Smyrna times., 1878-11-27
Rev. John Newland Mafitt.
HIS DEATH FROM A BROKEN HEART.


Many of our readers, especially those adyancedin in
life, remember the whose is at the head of
this artcle-a preacher Of wonderfully fascinating
eloquence. His fame throughout the land, and
the demands upon him for pulpit labor were con-
stant He selected by the trustees Of the Asbury
NJ. f. Church of this town to preach the dcdicatory
sermon of the basement which occurred in the year
l8ij and he was entertained during his stay in town
by the late Rev. p Mansfield The older members of
the church doubtless remember the occasion. Even
then the shafts of malice hurled after him. set in
motion by his shrew of a wife, who seemed bent to
damn him because he lived in an atmosphere so
much above her as to excite the malice of her evil
nature The Rev. Dr. Carter has been writing for the
Methodist an autobiography from which we quote in
reference to the singular manner of his death:
Mr. Mailitt must have preached thirty years in
this country, his death occurring when he was about
iifty.eight years OF age lie travelled all over our
everywhere by immense audiences. There was a
wonderful fascination i'll his manner. Multitudes
yet live who heard him preach; and multitudeS i'll
various places who still members of the Church
Militant were converted through his instrumentaty
and mutitudes doubt have gone tOjoin the Church
Triumphant, who were called to Christ through the
Word which he preached We pass over all these
years of his triumph. 1t was not our intention to
speak of them at present We come TO the closing up
of his earthly career for the particulars of which
are indebted to pamphlet written by Rutus +. Hlb-
bard, bearing the date of 1876.
MANY persons who will read this article probably
know that during his life Mr. Maitt like other great
and successful preachers, was asSailed by various
caumnes 1t has been well said that the whittier Oul
garments are, the more easily are they stained. He
had been for some weeks preaching in Mobile. The
news came to New York that he was miniStering tC
large assemblies with extraordinary success and tina
| a glorious revival was attending his aborS SomC
| person or persons furnished for the columns of
scurrilous paper published in New York, articles il
reference to Mr. Matt charging him with gross evil
and reviving old rumOrs that had been ahoat in thu
| church. An extra edition of this paper was sent t
| Mobile and sold around the church where he wa
preaching during the hours of service. The brethrel
in Mobile. however, still believed i'll his innOcenc
and the meetings grew more and more. interesting
But each succeeding week the paper was forward
ed from New York, contained more pointed articles
| and influenced by its statements, several persons
who were not members of the church in Mobile, too
the matter up and charged fagrant crimes againS
| him.
"At length we omit particulars, the official bretl
rem forbade his preaching in the church. Mr.. Math
exclaimed
physician came in Immediately, who said it was
spaSmodic action of the heart. He applied restOrS
tives and the great preacher revived-lngered som
hours and died without struggle. His sister sal
that the evening before his DEATH they wall
ing the together talking of his prosecutions,
said
strings are breaking; feel they are; but remember
, die innocent Christian and gentleman. pra
God to have mercy on my enemies and forgive then
| as do, from the bottom OF my heart
| THUS died John Newland Mailltt. A post-mOrtel
| examination demanded by his friends. The
selected the best physician in this city Dr. Mott
Quoted the examination and found the stomach an
lungs in a healthy condition. butwhen DIR. Mott toe
| out the heart he wept like child and said
8 "'There can be no doubt as to the cause of h
, death, now, for the heart is literally burst
THE heart was taken to the doctors office in MObi
and preserved. and the body was buried without
The verdict of the jurors was that j. N. Mait died
broken heart caused by excessive grief and sa
T Mr.. Hillard. 1 believe the heart still remains
: Mobile and may be seen by any one."