The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-23
IN MEMORY OF BISHOP SIMPSON.
Personal RecOllectiOns of Governor Porter
Meetings at the Several Churches

|
M. E. Church last evening, the occasion being
the memorial service of the late Bishop Simp-
son.
Rev. DR. Marine, introducing Governor Por-
ter, made brief but eloquent remarks testifying
to the high endowments of Bishop Simpson and
the great work he had DONE and that his loss
to the Methodist Church was the greatest that
church had ever suffered, as it left a vacancy
that could not be filed.
Governor Porter said:
In uniting with your pastor tonight in commem-
Grating the life of the great and good bishop just
deceased, shall conne myself chiefly to college rem
iniscence 1t is of him whom intimately knew, not
as bishop, but as one engaged in humber but
hardly less useful work that shall chiefly speak
In 1887 Asbury University, which has since achieved
much in the work of education and of inspiration to
high endeavor was organized. 1t began under the
direction of Prof. Cyrus Mutt, in that year, with
preparatory school, taught in of two
of small brick house in Greencastle. The
generous citizens of that pleasant town had
to establish the college there and their offer had been
accepted but college edifce had not yet been built
| In 1889, before the college edihce completed
few rooms in it having been prepared for occupancy
Matthew Simpson, an eloquent young preacher of
the age of thirty of ripe scholarship called to the
office OF president He then in charge of pulpit
at Pitsburg, much beloved by his congregation,
and already then gave promise of the useful and
brilliant career that was to His life had been
an interesting one. When he but year old he
lost his father and was left in charge Of a young
widowed mother of very limited means. She
and she Ssought to give her the best
education which her narrow would allow.
Through her earnest effort and the boys efficient help
he was enabled to graduate at college. His scholar
ship was so thorough that he employed tutor
in the college in which he graduated and this occupa-
ton gave additional discipline to his faculties He
chose medicine first his profession, and pursued
careful and thorough of study for that profes
sion, but his religious impressions deep, his
markable that, at the age of twentyhree he decided
to relinquish the profession he had chosen, and to
| enter the ministry. He had been engaged but six
| years In his sacred calling when he
invited to take charge of institu-
| ton destined to be of the most
successful and useful educational institutions in the
| country.
He was young, but he came well equipped for his
| duties. His education thorough, his will in
vincible, he had high enthusiasm in whatever he
| engaged but an enthusiasm which never led astray
lis Judgment; sweet spirit and the divine gift of ora
tory. He had hardly entered the State until was
| felt that new force here. The old Methodists
yet remembered Strange, and Armstrong and Ruter,
but here was preacher who surpassed even them in
the fervor of oratory not less Jealous for Meth
odism and had to educate their sons and show
| emnence He was also plain man in all his ways.
He adapted himself instnctiveiyto all men with whom
in contact and he could talk with them with
unaffected interest all subjects with which they
were familiar He believed that the college, to be sue
cessful must be established in the affections of the
ministers of the church. He filed them with zeal for
it. They came in great numbers to the commence
ment exercises. They placed conspicuously on
the platform. They honored with attentions,
and every went away active, jealous agent for
| the success of the university
Il remember as if it were but yesterday the occa
sion when first saw him | was a bashful boy of
| sixteen who had come to enter the preparatory de-
| partment of the college, and I called at his house.
He looked to me like plain warrn-hearted and hos
ptable farmer, and in after life he always looked
| to me so. He greeted me with overlooking Kindness
he talked to about the studies was about TO pur
sue; he called in his wife and introduced me TO her
me fO Wis fheno oft and
assured me should always be gladly received. And
they meant what they said, they welcomed me so
manner social and kind with the townspeople of
| Creencaste. They have always been warm hearted
boundless affection. do not believe there
day after he became known to the people of Putnam
county, until he quit the college, that he was not
the most popular and bestbeloved man in the county
| He took personal interest in every student and
watched their education and morals. He
sought to make them honorable and manly
1 He appealed to their honor and rnan
| ness when they inclined to go astray.
| He seemed always to know what was going among
| them and he wanted no spies. On occasion / re-
member, after there had been rude disorder at
| night upon the streets which he disapproved he
called attention to the matter at chapel He expressed
mortihcaton at the occurrence, and uttered strong
words of reproof. He said that he should not inst
tute investigation to learn the of the guilty.
| He knew the parties. He had been with them. He
had affected to take part with them. He knew the
names well as the deeds. He would not repeat
| these Names He would trust to the honor of these
young men that there would be repe-
| tition of disgraceful occurrences. The re-
proof and appeal were the most effectual of punish
ments. And there grew up feeling afterwards that
| he ubiquitous. and that if doors barred to
| conceal any forbidden thing that was going on
Bishop Simpson more likely to be locked in than
| to be locked out.
He had keen appreciation of whatever was hui
morous. recollect that at time when the third
story of the college unfinished students were told
that they must not into that part of the building
their noise disturbed the professors who con-
| ducting recitatons below them One day mischiev-
how ho,,1x
conducted number of his companions to the prohib-
tied third story. Dr. Simpson came upon them, and
picking up ath applied it to the embryo banker not
much to hurt to brighten him. day or two af-
ter this boy of considerable company at a
dinner, when speaking up, he addressed the Doctor
with, Dr. Simpson, you lathed me the other day. I'd
like to know when you going to plaster me2' The
Bishop became very red in the face and unable to
himself familiar with the students and enjoyed them
| and was enjoyed by them.
He great teacher, for he encouraged pupils to
think No book authority. Whatever state
ment would stand the test of argument was to be
| condemned. He encouraged students to challenge
| every statement which their Judgment did not at-
prove. And when challenged the soundness of the
statement debated in the classroom. 1t was the
custom in his day for ambitious young to have
notices as an incentive to endeavor These notices
| were written in their books His was 1 re-
member, Read and know Think and be wise. y
He did not read idly for amusement,
knowledge enough. Thought must be applied to it;
it must be assiaalated it must make wiser, and thus
make the man useful, He did not usually read
book line for line but had that faculty of rapid
reading which Macaulay had of taking in nearly a
page at a time-like those mathematical prodgies
who add up columns of figures by seeming to
grasp the of whole column at once instead of
adding up the figures separately
Governor Porter spoke of Bishop Simpsons
hostility to slavery, beginning in 1874, when the
Methodists OF the North at last felt that they
must free themselves from the faint. He spoke
in the General Conference, 10 which he had
been elected, and with such great force and
eloquence that the attention of the church was
then fixed upon him as one of her rising men
In 1848 he was elected editor of the Western
Christian Advocate, with special view to con
Quoting that journal with regard to the question
of slavery. 1t was in 1S48 that he left Green