The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-05
VOICES THAT THRILLED THE
HEART In THE YEARS AGONE
Dr. Whitaker Writes of Some Who are Gone, But
: Whose Kindly Hurnor Laughs Through
the Veil.

GOulll, met III SIOiNoOOiO iOi tilt III -
time; Bishop George F.. Pierce, of
Georgia. presiding, and Rev. William
f. Pell, Secretary. AT that time Colds
boro was a mere village compared
with what it is now.
The Griswold Hotel occupied the
same corner where the Hotel Kennon
how stands; the Borden Hotel was on
the corner now occupied by Miller's
drug store; and in the middle of the
street opposite the Borden House was
the railroad shed under which the
Wilmington and Weldon trains stop
ped. Under that shed Bishop Fierce
preached on Sunday morning during
the Conference. / remember that the
great crowd under the shed had to
be moved, during preaching, to let
the train pass; but as the Bishop was
suffering with vertigo, and was not
at all himself in the beginning, the in
terruption was a relief to him. The
few moments of rest he gained while
the train was under the shed greatly
benefited him, as was clearly shown
during the latter part of the sermon
which was declared to be a most elo-
quent one. By the way, no preacher
has arisen in the South who was the
superior of Bishop Pierce as pulpit
orator. He was a man of the most
captivating manners and represented
that old-time class of public speakers
noted for their ability to sway multi
tudes. He was eloquent in thought
and diction, elegant in bearing and
most charming in delivery. No one
would grow weary under two hours
sermon, for he was never dull but
bright, pleasing, strong and eloquent
all the time. | am speaking of hin,
forty-siX years ago. / did not have
the pleasure of hearing him in the lat
ter days of life, when the fire was
burning low and strength was failing;
but heard from others that he was
grand, even then.
Again | ask, Where are they? All
those men and women who sat under
that railroad shed that Sunday morn
ing in December, 1857? How many
are there still living? l have a curl
osity to know how many there are
who remember that Conference. heard
the Bishops sermon and witnessed the
fight that took place between Doctors
Gloss and Burton. 1 don't mean a
fisticuff but a debate which, as I re-
member, lasted about sixteen hours,
each speaking eight hours. That con-
troverSy, or quarrel, as it certainly
was. grew out of the Deems and Smith
affair, and that out of the Christopher
Duncan letter. | do not remember now
just what the issue was; but can new
er forget the scene presented in the
Conference. l was a gallery spectator,
as we young people preferred being
as far away from the scene of action
as possible, and as much to ourselves
as We we'll could; so / could see and
hear everything. The Bishop sat fac
ing us in the gallery, as well as the
congregation; DR.. Gloss was in the
midst of his speech. Right in front of
him sat DR.. Burton, a man of small
stature but a giant in intellect, mas
ter in debate, quick and sharp in re-
partee and as fearless as lion. There
he sat like an old soldier. calm and
cool, under the heavy fire from DIR.
ClosS's battery. Not nerve twitched,
rot a muscle Mas moved, but with eyes
firmly and fearlessly fixed on the adj
versary he looked the personification
OF undaunted heroiSm. Gloss was fir.
ing his heaviest guns and shells were
bursting all around Burton but he
said not word now and then he
would make a note and resume his
earnest gaze into the eyes of his adj
versary.
To us young people in the gallery,
the scene was becoming tiresome es-
pecially to those of us who sat near
20 some pretty girls and were longing
for a chance to do some talking our
selves. We couldn't help whispering
a little, and little ripple of laughter
would break forth now and then; not
enough to disturb the speaker or the
audience; but the keen eye of the
Bishop discovered the levity, and
thinking that it might increase, he
raped gently on his desk, saying:
Twill DIR. Gloss suspend for a mo-
ment? ?" Then, in voice as gentle and
as sweet as a woman's, he requested
the young people in the gallery to be
as quiet as they could for few mo-
ments longer as the time of adjourn
ment was nigh at hand, when they
could go to their homes, or their stop
ping places, and enjoy themselves. DR..
Gloss putting on the air of one greatly
astonished. turned about and looked
in every direction as if amazed at the
idea that any one could sit within the
sound of his voice and not be absorb
ed in him and his speech. A pin
could have been heard fall in that
moment, for everybody was expecting
to hear something witty and sharp.
1t came. Twisting his mouth around
as if he would whisper into his own
car, looking first toward the gallery
as If to say | am talking to you; then
looking upon the audience as if say
ing, l want you to hear this. Then
addressing the Bishop he drawled
out: "Really-Bishop-I thought
SpetCIl--Inat was
iEteresting-to everybody" (Here he
hesitated, cut his eyes around, and up
into the gallery. to see that all were
attentive, and proceeded.) "I-appre-
hend-that-the faults not-in the
speaker-nor-in the-speech but
because" (pointing his finger at DR.
Burton) the Enthusiastically,
The Conference applauded, the gal
lery went wild; the Bishop smiled but
raped for order; but, amid it all DR..
Burton was unmoved.
l dare say that Drs. Gloss and Bur
ton, in their prime. could not have
been surpassed as debaters, in any
Conference. DR.. Burton was better
eduated and was more polished; and,
withak he had the native ability to
measure arms with giant in debate.
DIR. Gloss lacked in that early train
ing so requisite to the, making of
well-rounded character but what he
had. he had acquired, and was con-
scious of his strength. and knew as
we'll as any one how and when to
strike; and when he did strike he hurt.
What he lacked in polish he more
than made up in wit and sharp repair