Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-01-10

Thinking Spring, IL moG al eliGuuSldSIlc IT,
ception. Short space was taken for fare
wells. Clad in skins which their own
hands had stripped from the wild beasts.
laden with powder born and pouch, with
their trusty rifles on their shoulders and
their brave wives by their sides, the stern
faced patriots flocked to the small log
church. The pastor rose in the sacred
desk-a tall, spare form, wasted by disease.
There was solemnity in his face that fell
like quiet benediction on the waiting
hearts. Yet the fire of burning soul
glowed in his eyes, and when he began TO
speak, his deep, rich voice was tremulous
with emotion. He reviewed the great
principles for which the armies were con-
tending; he showed from the Holy Book
how God prepares a people whom He would.
/ lead into the promised land he recounted
the battles of the war, hisvoice now rising
to an awful power and marvellous pathos :;
and, as be pictured the recent fields in the
South. still wet with the blood of their
countrymen, the little church seemed to
tremble with the roar of cannon, the
with the gro4ns of the dying, the wailing
of the widowed and fatherless. Every log
in the building cried, ITO arms!" the walls
rang with shouts Of vengeance. The pas
tors head bowed; the voice fell to a low,
sweet tone of prayer, which was like the
sound of an evening breeze after day of
battle. AS he ceased his plea and called
down ON every consecrated head and rifle
benediction from the God of battles, it
seemed to every patriot that a flaming
sword had been placed IN his grasp by an
i. visible hand
Tie men set out on their march through
winter solitudes, through terrible suffer
ing to death. They made all haste to the
Dan, crossed the river with Greene, form
ed one company of Stevens brigad" at
| Guilford, and left many of their number
dead on that awful field. They were strong
souls, inspired with high courage. But
they owed their inspiration to their
glorious faith, their noble Wives-and to
james Waddell.
The pastor of Thinking Spring congrega-
ton was man msrvellously endowed
Not John the Baptist could h I'VE cried in
the i. ilderness, "Repent! repent!' more
eloquently than did James Waddell in the
forests and waste places of Virginia. He
was Irish born, but came in infancy to
America. Like nearly all men Who have
been powerful for good he owed everything
to his mother. She brought hither her
Scotch Presby terianism-a grand faith for
sturdy souls-and taught her son in
childhood to walk in the ways of the Gov
enapters. At the age of thirteen he was
| placed under the famous Dr.. Finley, in the
academy at nottingham, Pennsylvania.
and was so proficient in his studies thathe
| soon hecarae a valued assistant to his
preceptor. His warm nature and strong
| imagination were much employed in
| searching the mysteries of God; and when
an old man he related that during these
school years he had two such seasons of
| glory as he never afterward experienced
Intending to pass his life in teaching, he
started southwark, with the design of open
ing school at Charleston. He reached
Hanover county, in Virginia. There he
met the father of Patrick Henry, and
heard Samuel Davies, the wonderful pull
pit orator. This was the turning point in
| his life. He was chained to the spot by
Davies eloquence. This clergyman dis
cerned the latent power in the young man.
In his resistless manner he forbade the
! traveller to go farther, and told him he
must give himself to Gods ministry.
| Waddell obeyed, and after studying theo-
logy, was licensed in 1851 by the Fresby-
terry Of Hanover. Five calls were at once
placed in his hands, but be rejected them
all and returned to Pennsylvania, wishing
to labor in that colony. He soon Game
| back to Hanover and ask ed for dismissal,
but such urgent prayers for help came up
from the seaboard, that he departed at
once to the churches of Lancaster and
Northumberland.
Here he began his harvest work for God;
here he first displayed in its fullness that
marvellous eloquence; here he built up the
waste places Of Zion. AS the great war
drew nigh he was among the first to dis
Germ it's coming, and one of the foremost in
rouslng tile people to resistance. His
matchless powers were given night and
day 10 the service of God and his country.
He made common cause of the two, and
taught lis hearers that no willing slave
could be an acceptable worshipper OF God
His influence over the people was bound
tss. No one, indeed, could withstand his
oratory, and his logic was as iavincible.
A Cal eful student of the Revolu ion is as
tonished to learn how great a part the
clergy had in tie Well-laid foundation of
our Independence; and James Waddell is
not the least of those to whom we owe our
liberties. But excessive labor broke him
down. Unable to brave longer the fevers
of the lowlands-impelled, too, by the
presence of British fleets seeking his cap
ture-in 1776 be left his people disconso
late at his loss and set his face toward the
great mountain range Passing over the
Blue Ridge, ne descended into Augusta
and took charge of the Thinking Spring
congregation.
In this majestic wilderness he found
new life for body and soul. His labours
became as great and varied as before. His
power went out into all the country, and
the small log Westinghouse soon became
Mecca. From far-off hamlets, Sabbath
by Sabbath, came groups of pioneers
through The forest, accompanied by knife
and rifle, their two best friends. Through
summer heat and winter SHOWS that mar
vellous voice drew them hither; and when
they returned homeward they felt that
God yet walked in the garden as when the
world was young. Beneath the glow tf
his spirit, hearts melted as the mountain