Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-07-18
Funeral Of Prof. n. L. kirkpatrick

Funeral OF Prof. r. L. Kirkpatrick.
The funeral of Prof. r. l.. Kirk
patrick, LII. D., Of the University of
Tennessee, was well attended ycster-
day evening at the Church Street M.
E. Church, South. After singing by
the choir, prayer by Rev. Geo. B.
Eager, pastor of the First Baptist
Church. and reading of the Scriptures
by Rev. Jas. A. Lyon, of Athens,
Rev. @. G. Rankin, gave an interest
ing sketch of the life and works of
deceased. So complete, full and ap-
propriate is this sketch that we give it |
in full as follows:
The solemn event which has called US
together this evening my friends, is bur- |
dened with an indefnable grief. It is one
of those peculiarly sad occurrences which
mark an extraordinary epoch in the pro-
gress and history of our community. 1t is
not to render tribute to the memory of one
whose life is the sole property of his strick.
en- family or of his church, simply, that
we are here this evening, but to bear testi-
mony by our presence, our tears, and our
utterances to the Intellectual and moral
worth of man whose unselfsh life and
valuable labors have been the common her.
itage of the State of Tennessee for more
| ing this testimony we are conscious
that his untarnished record and
| beautiful character, well known
| to all, !speak a tribute to his excel
| lence and memory far more eloquent and
| touching than can our tears and imperfect
utterances. Yet the highest and hottest
| instincts of our nature call in unmistaka-
| Ia tO sad
Office.
Prot R. L. kirkpatrick, LII. D., was
born in Anderson comfy, near Clinton,
Tenn, Dec. 18th, 1917. The early part Of
his life was spent on the farm, attending at
intervals such schools and academies as the
country al that day afforded. Having ac-
quired the elementary principles OF sub
stantial education in this way, and finding
that his tastes and inclinations were in that
direction, he determined to seek thor
ough education, and at the age of twenty
one he entered the State University. He
remained in this renowned Institution for
four consecutive years. While student
and assiduity and demeaned himself in
such high-toned gentlemanly
manner that he enjoyed the
confidence and esteem of the faculty,
all the students and the entire community.
Having graduated in the year 1916, in the
IuIl coiIese Gi.riou!c"' ne uetefnlnGo W
Christian education. His first school
was taught in the town of Jacks
boro; but his superior abilities as an
educator were then too well known to a.
low him to remain long in that humble
sphere. He was elected to tutorship In
the University in which he had recently
graduated with distinction, and in 1847, one
year afterwards, was elected, without his
solicitation, to the Professorship of An
| cient Languages. In this responsible posi-
ton he remained for five years, giving en-
tire satisfaction TO all. Al this time he re-
signed his position in the University and
took charge of Hourishing denomination
al college, located at Strawberry
Plains. Here he taught for three yeara
| with great accepta bility and efficiency,
but was called from thence to the Presi-
| dency OF the old Female Institute in
Knoxville. In this position he remained
until the city was captured by the Federal
army, when all the institutions in the city
were abandoned. After the war closed he
spent some months as practical engineer
and surveyor, laying off some of the now
| important streets in the city, and aided
also in surveying part of the Knoxville
and Kentucky Railroad. About this time
! he was reelected to the Professorship of
Ancient Languages in the State Univer-
! sity. From that time to the present he
has remained in the different departments
| of this Institutions part and parcel of
It's practical existence. No one man has
| done more than he towards elevating this
great school to the enviable position it now
occupies among the Universities of the
South. Notwithstanding he was educated
in years that are gone, yet his scholarship
| was deep, broad and thorough, keep
ing pace with all of the developments
and progress of the age. For ns1re tn an
| thirty years he has devoted his life almost
al. 81 y14a 90
men of our country. And his labor has
not been in vain; for the fruits of his toll
are ripening all over his loved Tennessee,
and even beyond her far-reaching borders.
| But there is another phase of his successful
life of still greater interest and importance.
With all of his extensive and accom-
plished learning he was also conscien-
tious, humble follower of the Lord Jesus
Christ. In his earliest boyhood he was
eminently pious and exemplary in life.
He has frequently said that in youth he
had a peculiar experience. 1t was some
thing like vision in which two thorough
fares were open to him. One was the way
A distinct voice seemed to call him in the
way of virtue and peace. He re-
solved at once to seek this way
and shun. the other. He made
beautiful grove near the home of his
| D0yhO0Q, ana lmmeQlateIy afterwards
Ijoined the Methodist Church at the early
age of II years. From that day to the
present, through the vicisitudes and atflic-
tons of 45 years, his life and character
have been the embodiment and exemplify-
cation of Christian fidelity and devotion.
And while his type of mind was eminent
ly progressive, delighting to revel amid
the fields of speculation and subtle in
quiry, living both in science and theology,
somewhat in advance Of the present age
and generation, yet his confidence in the
religion of Revelation was as firm and i'm
movable as the rock of eternal ages. He
was familiar with all the phases OF modern
skepticism, but these had none other in
fuence than to deepen his convictions as to
the Mesiahship of our adorable Re-
deemer.
And he was not only professor of this
holy religion, but was one of its ablest
and most fearless defenders. For in
addition to his obligations as College Pro-
fessor he was also minister of the Gospel
He was licensed to preach by his church
March the 9Th, 1869, and was ordained dea-
con by Bishop D. s. Doggett, of Rich
mond, Virginia, October 9th, 1872.
In the breadth of his scholarship, and
originality of thought, he has been rs sue
, cessful in many respects in the presenta-
ton OF truth from the pulpit, as from the
[ chair of science. His sermons were al
ways replete with the matured fruits OF
critical research and investigation. In
social life he had the rare faculty of adap-