The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-22

Death mt Ashland xesterday Afternoon OF
This Distinguished and Beloved Minister or
the Methodist Church In virginin.


This Di.tinruished and Beloved Minister Of
the methodist Church in virginin.
Dr LEROY NJ. Lee, one Of the oldest and
most distinguished ministers Of the Metho-
dist Church in Virginia, died at Ashland
about a o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The deceased was born In petersburg on
I the 3Oth Of April, 1sOS. His mother,
daughter OF James and Elizabeth Wheless,
was born and grew to womanhood near the
town OF Enfield, N. L. His father was
born in Prince George county, Va. lie
was younger than his brother Rev. Jesse
Lee and older than his brother Rev. John
Lee, who were among the earliest OF Amerl-
can Methodist preachers and the pioneers
of Methodsm in the New England States.
Deceased was converted under the ministry
Of Rev. william A. Smith on Sunday night,
April /. 1927, and Joined the church on
SUNDAY after. the Sth. He was appointed
leader OF n class OF venerable mothers In
Israel In few weeks afterwards. In the
month OF August he was licensed as an eX-
horter. and the same month yentured to
take text, and tried to preach. In No
vembcr, after examination before the Quar-
terly Conference In Petersburg, he was
recommended TO he received on
trial by the Virginia Annual Con-
ference, and was received with twen-
ty-two other young men at the session
/ OF the Conference in Raleigh, n. c., in
February, 1928. His first appointment was
to Campbell circuit, with Joshua Leigh as
preacher in charge. His second year, 1929,
was in charge OF Washington and Ply
mouth, n. c.; In 1880, Newbern, n. c..
1881. Prince Edward, Va; 1882, Bruins
wick circuit; 1888, Elizabeth City. n. c.;
1884, Portsmouth, Va; 1885, Trinity,
Richmond, Va, and entered on his work
| SUNDAY, March ID. On the night OF June
10th he held prayer-meeting in the base
ment of the church. After midnight the
church took fire and was entirely destroyed.
lie remained among his people, preaching
as he could, and arranging to rebuild the
church. He accomplished this. and after
the work was advanced. in November he
went by sea to Charleston, 5. c., intending
for the benefit OF his health TO spend the
winter at St. Augustine, Fla. The break
| Ing out Of the Indian war in Florida him
dered hlm. and he remained in Charleston
until January, 1886, and after a stormy
passage OF twenty-three days reached Nor
! folk when the Conference had nearly COM
!
| TO find that the Conference had purchased
/ the Christian Sentinel Il paper started in
| Richmond in 1882, and that be was to be
| the editor. He had been frequent con-
| tributor to its columns since its origin, and
he supposed this induced the selection.
/ The Conference had no right or power to
appoint an editor; and his name stands on
the Minutes as "colleague OF w. a. Smith
I Uf,;,, ha
! finished i'm June, 1896, and he preached
one OF the sermons at its dedication. II
was sold some years after, and the con-
gregatiOn divided. and first built Broad
Street church and then the present Trinity
church. The first paper that iloated his
name as editor was issued March 4, 1886.
He continued to edit the paper until April,
1887, when his health was so feeble he re-
! signed. and then until February, 1859, he
travelled through the Conference as a
means OF restoration. In 1889 he was
unanimously reappOinted to the paper !;
/ the General Conference OF 1886 had recog-
nized and adopted ii as one OF the Church
papers.
EDITOR AND AUTHOR.
lie remained editor until the Southern
General Conference OF 1858, when he re-
signed to enter the pastoral work. In No
vombcr, 1858, he was appointed presiding
elder OF the Norfolk district. The war
drove him from his district the day the
/ Federal troops entered Norfolk, May 10,
| 1862.
At the Conference, November, 1862, he
was appointed 70 Centenary church, Lynch
burg. Va. and was continued rs its pastor
until November. 1865. at Danyille. Thence
I -. nl.xs-G chIrph
folk. where he remained until November,
1867; in lsGS-'G9, ut Union Station, Rich
mond: November, 1869, appointed to
Richmond district; in 1874, presiding
elder OF Petersburg district; in Noyem-
ber, 1877, returned as presiding elder 10
Richmond district.
/ He was member OF the General Con-
ference Of 1874. in New York, at which
tbe Church was divided; a member OF the
General Convention in Louisville, KY,
lS4j. at which the Methodist Episcopal
Church. South, was organized, and has
been member OF every General Confer
euce of the Church since its organization
lie was chairman OF the Committee on
Itinerancy at each session from 1880 tc
1866. inclusive, and at the sessions OF 1876
and 1874 chairman Of the Committee Oh
Episcopacy.
ON the 10th Of July, 1884, he and Miss
Nancy Mosely Butler, Of Elizabeth City
NC, were united in holy wedlock, ant
on the 22d Of November following she
passed away from earth calm, tranquil, ant
, happv, leaning upon the true and faithful
promises Of the Beloved.
On the 30th Of November, 1886, he wa
again married to Miss Virginia Addington
OF Norfolk. Va. She bore him nine chil
dren-siX sons and three daughters. Two
OF these died in infancy, and one III early
vomanhood. -Four sons and two daugh
ters survived her. Her youngest chil(
was nearly fifteen years old at the time
her death: her youngest daughter ha
married and died since the death OF he
mother. Mrs. Lee died suddenly. in th'
absence Of her husband from home, on th'
10Th OF March, 1872.
About 1884 volume, made up OF con
tributions to the ChriStian Sentinel in 1872
entitled "Advice to a Young Convert
was published on the recommendation o
the Virginia Conference; in 1871, "Th'
Life and Times Of Jesse Lee; in 1919
THE Great supper not Calvinistic
finished. but not published, work oi
uIniant Baptism"; "Distinctive Baptis
princiules rerSus Distinctive Bible Princi
ples": "The Dispensation OF the spirit
OF lesser works, "a Tract on Coniirma
tionn "On the Final Perseverance OF TN
S,;nts,, OF reviews, "Calyin and Ser
5 yetus"; "The Life and Writings of Armi
e Mus "Pulpit Hermeneutics y; eth
c Uestoratiou of the Jews; "John's Bap
!, tiSm ,, OF miscellaneous writings, eth
: Shoemaker OF st. Austell"; a Dream o
I Wealth y; "a Letter from an lnfidel"
: oThe Two Mothers: or, The Mischiefs an,
L Nieeries NJ Making Bills" &C., &c.