Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-10-02

BRIEF AND PAINFUL ILLNESS.
It rarely falls to our lot to record a
death which SO shocks and startles us,
and which will so shock and startle the
great public mind, as that of the Rev.
James A. Duncan, D. D., president of
Randolph Macon College. This unex-
pected event occurred yesterday morn
ing, September oath, at 4 O'Clock, at his
residence, in Ashland, Va. 1t was but
two weeks ago he was in Baltimore,
and preached on Sunday the 9th instant.
He came home complaining from an alb
scess on his face, occasioned, as he sup
posed, from the drawing of tooth. He
grew worse; suffered great pain, called
in medical attendance; the abscess was
op1Hed; carries of the jaw-bone was re-
q small portion of the diseased
vas removed erysipelas set up
aunday last he showed slight deliri-
the night advanced he sunk in
p1ciousness, and expired at
on yesterday morning. These
az Tie facts as best we have been able
to gather them.
REV. DIR. DUNCAN,
was born in the city of Norfolk, Va, in
1880. He was therefore forty-seven
years of age at the time of his death
just in the prime and maturity of his
life! While he was yet small boy his
father, the venerable Professor Duncan,
who still lives, was elected to a profess
sorship in Randolph-MaconC College. To-
Gated at Boydton, Va. to which place
he removed. The subject of this bio
graphical sketch Was reared up in this
seat of learning. He graduated in June,
1910. The following October he Joined
the Virginia Annual Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South, and
was assigned to the pastoral oversight of
the Fairfax circuit for 1850. In 1851 he
was on the Hampshire circuit. The
two following years, 1852 and 1858, he
was stationed in Leesburg, Va. In 1854
and 1856 he was pastor of the Southern
Methodist church in Alexandria. He
was next appointed to the pastoral care
of the Southern Methodist church in
Washington City, d. c., for the two
years 1S56-'57. All these early years of
his ministry were spent in what was
called the border work of the Virginia
Conference. The territory has since
been given to the Southern Baltimore
Conference.
At the Conference held in the fall of
1891 ne was assigned TO OLD
TRINITY CHURCH, IN RICHMOND,
where he remained during 1853 and
1859, during which time the enter
prise of building Broad-Street church
was put on foot. He was appointed to
the Broad-Street charge in the fail of
1859, but as the house of worship was
barely commenced he preached for the
space of more than year in a public
hall till the church was completed. 1t
was not until March, 1861, the house
was ready for use. He was pastor of
the BroadStreet charge for the two
years (1960-'61) while the church was in
its formative state. In the meantime he
became editor of the Richmond Chris
tidn ADVOCATE, and still continued his
pastorate of Broad-Street church. His
ministry there during the war will long
be remembered by thousands of people
scattered all over this country. After
the war he revived the Richmond
Christian ADVOCATE and continued to
edit it until the fall of 1865, when he
was appointed to the pastoral oversight
of Washington-Street church, in Pc
tersburg, Va. Here he remained until
September, 1868, when he accepted the
presidency of
RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE,
located at atAshland, Va, after its ren.ov-
al from Bcydton. He took charge of
the college when it was depressed and
broken down, and by his untiring ener-
gy. and great ability he rescued it from
its fallen fortunes, and lived to see it
in the front rank of the very best
literary institutions in this country
He fell at his post just as the present
session was opening with cheering pros
poets of high success.
DR.. Duncan was wonderful prodigy
in -intellecU. His early efforts in the
ministry were marked by a range of
thought far i'll advance of his years
for he began to preach when he was
but nineteen years of age. He was en-
dowed with a great creative imagina-
ton; he had voice of remarkable COM
pass, singularly modulated in its tones
and with his glowing imagery and gor-
geous descriptions, while he was yet but
a boy, comparatively, he held his audi
ences spell bound with the enchant-
ment OF his oratory. He rose rapidly
in his Church, and soon became
A MAN OF MARK.
He was elected a delegate to the Gen
eral Conference of 1866, held in the city
Ief New Orleans, and even then, though
but thirty-six years of age, was spoken
of for the Episcopacy in his Church.
He was member, also, of the General
Conference held in Memphis, Tenn,
in 1870; and came within a few votes
Of being elected bishop at that Confer
ence, and doubtless would have beer
elected but for the fact that number Of
the delegates from the Virginia Confer
ence did what they could to prevent his
election in order to retain him as presi-
dent OF Randolph-Macon College. Al