Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-29
A MOTHER In ISRAEL.
The widow of the Late Alexander
Campbell and Her Movements


Accompanied by her daughter, Mrs.
Barclay, wife of well known MISSION
airy, and daughter.in-law of DR.. Bar
clay, the great missionary and writer
of books on oriental countries, Mrs.
Selma Campbell, relict of the renown-
ed controversalist, Alexander Camp
bell, has been visitor In Memphis for
some days, and the guest of Rev. David
Walk, pastor of the Christian Church.
Mrs. Campbell is now in her seventy
second year, has outlived her illustrious
husband many years, and has had the
pleasure of witnessing the rapid growth
of the sect he established, and whose
tenets have been adopted as the guide
In life of hundreds of thousands OF
good Christian men and women. Less
than half century since the world was
full of the fame of Alexander Camp
bell. Theologians in the old world, as
in the new, revised their opinions and
oyerhauied their dogmas by the light
of his giant mind, and he left us IN
many ways the better for his ministry.
He was one of the few great men who
have stamped themselves upon their
age and time, and who have impressed
the world for good. Revering his mem
DRY as such, it is pleasant to recall
the fact that his now aged widow
was a helpmeet in every sense,
sustaining him in all his trials, comfort
ing him and bringing as a reinforce
ment of his high purpose the encour-
agement of a true heart, and an
intellect worthily mated with his. She
ever took an interest in the contest
which signalized the great theologian
of Bethany, and is still remarkable for
clearness of spiritual vision, for
strength of conviction, and a devout
interest In the affairs of her Church,
and especially of its literature. For
several years after the death of DIR.
Campbell, she sustained one depart
ment of the work IN which his life was
spent, and was careful to see that the
Addresses to Young Men," which
proved so efficient an aid in recruiting
the ranks of the disciples" from that
interesting class, were issuedregularly.
This interest Mrs. Campbell still main
tains, as we learn from two of our lady
friends who called on her yesterday, and
found her engaged in copying an address
recently delivered by Spurgeon, OF
London, which attracted her attention
as worthy of preservation. Thus she
employs all her spare moments in do
ing good and setting an example of
womanly endeavor in the cause of
Christ. She enjoys, we are happy to
say, excellent health, and has been
made happy by the visits of the friends
of her husband, who, in Memphis, are
large In numbers and of the most infiu-
entail classes Many of these were
graduates at Bethany, whom Mother
Campbell" as she is affectionately and
reverently called, found no difficulty in
remembering, recalling not only them,
but many whose names were men,
toned, and who were either far distant
or had passed away. Mrs. Campbell
occupies peculiar position in life, one
very far above that ordinarily filed by
her sex, and is worthily regarded with
affectionate reverence by those who are
of her household of faith. Her daugh-
ter, Mrs. Barclay, has also been the re-
cipient of the affectionate regard of her
people, as one who has, with her noble
husband, fought a good fight. She,
with her mother, will leave the city to-
day for their home in Alabama, taking
with them the blessings and prayers Of
many friends and colaborers in the
Christian Church.