The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-05-10

day at public dinner in the Commons
Hail. after the cloth was removed, and
the wine brought on, and many toasts
drunk, Professor McViocar, with some
very striking and appropriate remarks,
proposed: The health of Major James
Morton, the oldest and most. faithful
member of the Board of Trustees. and our
Incompatible precentor; Long mag he
live to sing, and ever Hve M song, :" which
was drunk with a shout and "a three
times three" The dear old man kept
his seat, with broad smile on his face,
and the tears trickling down his cheek.
Old Age and Loneliness.
In his old age, after his sons and daugh-
ters were all married and had gone off,
he was left for several years alone, and
often became very sad and depressed in
spirits. In that great big old-fashioned
country house-the seat of unbounded
hospitality in former years-he lived !;
the only white person on the plantation,
except of course, the overseer and his
family who lived in separate house at a
distance.
1t had been the rule at Wellington, and
also at most of the houses in the neigh
borhood, to have family prayers in the
morning and evening, as regularly as
they got up or went to bed. 1t was no
more omitted than breakfast-indeed not
SO much. At these morning and even
ing prayers the house-servants attended
as regularly as the white people, and took
part in the exercises Of singing at least, if
nothing else, for all negroes love singing
After the family was broken up by mar
riages and removals, these domestics, by
degrees, left off attending prayers, until
at last the old Major was left alone. Still
he conducted the service as he had al
ways done, not emitting any part of it.
An Affecting Incident.
One morning went over to take break
fast with the old man, and to ask him to
come to Ararat to dinner. It was only
about half mile from my house to his,
and when l got on the porch, 1 heard
him reading aloud, and soon found it
was the Bible. AS did not wish to dis
turb him, sat in chair by the door,
where could see him and into the room
but with his face turned in another direc-
ton he could not see me. There was
not soul in the room but himself; and
there sat the sorrowful- Hooking old man,
reading aloud as if the room was full.
Then he took up the hymn-book, and
gave out" two lines at time aloud, and
sang them aloud, till he finished the
hymn. And then he kneeled down and
prayer aloud, as he used to do with all
his family. was so touched, that
wept like child, and it was several min
utes before | could smooth my face and
go IN. L shall remember the chapter and
hymn and prayer as long as 1 live. The
chapter was the fourth of Hebrews; the
hymn was one he often sung, beginning
My drowsy powers, why sleep We SOP
Awake my sluggish seul," etc,
and the prayer was as simple as that of
a child. He prayed for each family, and
his children so distinctly, that any one
knowing the different families would at
once know whom he meant. Two of his
sons-in-law were ministers, Dr. Rice and
Mr.. Wharey, and he prayed that a
double portion of the Spirit" might be
granted them; and then he prayed that
Billy OR. William S. Morton) might not
be carried away by the world. Then he
prayed for his negroes, that as they could
not be free from earthly bondage, they
might be Christ's freedmen; and then for
the Seminary, and lastly for the Church
the world over. 1t was almost as short
as my sketch of humble, fervent, sub
missive.
As 1 remarked at the beginning, Major
Morton went to High Hill, Cumberland
county, to live with his son, DR.. Morton,
where he died at the age of 90 years.
For the Central Presbyterian.