The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-25
GOOD MEN HONORED.

Rev. Benjamin Johnson, of the Reformed
Episcopal Church, who was delegate to oul
Assembly, prefaced his speech with the fol
lowing hearty expressions Of regard tor goof
men, dead and living:
81 account myself happy that l have beer
charged with the salutations of my Church
to your venerable body. Pleasant, indeed
are the personal memories called up by this
privileged occasion-memories running back
through my life and ministry, even to my
earliest childhood. Pardon me, that intro
duce myself and my message, by recalling
few Of these precious and fadelesS associa-
tions. The first religious impression of my
life stands connected with that well-known
Presbyterian evangelist, whose great work
for Christ filled the ranks of our various
churches with faithful confessors and minis
ters of the gospel, the Rev. Daniel Baker,
Hundreds of sermons have l since forgotten,
but that sermon stands out distinctly and
wildly tonight as the earliest memory of
my childhood His subject was the tremen-
dous responsibility of hearing Gods Word !!
since faith that justified came by that hear
ing, and by that hearing of faith the Spirit
of life was received. The thunder tones of
the great preacher yet ring in my ear, as he
reiterated that solemn charge of Jesus, "He
that hath ears to hear, let him hear"
"Years rolled on. A careless, needless
college boy, on a bright Sabbath afternoon,
I strayed into the gallery of the old Presby-
terian church in Columbia, s. G. A servant
of God filled the pulpit His voice was mu
sic. His soul was love. His theme was
heaven. Some one has described heaven as
that land whose glory is the light of setting
suns!' Such it seemed, as then depicted to
my Imagination and my heart. A divine
warmth suffused my soul! As I went forth
from that house of God, it seemed, indeed,
as though the gate of heaven had opened
there and closed The preacher fingers still
among us, venerable pilgrim of faith, on
the borders of that better land. / would
breathe the prayer for the patriarch of your
Assembly, DR.. Howe, that his remaining
days be indeed as the days of heaven upon
earth But the memory of my college life
calls up another form and presence, one
whose name is household word in all our
Southern land! BE, too, was Presbyte-
rian, loyal to your historic faith; but also
scholar whose ambitious research exhausted
the learning of all schools:
GA sage on wisdoms throne supreme,
Who made the world his academe!
"James II. Thornwell The matchless
reasoner, in the severe and perfect light of
whose logic no Sophistry could live for mo-
ment; whose preaching exhibited the gospel
in its majesty; the splendor of whose genius
was equalled only by the radiant simplicity
of his virtues, the childlike purity of his
life! Happy the Church enriched by the
opulent heritage of such an intellect! Hap
py, in the gifts he held from heaven, for the
defence and illustration of the gospel! Hap
py, in his equal and eloquent biographer
AS we gaze upon the portraiture which 80
faithfully enshrines his character and his
fame, that noble sentiment of Tacitus rises
to mind, with which he sums up the virtues
and renown of his beloved kinsman, Agrico-
la, Forma mentis eternaP
"But week ago Christian lady of Phil
adelphia asked me, Do you know dear old
DR.. Plumer? ? Ianswered, No, but quickly
recalled my answer. yes I know DR..
Plumer; Ihave walked with him, how often
through that beautiful garden which the
Lord God hath planted in the midst of the
field of his Word, for the refreshment and
joy of his Church in all ages-the book of
Psalms! together how often have we culled
the bright pansies of spiritual thought which
gem that rare and wonderful garden I; to-
gether inhaled the fragrant roses of promise
which cluster there in fadeless luxuriance.-
God preserve him long, for these walks of
grace, and increase upon his patriarchal
brows the light of the Saviour's blessing"