New-York tribune., 1885-07-19
DEATH OF DIR. S. L PRIME.
A STROKE OF PARALYSIS ENDS HIS LIE.
OVER FIFTY YEARS IN THE MINIsTRY-HIs WORK ON
THE opsrRxER n-XRII1NG his EPITAPH.

letter. published two weeks ago, related 10 tno ue' w
a.relative and was headeds"Is the Old Gentleman
Dead 7" On July / DR.. Prime attended the Williams
College commencement and on the following Wednesday
he went to Manchester. He suffered Tn attack OF
congestion Of the liver from which he ralicu Last
Sunday he stricken with paralysis and conthneu W
sink rapidly until his death His wife, his trother
william Cowper Prime his daughter and her husband the
Rev. DR. Charles A. Stoddard. Of The Observer were Win
him nearly all the week. Besides those mentioned two
sons s. r. X, of Dwight, ILL.,, and the Rev. Dr Wenue'
of The Observer an unmarried daughter: brother f.
ID. G.. and two sisters, Mrs. NJ. NJ. Cummings ana MIS-
c. F. Stevenson, survive him. In 1888 he marreo MISS
Eloisa T. williams, of Bnllstou Spa Dr. Prime ana his
family attended the West Presby Church IN Forty
second-st Their home at No. 32 West Thirt, hihls
The body will be brought TO this city to-day.
Three brothers Of the name OF Prime came 10 thiS
country from England more than two hundred years
ago. One of them the ancestor OF Nathaniel Prme
the founder Of the banking of Prime Ward King
& Co. Another was the ancestor Of the Rev. Ebenezer
Prime who born in Huntington L. L. and died there
after ministry Of sixty years In that place one OF MS
sons was Dr. Benjamin Young Prime, physician OF this
city and patriotic poet Of the Revolution. who died III
I79I The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Scudder Prime his son.
born 1885, great scholar ana the father OF 'hc
Rev. Dr. Samuel Prime, who was born at Balls
ton. Saratoga County. N. Y. on November A. lsl2.
Born at the beginning of the second with England
the boys early education dm not suncr from the
disturbed coudition Of the country. His studies
he could read Latin; at nine, Greek and Hebrew at ten
Three years later he entered Williams College, fyom
which graduated iD 1929, receiving one OF the
highest honors of the class His theological s'uues
were pursued the Princeton Seminary ana In 1883 ne
WAS licensed to preach delivered his first sermon at
Bedford ~ Y, and October 49, 1883. he was invited
to celebrate his ffcth anniversary as minister by
preaching again In the same church. He was ordained
by the Presbytery of Albany in June, 1882 ana soon
became the pastor Of the village church IN MS native
town Last month he celebrated the semi
centennial Of his ordination at Ballston Spa
HIS first pastorate not long one;
close attention TO study had impaired MS heath All"
after preaching year or two he was oDged 10 r'ssn
his charge and seek 10 recover his failing strength.
After resting year he accepted the pastorae OF
the Presbyterian Church at on-the-hudsoh
second tlne his health proved unequal to the STRAIN
OF preaching and he compelled to abandon MS
chosen lfc-work He preached occasionally aiter-
ward sometimes indeed supplying the pupits oi ap
sent minis ters for several weeks at time His aoie
learning and literary gifts made his sermons highly
attractive. -
Last April after being an Editor ior
forty-hye years, DR.. Prime gave luncheon
TO his associates on his paper ana feh'eu
some interesting "reminiscences OF his life In Newiork
Among things he said: The opening oi the year
1910 found me the pastor OF village church; for the
second time broken down in health and despairing oi
being able to continue in any labor that required puOhc
sJeaking. / said my father that must give up
preaching. Now is good thing TO have ia'her Say
an encoura ging word when are down. and this II
what he said: God help you. my son. you are III lot
nothing else In reply his question what do you
propose to do said intend TO be the editor OF re-
ligous newspaper Will apply for place on Ihe NeT
York Obserrc and falling TO get H. to some othcr paper
ana another until find a situation
my first application successful and in the spring
OF 1910 came to the city, and entered upon those
labors which, with brief interval. have been con-
tinucd to this day. Ny predecessor remained with me
three weeks TO show me the ropes He then lett the
deck and cook. cabin boy. and all hands In one.
wrote the editorials revised the manuscripts made te
selections got the news, religious and SECULAR READ
all the proofs and help department except
that David NJ. Stone, now the distinguished eu'or OF
The Journal Of Commerce, contributed financial article
weekly. by and by an assistant was allowed me- but
tue labor was very great and often broke down. In
1853 went abroad for my health. being carried from
my bed to the dock where lay three barrel heads
till the tug came and took me- the snip.
zone of the pleasantes Of my labors has been the
preparation Of weekly letter under the signature o
Ircnaus. was a contributor to The Observer under
this signature for years before came Into IT, and
there have been very few weeks since began when that
name has not appeared. To the best OF my recollection
IL has never been omitted once on account OF Illness
though tho letters have sometimes been written In bcd
The wonder h however that the readers have not De-
come sick and tired OF them and begged TO be relieved
We old men, my brother Edyard ID. &. and !, have
.ervea our time and are fairly entitled discharge
The younger men are well prepared To take our
places Let us all be faithful to the end,
and for one ask no cpaph than each OF us may
earn lie helped to make The ksip-l York O6serrer
Dr. Prime. five years ago. said he had written on an
average for The Obserer than five columns each
week for forty least 100 volumes OF 400 pages
each Yet. Notwithstanding his busy life as an editor
he foupd time write than forty volumes many oi
which have been published anOny Ahohs roso
which bear his name ~ the author "fhe Old White
Meeting House; or, Eeminiscenees OF Country oomg
Of The English Bible" Abridged from Anderson and Con
tinued the Present Time $40 THOUGHTS ,i on tne
aSS DsI'n ,ne 81 las East SHSseH vois is55 he Bible
i the Sr the S en@ be saes S ss
The Power OF Prayer, sketch OF the Fulton street
res followed by Five Years Of Prayer with the An
swers" qs6 and anoiler Fifteen Years OF fTaysr
rom switzerland" GsGo MsSr' Of Tss sse sapbra HsS P
1873 Under the Trees nsIa and Le 9d rGo
tracts tracts ali Of which have had a wide circulation:
For twelve years he had charge OF the !" "Edtors Tors
and "ncation, Dr Prime ever took lively interest IN
ecclesiastical affairs He was constant sItendan. at
General Assembly. where he took leading part IN tne
st,sra M 01V.s an@ %h OF
years ago he went by appolntment OF tne ' a,ss Pr
pyteran cnnrch that being rst lime that faternal
relations enjoyed by the interchange OF @ aeiega
with great devotion, Besides his active interest IN the
religious institutions OF his own donomibAtion
DR. Prime mas been corresponding secretary OF the
American Bible Society and OF us directors seepres @
DENT and director of the American Tract soccty vice
president and director OF the American and foregn
Christian Union president of the New YORK Assocso non
for the Advancement OF Science and Ar president ana
trustce ,of the Wells College for Women; trustee Oi
WiIiiams College honorary fellow OF the incorporated
Society lof Engish) Authors, and large number OF
other religious benevolent and literary societies IN
1867 he was invited 10 be the corresponding secretary
the Evangelical Alliance OF the United states, VIM
salary lie accepted the Office but declined the salary
lie was chairman Of the commit'9e lv.nna,n mayams
charoe of the meeting or Evhhgencm |
xta~Se I'm ths city In 1873 His degree OF d. d. was
OIL loIln