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

College honored him with the degree of doc
tor in divinity. He was one of the first
directors of the northwestern now the
Mccormick Theological Seminary in
Chicago. He was chairman of the freed
mans committee of the general assembly
of the Presbyterian Church for the west
and southwest before the organization of
the freedman's board. He was delegate
to the Presbyterian Council held at
Belfast in June 1884, when he delivered
one of the addresses which has been pub
lished in the report Of that great council of
the churches. AT that meeting he was pre-
ceeded by DIR. Marshall Lang of Glasgow
one of the most gifted preachers in
the Scottish church and was followed by
Dr.John Hall the world renowned pastorof
the Fifth Avenue Church. New York.
1t was my good fortune TO be member
of that council. of course | received my
appointment through the influence of DR..
Nixon. We crossed the Atlantic together
and had delightful time Mrs. Crosby
declares she never knew DR.. Nixon until
that voyage, then she became acquainted
with him. To appreciate Or. Nixon you
had to know him. Because of his almost
constant illness it is not TO be wondered at
II he appeared TO be little reserved or ut
times depressed in spirits. Then he was
very near sighted; he could not have
recognized his own wife at the other end
has often passed some Of you on the street,
as he has passed me without recognition.
but don't think hard Of him for that
understood his infirmites, and hope YOU
did also, and just here permit me 10 sug-
gest that perhaps il might be well il we
all, the speaker included, judged one
another more leniently, making some
allowances for our idiosyncrasies. weak.
nesses and imperiections Some one has
said that the millennium will consist largely
in making concessions. Don't wait until
your friends die before you say kind,
gracious, soothing words to them, if they
really deserve praise.
Don't keep all the flowers for the flu
neral. Strew few of them along the
pathway of your friends in life Post
mortem kindness don't count for much.
10 know DIR. Nixon was to love him. |
found him to be one of the most genial
and kindly of men.
One of those men who would never for
get even small favor shown to him or
his, and to no man living would | have
rather gone to ask advice on almost anv
matter, sacred or secular, so much conf
dence did have in his Judgment and
| integrity.
As most of you know when he left here
he assumed the pastoral charge of small
| Presbyterian church at Webster Groves, q
pretty suburb OF st. Louis. 10 miles ont
from the city. He has held that pasIorate
with varying health, but able to preach
| most of the time until few months ago.
Last summer he went to Chicago and sub
niitted to most painful surgical opera
ton hoping thereby to get relief from his
painful malady, which subjected him to
almost constant suffering Last fall or
winter he had an attack of la grippe, which
aggravated his old complaint and made
life wearisome burden. The day our
nr 1s,lI -. l. III
| ing hun of the good doctors sudden de
parture. He replied almost Immediately
to my letter, writing from his sick bed and
| with pencil. II is not written as plainly
as Dr. Nixon used to write. will read
extracts from his letter;
Yours Just received with news Of dear Dr.
| Bnsh's sudden departure. i envy the good
| man, his easy entrance into rest. lie has much
| treasure laid up in heaven IN ptous affections
| Kind thoughts and deeds aud loving devotion
and service to our blessed Lord. have known
| leW better men, lew more truly imbued with
tue spirit OF Christ. To have left such n name
| and memory is the best thing one cum accom-
pllsh in this world. Personally my sense OF
| loss 10 great He was my faithful friend as
/ We'll as Kind physician all my years in VIII
mlngtOn. hope for more delightful COM
partnership with him In the Fathers house
ABOVE, ana, perhaps, this may be ere long, as
| have been very III fer some time. My days
are days Of pam aud my nights oil wearnefs.
for myself should be most glad 70 go .the
4 fAsNh VI tlt hiilb IN ula DthuLy. us AMAk1uI
In the likeness OF our Lord, dellverance from
SIM from pain, from weakness tho COM
partnership of tho redeemed, these and the
like things are better than anything this world
can offer in the little that remains Of my three
score and ten years. In the midst OF great
suffering aud pain, like the Psaimist. some
times cry out, ., Lord, how long" Yet de-
sire to leave all IN the hands Of perfect Wisdom
and love knowing lie makes no miAtake %.
fray Tor me that faith and patience may not
IN; II 90 LOT sos you again on this shore
| OF the gIpat KNOW 1 oh an n ~.
Tho night Of sickness aud pain is sometimes
dark but 10Y coiEeth in the morning.
He submitted TO another operation,
although the doctors told him he had only
one chance IN ten, we'll he replied, II will
take the tenth uhanoe.N The operation was
successful, but he WAS so much exhausted
that there was not vitality enough to cause
him to rally, so he gradually sanl. until he
quietly passed away Friday evening April
ga, Al O'Clock, His congregation al
Webster drovcs, very nice and intelligent
people, composed largely of st. Louis bust
ness people were very fond Of him: they
almost worshipped him, they thouuhl
they had the best preacher III the country
and they cannot say TOO much in hi.
praise rs a man and as a minister, Wien
their little church burned down two wears
ago, as soon rs | heard Of il, Went t6 ~,
orthree OF Dr. NiNon's friends in this con
eregation and told them about the fire.
SHsBcntcb lllil ~ would ne Il nice lnltln u
raise few hundred dollars and send I,
the doctor to help rebuild, we raised 5000
, each OF the two or three persons that
mentioned tie matter to contributing
freely. az once sent the draft to him
, this touched HIM very much, he wrote N,
a beautiful and most grateful letter. AN
!, very sorry that | did not keep that letter
! now that he has gone forever
The people at Webster say that the,
have to thank Dr. Nixon for their beauti
: ful stone church; it is a perfect gem, botl
externally and internally. II is built of ;
beautiful eream-cnlorrd stone and is M
: ornament to the village. Those friends il
4 his congregation who contributed ma,
:. feel assured that their gift was well place,
and Is much appreciated by the congresa
ton. one Of tie elders of the church Ii
passing it, said to me, pointing to iii
+ building with 4 grea, deal vi pride ''rhat
Dir. NiXonls monument But in addition
!, 10 that, and what is better he has Il monu
+ nent in their hearts.
q To show what deep aud favorable I'M
o preston hs had made in the entire com
. munity, during his illness, when he wa
y very low, ilrc broke out in thetown, an
!. rather than disturb the sick pastor the
II reirained from ringing the fire bell.
: y few days before ms death received
dispatch from his daughter expressing
ie desire that ! should come 10 them. a
SUM az iruIiieu liial IN the event {
"a death he would be inferred out there
4 with my wife decided to start forSt. Lon,
q Il was sad GRAND VIZ left home Wit
Al anxious and heavy hearts, IS ~ ti40ugl
le it impossible for him 10 live until IS
n reached Webster We arrived there abot
n 9o'clock Thursday evening. lie was hi
y alive his spirit hoverills in the conlin,
ID OF the eternal world We saw him Hi
II for 4 little while. We took his han,
which was cold, the death chlls WEI
d creeping over him. lie opened Ills cy,
IL and looked at us but could il,
re speak, 50 weak was he, but he knew II
I'd for after We lett the room he whispered