The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-02-10
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE xELLYs, OF CHARIOTTEsv1LLE.
CONTINUED

At Cumberland meeting house May 6th
1908, Thomas W. Lumpkin, Andrew Shan
non, aud Charles Wing6eld were by Hano
yer Presbytery licensed to preach the Cos
pei of Christ The first named came TO Al
bemarle, and proving to be an estimable
man, and an excellent preacher, of taste, and
talents, and requirements, the people insist
ed he should be their pastor A meeting
of Presbytery was appointed to be held at
D. s. church, near Charlottesville, Oct 4th,
1909, for the purpose of his ordination to
the full work of the Gospel ministry. But
while the pious people were in expectation,
and Mr.. Robinson, of the Cove, was in high
hopes of an effective laborer in his near
neighborhood, disease fastened on the young
man, and the Kellys were filled with alarm,
at the blasting of their hopes evidently near.
Mr.. Kelly had become fond of him person
ally, as a good man, and if his wife must
have preacher, he was satisfied with Mr..
Lumpkin.
MIR. Kelly frequently visited the sick man,
and listened to his conversation which was
of an heavenly, cheerful spirit. The good
hope through grace filed the heart of the
sick man with joy, and in its fulness he ad-
dressed Mr.. Kelly, kindly and earnestly, on
his souls salvation. As he was holding his
hand, and addressing an earnest exhOrta-
ton, the day before his death, deep con-
viction of unftness for that Immortality set
before him by the dying man, seized Mr..
Kelly, the first conviction of his heart that
he was not safe in. his moral rectitude aud
general amiabihty. This young minister
died Sept. 9th, 1909.
The words of the dying man remained in
the memory and heart of Mr.. Kelly. He
could not forget the words, the voice, the
earnest countenanceo of the preacher. Then
began a struggle in his breast, between un
belief and his conviction of unworthiness,
1t took wide range of thought in two di-
rections, viz: 1st, Is the Gospel true and a
veritable revelation from God, and I'd. Was
he in a condition the Gospel required, of
conversion, new creature, being born
again? He commenced reading the Gospel,
enquiring for its meaning and its origin.
Seeing its happy effects on his wife and
daughter, and feeling the ease with which
the objections to the Gospel might be an
swered, he came to the conclusion that it
ought to be true; that At Was true. Then
came the great trouble of his heart, did he
need such Gospel? He knew all that could
be said for natural religion, and the power
of philosophy, and all the objections that
could be urged. against the strict application
of the Gospel truth. He revolved in his
mind his early training in Lancaster, where
the footsteps of such men as Waddell, of
the Presbyterian Church, and Lumsden, of
the Baptist Church were felt, and pious
teachers from Scotland had exerted an in
Auence, and the general impression of the
public mind was that the religion of Christ
was the truth, and was necessary for man !;
he reconsidere what he had heard from
Kerr, and Lumpkin, and Robinson, in his
preachings at the Cove, and his converse
tions in various places; and he recalled
what had been said on the other side, the
side of disbelief; and the weight of high
example in favor of philosophy as better
guide than the Bible, and in conclusion he
was very unhappy. He read his Bible, and
as he read he became convinced that to be a
Christian he must be concerted, born again,
made ReV creature.
Then came the last great struggle, would
he, could he receive the Saviour to his
heart? Here was difficulty, new to him,
but as old as human nature, after it left
Eden: and one that is found by all that
come to Christ. The excellency of Christ
undisputed, his need of Christ oppressive to
him, aud yet his heart holding back from
God. He read his Bible; would sit with
the big duarto open on his knees and read
and ponder for hours. He became absorbed
in thought; less inclined to converse on any
subject. Without being unkind he was taci-
turn and depressed. His wife became
alarmed lest he was sick but he said, mo,
am not sick She then cOnjectured that