The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-23

t;ce. and that he would not remain one day
in it il it were not for the conviction that ne
was thereby serving most efficiently the
Church OF Christ. -~t 'ftt.s&,t S',.f.,a
No one who knew the man doubted his
sincerity and simplicity OF aim. He never
sought self. He was indifferent to wealth
| in a degree which some even. censured as
extreme. He served not ambition. The
esteem and approval Of good men he must
have priced; but never, so lar as we know,
did he exhibit anyundae concern about
such things. He belonged to Christ, ana TO
the Church for Cbrist's sake. He went in the
courage of faith and the spirit OF consecra-
ton to the college, and devoted himself to
the duties in the chair OF moral philosophy
and in the presidency. The halls were filled
with a larger number OF students than had
ever sought its advantages in its palmlest
days before the war. He governed by his
personal influence, by the love and conf.
I dence with which he inspired the young
men; and diligence and good behavior were
the rule with rare exceptions. ~
The reputation OF the institution for a
high grade OF scholarship and thoroughness
OF culture was inferior to that OF no college
in the land. Young preachers, often num-
bering more than forty in a single session,
sat under his special lectures in theology,
and were moulded by his example and his
teaching. With the authority Of prophet,
with the gentleness Of father, he preached
to the students week after week the Word
of Life, and saw many OF them accept with
glad hearts the yoke and burden of Christ.
In private they revealed to him all that was
in their heart and sought his sympathy and
counsel. In public, whatever the occasion
on which, he spoke, they hung breathless on
| : Il hat 1a
from an angel Of God. Those who have
attended the commencements can bear wit
ness to the outgusbing OF love, the wise and
noble utterances, the manly frankness and
| boldnesS, and the tenderness, almost mother
| ", with which he babe those young men
| farewell in unstudied words OF genuine elo-
quence, and the beaming faces, the stream
| ing eyes, the tbunders Of applause with
which they responded. Nor were these his
only labors. Often during the sessions he
hurried off to preach in city or. in country
at the call of the churches Of the Virginia
and Baltimore Conferences, or in order to
raise money for the college. The summer
vacation was no rest to him, but his buSi
est period.
Incessantly he travelled through the tW o
conferences speaking on Christian educa-
ton, and speaking at district conferences.
at protracted- and camp-meetings. He was
! in labor more abundant, not sparing him
self; never reluctant to help in any good
work. Everywhere he was sougbt-every-
where he was welcome. Thousands ascribe
to him. under God, their first impulse to
serve Christ, their revival from lukewarm
and languishng state, or their fuller conse-
Grafton and seeking OF higher Spiritual
life. We may safely affirm that no man OF
his own generation has so powerfully i'm
pressed the religious character of an equal
number within the bounds OF these two
conferences as James 4. Duncan.
He was elected to the General Confer
he did not attend. his duties at the college
not allowing his absence. He lacked only
few votes to be chosen Bishop at that ses-
sion-seyeral delegates Of this body, who
held him in high admiration and thought
him in every way worthy Of the honor,
withholding their votes because they be-
ieved him essential to Randolph-Macon
College. From that time the mind OF the
whole Church turned to him as the fttest-
person to be elected to the episcopacy.
In 1876 he attended the General Confer
ence OF the Methodist Episcopal Church as
one OF three fraternal messengers from our
General Conference, and his address on
that occasion was marked by its catholic
spirit, fervent love for Christ, and grand
and thrilling eloquence.
In the summer OF 1874, exhausted by
ceaseless toll OF travel and preaching, and
exposed to malarial atmosphere, he was
seized with fever. which took artyphoid
phase, and he lay for weeks at the point Of
death. For one year he was scarcely fit for
any work, and though he afterwards raj
lied and resumed his course Of uutiring
Lab +I,a ~ lJ1rl rl-a1 in, hi
system, and often developed in severe spells
| OF sickness. Yet he worked on, cheerful,
energetic, consumed with zeal. The past
| summer he spoke and preached with an ar
dor, power, and success equal to his hap
Dest efforts in the years OF his vigorous
health. Sunday, September 9th, he was in
Baltimore to preach at the re0pening OF
| Trinity: and this he did in the forenoon
| with great power despite intense physical
pain. On his return to Ashland it was
| found that his jawbone was decayed and
poison ditfused throughout his frame. Ery-
sipelas attacked his face. His sufferings
were great, but borne with patience and
sweetness. He sat up, however, part of
each day, and seemed not to suspect that
his end drew near. Monday morning, the
oath, he fell asleep in Jesus.
o. the surprise, the shock, the grief OF
heart, the sense OF loss, the feeling OF desc
lation, which that news produced Crowds
attended his funeral at Broad-Street church,
which by marble tablet acknowledges him
it's founder, and Bishop Doggett pro-
nounced his euogy. Memorial services
were held in Richmond, Petersburg, and
Baltimore. Resolutions Of highest praise
were passed by quarterly conferences and
by the faculties of colleges and UNIVERSE
ties. The secular and religious press hon.
ored his memory with heartfelt tributes.
But all these honors fall far short OF ex-
pressing the reverence aud love with which
he is cherished in thousands OF hearts and
thousands OF homes. We yield to our sor-
row of personal bereavement, and then
chide ourselves for the seltshness when we
ought to be grieving over the loss to the
Church. We think with sadness and al
most with dependency OF the bereavement
OF our college and Conference aud Church,
and tears fill our eyes and sword
pierces our heart at the unbidden
suggestion of the void in our own
life which the death Of this dear, this noble
friend and brother, has made. We have
said little OF bis private life. He was early
married to Miss Twitty, OF North Carolina,
who for many years proved companion
and helpmeet worthy OF such man, anu
passed away in 1870 He married IN 1878
Miss Wade, daughter OF q minister OF the:
Baltimore Conference, who mlnlstered TO-
him and comiorted him through the last
years OF his life, years OF comparative weak
ness and pain, and now mourns, yet IN re-