The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-10-16
Death of Ed. Sweeney.

! al l. .1O CIOCk wednesday morning at
his home in this city. after an illness
of several weeks, at the age of n.
| Elder Sweeney followed in the foot
steps of the famous Alexander Camp
bell. He came of family of preach
! ers his father and grandfather being
preachers of the Baptist persuasion,
| the former joining the reformation. He
| had two brothers. who like himself are
| known as pulpit orators-Elder Geo.
J w. Sweeney, of California, and Elder
/ lack Sweeney, of Columbus, Indiana.
For years Elder Sweeney was presi-
dent Of the Board of Cural )rs of Ken
lucky University. in Lexington, now
Pennsylvania University, and his legal
acumen, his breadth and knowledge of
ipractical management made his admin
| istration of great benefit to the univer-
sity.
AS preacher he had but few equals.
A man of great learning, culture and
intellectual skill, an original thinker
and possessed of broad and liberal
views. he impressed his hearers with
! wonderful ease and facility of expires
sion. He was a bold. fearless, intre-
pid debater, and during his minis
| try held nearly one hundred joint de-
4 UdLSo Will IilS lCduSTS VI jill U0uOIIllIld-
| lions.
Elder Sweeney was twice married,
| mis- first wife dying shortly after his
coming to Paris She was survived by
two daughters. Elder Sweeney was
married to Miss Alice Monin. of Har-
din county, who survives, and they were
the parents of five children-Dr. John
S. Sweeney, of Chicago; Elder William
h. Sweeney, pastor CT the Christian
Church in Evansville, Ind. Elder Ed
win b. sweeney. Lexington ;Mr. Monroe
Sweeney, Mrs. George S. Hamilton
of Two Rivers. Wis; and Mrs. Dais
S. Erion, of st. Louis, Mo.
Elder William E. Sweeney, the other
brother having died few years ago in
Dubuque, Iowa. Elder JCnh S. Swee-
iney was born at Liberty, KY, Septem-
Der 4th, 1882. His father was a poor
man land role horseback as was the
custom In those days to fill his appoint
ments liz the mountains of Eastern
Kentucky. He received what rudi-
mentS OF education was afforded by the
common schools OF his county, and was
compelled to work hard to assist in the
support of the family, his work icing
chiefly that Of logging.
He read law and TO further complete
his education entered Hancock Acade-
my, at Columbia. In 1854 Elder Swee-
ney went to Greenfield, ILL.,, where he
commenced the practice of his losen
profession. He soon rose to pcomin-
ence and was regarded as one o: the
Iuost brilliant and promising young at
torneys of the then far West.
He had not long been resident of
the Sucker State till the whole reiig-
ious world was shaken by the advent
of Alexander Campbell, 6ho preached
the reformation in every town and city
of Importance and held numerous de-
bates with leading ministers of other
denominations.
It was one of these debates which
Elder Sweeney attended that resulted
in his conversion and he Immediate
ly renowned the law and in 1856 began
an active campaign in the cause of the
new religion with which his father
had cast his fortunes and which was up
permost in the minds of ali people re-
ligiously inclined, sndfor five years was
an evangelist preaching in Illinois. Mis-
souri,, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.
During this period he received more
| than 5000 new converts into the church
and preached more than 2, 500 sermons.
His first regular charge as pastor
was in Lincoln, Ill.,, which he assum-
| ed in 1861. remaining for two years.
He was then chosen as State evange-
/ list for the IllinoissC Christian. Missionary
Society. He was sent to Chicago
where he prosecuted his work with
great zeal. So prominent did he be-
come an expounder of the new religion
that he was drawn into several joint
discussions with noted preachers of
other churches.
He later accepted Ecall from the
Monroe Street Christian Church, of
Chicago, which he held for five years,
when he resigned, accepting call to
the pastorate Of the Richmond Street
Christian Church in Cincinnati. Here
Elder Sweeney lost his little son, Wal
ter Scott Sweeney. who died of the
dread cholera which was then raging
in the Queen City.
Elder Sweeney soon after returned to
Chicago as pastor of the Sixteenth and
Wabash Avenue Christian church. I'm
der his preaching here Misses Bertha
and Ida Honore. daughters OF Mr. b. H.
HonOre, were received into the church,
the former becoming the wife OF Pot
ter Palmer and was Lady President of
the Worlds Fair Committee. and the
latter the wife of Fred D. Grant, Unit
ed States Minister to Austria.
Elder Sweeney remained in Chicago
till 1870, when on November 1st he
came to Kentucky to hold a joint de-
hate with DR.. Ditzler, noted divine
Of the Methodist church, the debate be-
ing held in Carlisle.
People for 100 miles distant came to
hear the discussion, the town being I'M
able to accommodate the throngs A
delegation from the Paris, KY. congre-
cation of the Christian church attend
ed the debate and persuaded Elder
Sweeney to stop over and preach SER
mon as he departed for his home in
Chicago. This he did and was imme6i-
ately invited to accept the pastcrare of
the church, which had been made va
cant by the resignation of Elder C.. K.
Marshall. himself noted minis ter of
The reformation. Elder Sweeney re-
turned in January. 1871, preaching two
sermons on Sunday, January 18th,
wllea he decided to accept the charg..
He entered actively upon his duties