Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-23
CALLED HOME.
DR.. j. B. West Passes Away to
His Last Reward.
He Expires With Smile on His Face
But Unable to Speak to Those
Around Him.

|
night at 10:30 O'Clock, after linger,
ing illness of several months dura.
tion.
This announcement will carry sad
ness TO the hearts of the entire COM
munity, for the eminent divine was
greatly beloved by all who knew
him, regardless of denomination.
His long acquaintance, and his pas
toral work here had drawn around
him the love of all people, and the
crepe on the parsonage door serves as
a signal for pedestrians to pass with
muffied tread.
NDr. West was assigned to the
C.Srksville station by the Conference
of 1890, and was in excellent physic-
al condition then, doing strong and
etfectual work both in the pulpit and
among the homes of his flock. Last
summer, however, he was taken sick
and gradually went down. His
friends marked the decline, but they
were hopeful. His immense will pow
er was such that they believed, and
trusted that he would rally and
would yet do more work in the vine
yard of his Maker. He preached
very little more, however. He
would fill his appointments OCCASION
ally, but there was lack of the fire
that had always characterized the
man, and at times he would break
down before his discourse had been
completed. Notwithstanding this
fact he was able last fall to attend
Conference. The last words the
writer heard him utter were: "Tell
them through your paper that l will
meet them at Phillip" He alluded
to meeting his co-laborers, brother
ministers, at Conference. He met
them but he was not the man physi-
cally that he was year previous.
Disease had marked him, and it was
feared then that it was a general
breaking down, the swapping of the
life cord that had been in tension
for over fifty years. He would not
take superannuated relation, how
ever, thinking that with the advent
of cool weather he would rally his
quondam physical power and would
be all right He was sent back
to this station by that Conference,
and to make his work lighter he was
given an assistant in the person of
Rev. E. M. Harrell. Coming back
home he went to work, but gained
no strength and finally was compell-
ed to take to his room, where he re-
mained, resigned, until the summons
came.
DIR. West retained consciousness to
within thirty minutes of his death.
When the attending physician saw
that death was near he asked the pa
tient If he was in any pain. He
could not speak, but with heavenly
smile he shook his head and seemed
to say "all is we'll" The end soon
came, and to those who saw his last
smile it appeared that the man of
God had heard the music around the
great white throne, and that he
knew the angels of heaven were
lowering near to bear him on their
pinions to the presence of his maker.
DIR. West was one of the great preach
ers of the Tennessee Conference
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
and had done more work, perhaps,
than any active minister now in the
conference. He was born III Morgan
county, Alabama, Nov. 20, 1924.
His first work as minister was on
the Russell Valley Circuit, which
then comprised the greater part Of
North Alabama. When his work
was ended in Alabama he went to
Nashville and organized the Spruce
Street Church, which is to-day one
of the strongest churches in the Ten
nessee Conference. He went from
there TO Murireesboro, as station
preacher, where he failed in health
and was compelled to move to
Florida. This occurred in the fall of
lS49. He spent two years there and
in 1851 returned to Tennessee. On
Oct. of that year he was married to
Miss Mary r. Jarrad, daughter of
John Jarrad, of this county.
He returned to Florida after his mar
riage and lived one year. He then
returned to Hadensville, KY, and
spent seven years on the farm, think
ing that this would repair his shat
tered health. His next ministerial
work was on the Montgomery Cir
cult. From this he was sent to the
Clarksville station, where he re.
mained until the war, during which
time he was also'preslding elder of
the district. During the war he
never missed an appointment, al
ways at his post, no matter how bad
the weather.
After the war he was appointed by
the conference to take charge of the
Clarksvllle Female Academy, where
he remained seven years. His next