Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-09

Illness ana sententiousaess OF speech which
added interest TO the occasion.
He committed few errors In decisions OF
questions OF law, and was remarkable for
The breviiy with which he expressed him
sell. lie replied only Eyes" or "No."
whenever that would answer; and, II COM
PEELED TO enlarge, rarely went beyond u
line. In famous case at the Virginia
Conference OF 1878, he answered eleven
out OF nineteen law questions with 81. Yes
or MOI" one other with .1Ie ought
not; and four others with "Yes" or
mo-" qualified by single line OF expla-
nation. l do no injustice TO so great
reputation as his II add that ! think he
occasionally had the inGrmity Of some
Qfedf ciud judgeS-sdlo too fast and ieaped
too soon. and into error, by not waiting
TO get all the light, and | have thought
that he occasionally cncroached. not in
tentlonally, upon the prcrogative OF an
annual conference to apply Ldu TO the facts
81 tho case. But he had truly judicial
cast OF mInd--impartiality and freedom
from the suggestions OF bias were not OF
difficult attainment in his case. Firm,
strong, and decided as he was, there was
nothing in him OF domireering spirit or
that snacked oi tyranny. He did not
nor obirude ii constantly i'm mems faces.
He knew iniuitIvely when he ought TO
Yield, or could yield, aud. though OF I'M
changed opinion, could make concessions.
He never stood "on the highest step OF his
authority" never bore down opposition
by mere will-power and the assertion OF
prerogative. He bare rule" with plea
SAINT hand, and few men chafed under il at
any time. Hence the universal respect and
love in which he was held. and to the
greatest degree where he was known best
at home, in Georgia.
His influence as leader OF ecclesiastical
opinion may be well illustrated by the fact
that. though large majority OF the Gene.
raj Conference OF 1866 favored and actually
passed law removing all limitation OF time
from the pastorafe, Bishop Pierce prevailed
TO secure reconsideration and the passage
Of the law as IL now stands fixing the limit
at four years. In the conservative rejection
Of his mind against doubtful changes or
supposed improvements, he sometimes went
too far. AS an example may be cited his
ideas about chOirs and organs. into which
he fell partly because OF his lack OF musical
taste and instruction. But. though frank
IN the utterance OF his views. he was neither
intoeraBt Of other mems nor rash in the
carrying out OF his own IN the practical adj
minlstratiOn Of the bishops.
In the delicate and difficult lcOrk Of std
tiOninq preachers he was remarkably sue
cessfuL lie treated the Council OF Pre-
siding Elders with all respect, and elected
all the information and advice he could
procure. Sometimes he would cut Cor
dian knot by quick decision; now and
then lie would make an appointment on his
own iugdment, after some special light he
had obtained; and there are remarkable
examples Of the wisdom Of such acts.
doubtful As they seemed at first. In all. he
showed the most marked sympathy for the
preachers. His heart was full OF concern
for them, and while he held them TO high
standard. OF cOnsecraiiOn, il was what ne
prescribed To himself. He was eminently
atlabe and approachable. hearing with pa
tience even what he thought unreasonable
and ill-timed.
lie loved 10 attend district conferences:
enjoyed the opportunities TO preach aud
"come down like a man." as I once
heard HIM phrase it; and he had re-
mai kaolc way Of his own OF probing mat
tors and bringing out the interesting
things connected with tine condition OF i
district.
III. But he will be remembered longest
as n great GriStiGu preacher.
Before his election to the epiScOpacy he
had attained to great fame. And since. du-
ring the ionrneyingS Of Thirty years, he
has been, in old conferences and new, lii
educated city audiences, and in the assem-
bl.cs of the Indians. the MexicanS, and
rude pioneers, at camp-mcetings, confer
cnces, and in school-houses, q great and
distinguished minister Of tie Gospel. on
the whole. he was never cXCClled among
us, IN old time nor IN the present genera
tion. We shall not soon II ever see his
Ike.
He had great natural gifts; fine person,
o commanding address. An easy and natu-
raj aud unaffected niauBvf, nODle VOICE,
deep, round. mellow, at lis best. OF proli-
gious compass, melody, and sympathetic
quality; r power Of kindling, and when
In full career, OF somehow Overpowering
and sweeping away all before him. These
invaluable gifts he brought into the SER
vice Of n vigorous and well-trained intel
iect. and, above all, converted and be-
lieying soul. persuaded Of its "call" to
preach. His manner OF sermOnlzing was
peculiar. He wrote nothing ordinarily /;
the manual labor OF the pen was offensive
TO him. 0Ie used TO tell how he ayerted
from himself the calamity Of electiOn as
conference secretary by calling attention
to his wretched, scra9gy chirographyl
He therefore worked out in thought his
outline. and. must think, much Of his
form OF matter, too; for he could, on re-
qui>iliOn, reproduce It with wonderful eX-
actncss. There were in his sermons no
lalored processes OF argument. He gave
the results of his thought sometimes in
pl.hy. graphic sentences, short, and falling
in quick succession, like exploding shells; {;
sometimes in flight where beauty OF lam
cuaee conveyed, as il trere, in mid-heGUen,
the more beautiful freight OF his imperial
imagination. and lofty or tender senti-
mcnt evolved itself TO captiyate the heart.
Sometimes bold and holy invcctiyc, or
great trumpet blast OF warning rang
through a passage. II he used cXcgtsis.
as he sometimes did, II was remarkable Tor
clcarness, dircctnesS, simplicity, and deep
insight into Scripture. While his matter
was OF such force, the delivery was, IN the
highest degree. effective. II was. compar-
atIyely, unstudied-truly spontaneous. He
was en- orator by nature, and honestly en-
ploycd the Gift. There was no StdgineSS
about his manner. nothing in tones or ges-
tureS that limited OF the mere rhetoriclan
or elocutionist. II was great soul
on IRE with the truth OF the Gospel
burning TO make Others feel and knoc
il as he did. He spoke usually with
an indeSCriJo1le unctiOn-an amounting
Of the Holy Ghost, which gave po'oer
to his word.
There was necessarily inequality in the
preaching Of which the best specimens al
iained so great excellence. There were
times when his mind worked duly. when
his body seemed iaded and Incapable OF
rising in animation TO the demand OF the
occasion; when he was clear and now and
then struck fire, but, as whole lacked
power and warmth. But X all things
favored, the msn who had not before heard
him never forgot that sermon. Who that
was present among us will, while memory
lasts. lose the impressions OF his first SER
mon in Virginia after he became bishop,
at Granby-Street. Norfolk. December 3,
1854. which contained the passage about
Gods "making music on the crookede-t
reed cut out OF the swamps OF earth," and
that concerning men who "take shipping
with Jonah and meet storm without
whale" or that greater one at Elizabeth
CITY. \. c.. November %, 1851, on "For
we Preach not Ourselves, but Christ Jesus
the Lord" etc. in which was an 'outburst
OF eloquence. the most thrilling to which
| ever listened or that In Granby-Street,
after the war. November y, 1866, on
preach the Word: be Instant IN Season.
Out OF Season." ETC., a true "sermon Tor
the times" or the wonderful series in Ac-
cop,a1r ,t fbe district Conference OF 1871,