The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-15


name as he thought fit. There is the his
toric case of Angus Reach, who did not
like to rhyme with peach and called
himself ''Ree-ak" At dinner on one oc-
casion he was put down by Thackeray,
who said: "Mr. Ree-ak. I'll trouble you
for pee-ak. But if my name were
Reach l would go to the rack rather than
surrender my right to call myself what
pleased"
l referred to that very great theologian
and thinker, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, in
my last article. He was a very true,
sincere man in all things. He died at
flfty-five years of age of small ox. He
was Christian of the highest type. was
cody and righteous before God whose
life was ibid with Christ in God" who
was sanctified wholly by the renovating,
cleansing, purifying. saving power Of the
Holy Spirit, in the baptism of fire. I
greatly honor his memory as one OF the
noblest, greatest, hottest of Christian di-
vines through the ages. He was a native
of Connecticut, the very greatest man,
no doubt, ever born within that little
State. He was we'll educated, was of
precocious mind, began to study Latin at
six, reminding one of John l.. Mill,
who studied it at five. Mr.. Edwards
learned to compose early. and at ten he
had facility in putting his thoughts in
good shape with the pen He used to go
out inthe woods and pray when a child.
He was born October 5th. 1903, and died
on March 22d, 1853. His last words were
Trust in God and We need not fear
He married a beautiful, most gracious,
&c l,r,c
ideals and life, on July 9th, 1927. They
had born unto them eleven children. He
was very hard worker, although of
rather delicate build. He spent thirteen
hours day in his study He had just
entered upon the Presidency of Princeton
College, ~ j., when he took the fatal
disease that ended his exalted. pure, con-
secrated, most useful life. The late dis
tinguished historian. John Fiske, of Mas
sachusetts, wrote of him in great praise,
and among other noticeable statements
gives this:
His character was as great as his
genius. 1t was due TO Edwards
that the prime question to every anxious
mind was not so much Ain l one of the
elect?' as this other question, Have sur
rendered my heart to Christi :.
The religious thought of the seventeenth
century was in danger of losing its life
among dry logical formulas. 1t needed to
be touched with emotion, and that was
what The Great Awakening accom-
plished."
The once very celebrated DIR. Thomas
Chalmers, OF Scotland, the most eminent
of Scotch divines since John Knox said Of
MIR. Edwards. that his was far the high
est name which the new novels has to
boast Of" SO have held other leaders of
thought and cultivation in Great Britain.
The greatest pulpit orator, as l hold, in
the last century, Robert Hall, the Bap-
fist, said of Edwards, that ''he ranks with
the brightest luminares OF the Christian
Church. not excluding any century or any
age since the apostolic"
Sir James Macintosh historian and es-
| sayist Of distinguished parts, said that
his power OF subtle argument was per-
kars unmatched, certainly unsurpassed
among men, The Boston Congrega ton
| ahst has lately printed this of MIN:
Princeton University has written above
bis dust that he is second to no mortal
rAar.' Yale bears on one Of her chapel
windows the testimony that he was "a
PHILOSOPHER of sacred things who moves
the admiration of ages The most recent
| opinion of those who best know American
history confirms this testimony. When
the vote was taken three years ago on
candidates for the Hall of Fame. Ed
wards stood first in the hist of American
theologians. and his strength was not
only in New England, which was his
home but in the Southern and Western
| States.
| 1t bemoans the forgetfulness of the
American people and says.
Where is there any statue to his
honor? Only two churches in the United
States bear his name. Scarcely a trace
OF him is found at South Windsor, Ct,
where he was born. The few relics asso-
ciated with him at Northampton and
Stockbridge have until recently been IN
known to many of the residents Of those
| towns"
Americans are peculiar. They exalt the
| politician and the man of blood. They
glory IN the worship of heroes in war
and in the men of platitudes, politics and
promise. But the man of God who conse-
crate their lives to His service and the
great and unappreciated work of saving
souls, and whose powers of mind were so