The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

NJ. Kemper, daughter of VIM. Kemper, o.
Madison county, Va, and sister of Genera
James L. Kemper, once Speaker Of the
House of Delegates Of the Virgins
Legislature. His wife-eminently worthy
of, and admirably suited to hi@ sur
wives him, with three sons and daughter
While in Harrisonburg, Mr.. BocOck con-
tributed greatly to the erection of the manst
now occupied by Rey. John R. Bowman, and
the church in which the Presbyterian con-
gregation of that town worships. During
ms residence in Harrisonburg and hls con
nexion with Lexington Presbytery the de.
gree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred
on him by the Trustees of Washington Col
lege, now Washington and Lee University
From Harrisonburg, DR.. BocOck removed
to Georgetown, D. c., receiving unani-
nous call to become the pastor of the Bridge
l-SsSees-ohusch. The period e his cOnnexion
with this church ne always regarded as the
most fruitful of his ministerial labors. Dur
log revival of great power in his congre-
cation, for ninety consecutive nights he either
preached himself or delivered an address
suitable to the occasion. Besides these pub
lie labors he held inquiry meetings, visited
from house to house, and cOnversed with
those concerned on the subject of personal
religion. The fruit of these services was an
addition to his church at one time of ffty-six
members, besides others who came in after
ward, but whose convictions were the result
of this series of meetings. Here he laid
the foundation of that disease which resulted
in his death. His bodily and mental powers
were both Overtaxed and it is doubtful
whether his mind ever recovered that elias
ticity after this, which characterized it before.
On the breaking out of the war DIR. BO
cock was forced to leave this pleasant charge,
though he left behind him many who were
warmly attached to him. Returning to Vir-
ginia he was appointed chaplain to the 7th
Virginia Regiment, in which capacity he
served during the year 1861.
After brief pastorate in Halifax county
he finally took charge of the church at Fin
castle Here his church was enjoying a
sweet season of refreshing, when the Master
sent him a token-"The silver cord shall be
loosed" While preparing to preach one
Sabbath morning he pressed his hand to his
head, shrieked, fell, and his public labOrs
were ended. A blood vessel had been rup'
tured on the brain resulting in partial paral-
ysis of his mental powers-the pepumbra OF
chat drear eclipse which gradually gathered
over him obscuring the light of his wonder
ful intellect Still mis- religious mind, as in
the case of Miss Hannah More, never be
came entirely obscured. His affections were
centered on Jesus. A piOus meditation he
penned soon after he passed his ffty-seventh
birthday, shows how strong was his faith,
how bright were his hopes for the future
.'Au is right! all is right was his constant
exclamation. Grace subdued his strong
will. and moulded all his moral powers after
the image of Jesus. For weeks before his
release his mind dwelt on "the General As
sembly and Church of the First Born. -
His message to his brethren was to meet him
there. His longings to go home were touch
ing. He spoke of his hopes and prospects
in the language of Bunyan'S Pilgrim-and
was ever looking for the appearance of the
chariots and the shining ones. Yet ne was
not impatient. Father, not my will but
thine be DONE" was ever mingled with, and
qualified the expressed wish to depart and
be with Christ. Ga the night Of the 17th
of July, his desires were all accomplished
The celestial messenger came for him, and
his weary, way-worn feet crossed the stream
and he was conveyed up to the gates of the
city amid the ringing of the bells and the
shouting of the angels, "Another pilgrim
has got home to glory"
1t remains but to give a brief estimate o.
DR.. Bocock's character.
Intellectually he was when In his prime
one of the foremost men Of our Synod.
, have heard DR.. Plumer say that many of hi
contributions to our literary and religious
Reviews would have done honor to Macauley
, His mind was highly cultivated. On tn,
basis of admirable scholarship he built up {
, structure of extensive reading, which wa
thoroughly as8imilated and became incorpO
rated in his mental furniture. A volume
of miscellanies from his pen would be a ricl
} treat to men of intellectual culture. Hi
co.presbyters remember him in debate. Some
S times he gave offence, but all know that wha
he said was the result of honest conviction
AS a preacher DR.. Bocock was sound
q thoroughly and intensely in earnest. Fey
f men could sway an audience as he did, es
O pecially if under the impulse of strong feel
+ ing. His views Of the plan of salvation
b were very clear, and Christ and his eros
f constituted the leading theme OF all his pul
pit ministrations.
AS man DR.. Bocock possessed StrOn
{ character. Hence he sometimes made enc
= mics, was misjudged, and misunderstood
S But who was reader than he to forgive, o
b to make the amends when his corrective con
n science told him he had done wrong? Grac
+ reigued and triumphed in the last stages Q
his nilrrimare. snbduine. softening. trans