Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-12

A service in memory of the late DR..
Nixon was held in Central Presbyterian
Church last Sunday week The memo
rial address was delivered by William X.
Crosby, an elder in the church and init
mate friend of the deceased. He said;
have been requested to speak 70 You
tonight about former beloved pastor of
this church, who one week ago last Friday
evening passed away from earth to heaven,
his brave noble spirit having been re-
leased from the frail tenement Of clay,
which held it in circulating pain for
months and years. | feel entirely in
adequate to perform this task with any
degree Of satisfaction to myself or justice
to the memory of the truly great and good
man that DR.. Nixon was. But in my
feeble way | will endeavor to outline his
life and work and with sadly pleasurable
feeling lay my tribute upon his new
made grave in yonder rural cemetery in
the suburbs Of st. Louis.
The Rev. ]. Howard Nixon, d. D., was
born in or near Milford, Delaware, in the
month of November in the year 1920. He
came from good Presbyterian stock. His
mother was a woman of great force of
character and devoted piety. doubtless il
was largely through her influence and the
blessing of God upon her instructions that
he very early in life, when he was mere
boy. gave evidence of being genuine
Christian. His father was ship-builder
in Milford but removed to New Jersey
when the doctor was three years of age
settling in Bridgeton or vicinity.
His elder brother was the Hon. John
Nixon, a United States judge for the dis
distinguished himself, both in civil and
eccaesfastical affairs. In due time DIR.
Nixon entered Princeton College gradual
ing with honor in 1851. Previous to his
collegiate course he spent a year or two in
a bankers Office in Philadelphia, where he
= had as an office associate the now famous
financial magnate and money king, Mr..
Drexel. Had DR.. Nixon continued at the
banking business | am very sure he would
have achieved distinction in the financial
world as he had talents for business of a
very high order and he had as good n
chance for success as young Drexel and
don't believe he was one whit behind him
in capacity, shrewdness, or in ability to
financier. He once said to me playfully,
there are three things that think know
how to do, viz: Teach school, run bank
and preach Sermon In each of these
departments he was an adept if not a
master, for, as | will tell you later, he had
experience in both teaching and banking.
have no hesitation in saying that had Dr..
Nixon remained in business, he would have
been very rich man before he had reached
lnt dBc VI ". AS IL WAS, ne eCOllOnnlZeu
(although liberal giver to the boards of
the church) and so managed his financial
affairs, making such prudent investments
of his savings from his small salary. for
he never received anything like the COM
pensation his talents, fidelity and industry
merited, as to leave to his family an
amount that understand, without know
ing how much it is. may be called com
Portable little fortune. But, DIR. Nixon
had loftier aim in life than making
money. His desire was TO preach the gos-
pei, and by the help of God, through the
power Of the truth, to touch human hearts
so as TO influence them to accept of Christ
and live for Him. If remember correctly,
before entering Princeton Theological
Seminary, he went south rs tutor in rich
planters family in Louisiana, where he
not only exercised his gifts in teaching
but also exercised his gifts in preaching
to the slaves upon the plantation
and some of you will now recall how he
occasionally introduced into his sermons
incidents that came under his notice. while
preaching to the negroes at this time. Re
turning north he entered Princeton Theo
logical Seminary, taking the full course oil
three years, graduating in 1854. His frs
pastoral charge was in Cambridge, n. Y.
think this sthelchurch that DIR. S.Iraeneou
Prime has written of under the caption o
THE Old White Meeting House, or Remi
niscences Of Country Congregation. H
remained in charge Of the church ut Cam
bridge for about four years, when failinj
health compelled him to resign The foun
dation of his physical ailments nav;nl
been contracted in that malarious southern
country, where he spent some time in teach
ingalready referred to. He went to his Ne,
Jersey home from Cambridge expecting i
die. He thought and his friends supposed
he had preached his last sermon, he was the
about 80 years of age. But God was bette
to him than his own and his friends fears
and blessed him with an improvement 4
health although not perfectly restored i
fact he never did fully regain his healtl
In the year 1860 he was called to the IA,
torate of the First Presbyterian Church I
: Indianapolis which had been made yacat
by the removal of the Rev. DIR. Gurley I
Washington city. Some of You will n
member that DIR. Gurley was presder
Lincoln's pastor. This First Church Of il
dianapolis was then the best churc
in the city, and in the entii
stats of Indiana. President Ha
rison was member of that churo
and DR.. Nixon had the distinguished hon,
of ordaining Mr.. Harrison to the office
ruling elder in that congregation. lie r
manned az pastor of this church until lsG
serving the church with great fidelity a.
efficiency, the congregation reaching Ii
highest degree Of prosperity during h
was compelled to seek a release from N
toral and ministerial work. About III
time, either before he resigned or inltnet
etely after, he made trip to EurOpe i
the benefit of his health, On his retii
he sought change of employment, pure
on the grounds of continued i'll health.
ne loved and counted 1t his privilege al
JOY to preach the glorious gospel Of /
grace of God.
He therefore removed with his FAM
to Springfield, Mo, where he becar
superintendent of public schools. III,
he remained two years and ii was Mi
resident in Springfield that he took char
OF bank during the Temporary abscn
OF the cashier and from what ! know
his methodical and exact business habl
can Imagine what an efficient ba
cashier he must have made. White
Springfield he was called TO take charge
the Underwood Female Seminary. N
Charles, Mo, hither he removed ii, /
year 1871. As president of This Ien,
college he managed its affairs With abii
and wisdom, and under his wise admin
tratlon that institution began il new carr
OF prosperity and his pupils, now living
noble womanhood, have reason to
member his instructions with hearth
gratitude 70 cod and AT
funeral many of the alumni
this institute were present trstifvi
by their presence their love for and e,
tlaued nterestn their ycnerated prcccpt
lie remained in charge of this institlti
at st, Charles for live years. during viii
time he laid a lasting foundation Tor Il
institution aud also in a measure recover
his health. But during all these wears
enforced retirement from the pulpit.
ardent desire Of his heart was 10 he nn
III the pastorate and having suilicen
recovered ms health 10 undertake pasto
work, he accepted call ID this chur,
becoming your pastor in 1876. Many
you will remember his advent anon
you IN that centennial year il was t
years later. in the spring nf l&1A thnl