The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-03-09

Professor in Randolph Macon College
Va; five years (l854-9) President Of ou
Wofiord College; seven years (1859-66
Chancellor Of the Southern University
i'll Greensboro. Ala. II was while he wa
in charge OF WoGord College that we frs
knew him. For three years and a half j
was our privilege to sic under his instruc
tion and ministry. He lowered up be
foTo our young mind as the greatest ma;
we had known. He was in the earl,
prime Of his distinguished manhood
lie was 80 clearly master Of every situa
tion that his student looked up to hir.
with well nigh unquestioning obedience
to all the commands he chose to issue
lie was student, and his scholasti,
habits, tastes and instincts made him en-.
tirely at home on a college campus in the
congenial intercourse and communiou
with his pupils and his college associates
He never failed TO sustain himself in any
of the callings into which Providence
wisely led him; but, taking him all in
all, it has occurred to us that possibly he
was better suited for the PROFESSIONAL
chair than for any of the various posi-
tions he graced during his long and emf.
nently successful career. His life was
that of student. He delighted in books.
More, he delighted in study. He was
fond of Metaphysics and Ethical Science,
and we have no hesitation in expressing
the opinion that, had the Church kept
him in the congenial society of his we'll
filled study. he would have left to the
coming generations of our people
thoughtful works of standard and perma
nent value-rather only few volumes
which can only live with the single edi.
tion which publishes them TO the coun
try.
Bishop Wightman was Editor of the
| Southern Christian Adrorrie for fourteen
years. Elected at the first General Com
ference of which he was q member, in
| l84Os he remained in charge. a part of
tho time assisted By his long. tried friend
DR.. T. o. Summers, till 1864. He made
q distinguished reputation for himself
| and his paper. He was on the tripod in
1874; and the claim that the stirring aud
vital issues Of that historic period made
upon him, as a representative man, at
once marked him as one of the leaders
in thought and action, both of his Con-
ference and Church. He welded q
mighty blade and welded it nightly,
but never forgot that it was the Lords
work he was doing. His editorials du.
ring his long incumbency were prepared
with elaborate care. They were in the
| highest style of newspaper composition.
A volume, indeed volumes, of admirable
matter might be made up from the files
of the Adrocate. He gave to the paper
during his editorship a distinctiveiy re-
ligioue caste. 1t was always, while it
went from his hapd, not only q vehicle
Of the highest thought and culture, but
also means of grace in the families of
our people. He had high conceptions of
the vocation Of an Editor, and embodied
them in the most brilliant and successful
editorial career which the history of our
Church has yet developed. His style, as
writer, was remarkably clear, vigorous,
at times pictorial, but always Astounding
in the exhibitions of O chastencd Chris.
tian spirit. God was always and dis.
tinctiy glorified in all the product of his
pen.
He was made Bishop at the General
Conference in New Orleans, in 1866.
He had in fact been elected Mt the Gen.
eral Conference at Columbus, Ga, twelve
years before by one vote. The elector
wrote his ballot carelessly, w. NJ. Bishop.
AT the next ballot he was defeated by n
small majority. He and Bishops Nc.
Tyeirc, Doggett and Marvin were elected
st the same time. Three Of The four
i,nvc gono 10 their reward. When :!:s
count was announced and it appeared
that he had been elected at the head of
the tick-:., instead of being elated at the
distinguished honor placed upon him, he
was completely overcome by his high.
wrought feeling, and wept like child.
He. realized what responsibility meant,
and went forward to meet il in no spirit
Of self: f:satisfaction. Being set apart to
his high office, meant ut the Same time
being set apart to "labors more abun.
dant." How he went in and out before
the Church for the last fifteen years, pre-
siding at Conferences, holding District
meetings, dedicating Churches, "in jour
neyings often, in perils Of waters, in
perls of robbers" 'in weariness and
painfulness," in hent and in cold, in sun.
shine and in rain, from the Atlantic "a
the Pacific, through all the length and
breadth of our vast domain, never com.
planning of the work, but only regrettinp
that lie had not more strength to give tc
its growing demands, all his is fresh in
the memory of his brethren. He was q
faithful servant Of the Church. He
loved work because he loved the Lord
WIN CAiieu ulIn Id H.
He was wise administrative officer
had higE conceptions at the dignity OF
his Office, and of the authority and re-
sponsibility which it imposed. He wa,
not too wise to err, but was incapable oil
oppression or unkindness to the humblcsi
OF his brethren. He presided in the
Conference sessions with great dignity
and with uniform fairness.
The Bishop was a man of deep and
solid piety. This was the strong point oil
his character. He was man Of PRAYER
of much prayer. His very presence
not affectediy austere but pcrmeated and
controlled and sanctifed by Divine grace
was a speaking power of the fIoly
Ghost. You felt while with him tha,
you were with man of God. His reli.
gion was deeply grounded in the ortho.
dox views of the Church he honored 81
long and loved 80 well. He once said to
the writer Of this notice, under circum
stances that bring up the whole scene be.
lore US as present possession, 81 had 6
godly father and mother; vas blest with
religious home; had the influences Of
Piety around me from my earliest recol.
lection, Up to the time Of my conver.
sion, when about seventeen years old.
never swore an oath; l had never tasted
liquor; was understood to be an exem.
piary young man. And yet" said he
with his eye flashing with rapturout
insight grace can only give, "and yet
latin, came MS q nisera6le, ,cretched, IN
done sinner l' With a conversion and =
call to preach as distinctly marked as
Paula, he never turned aside from the
call and nath of dufy t;ll d,t..