Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-08-28
NO. 50.

ory, he held the ideas most tenaciously. In
fact, DR.. Grier was thinker. In all his
theological discussions, the Bible was the rule
by which every opinion was tried. Few men
were better prepared to sit in Judgment upon
literary production. He seemed to have
clear and distinct knowledge Of the shades of
difference between the meaning Of words
which are generally regarded as synonyms.
If there was any flaw or inappropriateness in
figure, he was certain to discover it.
As a writer, DR.. Grier is entitled to be
ranked among the first class. 1t must be
confessed that there is nothing in his style
which is regarded as the chief beauty Of a
tale of fiction. Still, it is not destitute Of those
graces which please a cultivated intellect.
He had, been so long accustomed to give In
struction in Mental and Moral Philosophy,
that his style in the after part Of his life, be-
came peculiarly adapted to this kind of SUBJ
jects. His words are scrupulously exact, and
his sentences so constructed that it is impossi-
BILE to mistake his meaning His style is as
clear as that of DR.. Archibald Alexander,
while it is much stronger, his words being
more vigorous and his sentences more COM
pact. A good example Of what he was as a
writer, may be seen in an essay which ne
prepared, in 1852, on "Forbearance." In
that essay he states that his purpose is to ex.
plain the nature of.fotbearance, to enforce its
obligations, and to show the limit to its exer-
else. The forbearance of which he treats is
that which Christians should exercise toward
each other. DR.. John M. Mascn and DIR.
Robert Hall had treated the same subject at
length before. In the main, these three great
men agree. 1t is easy to ridicule their argu-
ments, but they have not been answered yet
No better idea Of DR.. Grier's powers can be
presented than to say that in the essay on
forbearance, he shows himself to be the peer
of DR.. John M. Mason and DR.. Robert Hall.
All these wrote on the same general subject
and entertained the same views, and DR..
Grier's essay is, in some important respects,
superior to "Mason's Plea"
That which graced every other endowment
bestowed upon DR.. Grier, and every attain.
ment acquired by him, was his piety. Great
and noble, Intellectual and learned as he was,
he was still an humble Christian.
In person, he was fully of the average size.
In height, fully six feet. In the latter part
Of his life, he became slightly stopped in the
shoulders. His head and face were massive.
His large, and well set in itssocket, beamed
with intelligence The picture which accom-
panies this sketch presents him as he appeared
when about thirty Eve years Of age.
In August, 1910, DR.. Grier married Miss
Barbara B. Mofatt, daughter Of William
Mofatt wealthy merchant Of Chester coun-
ty, South Carolina, and granddaughter Of
the Rev. John Hemphill, D. D. Through
his wife, DR.. Grier became the possessor Of
considerable amount ofproperty. His father,
DR.. Isaac Grier, was also q man of means.
Such being the case, DR.. Grier was, when
toiling and struggling to build up Erskine
College, man of wealth. Literally, hewore
himself out.fos the good Of the Church. On
the 3Oth Of March, 1871, having just COM
pleted his ffty.fourth year, he died; young
in years, but old in la.ors and cares.
For period Of nearly twenty years, his
labors in the College, Theological Seminary
and pastoral cares, had pressed upon him.
His giant intellect met every duty promptly
and successfully; but as is the case with many
such men, when he began to fail, he went
down at once.
On the 9th of June, 1852, his oldest son,
Isaac Livingston, was killed at Gaines Mill.
This severe stroke crushed the heart Of DR..
Grier. From that day on, his face wore
deep sadness which indicated sadder heart,
and his manly frame began to stoop. Faith
fully did he serve his generation, and having
finished, not a long life, but a most useful life,
he was gathered to his fathers.
DR.. Grier left eight children-four sons
and four daughters. William Mofatt, his
Oldest living child, is president Of Erskine
College. Margaret Isabella is the wife OF
the Rev. j. E. Martin. Laura E., is the wife
of the Rev. G. R. White. Martha Lois is
the wife of the Rev. D. B. Pressly, and Jane
E., is the wife of Mr.. James E. Todd. The
other children are at home with their mother.
Isaac Livingston was young man OF very
great promise. Rarely are young men met
with who have acquired so much general and
useful information as Livy Grier had. at
the time that he was killed, he was 8 theolog-
ical student.