The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-02

MEMORIAL SERVICES At CLAY.sTREET NETH0'
DIST CHURCH SUNDAY NIGHT-INTEREsTING
SERMON OF DIR. EDWARDS, &C., &C.
Clay-Street Methodist church. in this city.
was densely crowded on Sunday night tc
hear Rev. DR.. Edwards's memorial dis.
course, suggested by the recent death OF the
Rev. DR.. Duncan. Indeed. after filling
every inch OF available space in the aisles,
around the cbanceI, and in the gallery, hun
dreds of persons left the church without be-
ing able to gain q foothoid for. standing
! room / ia 1sssEsi- nr = - 'fs''f' ..
Rev. DR.. Jeter, Of the Baptist Church, the
Rev. Thomas Diggs, and Rev. j. J. Lafferty
were with DR.. Edwards in the pulpit. Al.
ter the singing of an appropriate anthem by
the choir, DR.. Edwards opened the services
by reading the whole OF that beautiful hymn,
written by the poet Montgomery, begin
ming: 49,
"Servant of God, we'll DONE.
A profound silence pervaded the large
and serious congregation during the read
ing OF the hymn.
Rev. DR.. Jeter offered the opening prayer,
which was marked by deep fervor and
pathos, and was singulariy felicitous in Its
range Of petitions.
The. prayer was followed by the reading
anu Singing VI u par VI Lna1 "oh,i
hymn, composed by Charles Wesley, begin
ming: .... t1.
"Come. let US join our friends above
| That have obtained the prize"
DIR. Edwards then announced as his text
the words taken from St. Johns gospel, 9Th
chapter, 18th verse: =" And 1t ocas now ddrfc,
and Jesus a1dS not come among them.'
The introduction brought out the historical
position of the text: The miracle Of the
ioaves and fishes; the sending Of the disci-
pies away By ship to Capernaum; the dis
persing OF the multitude by Christ, who re-
NAMED behind; the sudden gathering OF
the storm; the imperilled condition OF the
disciples in the boat amid the tempest.
"And it was now dark, and Jesus was not
| come unto them."
1.-THE condition OF the disciples in that
storm on the Lake Of Galilee," said the
scriptive of what often falls out to Chris
tians in the great voyage OF life"
"With this hint as to the use I propose
making of the text announced" he con-
tinued, "I submit as the subject OF our
evenings meditations the following subject: i:
| UNSOLyED PROBLEMS, or troubles IN the
| dark, aggravated and enhanced by the abb
sence OF the Divine presence"
This subject was illustrated by scriptural
examples, both from the Old and New Tes-
taments: examples from Church history !;
examples in Christian experience, in peni-
tence, and temptation, and bodily afiiction.
and sore poverty, and bereavement. In all
these instances the night is often dark, and
we are confronted with problems difficult OF
solution. .-.--I
From these examples he proceeded to an
other that illustrated the subiect-namely,
in the death OF the great, the good, and the
useful, such as statesman when the State
most needs their services; philanthropists
and useful laymen in the Church, at the
height OF their usefulness; ministers OF the
gospel dying young, as Summerheld, NC.
Cheyne, Melville B. Cox, and others. " And
! Just here,' said the Doctor, GIVE need go
no further than the death OF the Rev. James
| A, Duncan, D. D., which occurred on last
Monday morning."
From this point the preacher proceeded
to give an analysis of the life and character
of Dr.. Duncan. He said he was Singutarly
qifted IN intchect-a great mind equal to
any occasion or demand. AS public Spealc-
er he aods unsurpassed. Here was given
delneation OF his person, his voice, his man
ner, his stvle. "He combined the logic OF
Webster with the cloquence Of Henry
Clay, and the diction and rhetoric OF Nc
Cauley with the pathos and tenderness OF
Summerfeld In 1corl-pdinting he. was a
literary artist OF the highest order. His
rictures were not hard and cold, like bleak
hills standingiout against wintry, Arctic
sky; but warm, and mellow, and glowing,
like an Arcadian landscape in 4 southern
clime.' .......
He eXcelled as 4 preacher. Under this
head number Of instances were named ID
which DIR. Duncan had swayed vast multi.
tudes by his pulpit oratory in sermons OF
marvellous ability and poWer-sermons
never to be forgotten by the hearers. ="
Dr.. Duncan's social qualities were next
passed in review-his warm heart, his
bland manners, his tender sympathies-b
which he linked his friendst to him by hooks
of steel. He was a universal favorite. .s
-, Next, his unSelfshness and generosity.
He expended ana gave away ali he made,
and died without leaving any worldly goods
behind him. He declined lucrative posi-
tions rendered to him that would have paid
him thousands by the year, and clung to
Randolph-Macon College because he be-
lieyed he could do more good in educating
young men than in any other sphere OF
activity.
Then he was simple-hearted, earnest,
Christian. Here his conversion, while u
mere boy, his entrance on the ministry
when but twenty years Of age, and his lite
| lougalabors in the service of the Church,
were passed in review. ...s..
His sickness and death, and funeral
Isolemnities, and burial in Hollywood,
with some touching incidents, brought the
speaker to his closing points.
1t is still dark. The storm is raging. The
pillows are rolling. Jesus has not yet come.
The mysterious problem is not yet solved.
But it 1ciN be. Christ did come to the dis
eiples. he came at the right time. He came
TO his servants in seasons OF darkness and
trouble in former times. He. will come to
Eus. The problem shall be solved. II not
there, up yonder and over there. it will all be
Emade plain.
The discourse was concluded by the re-
marks (l) that we should labor and walt ;
f(2) that Christ sees us in all our troubles,
| however dark it may be around as (3l that
! tbe shin OF the Church will finally come in
safety to the harbor; and (4) that there is
rest Tor us all on the other side the storm.
The above is but crude outline OF the
discourse. which occupied one hour in the
delivery, and was; ono Of the most ,eioquent'
interesting, and touching ever delivered IN
The singing, conducted by Mr.. King, the
leader of the Clay-Street Church choir, was
admirable. The solo in "Come, We dlscon.
scllte.", was as sweet and charming as !,
could be. The whole occasion was one o'
far more than ordinary Interest.
CABLE-Com TOBACCO. The Epplnger tes
case in the matter OF q coil patent issaeu II
1879 was recently decided in the Unltee
l. 1.I