The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14

From the Charleston News and Courier.
 John Johnson, D. D., is dead. A little before the stroke of F Sunday night his great soul departed from the earthly house not made with hands eternal in the heavens"
 It may be only a fancy but it is said by some observant persons that there are many points of contact between the nat ural and the spiritual that miricles are wrought still as when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven in a whirl wind" 1t was a very tempestuous night, as any who were abroad can testify. The winds blew with great violence the lightnings filled the heavens and the earth with their ghostly glare, and loud roared the dreadful thunder" It was just as if Fort Sumter was again under fire. What a grand night it was for an old soldier to pass on into the light wait ing for him on the other side, his place ready for him in the gray ranks of those with whom he fought many years ago, stirred from their slumber by the tillery of Jehovah and drawn up in mar tial array to receive him. And after the fury of the storm came the vast silences of the upper world and the light of the tranquil stars burning as so many bea- cons to lure the weary and the heavy laden to the far country, but country ever in sight, filled with the souls of just men made perfect, and from which no traveller would return.
 Dr. Johnson was the last of the his toric preachers of Charleston. For thir- ty-four years he was tine pastor of St. Philips church; for nearly eighty years he lived in this town. There is none who can say that he was ever unfaithful to any trust or that he ever failed any call of duty made upon him as soldier priest. citizen or neighbor Speaking of him yesterday a distinguished lawyer of the Charleston bar, very careful student of human nature, said "his life was ser mon.' He lived uprightly and he taught others by his example how to live. We shall never see his like again. His place will be filled in the church and in so- ciety. and the world will move on and ever on; but there will never be another just like lhiIn, for he filled distinct place in the community and his services and experiences can never be repeated.
 The Rev John Kershaw, D. D.. rector of St. Micha els church. writes about the distinguished dead, his last illness and his varied services as follows:
 ''The brief announcement yesterday of the entrance into life eternal of the Reverend John Johnson, doctor of di- vinity, set the seal of finalty upon the hopes and fears, the heartfelt desires and prayers of very many in this com munity. For several weeks it has been known that he had probably entered upon the inevitable struggle with the last enemy, or, better still, that he had received the message to set his house in order, for that the time had come for him to lay down his pilgrim staff and receive the crown that was laid up for him. It was felt that here was one whose life work had been well done and that longer life was not what was most to be desired for him, and as- suredly not that which he would have asked for himself; yet many and fer vent were the prayers sent up to the Father for him that he might be raised up again from the sick bed, or else that such grace might be given him that after this painful life ended he might dwell with God in life everlasting. Spared the pain of much acute suffer- ing and enabled almost up to the last to join in the prayers offered at his bedside, he fell asleep near the mid night hour of the Lords Day While without the clouds poured out water, the air thundered and thine arrows went abroad within all was peace as the spirit took it's flight, leaving the tired body.
 Waiting in holy stiffness
 Wrapt in sleep,
 until the resurrection morn.
 Tt is given to few men to accom-