Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-12-27

/ the same location, he received for answer that
the central positionewould, on account of dis
tance, entirely cut off the people of the South
end of the settlement from attending church,
| while the people of the North end would be
accommodated with their own church, and the
centre have the advantage of two. well,
well, said the disappointed pastor, ''are you
against me too, Jimmy; well, none of that wa
ter shall ever tinkfe down my throat?'' True
to his word he never drank, while his congre-
CATION quenched their thirst in ocopious
draughts, he only moistened his lips; like the
leading men of his charge, or more properly,
like his whole charge, he was perseveriDg
man. The indomitable will bowling only to the
hand of Almighty God, was characteristic of
them all. ssa,i., BOD ssdi erssa7 -T3a,eg eds -'
Here, in this stone house, that eloquent man,
known now most extensively as the Blind
Preacher of Vim. Writ, ministered for years,
and might, had he chosen, have ministered till
his days were ended : here he poured forth
strains Of gospel eloquence that few could de-
scribe or initiate or entirely resist. Here, as
he spoke, eternity seemed near, and the world
appeared small even to worldly men. "Oh,
said one of them, known for his foadness of
money! have Eeard him preach SO on the
love of God, that had I been told that the
ground was covered with guineas, [ would not
have gone out to pick up one till he was DONE"
81 When, after Braddock's defeat, the inhabi-
tants began to talk of fleeing for safety, from
the barbarities of the Indians Craig refused to
fly and encouraged his people to fortify the
country and remain firm; stockades were
built; Augusta church was fortified with ditch
es and mounds that remain to this day, and the
inhabitants with much fatigue and alarm and
little loss, kept possession of their cabins and
their clearing, though Indians were often prowl-
ing around their habitationsa In the Revolu-
tionary war, when the sudden dash of Tarlton
at Charlottesville drove the State Assembly to
Staunton. Waddell was preaching in this con-
greeation; on certain Sabbath the crowd
that assembled were thrown into a tumult by
the appearance of soldier Of Tarltons corps,
brought In as prisoner, charged as spy,
caught on his return from Staunton. After a
short address from Waddell the crowd sudden
" dispersed, the men for their arms, and the
women to make provision for their husbands
and sons, and before sunrise on Monday morn
ing the able bodied men of Augusta in thou
sands lined the Ridge and ambushed those
passes by which an enemy might cross. Wad-
dell was there from the church he rode hasti-
ly home, and to the surprise of his little chill
dren took down and cleaned his rifle, Sabbath
as it was, and speedily joined his congregation
at the Gap, where hundreds of rifemen, that
could rib deer in full jump, were anxiously
waiting TOR IaritOn approach.
But we were searching for the graves of the
settlers come on to this yard to the West of
the church, surrounded by a stone wall In the
shape Of section Of horse shoe; let US enter
by this gate on the south side nearest the
church, and before we go to the south western
end, we will stop moment to read this white
marble slab:
Here lie inferred the relics of the
Rev. JOHN MCCUE,
who expired Sabbath morning, Sept 20,
A. D., 1918, in his 66th year.
Having served his generation In dlgnl-
fed and faithful discharge of all relative du
ties, he was suddenly removed from
labor to rest
His relations, numerous friends, and the
church at large, deplore the loss of mis- tall
ent, erudition, eloquence and evangelical min
istrations, especially the church of L. Spring,
amongst whom he had arduously labored
in the ministry for 27 years.
This monument was erected by his sons in
token of flal esteem and regard.
This is the eptaph of the third stated min
lister Of this congregation Craig lies buried
ministratlons. Waddel in Louisa, under an
apple tree, in the place chosen by himself, near
where the counties OF Orange and Albemarle
and Louisa meet; his little farm, embracing part
of the three counties, was the abode OF his old
age and blindness, commemorated by Writ,
and the resting place of his bones. McCue
lies here he acas suddenly removed. " The
congregations assembled for worship, and
waited for their Pastor; in place Of the minis:
ter came the tidings that the pastors voice
was hushed in death he went not like Mo-
ses, to the mount to look over the promised
land to die, or like Jacob blessing his family
aud ga herring uo his feet into the bed to be
"a hertd 10 his la hers. But he sat out to
h,in. ser 20 his charge the word of God-his
family ,reeed. hin-i in little time he was
ttud llieiess near MS own gate 1t is supposed
the young horse which he was riding became
restive and jumped from under him. From
the appearance OF she body there Was no stiug-
gle or motion after his fall. He deserved the
epits ph inscribed by his sons.
Let Us go little farther west and read upon
this, the other white marble slab, the epitaph
of the fourth minister OF this congregation, and
professor elect OF the Union Theological Sem
mary:
SACRED
to the Memory of
Rev. JAMES C. WILSON,
A man, honest, modest, peaceful
scholar, sound, accurate, polished
A Christian,
humble, devout, consistent
A husband, tender, fond, devoted;