The morning times., 1896-02-06
EXPORTED WHILE DYING |
Father Gaskins Struck Dead in
Shiloh Baptist Church.
WAS A BLACK PATRIARCH
For Three Score Y ears He Had Served
the Religious Interests OF HIS Race
and Was One or the Oldest CoIDred
Ministers inthe North-List Words
of Christian Advice.

An aged negro preacher, Whuc speaking
words of Christian praise and advice, sank
to the floor of the pulpit dead
"Oh, Christians! Love one another.
The Lord bless you," were the last words
that fell from his lips.
Father" Gaslsins, as hundreds or The
colored Christians OF the District called him,
was, with the possible exception OF Rev.
Sandy Alexander, the Oldest coiored preach
er in the city. He was eighty-one years OF
age and most or those years had been con
secrated TO telling of the Scriptures as he
understood them. He was pious man,
and many humble tears will flow at the
story OF his less.
The weekly prayer meeting OF The congre-
cation of Shiloh Baptist Church, l. street,
between Sixteenth and SeyenteentlI streets,
is held each Wednesday night. The at
tendance was small last night. Rev. Dr.
| j. a. Taylor, pastor of this church, reached
the building at 745 and retired TO his study.
Just as Pastor Taylor opened the services
| with prayer, Father" Gaskins walked
fcebly down the aisle, aiding his steps with
| O ponderous stick, and took a seat on the
pulpit.
FoREWARNED OF THE END.
II was the first time that he had visited
| the church in Fifteen months. When Pastor
! Taylor, at the close of the prayer, announced
the hymn. "Prayer is the Soul S Sincere De-
sire Father Gaskins joined in the
singing. ~
Then Pastor Taylor opened the great
Bible at the book OF Matthews, and read the
! thirteenth chapter: Father Gas kinS
listened with rapt attention. Next james
/ tfe. Tfat,
offered devout prayer, and this Father
| Gaskins punctuated with fcrvent Amens.' >
| The service was about To close when Pas
tor Taylor stated that they expected TO hear
few words from Father Gaskins. The
old man arose, and in weak voice, said
that he had not been in Shiloh Church for
many months ana that maybe the people
before whom he stood might never hear
him again. He said that he and Sandy
| Alexander were the only old-time preachers
in the District who were left.
HIS LAST WORDS.
He spoke OF some OF the preachers vino
had gone before He seemed to be growing
faint. HewasuTging sinnerstorepentwh when
his chest began TO rise and fall unnaturaliy
He was speaking with great effort. Pastor
/ Taylor put his arm around the old man
and said:
Better sit down.
Father Gaskins sank back to a chair,
saying, with his right hand pointing up
| ward:
'ohl Christians love each other. The
Lord bless you
The pastor thought the old man was only
| overcome with fatigue and had begun L
| suggest that contribution be taken al
for him. when Father Gaskins fell to hi:
knees and found a couch on the pulp
carpet.
Pastor Taylor. Sexton Payne, and Trns
tees Sanders. aud simmons bore the mai
into the study lntease excitement, pre-
vailed. Messengers were dispatched 70
physicians, but every doctor called upon wa
out
A telephone message was sent to thi
Emergency Hospital, and Police Telephon
operator Klihger sent the wheels whirling
The surgeon accompanying the ambulanc
booked at the body and said dead" Til
police ambulance rushed zip and the bod,
Of the veteran preacher was soon resting
at the morgue.
No one knew where Father" Gaskl
lived. He was known to be a nlembe
Of the Fourth Baptist Church and a nie'
Senger was sent to Rev. Mr. johnson
pastor OF that church, but without result
Father" Gaskins was born in yirgini
and years before the war Travelled tliroug
Maryland, Virginia, and the District {
Columbia as an exhorter In 1861 b
was commissioned TO organize churcbe
and was missionary for years. He b,
came pastor of the Second Colored Baptis
Church, on Third street, and retaine
this charge till he became too feeble fC
the post. Since then he has lived b
making a tour of the colored churche'
His wife died several years ago. E
has a daughter i'll at Freedman's Hospita
The coroner was notified and will condu,
| an autopsy today.