The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1884-09-18
BISHOP PIERCE.
ADDRESS ON THE LIFE AND WORK OF TBI
DEAD BIsHuH BY THE REV DIR, ], b
MCFERRIN, OF NASHVILLE

| hiueI luc Ieaulh0 Oh lue E0SOIullOnS
passed Oh the death of the late la.
nented bishop by the committee at
the Publishing House, last Wednes
| day, DR.. j, 3 McFerrin rose and
said:
| The audience will perceive that |
am called upon to peform a painful
duiy l come as the representative
OF the three bodies mentioned---the
Missionary Board, he Book Com
mlttee, and the resident preachers OF
Nqshville-to bear their sympathies
nj 10 mingle thei, sorrows with the
lamentations of this community in
mourning tie loss of our distjns
guished friend. Bishop Pierce bore
Il near relation to these bodies; he
WAS member of the Board OF Mis-
sions, and took great interest in the
progress and prosperity of that I'M
portant department of our church
operations; he had a heart for the
entire missionary work, and of late
was much interested in the success Of
the Indian Mission Conference, over
which he bad special charge. He was
| perteetinG means for the enlarge
ment OF that work, aud was yester-
day, by arrangement, to have been
on his way there, with new recuits
for this interesting field of mission
ary toll. But the great head of the
Church has directed differently, and
he has gone in another direction--to
the home of the good, where the
weary are at rest. He made arrange
ments for perfecting new plans for
the Indian work, which [ hope will
be faithfully carried out without any
hindrance whatever.
Bishop Pierce took great interest
in the Publishing House. He WAS
one of our wise counseors. But for
him the present agent would likely
not have been in his position
Through his earnest persuasion, as
they lodged together in tie same
hotel, in 1878, | finally consented to
take charge of the institution, which
was at that time involved in debt and
promised great trouble, if not entire
failure and dissolution, Under the
Providence of God, prosperity has
attended our efforts and success has
crowned our labors. The Bishop
saw it and reioiced at the blessings
OF Providence, The Church to him
is greatly indebted for bis untiring
devotion and the interest he .ook
in the final success of this important
branch of our church work.
With the preachers of Nashville
he was identified, as he was with all
preachers of the Church in the whole
connexon.
He was as much our bishop as be
was your bishop. Though born in
Georgia, converted in Georgia, began
to preach in Georgia, and closed his
work in Georgia, and is now to be
buried in Georgia soil, he was as
much at home, and WAS as much be-
loved in Tennessee, Arkansas, Cali-
fornia, in Louisiana aud in the whole
work us he was in his own native
State,
Bishop Pierce, as has been said by
the preacher on this mournful acca-
sion, was "A great man and 3 wonders
ful preacher. ] am not generally
enthusiastic over men, but [ must
say that, all in all, | think | never
saw man who combined more ele
ments for great preacher than did
Bishop Pierce. | dc not think in
the sermon to which we have Just
listened that any single point in his
character has been in the least over.
wrought Bishop Pierce was man
of deep personal piely. Probably
not maay in this audience are as
familiar with his private life and
daily habits as your present speaker.
He kncws that in addition to the
great work Of the Church devolving
upon him as bishop, he had great
respect to his private life and private
and personal Christian enjoyment
After the day had passed away and
the business of the Church was dis
posed Of between us, we have talked
by the hour upon the personal antic
ipation Of the endless Joy to which
we were directing our steps. in
speaking OF our personal relation /
dare not give vent to my feelings.
Indeed / am so overcome by this sad
bereavement that lack utterance to
express the grief of my heart.
l made his acquaintance in 1910 at
the General Conference at Baltimore.
We were then both young, both Just
fairly started out in our ministerial
career. / again met him in 1874
and at every General Conference
from that time to the close of his
life. l was with him in many annual
conferences and was with him at
the first conference he ever held as
bishop. l have travelled with him
extensively in the far West, in Arr
kansas, California, through the Indian
country and in the home work, and
l know his whole private history
He was man of prayer, a man of
consecration and unaffected personal
piety. He especially loved the fam
lily artar, and whenever he visited
my house, as he often did, he took
great pleasure in joining the morn
ing and evening service of our house,
hold. Do you think, brethren, after
SO many fervent prayers that have
gone up from our family altar, that
any evil will befall our habita;ion?
Nay, brethren, | believe in answer TO
his prayers that Gods wing of pro-
lection will be over us. For many
years we have regarded him us an
inmate Of our family; we always re-
joice at his coming and were sorrow.
full when he departed. He never
came too often and never stayed too
long; he never stayed long enough,
and we were always Joyful to have
him with us. We looked upon him
1