The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-31
DIR. EUSTACE w. sPEER.
Something of His Career-Savannah-
ians Who Were His Pupils.

1anS VINO were HIS Pup1IS.
In an interesting and appropriate sketch
of the late DR.. Eustace Willoughby Speer.
whose death was announced in yesterdays
Morning News, Harry Stinwel Edwards,
the Macon author, says:
The young preacher was making
strong impression upon the old heads of
the Georgia Conference They were con-
fronted then by a condition at affairs a,
Athens the seat of Franklin College that
sorelY tried the hearts OF those sood men.
1t is likely that traditions of those wild
days live in the families of many of my
readers. The college was prosperous, but
the student body was composed of large
number Of wealthy and sometimes reck>
less youngsters sons of the old Southern
aristOcracy The conduct of these students
had grown to be scandal in the eyes of
the brethren, and after due reflection con-
ference sent to them our young theologian.
This was in 1850. The disorder which greet
ed mis- first appearance soon disappeared
before his eloquence, ana il was not long
before the boys were his devoted friends
No year of his ministry was ever more
profitable, and many friendships made
there have lasted through life.
In 1858 the subject OF my sketch was
members his entrance into the Lanier be-
tween the TWO lions. where, in 1865, Inc
writer saw Jefferson Davis pass under
guard. In 1854 Macon had the yellow fever
epidemic The young preacher stuck to
his posr and faced the danger manfully.
There were times when ne returned from
the bedside of the dying with the marks
of the disease, in'its last stages. upon his
clothing. Here, as elsewhere, he endear-
ed himself to all classes, and though a
half century has fled since he passed into
other fields there are citizens who recall
every feature of his benignant face, the
erect and dignifed figure, the nobeness
of his bearing, the splendor of his rhetoric
and the loving tenderness of his ministry.
His advancement was rapid. He passed
on to Columbus, Augusta, Athens again.
Savannah, Americas, LaGrange and At
lanta, saving souls and building up the
church of his fathers. AT times he serv-
ed presiding elder In 1874 he was elect
ed by the trustees as professor of bellies
lettres and English literature in the Uni
versity of Athens, and held this position
for eight years There are hundreds of
men in Georgia and the South, many of
them middle-aged, whose ability as think
ers speakers and writer's attest the excel
lence of his training. Such men as Nc
Clendon of Thomasville, Denmark,
of Savannah. the late w. Y. At
kinson and J. r. Lamar of Augusta attest
the power and purity of his training and
have never lost an opportunity to express
their affect:Onate gratitude to their former
teacher Among the men who received
training in English literature from him
are John Temple Graves Hon. w. H.
Howard. Hon w. II. Fleming Hon Clark
Howell, Hon Pleasant Stoyan, Hon A. r.
Lawton and Hon. w. A. Dobson, president
of the Senate. Since Nat lime DR.. Speer
has lived in Athens. He had been ad
mitted in early life 10 the bar by act of
the general assembly of Georgia and had
always evinced fondness for the study
of law in general education. Shorty af-
ter his resigna ton as professor at Athens
he was appointed by Justice WOODS
master in chancery in the Uni
ted States courts and thereafter Judge
Pardee renewed his appointm Mt. To the
duties of this rev station he has brought
a patience of investigation and cleacness
of logic and q learning remarkable in one
whose life had not been devoted 10 re
study Of Faw. His natural aptitude for
law however. and his powers as a res-
oner were conspicuous. Gen. Toombs p o.
nounced his ability for clear statement as
exceeded only by Judah p Benjamin $
In politics he is. as was his father fore
MIN. a consistent Union man, and ever
was. His uudeT5 1n5ing Of the cons j.
IN or was that Of Hamilton, Marshall aud
Webster. When Georgia seeded he was
pas tor % the Me- hOd 81 ChurcA IN Amer
icus. and when the brethren came to re-
mind him that the parsonage was the only
house in town not Illuminated he said sad
Nv to them: You had better be In sack
cloth and ashes" But While his convic-
lions seemed TO ead him toward he fed
eralist constructor OF Inc constitution, he
has in no sense departed from his featy
as a Sou he man and to all lawfal move
ments which were and are essential 70
keep the control of our local affairs in ne
hands of The intelligence and patriotism
of our section.
Or. Sheer is the last OF his fathers
children to survive His oldest brother
DR.. Algernon Sidney Speer moved 10 Flor
ida fifty years ago aud planted the ia
nous Spe.r grove near Sanf RI and viii