The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-15

preacher will serve TO show what is meant.
In . revival In Cincinnati, Gen. Harrison,
then candidate for the presidency, was In
the HOUSE,. Maftit bad concluded bis SER
mon with an imprisoned appeal to sim
for conversion. Gen. Harrison arose
and said that be had long thought OF
making a public confession of his belief in
Christianity. He now felt It his duty to do
so. His enemies might construe the act 81
bid for popularity but that c1nd not ds,
toward the altar, Mstit descended from
the pulpit. and, taking Harrison's hand,
sang q stanEa of well-known revival
song: a brfcrs
Old soldier. follow mel t
Wen die ON the Held OF battle,
n With glory In our soulsl
The effect was electrical. There was scarcely
a dry eye in the congregation. The deca-
dence OF Msffit's popularity had Its origin In
marriage. No Trsppist was ever more I'M
fitted for copjuguality than ne. He mar
ried In Ireland, and at length both husband
and wife quietly separated after q reunion
in this country. The wife took up her resi-
dence in Galveston, Texas, and there she
died, highly esteemed by all. Incongenial-
ity was said to baye caused the separation.
The secret was, at all events, buried with
their bodies. 1t was Msffit's last marriage
to q girl In Brooklyn that provoked acrimo-
NOUS comment, although his first wife was
then dead. The girl was one OF the great
revivalist's converts. She was beautiful, of
an ardent temperament, and had fallen In
love with the still handsome preacher. Their
brief married. unmarried lie was not happy.
One day, when Maffit was preaching In New
Orleans, his childwiIe died. and then arose
the cry OF the Scribes and Pbarisees' "Cru-
city bim!" Then Msffit was assailed by
many secular and some religious newspa-
pers; bis private correspondence with his
dead wife was published; he was accused
of murder, and even incest.
THE LAST.
For awhile the great revivalist buried him.
self in the wllds of Arkansas, preachsng here
and there with his old fervor. At length he
visited Mobile, and there met with phsrisai-
cal GOODNESS, save at the hands of sfsw brave
spirits, among whom may be named the
Rev. Jefferson Hamilton, and the "blind
preacher" the Rev. VIM. 81. Milburn, as one
of the Mobile newspapers republished from
New York weekly q seandslOus article in
which Msfit was attacked with violence.
Even beloved sister, then temporarily with
him, was DETAINED. The republication was
the act of q member of his own denom-
instion. Msfht solemnly denied the
truth of the charges, and gave
as possible. Hamilton and Milburn joined
in Q card but 1t was too late. Those who
saw an apparently strong and healthy man
In the streets or In the little church OF Toul-
minville, q suburb OF Mobile, little suspected
that the heart of great preacher was break
ing In the village pulpit the old spirit
of eloquence was upon him. People fiocked
to hear bin, and q revival was soon begun.
Once again, although the circle In which be
moved was small, friends gathered around
| and babe him go on with the good work.
But while he was all vigor and intensity in
the church
HE WAS WEAK AZ. A CHILD AT HOME.
Two OF his intimate friends, Col. Mexican
and wife. said that for hours together, after
the last published attack upon his reputs-
ton, Mafit paced the floor in agony. tears
streaming from his eyes. and placing bis
hand frequently upon his heart. sit throbs
like drum!" he said, when asked whether
he suffered pain in his left breast. This I'M
| Happy condition could not last. One even
ing, while accompanying lady who was
seated at a piano, singing "Napoleons
Crave" Mafitt suddenly clasped his left
| breast, and Tell to the floor. He was put
TO bed, suffering intensely. Mrs. Mexican
| asked him whether he bad anything
TO say in relation to the publication
that had WOUNDED him, and Mafis replied
that while be had done many frivolous
things, he had been guilty OF no criminal
act, and he freely forgsve bis enemies who
had by their attacks hastened his end. Not
long sfterward, he suddenly pulled the
| sheet of the bed over his face, and when 1t
was taken thence he was dead. A post
norton examination by DR.. Mott and others
revealed the cause OF Maftitt's death. His
heart was greatly enlarged, and the lett
wall worn TO the consistence of thin paper.
For several months the organ was exhibited
| a medical curiosity both in Mobile and
, New Orleans. II was then deposited with
the body 10 Mobile cemetery. An effort
was made to erect a monument over the
grave, but 1t did not succeed. Mafitt died
poor and almost friendless.