Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-21
Bisho,, Paine.

This distinguished Methodist divine
has been lying at the point of death
at Aberdeen, Mississippi, for several
days, and ere this may have passed
away. Owing to his advanced age and
attendant inirmities, it is hardly pos
sible that he will ever be on his feet
again, The Nashville American Of
yesterday says;
Robert Paine was born in Pearson
county, North Carolina, November
IL, 1893, but removed in early life to
Giles county in this State. He was
graduated at Chapel Hill, in the same
clsss with ex President Polk. He
was converted in eaily lie. He was
licensed to preach and admitted into
the Tennessee Conference in 1878,
before he was twenty years old. 1t
is a curious coincidence that his death
occurred just at the opening of the
same Conference which is now hold
ing its annual session at Franklin.
For ten years he was in the active
work Of the itinerant ministry, and
had much to do in organizing the
Methodist church in Tennessee. In
the year 1929, he was elected Presi-
dent of Lagrange College, in Alabama.
where he remained till the year 1916,
BE had been a member of the General
Conference of the NJ. II. Church five
terms before the division in 1874, and
at the General Conference of that year
he was chairman of the committee Of
nine which reported the plan of sep
aration.
He was a member Of the Louisville
Convention in 1915, and at the first
General Conference Of the NJ. Il.
Church, South, was elected Bishop
with Bishop Cofer, of South Carolina,
and became the colleague of Bishop
Soule, Of Tennessee, and Bishop An
drew, Of Georgia, who were elected
before the division and adhered with
the Southern Conferences.
As a presiding officer and Bishop,
he was always prompt, firm, digniied,
but genial, and ever commanded the
love of his brethren in the ministry
who were subordinate to him. He
was present at the General Conference
held in this city last May, and was the
recipient of every mark of esteem and
love and veneration which his breth-
rem and friends could bestoW upon
him. lie delivered before them the
following address after the reading of
the Bishops address to the General
Conference:
ITO the General Conference of the
N. n Church, South-Dear Brethren:
While joining heartily with my col
leagues in the address you have heard,
| beg your indulgence to make a few
remarks Of a personal character.
During nearly sixty-fye years /
have had the honor of being an
itinerant Methodist preacher, and for
thirty six years a Bishop. In the
General Conference Of 1924 l was a
delegate, have attended every session
since then. For the confidence in nv
reliability, indicated by these facts, /
wish to now return my most earnest
gratitude to my much respected col
leagues in the Episcopacy, between
whom and myself the utmost cordial
feelings have been unvaryingly main
tanned. ! tender my thanks. They
have generously supplied my lack Of
service by doing double duty.
And now, my beloved brethren,
worn down with age and infirmities, l
ask TO be permitted to retire from fu-
ture active service. Permit me in
conclusion to congratulate you upon
the auspicious circumstances under
which you have met, and to remind
you ofyour high responsibility to God
and his Church.
"Sheuld it be allowed me in making
this, probably my last communication
to a General Conference, to express
the results Of my experience and OBJ
seryations as to the doctrines and pol
icy Of our beloved Methodism, |
would say, after deyotiBg a life time
TO the study Of its doctrines, my con
viction as to their scripturalness has
strengthened, aud my estimation Of
the Importance Of maintaining the es-
%sential features Of its polity has
increased
II do most devoutly thank God
that in early life | became a Metho.
dist itinersnt preacher, and have
continued such. But above all /
} rejoice in the religious experience
: which Methodism presents as the
privilege Of its members, "the 10Y
unspeakable, and full Of glory"
ITO. enjoy this is the browning glory
} of the Christian life. | rejoice in Q
! thorough conversion, consciously
attested by the witnessing spirit, a
, pure and consecrated daily life, and its
/ end-it it can be properly said ever ia
end-the crown Of glory that fadeth
not away. For this culmination
/ shall beg calmly and with humble
! confidence to wait until the pains aud
in6rmities Of this life shall pass away.
There may we meet again
Long before tho venerable Bisbor
: had ceased reading the above noarly
! all the members Of the conference
were in tears. No one who was pres.
cat will ever forget the affecting soene.
y =
For the last several months he has
been sending notes Of his life TO the
Methodist Publishing House, to be
printed in the Christian Advocate,
His last batch Of copy was sent on
October 9th, and In a letter accom-.
panying IL. to the Agent, DR.. Meier.
rim, he wrote the following words,
: perhaps the last he even wrote:
Sixty. five years ago, this day, and
about the hour of nm. was Nhorn