The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-05-07
Rev. John Newland Maffit.


bile Register:
For twenty-five yeaH-years fruitful in
adventures, vicissitudcs, and glory-tbe
celebrated man whose name heads this ar :
fcle was the Whitfield Of the American
pulpit. From the Pcnobscot to tho Color
ado, from Galena, to tho pillars of tho Capt.
toar the fame and the victories of tho orator
oscilla&ed like the Indian Ocean, the ebb
and flow Of which resemble most the time
when Wesley preached in tho Babylons Of
England. Scarcely in the Papal City did
one man exercise moro potent influence
than, in his mad career, did John Newland
Maffit. Wherever he went, whether in the
crowded metropolis or the hushed wilder.
ness-whether the religious atmosphere was
Hot or cold-it was one continued sccno Of
almost miraculous triumph Friendship
was converted into feeling akin to adora.
ton, and enemies were mctamorphoscd in.
to friends.
liz bad but one hobby--it was that of
wv S'oo", anu, M u 1hc fiSIOH ol COnstan-
tine was ever before his eyes, the preacher
Held in tho heaven Of bis soul the august
and halIowed emblem. Like tho Roman
Emperor, he beheld inscribed upon ii. in
letters Of ineffablo boaty: "In thi. con,
auor."
Men recognized him everywhere man
and in that man the inspiration Of An apos
ao.-He accomplished among every "na-
ton, Kindred tongue and people," 1t ia
idle to say that radically corrupt being, a
cheat and hypocri,, knave clothed in sa
cerdotal habili,nents could have met with
such unbroken triumPhs the moment his
feot touched tho por,co of the church.
Eeailties he unqnestionably had, but who
had greater temptations laid to cnsnare and
entrap him7 Calumny rose up like noun,
tain in his path h-people ofinfnite turptude
--enemics II thousand fold more venomous
than vipers, hissed with poisonous and fork.
ed fsngs, but ho trod upon and trarnpled
them down, and stood as erect and CON-
placent as ever! Burreycr Numbered down
the murmurs around the French Tribune
this man, rebuked, withered, cxcoriatcd
but it was in the language of the Sermon
on the Mount, when tue Divine Nazarcne
checked the insolenco of the Scribes and
Phsisees
At length far away in tho land Of Bien-
vile, hunted down, with faded reputation
stricken and i'll, but with unblancbinc spiri,
and unabated fire. the orator Of quarter Of
century lay down to die ! The malaria of
death was in his nostrils and the last inevi-
table hour had come. Would he swing
loose without hope of immortality Z
Would he dash bead-long into the vast
ocean Of eternity, when the bosom Of the
great deep was swelling, dis,roting, burst
ing in the agony of the storm? Or would
lie leave the world with that tranquil chiv-
airy which always characterizes the Chris
tim worshipper7 Silence! Genius is upon
the rock!
With his dying breath he declared him.
selfa illuminated man. Thou slandcrer
think Of that! lie said that during his
pastoral life he had been guilty of many
frivolous, but no criminal acts-forgave his
enemies, expressed an unalterablc trust in
the Maker Of the Stars and did not doubt
but that all would be we'll.
Thus passed away JOHN Ncwiand Maffit ;
and if the reader will visit Toul,ninville, from
whence can be seen the spires of Mobile, in
an unobtrusive grave in that tranquil village,
his eyes will rest upon the spot where lies
the most splendid Public Orator likely to
be seen in half a century to come! The
star which arose in the East over the bright
waters Of the deep and silent Shannon, calu-
minated in the American Heavens, and
went down in the West.
Upon a post-mortem examination, the
left wall Of the heart was found to be- worn
to the consisteuce of thin paper. The ply.
slclan, skilled in the subIeties of his art,
would give the condition Of the heart
term known in medical science, but we have
smuch less technical name for a disaster
Ike this, happening uuJer the circumsta tances
TO tho great central organ Of life. Scnsi-
tive feelings in delicate organization, long
and powerfully worked upon, struggling
against s'ander and vtuperation, which,
creating emotions Of anguish almost unut.
terable, and sending the crimson tide with
settling violence along, might break the
heart and '"loosen the silver cord"
With few words about Mr.. Maffit's
power OF oratory, and we have done. H.
Was pre-eminsntly an orator. 1t was "ac-
tion, action, action!" that made him "vi,al
m every part" in the pulpit. Hs has been
accused Of theatrical gesture, tone and a,,i-
uld0 Gronfo1 yUk,.o IL 49,.