Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-02
BISHOP JAMES O. ANDREW.
Memorial Sermon by Rev. sGco. #. Pierce.

memorial sermon OY Rev. Aieo. L.. HAeFee'
Bishop Pierce, on Sunday, May 7th, de-
livered funeral sermon on the late james
0. Andrew, in Nashville. The text was
1st Philippians, 1st chapter, Goth to the
26th verse, inclusive. Tie first portion of
the discourse was An elaborate analysis and
estimate If the character OF Saint Paul.
The portion relating particularly to the la
mented Bishop Andrew, we append
My personal acquaintance with him be-
gan while I was yet in my teens, and he
was in the flush Of bis prime and his vlgor.
| He was stationed Ii Athers and Gre rs
| boro' my native town, In 1923 had j. st
r turned from school to my fathers house,
and in tie secrecy of my own soul. | was
anxlousiy revolving. a. q lestlou Of duty,
ny call TO the ministry. Ny lips were
| eaied to every human b ing; dwelt
aiune upon this subj-cs, and l had com
menctd the study of another profession
to rid myself OF the convictions that W. re
pressing ne sorely. -fu- this good man dis.
cerned my secret t. ouble, invited me TO
| his house, took me into an upper chamber
privately aud alcne adroity drew from
me conf s5iCu Of my feelings, an then,
with coanssl aud tend r eXhortation, en-
couraged me to do my duty. Perhaps, as
[ then thought, the cast of al my tie was
determined by thai meeting. A any rate,
from that hour, considering the disparity
Of our Yeas aud Of circumstances, our fG-
! ture intercourse was Intimate and atfec-
tionate ard confdiug.
Bishop Andrews head was phrenolCgi
caly fine, hut the features CT his face we're
broad and strong, In2lInlng to cOarsene5S,
and The holem0 gravity of his look when
terisl service, Would have mi-led an un-
frac:iced eye III judging Of his char 4cter.
A stranger would never dream that that
rugged countenance could soften iuto
beauty, grow radiant with humor and
beam wi:h magnetic love; but as the
brightest waters gush from among the
craggy rocks. and the sweetest flowers
bloom amid the thorns, so he could wither
with his rebuke AID petrify with his frown
and awe with his dignity aud s!arte with
his Voice and autL ority. He was, both
by nature AMI By grace, gentle as nurse
Ichershipg her children, soft as a dove
cn"'pg + o it, mate, meek as a Chris tan
Rpfaylug for his enemiet.
A husband, and father, and host,
I'll ere was the most harmonious blending
of auth GRITTY and love-connubial respect.
with the most genia; tenderness, pareuta!
government with the most If ctlonate in
tercourse; an optn, hearty hospitality,
with tue most informal pUttene,s. lie
VS. independent, without defy'Bg public
opIriou; free to express his thoughts with
out waitiug to see how the wind would
bow; respectful TO ALL without subser-
vience to any. Indeed, all the elements
of noble manhood met and mingled in
him in beautiful proportion. There
and coLco1d If contrast, if I may
so express it, an equilibrium Of antago-
fnism, strong and tender, fifm ye ympa-
thetIc, stern but always accessible. Ibat
nan who. on trial without accusation IL
1914, Landed as q saint, but rejected as a
Bishop, commended for his wisdom and
purity in offirial minis ration, wroDged in
his rights aod outraged in bis feelings by
O foul c0GsplTacy-as one OF the actors in
it has lately confessed and published, and
thus made the innocent occasion of a
great ecclesiastical catastrophe-that II an
who could stand up before that General
Conference, and with brow unblanched,
demand, in the tone Of a master, that the
debates should come TO an end. and that
the foregone conclusion should be settled
by final vote, that man in the cham ber
where apr oiLtmeuts are made, could sigh
and groan end suffer over the Moor trials
of his hum hlest brother. | have known
him TO toss The llvelOng night in sieef less
unrest, a'sd to go burdened all the ~
because his ense OF duty constrained him,
by some hard as ,ignment of work, to i'm
pose burden upon some guod brother III
his family. He who could Hither an Of
fender as simeon, when mtanness or
10y pocrisy provoked his scowl Of lnaigna-
tiou, could cheer the descending and
! s D,the the WCuuded spirit with ,e tittcst
word and with the gentlest brei tn.
intellectually, Bisuop Andre,~ was in
many respects a great man. His mind
was broad, comprehensive in its swe p,
ap1d Ia rs operation, lutuitiva in its per
ceptions. HIS jud gment Was sou'd strong,
free, independent, rarely war ped eitner by
| favor or affection, diScrim n4ting amid
many parplexlties with wonderful accu-
raoy. Hence, he was always a wise aud
safe counsellor. He was great reader,
! thou GA not III 3ch of student. For lack
of early training be was never very me h.
odical He thought much, but discu sive-
u. The material which he gatnered he
passed through his hand by process OF
own, and it always came out stamped
with his own image aud supers ,rIp ION.
He wrote with great facility. His con-
versation was rich in thought, fluent IN
language He was cheerful IL spllit, fond
Of humor, ready Ia repdTtee, and yet do
not believe ever saw him betrayed Into
levity, AMI his speech was well nigh alwa; S
seasoned with grace. 81:
AS preacher he vas somewhat unique.
He had no model. He stood alone. He
was original, not so much by creative
power as by his peculiar style of az proprI-
ton. He never dwelt in propesit s; be
had nothing to do with divisions, firstly,
secondly, thirdly and lastly. He dealt
with one grs at leading idea, and that idea
he made to revoIve upon its own axle unit
every apot of its surface was bathed in
sunlight. His power of implication were
amazing; and on some of his favorite
themes, when bis mind was full, the open.
ing Of his mouth was lie the letting out
of many waters, nor Uas it q thin sheet
tarned INFO spray aud descending in mist,
bat laundering volume, tLat rushed and
reared and swept on resistlessly. Those
VINO beard him only in the latter years of
ni- f. will regard what I say as extrava
CANT, but 1 know whereof [ affirm
Making him bsBop ruined him as a
p, e ,cner. >oon after his election he con,
celved the idea that he must be an exam
pie of extieme simplicity, for the benefit