The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-10-30
.. :. ....; ..1..is-. Bowman.
r From tie Mensphis Presbyterian

z<..- AZ. Il. ls-. Bowman.
From tie MempAis Prss1yte,tan.]
Our city is in deep mourning. We have laid
in the grave our beloved brother, Rev. +. IL
Bowman. the pastor Of the First Presbyterian
Church Very many have been the SAD scenes
that the last six weeks have witnessed here, but
none Of them has cast so deep q gloom over the
whole community. Brother Bowman was much
beloved by all classes and by Christians OF all
names. His amiabe disposition and his genial
manners, ionet with his deep piety ana the
hiph character of his mental endowment5, had
made him one of the most popular and most truly
loved and admired OF our city pastors. Some
months since, when the cholera was Ill our city.
he labored constantly among his flock, giving
consolation and sympathy to the stricken ana
sorrowing ones until he himself was taken with
the disease. G,d spared Him, and raised him
IN again, but his health has not been SO good,
since that atts.ck, as before. When the fever ap-
peared in our city. he did not for moment wa
yer or shrink from the path of duty, but was
found constantly at ,he bedside of the sick anu
dying. or administering comfort to the sorrow
ing. Until Wednesday CT last week he was en-
loving his customary health. and while in our
office on that day remarked that he did pot know
what was before him, but he felt more than his
usual exurberance of spirits SUCH as he had be
before,
gininia.
On Thursday he was rot feeling SO well, but
visited and prayed Wits a dearly beloved sister
who was going down into the dark valley. Even
then tn. chill was on him and he returned to his
home to take his bed with the fever his attack
was an exceedingly violent one and IN little
more than three short days it carried him away.
He hreathed his last Monday morning about
o'clock. The nature Of his disease was such
that visitors were generally kept out OF the room,
and only one q our ministers saw him in h g last
moments. To him he expressed his assurance
that for him. to die was gain, but that he felt a
solciude for the dear ones ne was leaving be-
hind, ard even these he was willing to commit to
notwithstanding God.
He seemed to hsye some premontion OF his at
tack, and in his disinterested love and devotion
to his dear wife and children, he had exacted
the promise that if he should take the fever she
would not come into the room where he was, but
would take care Of herself, for the sake of their
children.
So passed away, in his fortieth year. a devoted
and sell sacrificing husband, a loving and loved
father, an eloquent and earnest minister a filth
full and beloved pastor; and not only does q
strick en- fanlly and numerous social circle and
a large church their loss, but whole
city is overs hadowed with sadness and gloom.
A SINGULAR COINCIDENCE AND Most REMARK
ABLE PROVIDENCE.
From The AeNpais Pres5yterian, October 8
DR.. Bowman died on Monday morning and the
hour of l05 on Tu, sday morning was appointed
for the funeral services. 1t was at first thought
best to have the services in the church, of which
he was pastor, bat after further elaboration it
was deemed best to have only short service at
the grave and defer the memorial services until
IN tDp "
could return to the city. This plan was agreed
upon. and Tuesday, at lo3 A. NJ, a number
of the ministers of the city and the friends of the
dead met around the grave to lay away the corpse
OF our beloved brother.
At the very hour appointed for the services
and while the friends were around the grave,
from some mysterious and unaccountable cause,
the whole ceiling of the church in which it had
at first been determined hold the services,
with all the up oldidg timbers, except a small
nortion over the pulpit, fell with terrible
crash upon the floor beneath, just where the con-
gregaion would have been gathered If the first
plan relative to the services had not been chang
ed 1t is fearful to look upon the crushed peWs
and the holes broken through the hooritself, and
think OF five terrible calamity which would have
resulted if the services had not been postponed
Scores md p> maps hundreds OF ives would have
been ,acrisesd, and much deeper shade Of
gloom wo.,:! have oven Swallowed our stricken
city. Surely our First CAarch is sore1y af1ct
ed Its beloved pastor laid in the grave, and
its beautiful house Of worship in ruins, IN one
short hour
Thanks be to His name, who in The midst Of
W ath, remembers mercy. We who were gather
ed around that grave, caInot be sufficiently
thankful to that kind Providence that overruled
the FIRST counseIs and kept us and our loved oIcs
from being crushed by those falling tirnhers.--
(,o1 huS ifiIi1v sod irp
from this calamity, and may we not hope that it
is an evidence that the measure of our needed
chastisement will specify be filled. and His
heavy hand be removed from us? We know He
does all things we'll, and that He will not give lie
one needless tear. His will be done.
The Fnosr AT II EMPHIs-A ToUcHIXG PtoTuHE.
We quote the Appeal: While it was yet twi-
light, aud ere the dappled east had unopened
the gates Of day TO the rising SUM- hastily attired
men and women with semi-nude children in their
arms, were out in the streets breathing the pre-
cinus air of the purifying frost Here, STOPPING
down, one gal ed a handful Of the glittering
Aoar frost which, pure and beautiful, lay upon
the earth, and gazing on it with somewhat OF the
gaddening spirit with which the Jsraelites gather
ed he mama in the desert Of Arabia, exclaimed;
80, God we thank Thee for this blessiag!"
Others came and with reyerentiHl fingers if to
Of old, that the savior OF the city had not risen
but descended frota heaven, tosave the people
from the1.destrQying angel of the pestilence =
Groups of men and women moved from place to
place. to prove by cumulative evidence that in
deed it was frost. and not optical delusion
thst the wished for guest had not merely con
fued its visitations to one locality, but enjoyed
the freedom Of the city. HeFea pale face, once
handsome woman, with tender babe at her
breast, knelt down on the cold ground to thank
God that the frost had come Poor, stricken
heart! she and her orphan boy were all that the
pestience had spared out Of once happy family.
Strong men, hare-headed and bare armed, walk
ed excitedly hither and thther, rejoicing in
the fact that a physician had come, to whose
uostrums the whole faculty must yield prece
dence as the only true panacea for tee terrible
yellow fever Windows and doors were thrown
open, WOODEN and cotton garments weress exposed
to the disinfeetipg agency of the cold and rare
fed air, and everywhere in the city, as we'll as in
vicinity of the infected region, the enthusiasm
was as marked, if not as fervenL and joyous"
MILITARY EXEMPTIONS.
In addition to the statements we have hereto
fore published on the subject alluded to below,
owl fan