Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-04-09
From the Southern CsurcAnaau.

Mr.. EplroR: take the liberty of sending Won
an extract from a letter have received from q
lady in Louisiana, parlshloner of the late Rev.
Thomas T. Castleman. The memory of this
dear brother is warmly cherished in Virginia ;
and it will be gratifying to his friends to learn,
from an eyewitness, something of the useful la
bors of his latest days. J.p.
RICHMOND, March 20, 1861.
It is with no slight feeling of personal loss,
that / undertake to put in words the conscious
ness that one whom esteemed and regarded so
highly as a friend and Christian, has absolutely
passed away from our earthly communion. As
ehurchwoman, l feel deep regret that one so
useful, SO faithful, SO true, so energetic, has
been cut off in the midst of the excellent work
he was doing. He will scarcely be replaced in
this community. There is but one voice Of lam
entation lifted up throughout the whole extern
sive field of his labor. Every heart mourns his
untimely death-untimely to us, though not to
him. We feel assured, SO far as he was concern
ed, it was but the summons to the rest, so need
ed by the weary, overtasked laborer in his Mas
ter'S vineyard.
Mr.. Castleman had a severe illness last sum-
mer which obliged him to seek. rest, and a cool
say, without the REST, THAT he never permitted
himself to take at ANY time. He found himself
much benefited, however, by the change, and
returned home in the Fall with (what he and we
supposedly renewed health and vigor; so much
so, that he added still more to his already sufi-
ciently numerous engagements, and held THREE
services instead of two day, as formerly. In
order to meet these engagements, he had to ride
ten, and twelve, and twenty miles, in all kinds
of weather, in an open buggy. His friends ex-
postulated with him and forced him to give up
one of these services; and tried to make him
more careful of himself; but the harvest was
great and the laborers were few,' and his zeal
became more and more ardent. Four weeks ago,
returning from one of his places of labor, he was
taken suddenly sick, with violent pain near the
heart. He was compelled to leave his buggy
and go into little store near by and to lie down
for several hours before he could 60 home. He
took it as warning to set his house in order,
and frequently expressed this conviction to his
wife and intimate friends who tried vainly to
dissipate his fixed conviction on this point. He
however always expressed himself with great
cheerfulness and perfect faith, in prospect OF a
speedy and sudden death, saying sshe was ready" )"
These attacks, or spasms of pain in the region of
the heart, returned several times, especially af-
ter preaching or any fatigue. The last sermon
he preached, to one of his congregations, (prln-
cipally negroes on plantation with their own
ers) was from the text ESQ teach us to number
our days. 1 have been told that it was pecu-
liarly impressive, and that all who listened to it
were much affected. He spent the following
man accompanying him. He was very cheerful
unusually gay-Dut on their return home, af-
ter walking a little distance their home was not
far Off he complained of sudden and terrible
pain, and was compelled to sit down by the way
side. The paroxysm however passed off, and he
was able to get home, leaning on his wife's arm.
The next morning he rose, seemed as well as u
sual, ate hearty breakfast, then went out into
the town ON some business, but soon felt a re-
turn of his indisposition, fastened back home
accompanied by his youngest son, reached his
own doorstep and sat down upon it, until his
family aided him into the house. He fell down
upon couch, and>when his wife begged him to
speak to her, he whispered only, ssToo feeble,
too feeble.' In few minutes he was no more.
The sympathies of the people among whom he
lived and labored have been most tenderly ex-
hibited both to his remains and to his family
He has fallen in his Masters service; and died
literally, with his harness on.