The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-05
SOME STORIES OF
MR.. FITZGERALD
He Had a Heart Full! of Love
For Mankind
(Christian Advocate

t1nTlSllan AdNOC1te
Many years ago. travelling on I'm.
railroad, | found a seat by the sid,
of an elderly man who spoke in such
a gracious and fathely Nay that
was at once drawn close 10 him as
fellow traveller. In the course OF tn.
conversation it developed tina he. too.
was a Methodist preacher ami had
spent many years of his ministry ia
the far West. If memory fails me not
he said that during the Civi! War
he was the only Southern Methodist
preacher north of the Mason and
Dixon line and that in California,
where he lived, the Union sentiment
was SO intense that it was dangerous
to express sympathy for the South
ern cause. The experiences he had in
those trOublOuS tim were interesting
to hear and / recall the thrilling story
he related how on q certain SUNDAY
morning as he approached his church
where he had an appointment To
preach that day. he beheld an angry
mob. the leader of which, when hs
saw the preacher, exclaimed: "Yon-
der comes that Rebel now, get a rope
PoN 81 SiAo ~ mum. oEl1I
burn down his church." He said he
was not at all Disconnected by his
startling speech but cOolly replied. 7
am not afraid of you and if YOU burn
my church l will have YOU to pay
for it when you return to reason
and then passed deliberately through
the angry crowd into the little church
where about forty women were rev
erently waiting for the service to be-
gin and he said thn Sorvica +hat 5a-
was one of the sweetest he ever took
part in because Of the clear and
abiding presence of the spirit OF the
Lord. [ then learned that my Eel
low traveller was none other than
Bishop 0. p. Fitzgerald.
A few years after the war DR.. Fitz-
gerald was elected superintendent Of
Schools for California, and according
to the law no person could teach in
the public schools without first hav-
ing the endorsement of the State SUI
perintendent. The daughter of tho
vigorous" man who proposed to
hang him a little while before. want
ed a position as a teacher, but her
father thought she could not secure
the place because, as he said, the
State superintendent. Fitzgerald.
would never endorse an application
for one OF his children because Of his
rough words on that stormy Sunday
during the WOr. DR.. Fitzgerald heard
Of it and sent the certificate, with his
endorsement direct to the young WO-
nan He said that single act OF
heapipg hot Goals on the head Of an
enemy had made hat man one Of his
very best friends, and if ne was TO
enter this car and see me now. he
would fall on my neck and apologize
again for his former i'll treatment"
He further said that during his ad-
m~inistration as State superintendent
some. partisan editor a publicly
charged him with an official act
which compromised his character. In
order to vindicate his good name he
instituted legal proceedings against
the editor and a jury awarded 10 DR..
Fitzgerald ten thousand dollars dam
age. h defendant appeared with
the cash to pay the bill. but the good
doctor said. my friend. I don't want
your money, I did not bring suit 20
get your cash but to protect my char-
acter. A jury of your peers has said
your charge was false and the stain
has therefore been removed and ! ana
Vlndlcated. | now forgive YOU all,
keep your cash and sin no more"
While possessed of very positive
convictions he was always for peace
and had a heart so full Of love for
humankind that he could not harbor
malice. What a beEediction his life
was to our world,
Such was the spirit Of the saintad
Bishop who has just entered into that
rest which remaineth to the people %
God.