The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-01-26
From the Raleigh Biblical Recorder.
REV. DIR. FRANCIS T.. HAWKS.


The South has no truer friend than DR.. Hawks
Iwho has been living at the North). When the
Hatteras prisoners were many of them, ill in Fort
Columbus and Dr. Hawks had been denied per-
mission after repeated applications to see them, he
at length offered to become prisoner himself, to
share their hardships, to forsake bis family and
his church, and be sent South as prisoner of
war, if the authorities would but grant him the
privilege of ministering to his sick and dying fel-
low countryme6. His humane and patriotic prop
osition was not accepted, but Dr. Frank Vinton, a
stranger, and one of the worst OF the abolition
clergymen of the North, was sent to insult our
brave soldiers in their dying moments. DIR.
Hawks assured me that he had repeatedly reques-
ted permission to come South} but all the infiu-
ence of powerful friends had proven pefectual.
To nv suggestion that he might run the blockade,
he replied, that he did not think such an effort
would comport with his age and position.
His loyalty to the South was the cause OF his
leaving New York A majority of his church
were anxious that he should remain with them,
and proposed to withdraw and erect for him a new
aud splendid house of worship, but he told them
no-he could not live in New 4ork-they might
be at peace as christian people, bat he could
have no fellowship with his brother Presbyters,
and besides, he would be constant target for the
public. journals. He, therefore, bad resolved to
come to Baltimore; if he could not reach the land
of his birth, he would at least approach as near as
possible 1t is common ying with him that
he would rather live OH bread and water in the
South than enjoy all the luxuries which his sal
airy OF eight thousand dollars could procure in n.
York He is now the Rector of Christ Church in
Baltimore, and has gathered about him very
large and wealthy congregation. tie is not SO
famed for eloquence as he was 20 years ago, but
l presume is an able and more useful minister of
the Gospel now than then. His present style in
the pulpit is not that which distinguishes his &C.
casional addresses 1t is marked by simplicity and
manly vigor, and his sermons are full of the mar
row and fairness of the Gospel. His salary in Bal
timore is about five thousand dollars. DR.. Hawks
is in his sixty sixth year, but still vigorous and
in better health than he has been for several
years.
His proverbial devotion to North Carolina has
suffered no abatement. On one occasion. he said,
Shaping his heart with emphasis, snake my re-
CARDS to the friends in the west end and tell them
that all North Carolinians, male or female, who
are true to Southern independence are kin to me,
SIR" and l have repeatedly heard hip express the
keenest notification at the course some of our
leading men have seen fit to pursue.
An old friend of DR.. Hawks, Gen. Pendleton, of
the Army of Northern Virginia, remarked few
weeks since, that he could scarcely forgive the DR..
for not coming South, and | doubt not there are
many others inclined to censure him for remaining
within the yankee lines. have therefore felt it
due to great and good man, and to who was
kind to me, to bear witness to his fidelity to the
cause of Southern independence.
Z. II. P.
THE writer of the above, we suppose, is the Rev.
Thos Pritchard, pastor of the Baptist Church in
Raleigh, who was sent off from Baltimore by the yam
kee authorities account of his southern sentiments
DR.. Hawks, doubt, is true patriot, and we hope
he may live to return to his native State