The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-09
STONEWALL. JACKSON.
An Ex-CODtederate Chaplain's
sketch of the War.
IOIIIHgO IHl6I-VI'eHlI,
With the exccDtion of his military O

With the exception of his military ge-
MUS, the most prominent 1rait of Jack
sons character H.s his ple.y. When |
first knew hiI, he was Jealous member
of the Lexington Presbyterian Church.
of which the Rev. DR.. W. S. White was
the aged and yenerated pastor. And nc
one who ever knew him ever doubted
that he was n sincerely and profoundly
religious man. His piety was strongly
marked with humility, prayerfulness
conscientiousness and faith, and was per-
fectly free from cant, bigotry, or fanati
cism. He was naturally quiet and retir
ing in his disposition, and had great re-
pugnance to taking public part in re-
ligious exercises.
An anecdote related by his pastor, Dr.
White, illustrates finely Jackson's mod
esty and conscientiousncss. DR.. White
had for years urged him to lead publicly
in prayer in the weekly prayer meetings
of the church, but without success, Jack
son pleading natural aversion to it, and
the want of any special talent for it, in
which he WAS probably right. But when,
at last, his pastor seriously took him to
task for it, and placed it strongly before
him in the light of duty, he became
deeply concerned about it, and asked DIR.
White to give him a month for secret
prayer, in order that he might, if posi-.
bic, ascertain his duty and Gods will
about it, promising at the end of that
time tomake known to him his decision.
DR.. White approved of his proposition,
and said no more to him on the subject
until the morning when the month ex-
pired. Punctual to the minute, Jackson
arrived at the parsonage, and informed
his pastor that he had come to the con-
clusion that it was his duty to lead the
prayer publicly in the prayer meeting,
and that he was at liberty to call on him
at any time. And from that time he al
ways performed this duty with the great
est rea illness, though with no marked
ability. In the same spirit of humility
he shrank from teaching class in the
Sunday-school, until an afternoon session
was held for colored children, when he
gladly took charge of a class of little col
ored boys and performed the lowly task
of teaching them, with the greatest relish
and satisfaction.
/ Jackson's religion was not of the talk
ING kind, but of the working and giving
kind. He contributed literally, syste-
matically, and punctiliously to the sup
port of the church and to all worthy re-
iirious objects. His habit in this respect
was amazingly illustrated in Lexington
a day or two after the first battle of Bull
Run, called at the South the first battle
of Manassas. This was the first consd-
cradle battle Of the war, and the first
tidings of it threw Lexington, iE COM
mon with the rest of the country, into
a spasm of excitement. The villagers
could not sleep, but crowded around the
stage stand, awaiting the arrival of the
mail and discussing the probable re-
suits Of the engagement. At last the
stage arrived. The mail was opened on
the spot, and it was announced that DR.
White had letter from Jackson.
The good doctor was iD The crowd, and
the anx ETY. to learn the particulars OF
the battle from such reliable Inform.
ant as Jackson, who was known to have
taken part in the engagement, was 50 in.
tense that the old minister was com.
PEELED to mount the stage stand and read
his letter aloud to the crazy throng. The
letter read as follows: "Dear pastor
We had battle yesterday. Inclosed
please find check for $25 being tho
amount of my annual subscription to tho
cause of foreign missions, new due"
But, notwithstanding Jackson's pro
foundiy religious nature, and his zeal fo
the Presbyterian Church, he never was ;
bigot. This is all the more admirabl,
for the reason that he was 50 widely
different in this respect from his Lexins
ton brethren.
The Lexington Presbyterian Church
of twenty years ago, was the most exclu
sive and intolerant body that ] eve
knew. 1t was common thing for it
members to claim that the Presbyterian
had natural right to the limeston
country in Virginia, and to say that, in
aSmuch as they had settled Lexington, i
was an imper,inence for the other sect
to start churches there, or even to liv
there. They treated the Baptists, Mctho
dists and Episcopalians with contempt
and very rarely entered their places o
worship. | always regarded it, therefore
as proof of Jackaon's truly broad ant
catholic pirit that he occasionally attend
ed worshipin the humble Baptist meeting
house where | minstered, around th
corner from the larger and finer Presby
terian temple.
1t is remarkable fact, however, that
Notwithstanding Jackson was such al
ardent Christian and such an incessan
church goer, and had such a reverentia
regard for his pastor, he never heard
word of preaching. About the time i
the service when the second hymn wa
sung, he invariably fell fast asleep, an
; woke up again, with the most rigid puno
tuality, in time to hear the doxology
Notwithstanding he was so metllodics
about it, he claimed, and it was uniyel
! sally believed, that the habit was the II
suit of disease, and entirely unavoidable
This extraordinary.
MRS. DE- LAND SUSTAINED.
= g.. ,ry.n,nuS, Ehurct EEefnSck to AC