The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-10-29
FREDERICKSBURG, va, THURsDAY, ooroBER %. 1aos
SOME "REMINISCENCES
Rev Or 7. S Dunswsy Writes Of the Late
Judge r. c. [. Moncwe


by reputation, had no personal &c
quaintance with Judge e.. l. Moncurp
iii came To fredericksburg To- live. now
torty-twD years ago. His home being
near here in Stafford county. | fnequent-
~ met him and the more saw aud knew
OF him, the more | admired and reveret
him Tor his sterling worth and noble
qualities. | count IL Que Of the PRIVILEGES
of my life To have known him snmex hnt
intimately, and one of the honors of nv
ILL., L. haVe bad his fri, n ishlp aud conf
den,e.
Two motives prompS Iue 10 " rite these
reminiscences, one OF them pers nal. md
the other tmIersOnal wish To pay a
personal tribute 10 the memory OF so
good and great man. and adj on., lau-
rel leaf To the chaplet which his ildmirlng
fellow citizens iong ago bsstow ed upon
him al the close OF "A long life devoted to
duty bud the put lic service
But a D!ghar aud stronger motive
prompting no To writA lhpsu reinini--
cences Is To Civ the rising generation IA
glimpse Ot the person and character oi
JIdge kGBcprG and - keep g7ren and
fresh his memory. Asip fgyut u nar
kivg arose which knew not JOS .ph. 80 In
Virginia a new generation has come on
the stage Oi action who knew not this
prince among men.
GEORGE Ilsrtsrt said. "tha good and
great lie Il cevar out ~ seas'in 90 "a
miniscences of the men who m ,ke their
mark on the worlds history ar especial
ly useful. A noble life put fairiy on res
ord Gets as an Inspiration To- the living.
IL shows Shat a life Is capable of uelng
made at IT. best. II would BE- difficult;
To over estimate the influence of the lives
oi the good and great exercised ON the
Individual aud on the elevation OF hu.
man snclety. lho righteous shall be In
everlasting remembrance.
Judge Aoncure was a distinguished
iurist- As young lawyer he was am
bilious TO succeed In his chosen probes.
sion. and he devoted his time aud en-.
ergies To- the accomplishment Of thnt end
Tie was specialist, and bent all his
powarE to TIE study OF therlen.e al l,.w.
Ambitious. studiOus. industrious, up.
/ right. he steadily rose at the bar TIL he
reached the tOpmost rung OF the legal
ladder In his State, and was for many
years the president 90 the Court OF Ap.
peais oi Virginia. n a con eT-a lion Ia
\ Richmond With one OF his associate
| Judges, who was himself "a learned scholar
and lawyer and who had served on the
bench tor Year, With Judge aoncsre
told me that he merited all tha reputa
4, don he had as an able iurist, aud To use
his own words he said: Judge Moncurt
knew II all and he paid him the highest
| tribute a. "a man, a lawyer, a citizen and
a ChrlstiaD.
As young barristsr he determined
that he would let nothing he could con.
troll stand In the way OF his success al
the bar IN conversation with him
some years ago, he told me that wien be
came 10 the bar he was in the habit OF
taking social glass OF liquor. which
was the general custom OF that day But
ne soon saw II was a growing and insid.
ious habit and IL was blighting the
prospects of some O! the members of the
bar, and he determined To discontinue the
use OF strong drink altogether. and that
Tor forty years, II my memory serves me
correctly, he had not taken a drink OF
liquor. II these lines should fall under
the eyes OF any young professional or
business man who Is In the habit of in
dulging In strong drink, | would say TO
him, as an old man and friend. that he
would act wisely to follow the example
OF Judge Moncure In this as well as I'm
other respects and beware Of and avoid
that which has brought failure and ruin
to many bright and promising young
man.
But confess, as a layman. to nv fn-
competency to speak adequately from nv
own personal knowledge of the abilities
and worth OF Jldge Monoure as an able
and profound lurist. 1t was as "a man.
citizen and Christian that | knew him.
and as such would speak OF him. /
would say that simplicity, humility. in-
tegrity and godly sincerity We're his lead
Ing fTa1fa rhaPnnfarfoff.a
Gus and unostsntatioush he was a. simple
as a child. And as Emerson has said:
Nothing is more simple than greatness,
Indeed to be simple is to be great"
The Apostle Paul exhorted his Corln-
THAN brethren not To allow themselves
To be corrupted from the simplicity
shat Is In Christ" thus indicating that
simplicity is one Of the noblest and high
est virtues and graces that can adorn IA
human life. Simple in all his tastes and
habits he had "a simple, childlike faith in
God and In his word. Tennys0n has
we'll said:
" Howe 'er It be II seems to me
'Tis only noble To be good;
Kind hearts are more than eOronats,
And simple faith than Norman blood. :"
He was a constant and devout student
OF the Bible and was learned In the Ros-
pei as well as the law.
lie WAS very exemplary Christian. a
very useful and loyal member of the
Episcopal church. and yet he was broad
and catholic IN his Christian sympathies
and loved a pure, simple gospel by
whomsoeyer preached. and loved all
who preached and lived the gospel in
their daily lives
As illustrating what have said | will
relate the following OF him:
Meeting him on the street some years
ago on Saturday | said to him, Judge.
our Bible Society, composed of all the
denominations In town, meets tomor-
row afternoon at the Presbyterian
church and we are very anxious to have
some laymen make some addresses on
the Bible and its distribution and a.
you will attend your church here in the
forenoon ! wish you to stay over and
take dinner with me, attend the meeting
oil the society and make Us an address.
The request seemed to surprise and al
most paralyze him, and, throwing up his
hands, said, My dear brother, rou
must excuse me. | love the Bible and
would love to be at your meeting, but
am not capable OF making the address
you wish. i know some law, but not
so much else, and must decline your re-
quest IL was bis humility and mod.
esty that caused him to decline, and not
his lack OF interest In the meeting and it's
objects, nor his lack OF Information con-
cerning the Bible. for be was n constant
and intelligent student OF Gods word.
In his home, In the social circle, at the
bar, on the bench. anywhere and every
uuh 10 tnrA.r ell -.