Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-06-25
4 ddress by Rev. J. j. Bullock, ID. ID
AT PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. ON

| TIE ERECTlOS OF TABLET IN MeMohi
OF JOHN BRECKENRIDGE, D. D.
When | received the invitation of your COM
mitlee TO make 40 address Oh the If, and char
auier Of the late Dr.. John Breckurldge, on
this interesting OCCASION, as Kcuiuckiau and
au old fIieud of Dr. Breckenridge and his fanl'
lg, lad MT the heart to decline. though l
we'll kuew had not the power to do justice to
the high character and useful life OF that dis
tirguishcd mau, who was for short time
professor 10 this gtand old school of the pro
phcts.
l. was no! here, sir, that this great work for
the Master Was uonc We mus! lock beyond
the walls Of this SeminBry to understand his
life work, aud yet II Is meet that bis name
should bo held in cvcriusl1g rememorarco Dy
those who h;v, In charge the lnteresls or tnts
venerable inStlu loU, that an cudoWing taoiet
should be erected 10 his memory, sldo by side
With those great ard good men whose lives
we're spcn. In The immediate work OF educating
and trainug the ministry for cur Presbyterian
Church; and Well did they perform their graod
mission, and all Of them are eDshrlned 10 the
be ,rt of every true Presbyterian. For it was
maiuly through his unparalleled energy and
surprising eIt1uence as the Secretary OF the
AssembI,'s Board Of Education for five years,
from 1881 10 1896. that there was so largo an
accsssoa to the uumber Of its students. aud
ampIc III ans we're provided for their support.
During this period tho uumber OF 6cneh@la
ri.s cl' the Board was increased from gu 10
| 200. DR.. n cholas Murray, 10 referring 10
after years to his appeals to rlous young men
10 enter tic fields ripe TOR the harvest. said :
"rhe clcouer ;, of DR.. Brccknridge upon this
suti.ct, moving as the Tyre Of Orphcus, is yet
ringing in our cars. though twenty winters
hava moaucd over his grave. But few havlog
| a snail, OF tpiriiual lite could resist" Df. Is.
was born to foruuo and an hnnored name: tor
| tho o.hs Of Christ hr gave up all his orllant
] prospecs OF VI rIIIy honor and cmouments to
become ao humble miuistcr ct the gospel. lie
| conseerated ninIscit 10 Christ aud His cause.
| Tho conservation was complete. Never alter
| wards did he fater iu hia devotion to his Lord
and Saviour. Fer twenty years ne labored uo'
| ceasiogly and with all the energies OF his body
aud soul uihout asy rest. 10 servlag the
! Church of God wherever duty called he 10
bcsitatipply went, ready to do any work and TO
| make any Sacrifices that we're oeedIu to ad-
| vance the kluadom of Christ. The Pfcsbyte'
| rian Church, with its long list of able, godly
| and self sstr.i,!ug ministers which the great
Head Of the Chu'ch has given her, has never
coDtsined 10 her bosom one who loved her
| mCr,. or who was more willing to do and suffer
for ber, than DR.. John Breckenridge. He lived
not for fame, nor for any earthly reward, but
| for Christ Io all his splendid public Efforts 10
the pulpit aud on the platform he hid hmselt
behiod the cross of Christ. He held up that
cross as the great object OF attraction to admir-
| ing multitudes. Onc Of the last s.Dtcnccs that
be uttered before his elcquant tongue Was
| slleucad by death Was: IL am poor siDner
who lave worked hard, apd had constantly be-
fore my miod onc great otiec:, tho conversion
of the world"
| Dr.. James Alexander, who knew him well,
said of him Il uever saw him idle or loung'
| iug a moment, nor diverted 10 minor matters
or eyity | never saw him lu any company,
even of the most fashionable political graodee,
where he did not take high religious stand,
aud ayow high Christian opinions. With an All
Of CONSCIOUS superiority aud mover dcltc:ed
him 10 any sort of self pleasing or shrloklng
from sacr foes or hard duty. L Know % mlo
istcr whose ptlVatc lote! course Is 60 purely ano
zeaously religious a grand triOntc from
.r.nd msp. most cordially add NY humble
testimony TO Dr.. ALEXANDER Il noblo tribute tc
thc character Of his decsas d friend. Mcn and
women are still llViog 10 Kentucky, in BalIl-
more, aod elsewhere, who will tell you that NJ
map. dead or iViog, ever cxer.ed the ssm'
sniri.usl and cievating ibfiIeace over them as
did Dir. John Breckiord2e. You c1n s:e bi
hoIy impress upon them after the lapse OF al
most ifty years. From 1898 TO 1910 IN ODE
d,.rce 10 the call OF the GeueIa Assembly, ht
travelled all over thi. broad land TO plead tht
,.ulc Of toreigu missions. and the hearts o
Ind's peupie were Stirred Tor perlstlog worl(
Nv bis glowing c!Cquencc AID powerful appeal
"a they ws!e cevgc stirred before, and contrl
tutiops flowed i5to the treasury 10 an uoWone
streau, ard young men and youog women
nonsuaI uumbers offered themselves to 90 q
missionaries to the heather nations.
can never forget a seimon he preached l
Frankfort, Ky. 90 the texs, Hereby percsiV
wc the love If God, because he laid down bl
; Iiie for Us; and therefore we ought to lay dow
our iiyts for the brsthren." | have 90 hesta
;ioo 10 saying it was the NEST touchlDply elt
: nueut exhibition Of the love OF Chris. l eve
heard FROM the lips of man. His whole col
seemed 10 be aelow with love to Christ and IL
tent upon The oua grea. OH C: oftbe con7ersio
5 Of the world. lie held his audeIc, spe!
bouod, aud tears fell freely from eyes uouse
10 gceping 10 tho house OF God. Forty yeal
have passed sioce then. but tue image OF to
Q preacher and the grand doctrine, and the sTet
- II rug loucs Of his musical voice, remal
y fresh 10 my memory. His great vital enere
aud deep devotion TO the cause CT Chri
prompted him to sbors beyond lis powers
endurance. He fell sacrifice to bisuOWearie
so,lvity; aud prema,ureIy exhausted and VOL
~ opt his jf, and streDg,h. Wien advised
his family ply sicisu to desist from preacbiu
ghen he had broken blood vessel during b
nssto,ac 10 Baltimore, his reply was. ID.
# would rather wear cut than rust cut 10 II
: Masters service" aod when he Was oo bis We
o 10 New Otleaus, 10 lS40 it wss suggested
him by his friends 10 Kentucky that the cma
would rot suit his shattered constitution. be r
: pied, 10 The heroic language of Whl'hslt,
d am immortal uutll my york is done.
ot DR.. Breckiuridgc was given to the Churc,
s. for great purpose aod 10 do great Wofl