The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-06-13
JOHN RENNIE BLAKE.
CHRISTIAN, SCHOLAR, SCIENTIST, TEACH
Err, BENEFACToR, GENTLEMAN.
After Seyenty-five Years OF Str"g'
giles, Victories and Usefuiness' lie
S,oes to the Great Beyond.

ffOpA
Prof John Rennie Blake died at o'clock on
the a AFTERNOON of June Sth. 1900 at his home In
Greenwood, 5. c., his native town, at Inc age
The funeral services were conducted in the
Presbyteria chureh oy 5ne Past9r' ,;hrs ney; m '
of Clinton, 8. c., and the remains were inter.
red in the city cemetery on June JUN at D
o'clock p. m. .
the deceased: ]. r. Blake, Jr., r. 7. Blake,
Jas. w. Blake, Austin Blake, Edgar Blake, D.
A. Reynolds, James Williams and Charlie
Alexander.
OF the Presbyterian church: Il. f; McCasian.
q. A. Barksdale, j. T. Summons. w. B. Mill
wee, r. g. McLees and Joel 5. Bailey.
Prof Blake was the brother Of W. 4. Blaze, a
ESQ, DR.. T. s. Blake. a. w. Blake. Mrs. 4. 7.
Bell, Mrs. j. c. Alexander. Mrs. h: b. Eey-
nolds, Mrs. T. B. Williams and Mrs. +. j.
Plowden.
1926. He received his academic education At
Green wood, and was graduated at the UnlVer-
sity OF Georgia In 1S46, with the second honor
Of his class, numbering twenty-three mem
taking, thorough student. He chose teaching
for his life work. and went from the college
halls to the school room. Wherever ne
taught, he erected in himself, by precept and
example, a standard which his pupils have
accepted as model worthy Of imitation. he
was no less concerned for the development OF
those qualities OF the heart that make Ine
man. than for the intellectual progress OF has 10
pupils. In 1858 he was elected Professor Oh
Natural Science and Mathematics In the Sy-
nodlcal Female College of Georgia. position
which he held until he obtained leave OF ap'
sence to pursue post graduate course at M Har.
ward University in Geology and Chemistry
under the great scientis Agassiz and Hors.
ford, who became through life his steadfast
friends. While thus engaged be was elected e,
corresponding member OF the Natural HIS
| tory Society Of Boston, and Fellow OF tne
American association for the advancement
OF science, and spent much OF his time with
| the great naturalists In making scientific ex.
plorations through western New YORK and
Niagara which proved OF immense vaiue 10
him throughout his career as teacher.
Prof. Blake soon became recognized as one
be was elected to the chair Of Natural Science
In the college established by the Synod OF
Memphis. But the chief work OF Prof.
Blake's life was at Davidson College, N. O.,
ty.fve years-eight years Of which time he
was chairman OF the faculty and e1-omelo
President Of the College. Upon this instttu-
tion was stamped the impress OF mind, Irlcn
| with the garnered treasures Of research and
learning. or him, 1t may be said, that OF all
the ministers in the Southern Presby terian
church of this generation, there are few VINO
were benefciar1es Of his generous liberality.
| AS his health began to fail. and his physical
powers TO decline, he resigned MS professor
ship which the board reluctantly accepted,
and retired to his native home, to rest among n
bis friends. No longer needing his BOOKS, oy
virtue of his physical condition, he donated
his entire valuable library, consisting OF sew
eral thousand volumes. TO the Presbyterian
College at Clinton, S. G.
But his work was not finished. He began
| then to consider what more ne could 90 oy
virtue of the means by which he had been
blessed. After anxious and prayerful consid-
GRAFTON. he determined to perpetuate his Ia
bors by erecting hospital at Shoe Chow.
China, and dedicated 1t 10 the memory OF his
mother and wife as "the Elizabeth Blake Hos.
gave TO 1t other munificent legacies. This
magnificent charity Is in charge Of the For
| eign Missionary Board OF the Southern Pres
oyterian Church, and is TO be nsed as an
and TO preach the gospel to the poor" Last
year over 1000 patients were treated In this
hospital Could there be more fitting ter
mination OF an active, useful, busy life?
And as the eternal life is but the continuance
OF the life that now Is in its perfection. what
an appropriate conclusion OF this brief, earth
Iy period. and guarantee Of q joyous entrance
upon broader field beyond the shores OF
time. 80
But the lives Of such men can never die.
and while loving hands and sorrowing friends
consigned 10 earth his mortal body, yet Prof.
Blake will live on in the lives Of thousands OF
men scattered throughout our Southland who
sat at his feet as students, ana whose charac-
ters were moulded with the impress OF his ex.
allied being; He Will still SPEAK through me ie
as we'll as heathen lands, who sat under bis
instruction, and now preach the glorious gos-
pei OF that religion which he 80 faithfully
life can never die for the good men do, live
after them, while generations unborn Will
arise TO bless their memory.
Truly to him on the other shore Will the
welcome be "Well done good and faithful SER
want"
AS the recent eclipse Of the sun created
considerable interest throughout the country,
we publish the following description Of q
similar occurrence, by Prof. j. r. Blake, In
1865. He assisted w. H. Kerr, State Geologlst
of North Carolina, In making scientific obser-
vations on Pilot Mountain:
Go with me to the summit Of Pilot Noun
tain, n. c., with select party OF scientists
gathered on that lofty watc htower, 1900 feet
above the surrounding plain, TO witness one
| OF the most impressive scenes nature ever
presents to the gaze OF man, total eclipse OF
the sun.
Iously waiting to catch the first moment OF
contact. The eclipse beg ins-slowly 1t pro-
crosses, but neither nature nor the merry
| voices ringing through the mountain top
give any token of the awful solemnity await
| Ing us.
But, although the supreme moment delays.
the line OF totality Is approaching. On the
distant mountain tops and the intervening
plains we see the shadows of the night rush.
ing upon us. In the twinkle OF an eye the
| sun goes out In darkness. In an instant, as
| II the pail Of death had swept over the noun
tain top, the merry laugh and jest are hush
ed into silence, or sinks intolow subdued
whispers with bated breath and the air OF this
strange night grows chill and damp. One by
one the stars have come out to witness the
solemn ceremony, the bats have crept out
from the crevices OF the rocks and tilt about In
the dusky air. 49,.
The ravens are hurrying home to roost.
Wood and field and crag and cliff have putt
on funeral robes. A pale, yellow, sickly ligh
rests upon the weld scene, whilst around the
couch OF the departed sun, extending far
beyond the intervening moon, Is halo Of
glory more resplendent than mortal eyes
ever beheld around the dying couch Of earthly
monarch. This picture defieS the powers Of
fancy, itbeggars language.
Just bask In the glories Of this unsurpassed
scene, allow the wings Of imagination, TO
have free sweep to revel amid those stars
with their vast magnitude, their immeasur-
able distances, their complicated movements,
with all the wonderful glories, which "eye
hath not seen nor ear hea I'd. nor hath 1t en-
tered into into the heart OF man to conceive" I"
ifyou be not more or less than human, surely
the soul will take fire and mount upward
with wings as eagles. j. r. b. B..