Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-08-10
THE REV. JAS. A. CLARK.
(BY D. S. CLARK

parents we're "poor aud pious.' His faith
er was Vim. Clark, q stone mason, whose
sole property was a COW, lew ehlckens
and a pair of strong arms. However, hts
mental and moral worth were not measur-
ed by his scanty possessions; for he was an
elder of the Free Church of Roberton par
ish, and was called to visit the SICK Tor
miles around, exhibiting rare powers IN
expounding the Scriptures and praying
with the afflicted, and added to his plety
and intelligence was a genius for poetry
From such q humble and godly home
our subject came.
AT about the age of years, James NOV
ed with his parents to Harden Cottage near
| the famous Harden Castle on the Duke oil
Ruccleugh's estate. Here he attended the
| Roberton school and the Free church. AT
| ter its disruption he was received as COM
municant at the age of Is. He wrought at
masonry with his father between the ages
| of Is and 19-
But these years OF humble and laborious
toll were only stepping stones for a lofty
ambition. There were few minutes vast
| ed.
At the age Of 1c he entered the Free
| Church Normal College at Edinburg, re-
naming the winter session. The next
year finds him teacher of arrow Free
| Church school here he taught p years
and the testimonials given by the othcers
| of the parish and Presbytery show the
| success of his work and the commence
| they had in him as teacher OF youIn. lu
| addition to the usual branches tsaght IN
school it appears that Sacred Music the
| Catechism and the Scriptures were also
| taught and examinations sustained before
| the Presbytery in all the common bran ch-
es. sshistory, latin etc etc." During these
wears he had covered most OF college
course in English, Mathematics, and
| languages. did much general reading and
while teaching, led singing at church,
visited and prayed with the sick, taught
Bible Class and gave an address every
| Sabbath. ,,.
It was here at Yarrowfens he met Miss
Margaret Scott, daughter OF Walter scott
| of Catslackburn who became his wlie IN
| 1854. bore him six children and died Dec.
| 1881.
Having closed his school at farr ow IN
| Anril 1854. and married, he emigrsted to
| America landing in Philadelphis In May.
| Here he engaged in teaching CONNER
| cial College on Chestnut st. near 9th AT
| this period began that lifelong friendship
with Rev. DR.. J. B. Dsles who died at
last years meeting of Synod.
| All this while he had the ministry IN
view and now gets fairly started Sold
the Commercial College in 1890, and re-
paired to Franklin College,at New Athens
| Ohio and in the fall Of 1850 entered the
| Theological Seminary at Allegheny "a.
| Durinp his stay in Allegheny he acted as
citv missionary for some time and eeveral
| churches exist to- day as the outgr0W th OF
| his work.
| In April 1857 he was licensed to preach
and began to preach in the vacant church
es of the presbytery by appointment. On
oronnd of superior qualifications he vas
advanced one year in his course OF The
ologv AMI closed his Seminary course IN
| Spring of 1858. In the Fall Ot lo1o ne
was called to the Prospect U. r Charch
which call he accepted and IN April loo9 was
ordained and Installed.
The Congregation of Mt. Chestnut also
| ioined in the call and he served these two
Congregations till 1876 when he resigned
th. Mt Chestnut field to take the POrters-
VILE field and in 1888 resigned the PR
| tersyille field and gave that half OF MS
time to the Church at West Liberty. Call
| ed to his work in 1858 the churches grew
| ranidlv till the outbreak of the Civil ar
when the ranks were ssrely depleted by
drafts and volunteers. Yet in all this try
| ing time, with poor remunera tlo1, anu
heavy taxes and bounties, he dld not
shrink from the hardships which few now
know aud understand
In 1861 he bought the farm one mile
east of Prospect where he hYed I'LL MS
| death and which he leaves a. monume ent
| to his diligence and irugality, aud cautious
management.
In 1868 the Prospect Congre CATION
huilt new church and remodeled the
grounds. re
In 1881 he lost the partner of his lie
who had as faithfully and devotedly and
sacrificingly as he bore the fruit OF LIES
hard battle.
Tn 1884 he married Mrs. Wilson of
Zelienople who cheered AID blessed MS
closing years and survives to mourn MS
loss.
On Tuesday. july II, 1894. be went to the
meeting of Synod at Conneaut Lake IN
good health and full of life and hope. The
heat was extreme, he suffered severely and
eould not rest He returned home on Fri
day. the Goth, worn out and exhausted yet
making preparations on Saturday for the
services of the following day. One Sat
urday night acute dysentery sit in, med
ical aid was summoned but no human
power could stay the approach of that
stern visitor 1t was death from the hrst.
With all the phenominal strength
of that phenomenal body he fought
the last great battle aud fell as every man
must.
His Christian character came out both
| in his rational and delirious hours. The
work of the church and the salvation OF
men we're constantly ON his mind. He
was bearing on that faithful heart the in-
| terests of his church and the cause of
| Christ, preaching to men and coGductlng
| the services of Gods house as he tossed in
semi slumber, uttering fervent ejac ula-
tions in the paryers al his bedside aud try
| ing To Join in the singing OF the 2Srd Psalm
| as he was sinking into unconsclousness.
But no words can describe the pathos OF
those dying hours, We abondon The at
| tempt.
Al 1920 A. NJ. July 26 1894 he closed
his eyes on earth to open them upon the
! crown, the mansions, aud the throne.
| On Saturday 500 or 600 people assembled
| from far and near to take a last look
and drop tear of sorrow over the silent
| form. The church in which be SD long
| preached was filled as iC never was filled
| before and the grounds without were
thronged as no other occasion had ever
witnessed. The services were conducted
| by Rev j. S. Mckee of Butler and par
| ticipated in by Profs McClelland aud Sam1
Dodds of Grove City, Revs. Breadin, Gil
| fllan, Sherrard, Cooper and McClester of
| the Presby tery and Rev. Cutler of the NJ.
Then with sorrowing hearts we laid his
| body down by the side of his wife, his
| eldest son and little babe, and his career
| in the eyes OF man is marked with that
| irrev0cabe "Flnis
| Some estimate of his work and character
| is now in place-As a preacher Rev. Clark
| might be described as vigorous. He
preached without note OF help of any kind;
| with strong voice aud ready utterance,
there was no halting nor stumbling in his
discourses. He preached only after care
| full preparation, nearly every sermon being
| written out in full. His 35 years of ser
monizipg represents an amount of work in
the study that is altogether immeasur-
| able.
His homiletics were of the rgidly logical
| type planned and arranged with exact
care, in accordance with the rules Of dis
course, and he felt dissatisfaction with a3y
preaching that did not conform TT hcm-
iletical canons. As pastor he was ardu-
ous and willing, going at any call to any
distance, at any hour ana in any kind of
| weather. He visited and catechsed his
congregations regularly and the youth
who grew up under his care are well
grounded in the doctrines and principles of
| the church.