The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-17
THE NWBERFY HERALD AND NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER H. 1894

chosen, lie was silent power at the polls We
believe, that be voted as he prayed, and aS
one who felt that his ballot was not his own
10 be used for selfish purposes but as Il trust
placed III his hands for the good OF his people
and for the glory of God.
The poor and weak had his sympathy. his
hand was opened TO supply the one and his
arm was ready TO support the other.
His life was gentle: And the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might st md up
And say 10 all the world. This WIS man.
il has been with difficulty that RETAINED
from speaking Of my friend and brother as a
preacher and as a astor, for he was a model
as preacher and as a IaStor, but am ad-
morished that I mus: leave these topics for
others who are to come after me-
One Of the purest and best of our citizens
has gone flom us.
How beautiful it Is fora man to die
Upon the walls Of Zion; TO be called
Like q watch-worn. and weary sentinel
To put his armor Off, and rest in heaven"
Rev. DR.. Fox, Of the Lutheran
church, was then introduced and be
spoke Of
DIR. COZBY AS A PREACHER.
Whatever abiding impressions DR.. Cozby may
have made by his distinguished character as cti-
and pastor, in our social and educational life
as brother beloved, associate and friend, he will
be remembered best among US as faithful, ear
nest, impressive and edifying preacher His ma
ture age rich experience superior gifts which
were refined and intensified by patient and in
dust-ious cultivation, would have given him
prominence and even emineDce in any commun-
ity here in our own State, OF wherever he might
have been called to labor. Modest in sef-appre-
ciation disdainirg the doubtful arts that lead to
notoriety, more bent to raise the wretched than
to rise the circle of those to whom he minis
tered was never Of large dimension but drew
Rim asifl those.
who never went away empty or unfed by Gospel
truth. 1t is with unaffected pleasure that stand
i'll this place, sanctified by his public ministra-
tion to his now ShepherdleSS fold and bear a teS-
timony that will doubtless be corroborated i'll
similar manner by every attendant on this occa-
sion, that, in the eight years of his ministry in
this community, in which time have had num-
bcrleSs opportunities to hear him, always gladly
embraced, 1 cannot recall single instance i'll
which he did not preach to my edihcation and stir
fresh impulse in my Christian life. Somehow or
in some way. the sermons Of ogst5y gOt 20:
manent hold of me, audro-nicht with little effort
htine permi;tea could recall the texts subjects
ana 1noTot the divisions Of every one to which |
naEs-Ustened. Prominent among them shall
never forget masterpiece Of pulpit effort IN
discourse on the Syro-Phonician W oman preached
in the original church now eight years ago, and
the last heard from his lips in the Methodist
church last April on the text He gave his life
a ransom for many" In his quick apprehension
Of the true meaning Of the text, in his natural
always adorned with chaste and graceful Ian
guage and driven home to the listeners con-
Sciousness with gentle and persuasive tones, DT
Cozby in our humble judgment, had feV equals
and still fewer superiors. In his :nnost convic-
ton the ministry was the work which was COM
mitted to him by God. He felt himself to be
Gods ambassador. The pulpit Was his throne.
And the themes which he presented were sur
charged with feelings of interests Of the very
highest moment-the universal and most impor-
tart interests of mankind-faT beyond those for
which the thunder of DeTnosthcnes rolled in
athens, far beyond those for which Cicero shook
the Senate-house in Rome. Every thought, atti-
tude look and gesture bore the impress Of his
divine commission, and was the outward express
sion of deep inward purpose ever struggling up
through his soul, to perform. like his Divine
Exemplar the work which he had been sent to
do. AS he appeared in the sacred desk, clothed
with meek unaffected humility, evidently re-
strained by the consciousness of his high rcspon-
sibiity and the sense Of awe Of the divine Pres
erce, the sacred impulse emanating from him
reached all hearts, and we were made to feel
rhere stands the messenger Of truth; there stands
The legate Of the skies! His theme divine,
His Office sacred, his credentials clear.
