Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-03-15
REV. R. NJ. PAGAN.


and praying for me when / profess
ed religion. Thought him ore Of
the purest, most earnest Christian
gentlemen ever knew. His zeal
never languished, and what mag
netic influence he welded over his
congregation! / can see him now,
in memory, pouring forth his ear
nest appeals, with the tears stream
ing down his cheeks. Dear, good
Bro. Pagan, do not doubt but that
he is in heaven. He was so popu-
lar, and so much beloved that /
want you to write a letter to the
CHRONICLE and tell US all about
him, so that we all may enjoy the
melancholy pleasure of hearing from
him i'm his last sickness, and of his
death"
When this delicate duty was sug-
gested, and also requested by his
bereaved wife, L felt that another,
older than myself, and cOntempara-
ry with our dear brother Pagan,
would be more suited to the work,
and deferred to DIR. McFerrin, who
has written for the organ of our
church. But as the CHRONICLE
will reach many of his personal
friends, yield to the request of my
friend.
He was character. Among all
the men whom have known in or
out of the ministry he stood alone.
He was a man of rare personnel. He
looked like military chieftain-so
commanding was his appearance.
His eye was as keen as his body
was erect. His forehead was high,
broad, projecting somewhat, while
the veins stood prominently under
the surface. When he spoke there
was clear, sharp, penetrating tone
that was rendered somewhat mar
tIculate in his latter years by a par
tial paralysis of the muscles of the
throat. Always neat in his dress.
with tall silk hat, and neatly trim
med burnsides, he was, for all the
world, Methodist preach in gener-
al appearance.
But it is to r. L.. Pagan as a
Christian and minister that wish
more directly to refer He sustained
to society, for many years, relation
solemn, important, and dignified,
because it was spiritual relation.
He dealt with mind and spirit, for
time and eternity. 1t is in view of
this fact that | mention some of his
characteristics. His ministry was
living ministry. His sermons were
from the heart. His manuscripts
1 have seen them-were about as
long as my hand-I refer to his
sermons. They were nothing more
than sketches. But when he enter
ed the pulpit, burdened with souls,
he always demonstrated the fact
that the heart is mightier than the
head. While many of his brethren
stood idle in the enjoyment of their
talents and titles, receiving their
pay and praise he was as diffusive
as a mother in his ministratiOns to
humanity. He was man of great
sympathy. / have known men
who were sympathetic, yet failures
in the ministry. They were once
when young-successful in bringing
souls to Christ. They were not
ashamed to weep over sinners and
exhort them to seek the Savior ; but
now they have abandoned that
faith which looks for immediate re-
suits, and have turned their sympa-
thies from dying sinners to organ
lied thought and startling ideas.
They seem to have modern COM
mission-a commission to turn a
pure language upon Zion and
criticise all men and methods. /
have no doubt but that if Bro. Fa-
gan had studied books more, his
ministry would have been more &C.
ceptable to some, but if he had done
so at the expense of his sympathy
with men, he would have lost
many star that now gems his
brow.
He studied men, women and
children well. Had contact with
them. He went where sorrow was,
where Rachels weeping for their
children refused to be comforted.
These men who study profoundly,
yet bring no one to Christ, who
without having been faithful over
few things are scrambling to be
made ruler over many things, will
yet learn that it is far. better to be a
weeping, praying, exhorting Pagan
bringing thousands to Christ, than
to spend a lifetime adornig their
degrees, and Identifying their pro-
feSsiOn.
But he loved his brethren. Never
was the Scripture sin honor pre-
fering one another" more fully
complied with than by him. He
loved us all. 1t never occurred to
him that two preachers could not
be popular in the same community
at the same time and that in or
der to his success he would have to
commit the sin of detractiOn, and
disparage and criticise his predeces-
sor. Whether his brother preceded
or succeeded him he sustained him
by his kind words and his prayers.
Instead of seeking to use men and
measures as springboards to his own
personal preferment, he always, and
unselfishly, held himself ready to
help his brethren in every good
word and work. 1t is we'll known
to hundreds that he was pre-emi-
nantlv a neace maker, Indeed, his