and people" Ii is idle to say, that
radically corrupt being-a cheat and u
hypocrite-a knaye clothed in Scradotsll
habilments, could have met with such UNI
broken triumphs the moment his feet touch
ed the portico Of the Church. Fnilties he
unquestionably had, but who had greater
temptations laid to ensnare and entrap him ?
Calumny rose up like mountain in his
path-people of infinite turpitude - enc
mics n thousand fold more yenomous than
vipers, Kissed with poisonous and forked
fangs-but he trod upon and tamplcd them
down and stood as erect and complaeent as
ever! Berreyer Numbered down the muir
mers around the French Tribuno-this man,
rebuked, withercd, excoriated, but il was in
the language Of the Sermon ON the Mount,
when the divine Nazarine checked the in
science of the Scribes and the Pharisees!
At length, Ear away in the land of Bien-
vile, huted down, with faded reputation,
stricken and i'll, but with unblcnching spir-
il and undated fire, the Orator of quar-
ter of a century, lay down to die! The
malaria Of death was in his nostrils and the
last inevitable hour had come. Would he
swing loose without hope of mortality p
would he dash head-long into the vast ocean
Of eternity, when the bosom Of the great
deep was swelling, distorting, bursting in
the agony of the storm OR, would he
leave the world with that Tranquil chiyalry,
which always charaeterizcs the christian
worshipper2 Silence! Genius is upon the
rack
With his dying breath he declared him
self illuminated man. Thou slanderer,
think Of that He said that during his
pastoral life, he had been guilty of many
frivolous but no criminal acts-forgayc his
enemies, expressed an maltenble trust in the
maker of Stars, and did not doubt but that
all would he we'll.
Thus passed away John Newland Mafht ;
and if the reader will visit Toulminville,
from whence can he seen the spires of Mo-
bile, in an unobtrusive grave in that tran
quill village, his eve will rest upon the spot
where sleeps the most splendid Pulpit Ora
tor likely to be seen in half century to
come. The Star which rose in the East,
over the bright waters of the deep and silent
waters Of the shannon, eliminated in the
American heavens, and went down in the
West.
Upon postmortem examination, the left
wall of the heart was found to be worn TO
the consistency Of thin paper. The physi-
clan, schooled in the subteltics of his art,
would give this condition Of the heart a
term known in medical science, but we have
n much less technical name for disaster
like this, happening under the Circumstance
es, to the great central organ of life, Sen
sitive feelings, in delicate organization,
long and powerfully worked upon, strus,
Cling against slanderand vitupention, which
created emotions Of anguish. almost unut
tenble, sending the crimson tide OF secthing
violence along-misht break the heart anG
+" loosen the silver chord"
With few words about Mr.. Mafht',
powers Of oratory, and We have done. ii,
was pre-eminently an orator. Ii was sac
ton, action, action that made him 80 vi
tai in every part I" in the pulpit. He ha
been accused Of theatrical gesture, tone an,
attitude. Gnnted. Where do we look 70
accomplished defamation, faultless attitud
and gesticulatiOn and pleasing vocal inaec
tons, bat to the actor and the theatre p
One may be eloquent, hut yet no orator.
Demosthencs, Chatham, Patrick Henri,
were orators, and Mafft modelled after tn
great masters. He spoke with the inspira
ton of Isaiah all the emotions, all tn
passions were painted, before the eye, as Al
intensified canvass.
He had not, like Bascomb, a world rang
OF thought, a power like that Of the oil
giants who threw mountains at the gods
nor had he voice like him, deep, sOnOrOu
and uprising as Handel anthem, rolling
its organ thunder
"TAro' the lons-drawu isle and frei,ed vault,
until he reached the sublimity Of eloquenc'
and stood before the assembled audience
the breathing. palpitating messenger, sent
hither a.
"The Wrath, the delegated voice OF GOd,"
Less terrible and less powerful than this