By him the violated law speaks out
thund4rs, and by him i'll strains as sweet
As angels USE the Gospel whispers peace"
In the few moments in which we shall be per
mitted to refresh our memories Of DR.. Cozby's
preaching we Shall endeavor to briefly represent
its matter its method and its motive.
I. Primarily and dstinctively Dr.. CoZby was
preacher of doctrine. Now there is doctrinal
preaching and doctrina! preaching; and it is not
our purpose to represent him as belonging to the
school OF antedated scholastcs metaphysical doc
t-na preachers; but he was a firm believer in
the cardinal, fundamental doctrines Of revealed
religion, and most interesting and e1ninently
successful expositor of doctrinal truth Doctrine
is something taught;-a preacher of doctrine is a
teacher of Scri plural truth, and to represent Dr.
c. by as an Instructive and edifying teacher Of
God S word is to picture him in his true charac-
ter. His head and his heart were not II conflict
with each other in regard to the saving doctrines
of Christianity and he constantly set them forth
as the only basis and constitution OF Christian
character, and the only ground Of hope OF eternal
life and heavenly blesSedneSs. What he had
learned he taught; what he believed, he spoke;
what he felt convinced was the truth. he did not
hesitate to maintain and defend. He had little
sympathy with the modern tendency to move
away from the foundation Of right doctrine. He
repudiated the clanor that is raised IN some quar-
ters that our Christian churches are dying because
of doctrinal preaching. He ignored the demand
to convert pulpits into platforms tor the dis
modern speculative problems, and closed his
ears against the cry for pure and simple sensa
tionalisn. He was convinced that me old Gospel,
proclaimed with apostolic ferror, and with the
JUNCTION Of the Holy Ghost, is the only hope fo-
the human race, and that to-day it remains as
distnctvely as in the time Of St. Paul, the power
Of God unto salvation to every one that belIev-
eth" He therefore avoided foolish questions,
and preached the Word in its simple, sanctIfying
power And here it is just to add that he preached
not only the doctrines universally accepted among
Christians, but wherever the occasion offered
or demanded, and especially in the presence Of
his own congregation, he proclaimed as he should
the distinctive doctrines of the CalviniStic system
and the Westminster Confession, which he CON
scientiously believed to be the truth. And doubt
less those who are members Of his congregation
would chee-fully assen. to the fact that he made
them not only better Christians, but also better
PreSby yterianS.
There was not, however, in DR.. Cozby the
slightest suggestion OF sectarian INTOLERANCE or
ministerial bigotry, and he was evidently lifted
far above any narrow excluSveneSS by his breadth
Of mind, generosity of heart, and philanthropc
nature He was not the blind fanatic or illibcral
enthusiast tramrlelled and handicapped by the
purely traditional interpretations Of his own
creed particularly on the Sabbath question and
the individual conception of the well-guarded
doctrine of evolution, and he did not hesitate to
publish to the world his opinions and convictions
always courageously and successfully maintained.
In word, DR.. Cozby was man independent IN
thought broad in culture, careful in investiga-
ton and he constantly enriched his sermons not
only with doctTinal truth, but with wealth OF illus
tration from the various departments of human
knowledge. There was an atmosphere OF lnvig-
Grating freshness about his pulpit efforts that
clothed old themes with new interest and made
them appear in new and attractive light He was
a man Of thought and gave his devoted parish
toner's the full enjoyment Of his varied literary
and theological attainments.
2 We now hasten to consider more briefly the
method of DR.. Cozby's preaching, It contormed
to the most approved rules of fhomiletical arrange
ment. The order which he pursued was most
natural logical and expository, and remarkably
clear in thought and presentation. He saw in the
test one great central thought around which al!
his arguments Subdivisions and illustrations fell
into unity, and all conspired to produce har-
monious and ineffaceable impression. If he had
any defect-and in the mention of it stand my
al ,,,tt tta, if>-t,, of