Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-06-15
S II HIN a DO a Ii Ii +,
OBITU AIRY

Rev. David shoaif was born in
Juniata Co. Pa. Jnls II, 1928. At the age
Of 20 he gave his heart to God and at a
camp meeting in his native county, was hap
PLY converted Two years afterwards he
was licensed 10 preach and employed W his
Presiding Elder, Rev John Miller, 10 travel
| on Cassville Circuit in Pa with Rev. Geo.
Stevenson his senior Colleague. The prom
Use of his early ministry was fully realized
IN his subsequent. career. In the old Baltl-
! more Conference he travelled extensively i'll
Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, within
which period. in 1851 he was united in mar
| riage TO Maggie A. Waits. daughter of tina:
venerable man of God, Rev. James Watts,
late of the Baltimore Conference and of pre-
cious memory. By the division of The Con-
ference in 1867 his appointment fell IN terri
tory Of the East Baltimore Conference and
his labors, from that time until 1866, were
confined chiefly to the State of Maryland
Born and reared in Pennsylvania, he was
always partial to the Virginia territory of
the Conference, and, SO soon as the way
opened, united with the Baltimore Confer
ence W ich met at Alexandria Va in Febru-
airy 1866. Flatterihg inducements were held
out TO him to remain in the cc'esIastical re-
laion he had bsen compelled by the force of
circumstances to occupy, but they failed 40
change his purpose. He threw himself, heart
and SOUL into the work, which, desolated by
war and impoverished by politico-eclesias
teal oppression, could only invite him to
share its poverty and sorrow. How gladly
he vas welcomed and how successfully he
labored, the brief years Of his history since
1866 will amply show. Berkeley. Leesburg,
Loud,un, Woodstock, bear the impress of
his sancti6ed energy and viii gratefully re-
1E,h In hIc
has he been called away, from his post Of
duty Immediately summoned to his great re-
sard During the % years Of his ministry
hundreds of precious souls were converted
through his fundamentally. Many of these
preceded him to the better country and
doubtless welcomed him with songs of rejo ic
ing into their happy midst Many are yet
pressing after HIM, yet to be pes lied by
him as trophies he has won TO his Savior at
whose feet he ''has already cast his crown"
The loss of such a man is indeed severe.
To-day the enquiry is as P r mel IS it was
| OF old, "a faithful man who can find -
David Shoaf was faithful man-"even
unto death" The coming of the ia tai mes
senger did moi take him by surprise. He
heard the summons without qusiling, acqui-
esced without murmur, and with re-ltera-
ted Joyful expressions of certain hope OF
| reach ing the end of all his labors, MS last
words, uttered n a whisper just before his
death, was the blest assurance call right"
Standing yet on this side of Jordan" weep
ing at our loss, grieving for the stricken
church, and sympathizing with the deeply
sorrcwing ones of his own household, we
catch the refrain ofhis dying whisper, and
our motto is all right
Her, whom he leaves, with son and daugh-
ter, as his legacy 10 tho care ofthe church,
will it be the glad duty of the church, with
tender and afectionate interest, TO remember
at the Throne of Grace and protect against
earthly want. May the Holy One be the il
higher and all sufficient comfort.
J. E. ARMSTRONG;.