The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-12-28
OBITUARY.

Rev. Samuel Middleton Dickson, of the Bati-
more Animal Conference, died in Washington
city, November 18th, aged twenty years, ten
months, and ten days. A noble nature richly
endowed, and finely cultivated, lie was a most
beautiful illustration Of Christian character
He Joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in his
sixteenth year, graduated from Dickinson Col
leEe at twenty, and II lew Yonths lalcF, j" the
sprung of 1884, United wl,I the Baltimore Con.
terence. Al once he entered ulor a bgb path
Of usefulness BIS youth, bis putty, bis ability,
charmed, attracted, Won al heats. lie rose
RAPIDLY, AND soon stood side By side with uHl
inst preachers in the Blltimuic CiiY station
stood there in his Chrst-like simplicity stood
there in his meekncss and gehtleness and manli-
uess, shrinking from no tasks, modes y meeting
his obligations, aud triumphanlly vindcating
the Gospel Of Jesus Christ From some of his
letters of this date ] clip the following; Il
have felt, MS never tctJ!e the Indispensable need
Of PARTY in every thought aud purpose, and
have lygun 10 battle for this.' 81 feel tie
strength Of Jesus girliug my soul" son, how
long to be Just rtgh! Souls, to me, seem so
precious. ! am striving and praying against any
other aim thar simply 10 do good and realize
already that God is helping ne. Great work is
vet Ia lie done in me, before | can fill MP the
measure OF my duty TO others This was the
spirit that animated the sanity face of my pure
friend rs hr stood i'll his Baltimore pulpits. His
work absurLcd him-he was its victim. After
two cars excessive toll in the city station he
needed rest, and sought it in foreign travel
AbScal cic> Ell months, he returned from Europe
and the East, richly stoted, Intellectually, but
shattered in health He had contracted bron-
chal difficulties that became chronic. His voice
fell away to Al whisper, and he never recovered
it, Still holefui, ardent earnest, he looked for.
ward enthusiastically 10 the resumption of his
ministerial labor.
Meanwhile he was married to Miss II. A. Viii.
son, OF Hartford county, Md. The priceless at
temtiuns of love and the fines, medical skill were
lavished upon him. He grew worse. Some one
suggested Clifton Springs, in Western New
York. lie wrn, there, was delighted with his
treatment AGd asSUciallOnS, but not permanently
benefited Ia one Of his Clifton letters find
the following golden sentences ''God has album
dainty blessed my soul and led me upwards -
Shut up 10 myself here as never before, mule
earnest nqR,'y wHhjn, and sdw pSy lack. After
several weeks of conflict, | WAS in our sweet lit
tie chapel ulUue one Sabbath, wren, like H rsh,
Gods purpose IN my sfiiictlou was. revealed to
me. saw that was not entirely Chrst's, and
that If made certain sacrifices At that moment
should have peace. | threw myself down and
said, Dear saviour, take me- and there came
such Hood OF hea venly glory upon my soul as
could not be contained, and for days moved
about in my employment, hardly conscious Of
earth. ! could do nothing but praise and sing
and shout for Joy" And SO on he continued
pouring out his whole soul in the sweetest fire.
dom of friendship, revealing an iuner life that
was always elcvating and ennobling in its infu-
cnce. He returned to his fathers in George
town. Ee lived through the winter and spring
and summer, when it became ,lainly visible
that his fragile body was in the fatal clutch of
consumption. In this black setting his charac-
ter glowed like diamond. lie was always pa
tent, always serene always himself. A few
days before his death, when | alluded TO the
| trial OF his sickness, he answered Immediately
God has not permitted mt 10 have any trial"
''My path has been perfectly smooth and easy"
81 can not look hack upon my life single mo-
ment dW must keep my eye constantly feed upon
The Rcdeemer." an my hands no price bring,
simply to the cross l cling" This was bis nm
chornge.
In this spirit, taking leave of his friends sew
orally, with n word for EACH giving up his no.
bic wife, who chung 10 him with such beautiful
ironstancy, and to whom he chung so devotedly,
he retained his consciousness to the very last
moment, when, with his hand in mine, his eve
trembled in its xed-expired.
J. r. f.