Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-03-11

DR.. Thornton c. Whaling of Lexington, makes
the following contribution to that paper under
the caption OF "From My Study Window" The
elder is recognized the late John B. Lyle. who
died in the summer Of IsS5.-EDs. GAzETTE.l
This church has had thirteen
pastors and supplies, nine of whom
have "fallen asleep; and forty
three elders, thirty-one of whom
have joined their pastors in "the
rest that remaineth." Yonder in
that cemetery their mortal dust
reposes for "a little while" until
the morning of the resurrection"
beneath the shade of that old oak
in which the red-birds sit, rest the
remains of one, perhaps the most
useful and cOnsecrated Of all the
more than two score. Upon the
simple stone which marks his
grave the hand of brother elder,
who knew him in the intimacies of
friendship like that of Jonathan
and David, has inscribed the rare
tribute, "He was the bravest man,
the truest friend, and the best
Christian ever known to him who
has erected this stone to his
memory The pastor of these
last years feels, comfOrted at
the the thought of the comfort
wherewith were comforted'' the
earlier pastors in the possession Of
such an elder, and he is thankful
that he and his elders of the present
day have the heritage of this
brother elder who "by faith OBJ
tanned a good report" We are
richer today because he was so
truly man "full of faith and the
Holy Ghost" For years this godly
elder led the ministry of sacred song
in the public worship of God, set
ting the type of elevation and con-
secration, of dignity and devotion,
which has always marked this part
of the service of the sactuary
in the church he served. Other
elders, both before and since, have
shared in this blessed service Of
"edifying one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs"
and many others Of the member
ship, of both sexes, have contri-
buted through "the choir" in
swelling the volume of worthy
praise with which our church has
ever sought to honor God. What
a comfort for the pastor, whether
he know much or little of sacred
music, to know that this part of
the worship is always safel That
nothing undignified, sensational,
or spectacular will come in through
this door to deface the purity and
"the prophecies" of the worship
of God, is solace which not even
"blue" Monday can depreciate, or
a wild wintry day on which the
birds will not sing, prevent from
making melody in the pastors
heart.
For years this godly elder "served
his generation by the will Of God"
in his skilful and successful per-
sonal appeals to men on their
relations to Jesus Christ. An at
tractive man, the youth of the
town and college and institute
frequented his bookstore, and he
was ever watchful and wise to
speak at due season the due word,
"like apples of gold in pictures of
silver" There is no method of
knowing now how many he reached
and helped to save. The record is
kept on high, and will one day be
revealed. An hOnored physician was
won by him for Christ; he brought
to the beloved pastor of the church
that pastors own son, to apply for
membership in the church, and who
has now been for nearly half a
century an honored minister in the
Synod of Virginia. The great
"Stonewall' was invited by him
to join a company of gentlemen
who were studying DR.. Ashbel
Green's Lectures on the Shorter
Catechism, and as a result became
a Calvinist, Presbyterian, the
typical deacon and church officer.
But | must stop; time would fail
me to tell of the good deeds and
example of this noble elder, that
still lives enshrined in the memory
of Gods people here, and that
a part of the spiritual
riches of the church in which he
held the office and exercised to the
full the duties of an elder in the
house of God. "Being dead, he
yet speaketh" to the twelve
brother elders who now administer
the spiritual affairs of this beloved
church; and at the memory of these
elders whc have gone, and at the
thought of the elders who remain,
the pastor finds that even on this
'blue" Monday on which the red
birds refuse to sing, that his heart
rejoices within him, and he is filed
with cheer and hope as he prays
that the elders who now serve with
him may become possessed of
double portion of Elijah's spirit.