Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-11-27
a Nestor Of the Church.
THE DEATH OF THE REV. DR.. LovICK
PIERCE, OF GEORGIA.

PIERCE, OF GEORGIA.
"A Preacher WHO Packed His The
Ological Work ian Hais Sa IdIcbags,
and. Like john tho baptist, wont
out into tho Wilderness.
The Rev. Lovick Pierce, D. d., died
yesterday at his home iu Sparta, Georgia,
after protracted illness proceeding from q
complication of tho infrmitics Of old ogc.
He was ia his ninety fifth year. having
been born in Halifax County, North Caro-
lima, March "a, 1855. While he was yet o
boy, his parents, who werc farmers, moved
to South Carolina, and settled in Barnwcll
County. Young Lovick's early lifo was
spent on the farm, where he picked up such
education as circumstances afforded From
his earliest days ho was dilgoot student
of the few books which oamo within his
reach, making specially of Bblo study,
aud ayailing himself to the utmost of his
remarkable gift of memory. 1t was to
this that he owed much of the power which
in after years characterized his ministry
He could repeat long passages of Scripture
with unfailing accuracy, and seemed to have
the whole volume from Genesis to Revcla-
tion at his fingers ends, available for in
stant use, whether in preaching or for pur-
poses of argument All the schooling he
had before entering the ministry was
crowded into six months, and received in
one of the primitive log school houses Of
the country. IIo made profession of rolf
gion at an early period, and resolved to de-
vote himself to the ministry. Pursuing his
studies in homely way, with such aid as
he could obtain, he was ready for ministerial
work at nineteen. lie began his ministry
as boy preacher, aud at once attracted
much attention by his earnestncss aud
degree of eloquenoe which gave promise of
grcater things for future years. The work
of the Methodist circuit rider was in those
days fur roughcr and moro laborious than
the toughest missionary work of the present
time in the far West. Mounted on his
pony, and equipped with his Bible and
few books of old fashioned theology in his
saddlc-bags, young Pierce preached from
place to place in such school houses and
other places of public gathering as tho
country furnished, and frequently held ser
vice In dwelling houses aud in the woods.
great endurance, and powerful to withstand
any amount of fatigue, seasoning it all the
time with an amount Of hard intellectual
work which would have sent most ministers
Of modern days to Europe every year for
rccnperaton. He was of commanding per.
sona presence, and endowed with magnet
ism which could hold any audience in rapt
attention. This magnetic power grew upon
him, and as lie reached maturity he became
the leading orator of Southern Mcthodism.
After five years of circuit work in South
Carolina, he went to Green County, Georgia,
where, until 1912, he continued the same
kind of work, the effects of which are felt
to this day. When the war of 1872 broke
out he was appointed chaplain in the army,
post which he filled in no perfunctory
style, but with the earnestncss which char
actcrsed his whole life. After the war he
concluded to study medicine, not with
view to substituting tho medical profession
for that of the ministry, but to add to his
usefulness IN his labors among the people
in country almost unprovided with what
are necessities to modern civilization For
several years he engaged in tho practice of
medicine at Greensboro, NJ c., in conncc-
ton with his preaching aud pastoral duties.
But as physicians multiplied ho fel. him
self called to give his whole energy to the
ministry, aud laid aside the active practice
Of medicine.
One of DR.. Pierce's most cherished ideas
was in behalf of female education, and in
this is to be seen a leading effort of his
life. In his early years education for boys
was scarce and difficult enough, and fol
girls next to impossible. His hopes and
labors in this direction took shape in the
founding of Wesleyan Female College at
Macon. 10 this institution he sustained
from its inception a very close relation.
He was its first travelling agent. Ho FIRST
among tho men of Georgia made an effort
to bring tho education of young women to
tho standard of college curriculum. 10
this he was bitterly opposed by many lead
ing mon who believed in the infcriority Of
tho female mind. lie cou ubattcd their
opposition by lc,turing on tho subject
throughout tho State. III stirred the public
up to point OF which contributions came
in with sufficient abundance to erect the
college building. These contributions we're
by individual libcrality, not dollar Of
State money being used, Tho college was
always known as a Methodist institution,
yet was established on such broad basis as
to escape the odum of sectarianism. While
DR.. Pierce was a staupch Methodist, there
was nothing bigotcd about him. In 1878
nc wrote: ~ am the only living member of
the original board of trustees-have been
present in my place at every commence
ment, thirty fivo years in succession. The
ladies long ago began to oal mo tho Nestor.
TO have lived to win so proud title is tho