Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-04-28

a brief Sketch of the WeIi-known
Presbytcri;sn Minister Whose
beafh Was Announced Yesterday.

The Rev. Dir. Dale, whose death was
briefly noticed in yesterdays EVER
EVENING, was born i'll Wilmington ga
October 16 1872. and was consequently
i'll the 69th year Of his age at the time Of
his death. When quite young his family
moved to Philadelphia, where he received
his education, graduating with distille-
! ton from the University of Pennsylvania.
shortly after leaving the University he
entered the office OF j. X. ngersoll, Esd,
to study law, and while prosecuting this
course of study he became much CON
eerned on the subject of religion, and
united himself with the Arch Street Pres
hyterian Church. His religious impress
sions deepened to such an extent that he
felt called upon to preach the gospel, and
with this view he abandoned his legal
studies and entered upon theological
course at Andover Theological Seminary,
which college afforded peculiar facilities
for the study of Greek and Hebrew, in
which languages he attained great pro-
tieienGy. subsequently he studied for
some time at Princeton Theological Semi
nary, where he likewise made rapid
progress.
Having completed his curriculum Dir.
Dale desired to become u missionary to the
heathen, and offered his services to the
american Board of Commissioners fsr
Foreign Missions. From them he
received commission for Raipootana, in
Hindostan, but the accomplishment of
the plan was prevented by pecuniary
difficulties, and in the meanwhile lie
commenced the study of medicine as Il
further preparation for his intended
missionary work, in due time receiving
his degree of NJ. d. from the University
of Pennsylvania. The Board of Foreign
Missions being still unable to send him
the Bible Society of Philadelphia to
throughout the State of Pennsylvania.
seven years, and at the end of that time,
linding his plan for employment in
foreign missions still impracticable, he
finally relinquished it, and accepted an
invitation to the pastorate from Ridley
and Middletown Presbyterian churches,
in Delaware county, Pa, which two
churches were united III one pastoral
charge. He entered upon this work June
II, 1S45, and labored zealously in it
during more than 25 years.
Dir. Dale founded the First Church of
Chester, and also the Church of Media,
both of which he fostered and greatly
assisted to maintain both as IL preacher
and a iinancier i'll their behalf. He was
an llncompromising advocate of the tenn
perance cause, and was mainly instru-
mental in securing for the town of Media
4 law prohibiting the sale of liquors.
Besides the publication OF great number
OF sermons, which have had wide circu-
lation, DR.. Dale has also written several
volumes on baptism, which havesbeen re-
ceived with very high concentrations by
the best classical and biblical scholars the
day The work comprises three volumes,
divided into, Classic Baptism; Judaic
Baptism, and Johannic Baptism. Shortly
after the publication Of the first OF these
volumes, the degree Of D. D. was confer
red ON him by Hampden Sidney College
OF Virginia, and also by his own alma
mater, the University Of Pennsylvania.
On June 10, 1871, he received a call to
undertake the pastorate OF the Wayne
Presbyterian Church, at Wayne Hall,
Delaware county, which pulpit he filled
at the time of his death.
AS stated yesterday Dr.. Dale was we'll
known in this city. He delivered the
charge to the people upon the occasion of
She installation Of Rev. Mr.. Keigwin as
pastor of the West Presbyterian Church
and has preached here at various times
and always drew large congregations.
DIR. Dale was married to Mary g.,
daughter of Andrew Gray of this county
on May l4th, lS44. His wife survives
him. ~#.