The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-27
Sketch 0f'RGV. Samuel DlnVdy
Of the South Carolina Conference NJ.
E. Church, South.

UuUluu VI 4luIs nuuuuVA Duu UuuJ
OF the South Carolina Conference N.
E. Church, South.
Rev. Samuel Dunwody Of the 8. c..
Conference, was born in Chester County
Pennsylvania, August LIST 1850, was made
the subject of converting grace August 8
1902 and was admitted on trial in the S.
G. Conference January, 1906. Theterritory
embraced in the s. c. Conference at that
time included tho greater part of the
lima with their principal cities. Many
unsuccessful attempts had been made to
establish a Methodist Church in the city
of Savannah. Ministers of eloquence and
zeal had been sont there, but their efforts
had proved unavailing. Bishop Asbury,
always keenly alive to the interests of tho
Church, after q careful survey of the
whole field decided at the Conference of
1907 to send another minister to Savan-
nah. Accordingly he selected Samuel
Dunwody as the man to lead this 'for-
lorn hope" Undaunted by the difficult
ties which surrounded him he entered
with so much zeal and energy into the
work assigned him that at the close OF
the year he had the satisfaction Of report
ing II members received into the M. +.
Church. "Thus WAS Mr.. Dunwody the
honored instrument in the hands Of God
in establishing the doctrines and usages
of Methodism among q people who had
heretofore resisted their introduction and
who had prosecuted even to violence
their Jealous advocates"
The next year he was stationed in
Wilmington n. Carolina. Subsequently
he filled the stations of Charleston,
Georgetown, Camden, Wilmington,
Fayetteville, Savannah and Augusta, and
to-day in those cities, his memory is
revered and his name is las ointment
poured forth" His active ministry ex-
tended owe a period Of forty years, with
out interruption. From that time he
sustained asuperanuated relation untilhis
death, and never in the course OF his long
ministry did he merit or receive censure
from his brethren. On the contrary he
stood high in their esteem and confidence
and it was their delight to honor him.
He was elected a delegate to the first
General Conference ever held in the
United States. It met in the city OF New
York in 1872. From that time he was a
member Of every succeeding General
Conference during his ministry except
one. In 1914 he was a delegate to the
Memorable General Conference held in
New York, where through the fanaticism
Of Northern men, the NJ. E. Church was
rent in twain. His speech on slavery at
that Conference, was such a mastery de-
fence of our Southern Institutions that
even the great DR.. Darbin, II of the
most learned men in the Northern branch
of the Church, failed to answer it or to
refute a single argument used in the
speech. Slavery was defended OIL script
ural grounds and arguments drawn from
the Bible are unanswerable.
He was also a delegate to the Louisville
Convention in 1915 where the NJ. L.
Church South was organized. In all
these assemblages he was ever the fearless
defender of the South and devoted to the
interests of Southern Methodism.
AS a scholar his attainments were great
and varied. TO his English studies, he
added the Hebrew, Greek and Latin lam
He read the Old and New Testaments
fuently in the original and was devoted
to the study of these languages. His
knowledge Of the Bible was unsurpassed,
for his memory was so great thai he
knew the sacred scriptures almost word
for word from Genesis to Revelation. He
was a thorough scholar in ancient and
modern history and "gave attendance to
reading, such as made the head wiser and
the heart better" AS q christian he was
sincere and guileless, pure and holy in
life and humble as q little child. A
friend once wrote Of him. "He was
deeply versed in christian experience,
and was fully able to help those, who
were passing through doubts and fears, to
the attainment of a pure, settled christian
peace and love-" AS a friend he was
ever a welcome guest in thousands OF
homes all over the State. The social cir
Gle was always cheered, not chilled, by his
presence, for his disposition was so ge-
NAL, his manner 80 kind as to bring sun
shine to the hearts of his friends. His
"reminiscences were SO varied, his fund OF
anecdotes 80 abundant, that his CONVERSE
| ton never failed to give pleasure to his
listeners. He had peculiarities as most
great men have, but these have been
greatly exaggerated by persons whose
knowledge of him was superficial. In
his family circle no n was ever more
devoted or affectionate. Love was the law
of his life.
One who was intimately acquainted
with him writes as follows.
"As a minister Mr.. Dunwody stood in
tie front rank of the Southern Methodist
ministry, for nearly half a century.
His preaching was remarkable for stong
reasoning, close and conclusive argu-
mentation, strengthened by scriptural
proof and fired by a zeal and earnest
ness peculiarly his own. He was indeed
a master workman "who needed not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word OF
truth" He often expressed himself as
better qualified for the establishment and
confidence of believers, than for the
awakening of sinners. Such a remark
we think can only be applied to the later
period of his ministry. In his earlier
years, he had many seals to his apostolic
commission, from the ranks of sinners in
all the charges he filled, no doubtMany
precious souls, redeemed and saygd by
and call him blessed. Thousands out OF
the pale of his own church have been
edited and built up in the faith of the
Gospel by his ministry and some of his
most devoted friends were ministers and
members Of other churches, whose re-
ligious belief differed widely from his
own. At different times during his min
istry he published sermons, which have
been highly commended and extensively
read. Those on the mode and subjects
Of christian Baptism, ~ domestic Slavery
in the SOUTH" and the "Foreknowledge
and DEGREES of Cod" are considered by
competent judges, clear, concise and for
chile arguments, on the subjects of which
they treat. His friends regret that lie
did not use his pen more frequently, be-
lieving that the cause of truth and right
eousness would have been greatly advan-
ced, if he had written more extensively"
He died in COkeshury s.. C.. ,Jn1v 9th