Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-10-26

\ of this place. will be pained 10 learn Oi
his death, which occurred at his resi-
i dence about 4 o'clock on Tuesday morn
ing. He had been suffering for long
/ time from bronchial affections and fol
several years had been exceedingly frail
/ Almost continuously during the past
| year. he was confined to the house anC
for some time back 10 his room. During
this long confinement he was cheerful
and uncomplainiug, and contemplated
his approaching dissolution with serene
confidence. Deceased was no ordinary
man. OF Scotch-hish descent, he in
herited the noble characteristics of his
ancestors, and was deeply imbued with
their love of right and justice. Early in
life he determined to secure for himself
an education, and all his energies were
bent to the accomplishment OF that OBJ
ject.
Before he started tn college, he attend
ed the academy at CadiZ, where he was
the class-mate and intimate friend OF
Bishop Simpson. At Franklin College
he: was the class mate and friend OF
the we'll known mathematician, DR.. Ray
In academy or college, he was a hard
student, conscientiOusly preparing the
! tasks assigned him, and became a fire
scholar. He was a man of varied attain
ments and profound thinker.
Aside from his ministerial career,
mention of which is made hereafter, he
was postmaster of this place from 1870
to 1881, when owing to i'll health he re-
signed the office.
From 1859 he was a resident of this
place. and perhaps it will not be writing
too much to say that the impress of his
thought upon this community is more
marked than of any other man who pre-
ceded him. During the war he warmly es-
poused the Union cause and preached
| from the pulpit of the Nervousness OF
human slavery. His voice was always
for the prosecution of the war until the
National sovereignty was recognized
by every State.
As a minister he was able and fear
less, rightly dividing the word OF
truth" as pastor he was beloved by d
large congregation AS a citizen, he was
on the side of reform. progress and
right, and his death is lamented by all
who knew him.
From pamphlet containing the pro-
ceedings of the Semi Centennial ami
lversary of the First U. p. Church of St
Glairsyille. we extract the following ac-
count of the career of the deceased
which will be of interest to our readers
At meeting of the U. P. Presbytery o.
Wheeling, April 18th, 1859, a call was present.
ed from the congregation of ST. Clairsville
made out for the Rev. j. B. Johnston, D. d
This call was sustained and laid upon the table
At meeting of Presbytery held in St. Clairs
vile, June l4th, 1859, DR.. Johnston was re-
ceived on certificate, and his name added to tn,
roll. The call from st. Clairsville was pre-.
sented and by him accepted. and the Rev. j. 7
Mcclure and the Rev. D. Z, Reed were ap
pointed committee to install him in st
Clairsville when called on. At meeting O
Presbytery, August 9th, 1859, this committed
reported having attended to the duty imposed
DR.. Johnston took formal charge Of the con
gregation June 1st, 1859, and was installed
sometime between the l4th of June and the 6tl
of August DR.. Johnston was born in what ii
now called Indiana county, Pa, March 18th
1902. The family came to Ohio in 1906, settl
ing near Hopedale, Harrison county. He en-
tered Jefferson College when twenty-One year,
of age, and graduated at Franklin College, New
Athens, Ohio, in 1929. "He then went t.
Pittsburgh, studied Theology and entered thu
ministry, being licensed in 1882. In 1888 h
settled in Logan county, Ohio, and took chsrg'
of church at what is now the village of New
Geneva" He was ordained by the Western
Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church, in june 1884. He opened a classica
school there in 1S4l, which was the origin o
the college founded at that place in 1915. Ii
conjunction with others he also founded
female seminary After having been the paste
of that congregation for the period of twenty
five years, he severed bis connection with tn
4 Reformed Presbyterian Church in 1858, associ
ated himself with the United Presbyterian
Church, and, as we have seen, settled in ST
| Clairsville in 1859.
Dr. Johnston is q man of varied and high at
tainments. AS student and eypounder o
prophecy he had few snperiors. He is pro
found theologian of the Calvinistic school, afte
the type of the Morrow men. As an expositor,
4 preacher and sermOnizer he had great power Il
the pulpit He was in the front in all moderl
reforms, and took, and still feels, deep in
terest in the cause of missions, especially th'
| foreign work of the United PresbyteriaI
Church, to which he devoted two Of bis child
| ren: one, daughter, being still in the field. H
was grand organizer, and possessed of rar'
executive ability, calling out and applying thu
E0rking power of the church. Possessed o
more than ordinary ability, natural and acquir
ed, he was unsparing in labors in this his las
/ field Under his hand the congregation pros
pered and grew.
Notwithstanding the popularity of the times
at the beginning and during the first years o
this pOstorate. when the very foundation o
things were Aasettled and seemed about to b'
destroyed, yet steady advance was made, ant
the congregation pnospered in all her spiritua
and material Interests.
Prayer meetings wese organized in district:
throughout the congregation, the Sabbath
school was advanced in ali its interests, ant
every department of the chaEeh work was car
ried on with increasing energy,
This pastorate continued for fifteen years
Failing health constrained the pastor to seek
dissolution of the relation existing betweel
him and the congregation. Consequently Oh
the 5th of April 1874, DR.. JObaston made aP
plication to the Presbytery Of Wheeling for
dissolution of the pastoral relation This re
quest having been presented TO Presbytery, ac
cordingly, at meeting in st. ClairsVjlle, jun
!, 9th, 1874, the relation was dissolved, and ap
propriate resolutions were adopted in respect t.
this action.
The funeral will take place from tn
u z. church, on Friday, at 1 o'clock.
MISS MARY GABLE, the ElocutiOnist
assisted by Miss Mary Fisher, will Civ
one of her pleasing entertainments il