The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-12-06

The picture referred to--if We may hazard
bare and inadequate outline-was when
ne described, in way all his own, the anx
iety and perplexity into which the Devil had
been thrown about these Bible Societies.
Europe was overrun with French inGdelity,
aud the Prince of darkness" thought his
kingdom in very satisfactory, promising
condition. Just in the midst of his fancied
security, word came by one of his impS OF
the foundation of the British and Foreign
Bible Society. Ut was organized in 1904 }
In moment all was CONSERVATION and COM
motion below. 81 must put stop to this,
said his internal Majesty; and was off in a
hurry to look into the matter. But hardly
was his hand set to putting things right
there, before news came Of the organization
of another in Switzerland, and then of the
Virginia Bible Society, and soon after of the
American Bible Society. "Worse and
worse" he said to himself: "What does all
this mean?" And so he whipped over to
New York to see aboutthat; and so was kept
running about in breathless hurry to New
York, Boston, Philade9phia, Richmond
Lynchburg, &C., &C.. scarcely able to turn
around without finding to his dismay one OF
these hated B. bic Societies. "In short, my
brethren" said Father Turner, ~ do sup
pose that hardly ever since he became
devil, has he been put into such mighty
hustle" There is probably no other word
IN the language so exactly suited to the
graphic description the preacher had just
drawn, and to express just what he meant.
The dictionary defues bastle to signify hur
rg, great STIR, rapid motion NTH noise and
agitation; tumult from stirring or agitation,
combustion.
The Rev. James Morrison, recently de-
ceased but then young minister and mem
Der of the Synod, has often told us that
upon the occasion referred to lit was on the
Sabbath afternoon) he reached the church
in company with DR.. Baxter little after
the service had begun. Finding the lower
part excessively crowded, they were enabled
through the kindness of friend, but even
then with difficulty, to obtain seats in the
gallery. He remarked, as an illustra,
ton of the strange mastery of the preacher
over his hearers, that sitting next to the veL
cradle minister just mentioned, throughout
this wonderful sermon he felt at times the
good old Doctors ponderous frame in active
vibration from laughter-inaudible of course;
/ and few moments after tears would be flowing
copiously down his face. Mr.. Morrison founo
himself affected precisely the same way; so
was DIR. Specie, and so was DR.. VIM. S
Reid, the pastor of the chureh-both sitting
in the pulpit. Aud so were people of every
class and character throughout the congrega-
ton; they were by turns about equally moved
with laughter and weeping, But there was
this popularity about the formers the laugh
ter was not levity. Not trace of such
feeling could be discerned in Father Turner
himself while preaching. At the freside
he could instruct, entertain, and amuse all
classes of people, from the oldest to the
youngest, and make an evening spent in his
company a treat ever to be remembered
But in the pulpit his bosom swelled with
other and deeper emotions. The disposition
to smile, or even when it exceeded this,
arose from some surprising turn of thought
or aptness of illustration. Sometimes it
was the use of a single word, so completely
citing the place where it came in, that the
hearer felt grati6ed and like thanking hin
for supplying it. In addition to this Mr..
Turner had to an extraordinary degree
those endowments of countenance, voice
and manner which enabled him to give eff.
feet to whatever he said. The venerable
widow of DR.. John H. Rice in giving us
verbally some recollections of this great
preacher, stated that she saw him dissolve
in tears almost the whole of large and
very intelligent congregation by the mimi
table simplicity and pathos with which he
uttered the first sentence of his sermon
1t was during the meeting of q Presbytery,
at Hampden Sidney, we believe, and when
Gr. Turner was very old. His text was
"Little children, it is the last time" l John
ii: Is. After announcing it from the pocket
Bible which he always used, he looked over
theassembly with great tenderness and solem
nifty, and said, 81 am not acquainted with
many of yOu; knew your fathers and your
mothers. Many years ago | preached to
them often from this Bible which l hold in my
hand; and by the help Of the Lord 1 will
now try to preach from it to you; for it is
the last time. "
The length to which this article has ex
tended forbids other remarks which might
be offered. There are yet not few who
either from personal recollection or "by
traditions received from the fathers" could
add no little interest to the biography of
this remarkable man, and of others who, if
not his cOmpeers in eloquence, were still
men whose memory We should not willingly
let die.
Consolidation Americ0n Presbyterian
Quarterly, formerly edited by DR.. Wallace, then
by Dr. Mears, and which expounded the theology
of such men as Drs. Beman and Barnes, as well as