The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-16
Report of the Committee on Memoirs
OF the S. C. Conference on the
Death of Rev. S. Townsend

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The Rev. SAMUEL TOWNSEND was
born in Marlboro District, s. c., October
29, 1914, and died in Philadelphia. of in
Haplmatlon of the bowels, July 3, 1865.
after an illness of only forty-cight hours
Brother Townsend joined the church in
1882, and it Is believed was converted to
God about the same time, at camp meet
ing In Marion District-the place having
recently been pointed out to the writer by
the Rev. Thos. Munncrlyn, who had kindly
taken the young stranger into his tent, and
was rewarded for his thoughtful hospi-
salty by his happy conversion: We have
late in loye-feast the Incidents of this
great event in his life, with so much clear
ness and feeling as to leave no doubt as to
it's Scriptural character.
He entered the Conference as d travelling
preacher in the beginning of the Confer
ence year of 1886. In his fifth wear, he was
stationed in Camden. during which year ne
was most happily married to Miss Martha
Julia, eldest daughter of John Veal, ESQ,
OF Columbia. He served many Of the most
important charges of the Conference dur
ing the thirty years of his ministry in all
OF which his labors were blessed, more or
less, and in most of them he was favo'
with gracious revivals. For three Years,
he was missionary to the people of color
on the Consaree River, and during three
years he served the Conference efficiently
dS ITdCC Agent.
In his regular itinerant work. Brother
Townsend contracted ruling desire to-
the circulation of books. This he carried
out still more largely as Tract Agent, and
1t was during this latter term Of service
that he laid the foundation of what after
wards became an extensive bookstore in
the city of Columbia, and by which he con-
scientiously believed he was accomplishing
much good. How much will he be missed
among us in this capacity, as in other re-
lations Our beloved brother was a tho
rough Methodist in his faith, both as to
doctrines and usages, as well as to Chris
tan experience; and yet his views we're
church extension. He was an earnest,
sound and practical preacher. and was
pre-emlnently practicalman. He wrought
results. The charges served by him evi-
denced to his successors-to all-that a
WISE, jealous, practical, acceptable and
there, so that it has often been remarked
OF him, that he always left his charge i'm
proved. And though he was not in the
regular work for some years past, it is be.
heved that he acted from a firm conviction
of duty. And was he not always the fast
friend OF his brethren of the Conference,
aiding them in every possible way, aud en-
tertaining them with warm and large
hearted hospitality? 1t never will be
known in time how much he has done in
this way.
His greatly bereaved wife tcstities that
he bore the death OF his noble son in the
war, and the subsequent loss of the largest
portion of his earthly goods, with Christian
cheerfulness, frequently saying, cit is all
for the best
Brother Townsend was on his way home
from the North, where he had been on bu-
slness, when he was arrested by disease,
which baffled the skill g.. several physi-
clans. He was soothed, in the absence of
family and brethren at home, by several
Methodist friends in Philadelphia. An
attached friend of another faitll--a Jewish
Rabbl-was with him in his last hours, and
wrote that, though very feeble, he said:' II
confide in my Saviour, and put my trust
entirely in Him. and in his last lucid mo-
ments, he exclaimed, go my Saviour!
Jesus, my Saviour" He rests from his
labors