The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-05-17
Sc r. M O N
DELIVERED
IN Memory Of Judge Paul.
by REV. u. W. FISHER,
AT THE
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
On Sunday E'sRlnG, Nay 10, 1875.
S z r N
By REV. d. W. FISHER,

ne DclhB uel'h yet SFGaketh. ."-HebroHs H. y
A conversation between Judge Paul
and myself comes back to my mind in con
neCtiOn with the present occasion. Thu
general subject Of L was the comparatively
small place which any individual fills il
this world and the slight impression which
his death will leave with the masses o.
his fellow men. There are persons who
seem TO imagine themselves to Ike OF sc
much Importance that but for them the
wheels OF society would scarcely DO able
TO move. And We are apt 10 think that
when certain individuals are called away
n void will be left OF which everybody
will be painfully conscious. But, as our
deceased friend then observed, il Is all an
illusion. Tho death OF any one man il
like the fall Ol single oak in the forest,
The tree may have lowered little above
its companions. Whenit desCends il may
be with crash which will slartle those
who are near enough 10 hear II. But Il
ia only within comparatively narrow
circle that the event Il noticed or cOntin-
ues deeply TO be felt. mention this con-
versatiOn partly for It's embodiment Of
wholesome truth and partly 10 show that
Judge PAUL had mo foolish ideas Of his
own Importance. And he would not have
us who remain behind to utter q word
concerning him which Is not in keeping
with the sincere convictions to which he
then gave expression.
Nevertheless wemayWith propriety .ap-
ply to him the Language Of the text, "lIe
being dead yet speaketh" or Is spoken
OF as the margin reads. We who knew
him cannot forget him. The memory Of
his life and death remains, and has n
voice 10 which each Of ns should listen.
And II seems To me that there Ia an emil
nent fitness that in tho House OF God to.
night We should study his character and
GndeavOr to learn the lessons which II Is
calculated to teach.
This is hardly the place in which to
analyse his physical or mental peculiar
tiles, or to dwell upon his eminence in
the social, literary, and professional walks
Of life, except aS they incidentally con-
meet themselves with the feature Of his
chagacter which we are 10 consider. II
IL at the position which he occupied with
reference to religious things that we are
now TO look.
In the first place ! wish tospeak Of him
as n ChriaiGn, The several stages Of his
religious experience were very marked.
There Ia not one Of them which has been
In the least indistinCt. ] mention them
because they were not peculiar to him,
but are as to their substance common to
all the faithful people Of God.
The first was his conversion To Christ.
That great spiritual change occurred
when lie was about thirty years Of age.
There IL no evidence that either In his
youth or early manhood he had been
what Ia called immoral. On the contrary,
his COllegemate, Rev. Dr.. Bronson, nt his
funeral bore his testimony that lie had
known him, when they were boys to-
gether, not only as possessed Of high talent
and honor, but also "a distinguished by
great purity Of conduct. Nevertheless,
until the time indicated already, he had
not met with that change Of heart which
Is wrought by tile Holy Ghost, and which
restamps the likeness Of God on the soul.
Into the details Of his religious experience
in connection with that great spiritual
transformation II would not be proper
here to enter ut large, even II Il wns fully
known. II may DO profitable 10 record
the fact tlidt his conversion, along with
that Of others about that time, is Telncni-
bCred as an answer to special prayer on
the part Of Gods people. The conversion
was thorough. 1IisWas not case which
must leave observers in doubt rs TO
whether II was genuine; and az c0hse-
QucnCe ho recognized the, necessity OF a
similar change on the part Of others, II
they shall enter into the kingdom Of God.
The means by which men are brought to
Christ may differ. II Is not to be ex-
pcctet that In all particulars they shall
feel and act alike when coming TO him.
But The same great spiritual tFansfOrma.
tiOn must take place. aye must be born
again." II any man Is In Christ JESUS he
Is n new creature.
The second stage Of his experience was
his public profession Of faith. Judge PAUL
was one Of the baptised children Of the
church. In March, 1923, he, along with his
brothers, Alfred and Archibald Woods,
we're presented by his father in this
church, and received that ordinance at
the hands Of the Rev. William Wylic,
who then OIllciated ne pastor. He was
then abOut ten years Of ngc. by that act
he was formally indlicted into lhc mem.
bership Of the visible Church Of Christ.
God BY his covenant binds himself to In
clude lllc offspring Of llis people IN his
blessing. by baptism the right Of the
children 10 plaGe with them Is Openly
recognized, while al the same time their
need OF regeneration by the spirit and
pardon through the blood of Christ Is
sytnbOliEed by the emblem which Is Elm.
ployetl. To the observance Of this ordi-
nance our deceased brother strongly adj
hered. One Of my more recent acts In
his household was, as his pastor, TO bap.
tize the infant daughter whom he lns
left behind him. All Of his children have
thus been formally ihducted into The Wis.,
ible Church.
But IL was not until the 22d Of March,
1870 that Mr.. PAUL, for himself assumed
his place hhiUng the people Of God On
that day, he, along with fifteen other per-
sons, Of whom none save one Oi the pres
ehl DeaGons Of the church, jacob n.
llickOl, now remain with uS, appeared
before the Session aud after an eSainina-
lion as to their religious experience were
admitted to The Lords Table. From the
profession which he then made never has
he swervell Always has he gladly ylet II
be known 10 Christians and TO the men OF
the world that he was follower Of the
Saviour. Aud such was his estimate Of
the importance Of public Identification
with the church that | have often heatd
him express his utter inability 10 under.
stand how those who neglect Il and fail to
obey the savOutsdy commandment can
vet hope that they are Christians of shall
enter heaven. "Wilh the heart, man be.
lieveth INTO Righteousness, and with the
mouth confession Is made unto salvation.
The third stage Of his religious e&-
pcrience was more than twenly4iS years
Of Christian life. Doubtless the eye Of
God has nccogniSed n Thousand dehcien-
cies in him during that period.
II may he assumed also that he
was often himself conscious Of short
Comingg. lie wAa ono Of those men who
would have been most deeply panied II
any oyet.Icalous friend should have
claimed perfection for him. But without
any disposition TO follow too closely the