Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-11-05
The Death Of Bishop Doggett.

The death of Bishop Doggett, OF the
Methodist church, which occurred last
week in Richmond, was published last Fri
day. A sketch of bin says:
Perhaps no man in the Methodist Epis
copal Church South had a wider acquain
lance, and none enjoyeda higher reputa
ton for learning and eloquence.
Many of our readers Will recall his digni
fed manner, his distinct enunciation and
fervor of language. when he appeared in
the pulpit. Among the older lights of the
Methodist church, it is matter of pride
to recount to-day the powerful sermons OF
David Seth Doggett as far back even as
1880.
He was born in Lancaster county, in this
State, in 1910. His father was worthy
member of the bar of that county, and
practiced in the courts of that and neigh
boring counties. The subject of this sketch
had all the advantages of the schools in
the county in which he lived, and availed
himself of them. At an early age he read
law under his father, with the intention of
entering that profession. This design,
however, he abandoned, and before he was
seventeen began to study for the ministry.
Before be was eighteen he entered the pull
pit. Soon after arriving at the age of man
hood DR.. Doggett entered Randolph Ma
con College as chaplain. Here he was a
diligent student. and during the years he
held the position applied himself to his du-
ties with an earnestness which won the ad-
,miration and respect of his professors. AT
ter leaving Randolph Macon the deceased
was assigned a charge, and from that time
ot,o,, ba obpd in a1nOnct all of
the principal churches of bis denomination
in the State. In 1873 he was made bish-
op. just before his last illness he was to
have presided over the California Confer
ence, but was prevented by the attack,
which Wednesday night resulted in his
death.
The funeral ceremonies of this distin
guished man at Centenary church, in
Richmond, are thus described:
The sacred edifce was deeply draped,
and the chair which had formerly been &C.
cupied by the deceased when present at
the church was also covered with black.
Rev. DR.. John E. Edwards conducted The
opening services, and as the body was
brought in the choir sang the beautiful
hymn, 81 would not live Away"
After the further reading of the service
DR.. Edwards, read with great emotion the
hymn, Servant of God, well done,' - which
was sung by the choir, after which Rev.
A. E. Judkins offered prayer. Rev. DR..
Bennett read the 18th chapter of LIST Cor
inthians, after which the addresses by
ministers present were delivered.
Rev. DR.. Edwards was the first speaker.
He gave an interesting sketch of the life
of the deceased, and then proceeded to
speak beautifully of the character OF the
tod rriu fn10hinn
count of the last hours of Bishop Doggett.
He alluded in the beginning to the love of
the deceased for the Centenary church.
and mentioned that he said to him in his
last sickness that the time he had charge
of Centenary church was the happiest of
his life. Bishop Doggett he characterized
as prince in the pulpit, and as preacher
he though he had no superior on this con-
tinent. The speaker mentioned particu-
larIy the sermons preached by the deceased
in the years 1841 to 1843 as having been
equaled by few men on this continent.
Among the last words that the deceased
uttered to the speaker he named the fol-
lowing: s'TelI them that l die believing in
the doctrines of our Church as taught by
the founder and standard writers-the
doctrines have preached so long-those
are my solace on my sick bed and in view
of DEATH DIR. Edwards said further that
his deceased friend had left in his
custody large collection of manuscript,
from which he 1.-THE speaker) proposed to
make volume. The speaker then gave an
interesting analysis of the style of preach
ing of the subject of his discourse, and at
ter summing up his great Intellectual en-
dowments said that it was as Christian
that DR.. Doggett must command the admi-
ration of all. Everywhere and always he
preached an experimental religion, and
that religion did not fail him at the end OF
his journey.