Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-04-13

he steadily pursued whether the shadow or the sur
shine rested upon il whether il led over beds
Ut thorns Of roses His course, under all eircum
~ stnnces was right onward. With purpose invio
lg late truth and unalerable destiny he stead
:, lily pursued the objects of bis hearts first wish
In the pulpit he was grave, difnifed, earnest
Grave, without moroseness; dignifed, without for
mality he had just the bearing of one whose call
ing was Of God, but whose ministry was to man
His address excellent his voice clear and musi
cal, and his whole department such as became th
holiest place this side Of heaven. The place in
which he stood, and the-business in which he wa
engaged, filed him with the profoundest awe, anC
impaired deep solemnity TO all his words and &C
tons. No one ever saw him act a part, or heart
him utter words from thence, that lessened his re-
spect for religion or lowered his estimate of the
ministerial character Such was the deep reverence
and the soul-sbsorbng earnestness of the man. that
there place for light fantastic airs for low
land frivolous expressions. He was equally distant
from the disgusting fervors Of the deinagogue and
the vulgar pleasautries Of the buifooE. His voice
his gestures his manner were all pleasing and left
You with increased for things sacred and
divine
His style was clear, concise, and forcibe. To 60
farther than this and give il a particular desgna-
ton, wbud be somewhat difficult. Ii was not lofty
and grand, nor smooth and flowing; yet was il very
fine rich in thought beautiful in expression and
wonderfully compact. 1t abounded in short, terse,
powerful sentences. There was certain degree of
nervous power, accompanied by peculiar empha-
sis that rendered il highly animating The words
choice in themselves came directly from the heart
warm with life full of energy. There wasa living
moving, breathing power in them, that aroused
invigorated, and, at times, enthused you. Under
strong excitement, when his soul was fully aroused
they hssed through the mind like balls of fire. And
through the whole there was diffused that enthusi-
astic earnestness which was the prevailing influence
of his life.
The matter of his discourses was excellent. Ills
natural abilities were good, and he had been dill
gent in their cultivation. His carly advantages
though not of the most liberal character were re-
spectacle, and he assduous in the acquisition
of knowledge. He was patient, laborious student
Idevoting every day to mental improvement. To
stand still, while everything around progress
ing, was, to his active, sympathetic nature, impos-
sibIe. lie was no milestone stationary and receding
from sight and of no service but to point the way
and indicate how far the world had travelled. He
moved himself with the general movement, and
kept up with the progress of the age He vigilant-
y watched every phase of intellectual advancement
suffering nothing to escape his attention. and wisely
appropriated to his own Improvement all that was
excellent His soul thirsted for knowledge, and
he sought it earnestly and persistently in every
practical way and in air possible objects Ever re-
ceiving, but satisfied from the possession of
one truth he stretched himself forward to the at
within him inextnguishable aspirations and fixed
his soul for all possible heights. The old dogma
once so popular but now happily exploded, that an
increase of knowledge endangers picty and useful
ness. no part of his creed. With him. the more
the better come from what quarter il might if all
were sauctiied by the Spirit and consecraed to the
service of Christ.
! lie was not what we would call profound man.
II is possible he might have been such had he set
himself resolutely in that way but his constitu-
tiona tendencies, and his early training, gave his
mind prevailing bias in another direction. lie
preferred sailing over chartered seas, with the rich
merchandise Of nations, TO the exploration of un-
known regions and the navigation Of dangerous
waters. The rugged paths of scientific inquiry he
quietly resigned for the more genial walks of lera-
| ture and philosophy. From the bstruse aspccua- |
tions of metaphysics he turned aside to witness the
beautiful demonstrations of experimental life. With
abstract questions whether in nature or in grace he
did not greatly concern himself; but he dwelt with
delight the order beauty and relation of things
Whence? and Whittier? were questions not SO often
revOlyed in his mind, as, For what? and, In which
way2 ltwa not the origin, but the design OF the
present order of things, that mostly occupied his
thoughts The excellenccs ofthe Christian religion, |
more than its fundamental principles, engaged his
attention and enlisted his energies. Tie dwelt more
on the defOrmities of vice than on its orgin more
the beauties of virtue than on its conditions The
illustration and enforcement of the preccpts and |
promises of the gospel were more congenial to his
mind than the investigation and establishment of
its doctrines. II was not Paul, confounding his adj
versares by overmastering arguments, but Apollos,
scattering flowers in the path of duty, and aluring
men to heaven by rapt descriptions Of Paradise. His
power of perception and acquisition, not ofcre-
alton and diffusion. He was clear and accurate,
rather than subtle and profound.
But in the department to which nature had in
clined him, he stood in the foremost rank, and had
few superorS. he had not original insight, he
saw very clearly what was revealed delineated it l
in lines ofbeauy and painted it in coors of life If
he did not clear the forests he thoroughly cultiva-
ted the open land, making the most barren spots
wave with harvPsts. If he did not strike into bold
and independent paths, none walked with frmer
step or moved with quicker motion, in those al
ready indicated 10y the hand of wisdom. II he did
not originate, few could handle skilfully the
materials furnished by Others or turn them to better
advantage. Ofthe rough stones, quarred by others
from the mountains, he could build stately edifce
beautiful in proportion and adorned with exquisite
taste. lie did not plan, he executed: he did not
theorize, he praCticed and surely the execution
and practice were near perfection as could be
reasonably expected of human wisdom.
There was at times, a want of unity in his SER
mons. He took n partial, not a total view of the
subject under consideration. What he said was in
reference TO the subject but the different parts did
not conSpire to illustrate and perfect grand de-
sign, The parts were exqusitey finished, but there
was some want of conference between them the
segmcnts ofa sphere were well drawn but the circle
was not completed. But this want of entreness
was generally, fully compensated by the excellence
of the parts The beauty and variety of the scenes
through which his discussions led you amply atoned
for any slight imperiection in the unity of the
picture, Itmght be in fragments but they were
fragments Of inestimabe yalue-rch specimens of
a deep aud nexhaustbe mine---bright samples Of a
web that would have enriched the wardrobe of roy
atty
This defect in his sermons If such il may be styled
grew out of the most amisbe dispositions. lie ,
had broad and active sympathy, with the true and I
the beautiful whether manifested in the natural or
the spiritual world lie was quick to perceive them,
whenever existing, and often found them where
other eyes would have sought vain lie readily q
apprehendod them in works Of art and science, in /