The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-11-15
THE TWO PIERCES
FATHER AND SON
Men Who Were the AcknOWl.
edged Champions of Old
Meth0dism in its Spirit
and Form
and Form
By REV. j. Nj. HAWLEY.

Every student of Methodist history
must be impressed by the fact that
the joint lives OF these eminent South
ern leaders were exactly co4ncident
with the first century Of American
Methodism as an organized church.
In March, 1885, just three months af-
ter the famous Christmas Conference
in Baltimore, Lovick Pierce was born
in Halifax county, n. c.; and his more
distinguished son-born in ISL
closed his earthly career in September,
1884, just three months before the as
sembling of the Centennial Methodist
Conference in the same city What
pen could adequately describe the
events, changes, and developments, in
Church and State, witnessed by the
joint lives of father and son?
Hereditary qualities Of body and
mind. it has been affirmed, constitute
the only real and enduring legacy OF
parents to their offspring. All the quail
metaphysical, mental, and moral
that go 10 make the highest type of
manhood were hereditary in the
Pierces, either as an element Of nature
or as a strong tendency. They came
of a thoroughly healthy and robust
stock, possessing mora fiber Of the
best quality, as we'll as physical visor
and mental s~OundnesS. They were
happily free from any of the ecen-
tricities or freaks of disposition that
not infrequently mar the personality
Of the most gifted men. Greatness
was early reached and long main
tanned because the elements Of great
ness were born in them. At an early
age father and son-the one at seven
teen, the other at s;xteen-were con-
verted to Christ. So deep and thor
ough was the work Of grace that the
future career Of each, as a leader in
the church, was virtually decided in
that very hour.
The least hat can be said, In an
effort to estimate the value Of their
life work. IS that they were pre-emi-
nently fitted for their time and place
With the making of American Meth
odism they had much to do. From the
standpoint of theology they were sur
PASSED by many, but from the stand
point Of efficient and practical influ-
ence they were second to none. The
whole tendency of their lives was to
give vigor and prestige to the church
of their choice. If, in the language
of Bishop Haygood. 1--WE cannot with
any of our gauges measure the results
of a human life in the sphere of spirit
Nal things we can find no standard
by which to estimate the far-reaching
Influence and value of their life work.
. In vigor and versatility of intellect
they were much alike. Nc two men
vi GliLiI - CbAioia civ >CNao hoA
passed them in strength and perfect
balance Of mental powers. Sufficient
ty alike to suggest relationship. they
differed enough to show a marked di-
iergence in their personality. To make
the father It has been suggested hat
Calhoun and Toombs hould be fused
IN one. but a blending OF Rascom and
Sunmerfield would come nearer to
giving us the son In the pulpit. on
the platform, in the council chamber,
end in the sphere OF practical affairs
their strength and soundness OF mind
made them a mighty organizing and
directing force. It was equally true
of father and son that 'the intellectual
faculties were so tremendously co-or-
t1inated that no one form of mental
bower was IN excess" Minds consti-
auted in this way seldom fail to COM
,krehend principles, weigh circum-
stances, and see events in their true
significance and valua. This, more
thar anything else. IS conducive to
~soundness OF Judgment and judicious
action in practical affairs.
They were as one in loyalty to the
essential principles and doctrines OF
IN early boyhood Loyick
Pierce came under the influence of
the ubiquitous Methodist itinerant. In
a typical log church of the rontier
he and his brother, Riddick. were
un0er the f1cry preaching OF
James jenkins. After an earnest search
for the truth, the two brothers found
acceptance with God, and promptly
consecrated themselves to his service.
George Pierce. at the age Of sixteen,
was conyerated at Athens. Ga, where
his father was pastor. Though for
several years he leaned to the legal
profession, the consciousness Of the
divine call grew upon him. Like his
father when he entered the ministry
it was an unconditiona and final
choice. A better field for the develop
ment of their extraordinary powers
tina the Methodist itinerancy could
not possibly have been found. Method
ism as it was, as it came from the
hand Of wesley, and was interpreted
by Asbury and McKendree. appeared
to them, by all Odds, the best form OF
protestant Christianity. Any move
ment that contemplated a radica.
olanno either of dnctrineS Or nQlifN