The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-12-15
times said, "a free gospel"

terry and Synod during his long pastor
ate. The journeys of those earlier
days were made wholly by private
conveyance. When Presbytery met
In the spring at such remote points as
Jersey Shore and Lock Haven, owing
to the distance and deep mud the
journeys consumed many days, and
when floods had carried away bridges
and portions of the road, or masses of
ice blocked the way, they were not
without peril. A compensation was
found in the opportunity thus given
for forming wide acquaintanceships in
the regions traversed. 1t is proba-
BILE that thirty years ago no man was
better known than he in the valley of
the Susquehanna from Scranton to
Lock Haven. He took a very active
part in all Presbyterial deliberations.
1t was his lot to serve as counsel in
almost every ecclesiastical trial of that
period in his Presbytery, many of
which were afterwards prosecuted by
appeal before the Synod and some
before the General Assembly. While
in this capacity he was in the sessions
of many General Assemblies, he was
also present as q Commissioner from
the Presbytery Of Northumberland at
the first Assembly held out OF the city
Of Philadelphia, that in Louisville,
Kentucky in 1874. He was a Com.
missioner TO the Assembly Of 1858 in
Philadelphia. In 1861 when staunch
friends Of the Union were needed he
was again sent us Commissioner to the
Assembly in Philadelphia, which
stormy body he served, with his mag
nifcent voice and distinct enuncia-
ton, as Reading Clerk, though he did
not allow himself thus to be deprived
of the privileges of the floor, for ne
made strong speech in favor of the
Spring resolutions, for which he was
afterwards presented with a silk flag,
by one who was to him an entire
stranger. He was sent as Commits
soner to the General Assembly again
in 1865, at Pittsburg. The next year,
1866, the General Assembly met in
St, Louis, and the delicate questions
arising in the church at the close of
the war of the Rebellion required
consideration. Mr.. W,,ller was one
of the Commissioners sent at this time
to represent his Presbytery. Thus in
the Assemblies marking the opening
of the Rebellion, and reconstruction
he was a Commissioner. He was sub
sequently sent in like capacity to the
Assemblies Of 1876 in Brooklyn, 1886
in Minneapolis, and 1890 in Saratoga.
He was also member of the Nation
al Union Convention held in the
First Reformed Presbyterian church,
Philadelphia In November, 1867.
His earnest longing for the coming
of the Kingdom of Christ found nat
ural expression in the cause of For
eign Missions. Once a month it was
his custom to devote service to the
news from foreign fields. So deep was his
interest. that the congregation sharing
it with him, became the first in the
Presbytery in the sum contributed to
the cause. He was elected mem
Der of the Board of Foreign Missions
by the General Assembly of 1865 for
four years. He was Trustee of
Lafayette College for thirty years
having been elected by the Synod
of Philadelphia in 1S4o. During
the earlier part of this period the
journey to Easton was always
made by stage or private con-
veyance, yet his regular attendance
and activity in the proceedings of the
Board may be inferred from the fact
that at one of the dark periods in the
history of the College some of the
Trustees seriously proposed to him
the removal of the College to Blooms
burg. His interest in education was
manifest from the year Of his ordina.
tion, 1880, when he was instrumental
in the establishment Of a classical
school in Bloomsbury, of which his
brother, afterwards President Judge of
tie XXI Judicial District, Hon. Chas.
P. Waller, was principal. The culmi-
nation of his CO operation with other
leading citizens in this direction, was
the establishment of the State Normal
School. For many years he received
into his own family promising yonng
men from the country, who desired TO
prepare for college in the schools OF
the town. He was always active as a
citizen. 1t is within the bounds of truth
to say, that no project beneficial t.
the community failed to receive hts
support. The hospitalities extended
by him in the earlier time were such
as to have elected the comment that
more vehicles and people started from
his door than from the village inn.
His closing days were those Of
unceasing gratitude and thanksgiving
to God. That he was permitted to
see the consunmation of many cher
ished plans for private and public good