The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-07

AihlsterS conference on Monday at the
Z. ID. c. A. parlors. After giving the
entire hour to expressions of love and
admiration for the life and Christian
caharcter Of the late Rev. Paul g..
Morton. the Rev. John II. Hall Rev.
Dr. A d. Mcclure. n Rev. Calvin s.
D. D.. were appointed TO
uraft and express in part the senti-
ments OF the conference to the bereaved
family and also to give the same to the
public press. Accordingly the ministers
named ave prepared the following:
HE WAS A GOOD MAN.
He was a good man. full of the Holy
Ghost and faith He knew not the love
OF this world. He found religion the
great business and the chief enjoyment
or his life. He was good in all relations
or life. domestic. social and civil. yB
the vitality OF his spiritual life he DOW
erfully persuaded other men to be "a
ligious- He was without guile and a
son OF Salvation. indeed to thou
sands. He went about doing good. His
life was a close copy OF his divine Mas
ter.
lib WAS A MAN OF PRAYER"
The mechanism of his life found its
handspring in a spirit Of constant
prayer-he prayed to God always His
we're no morning and evening prisons.
hurried over in a few minutes. but the
whole day and everywhere the very at
mosphere of his soul was radiant vii n
the presence OF God, with whom he
communed as with a familiar friend
He opened his mouth wide and the
Lord filled it But few men in the
south ever prayed in SO many homes
n with so many individuals. At
SUCH times he seemed to be transfE-i
ured. AS the JUNCTION of the Holy Spirit
came upon him. Hundreds will never
forget how the presence of God SCENE !
to nll the opera house on the ~occas:onI
OF the last Lee birthday memorial whenI
this man. mighty in prayer called
upon the name of the Lord. BY prayerI
he drew water from the wells OF SAL
Walton for the refreshing OF many.
+HE WAS A BENEVOLENT MANI
The outflow of his generosity wasI
neither studied nor ostentatious. il wasl
as spontaneous as the gush of a moun-l
tain sprinS He literally gave himself
He suffered that others might be sup-
Piled There was a Sidney like chiv-l
airy in the way denied himself forl
others. The sick. the needy. the father
less. the stranger and the widow founul
his heart and hand wide open. AS SOL
dier. as chaplain. as pastor. as missiol
90 bO AANLL was ever lCO udEkl
or day too cold to hinder him when tha
crv of distress cache his ear. His
SELF forgetfulness was often pathetic.
frequently subiecting him to hunger'l
pain and personal discomfort If every
charitable act is a stepping stone ro-
ward Heaven his entrance was certain
iy easy and abundant"
his PIETY WAS SWEET"
His piety was sweet. unconstrained.
simple. free. natural and attractive. It'll
never deprived him or n one else IF
@ single joy. He was a stranger to con-
yeutional affections like cant of the
m0urnful face. His piety mixed easily
with innocent mirth and hearty cheer
fulness. AS with Jackson. his great
general. his piety sanctified even his
patriotism.
HIS CATHOLICITY OF SPIRIT"
His ~catholicity of spirit grew out o.
his gentleness, goodness. wide reading.
and the fact that he had touched many
of the better sides of many men of alt
grades of culture and of every shade Of
opinion. His spiritual intuitions rna-
bled him to discern the image of Christ
often beneath grotesque doctrines. His
courage permitted him to rise and So
lutte such ar one, as BarnabUS salut,dI
Paul, though others mistrusted him.
This. never at the cost of his own conf
SIEllOuS. WHICH were IlOSl p~IOIlOu1FSu
and positive. His courtesy of NAME
and catholicity of spirit made him!
equally at home in the palace of richI
and the cottage of the poor.
HE WAS A TRUE SOLDIER OF
CHRIST"
His fame as a daring scout and fear.
less soldier under Stonewall Jackson
found verification in his courage as a
good soldier of Christ. This courage
was born of disintereSte1 devotion to
his Master. He did not wait for calls,
he went love-impelled without cash
considerations. He sought mems sous
and not their silver. That intrepid:ty
OF soul that led him up the fire-swept
ridges of Gettysburg and in the very
front rank kneel beside his dying sen-
eral. was the same that led him into the
bywayS and hedges to preach the GoSpsl
Of life 10 dying men. The same
of the Lord that spake to Philip arise.
go towards the way which is desert,
spake to him and he recognized his
Masters message-'He arose and went.
For these reasons we would cherish
his memory. emulate his virtues ard
strive to follow his example, as he fol-
lowed Christ"
TRIBUTE FROM A COMRADE.
Wilmington. n. c., March 4. 1902.
Editor Messenger:
AS the only surviving member in the
state. of the regiment in which the Rev.
=. G.. Morton served in the civil war.
j desire to contribute to his memory my
estimate OF his life as a soldier. That
of minister. Christian n citizen, arc
known to the people Of Wilmington. and
vicinity.
Mr.. Morton Joined our regiment the
T~wenty-third Virginia Infantry. on the
celebrated Laurel Hill retreat. After
the defeat of Garnett's forces at
Carrock's Ford in June, 1861. I inst him
first in the camp at Highland. Va.
where that disastrous retreat turmi1at-
ed. He was not an enlisted man, at
that time. When he left college to take
the field as an dependent missionary,
he came to our regiment because Of the
number of personal friends he had
there. and to use his influence with
those he knew best. He was brought
prominently into notice and gained POD
ularity with officers and men, py MS
unremitting care n laborious efforts
to relieve the sick and He re-