Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-10-30
Rev. q. n. p. Klns.

Rev. q. N. p. King.
Rev. g. n. r. King, D. D., died q
Chriatanburg. Va, on Monday, Dot. 8
TO which place he had gone from bill
home In Richmond 10 attend . conven
tion. DE-. King was . native Of Maine
having been born In Oxford, Dec. Il
1883, and was In biz eighty-fourth year
he was son OF AloDxo and Mirands
King, who In bic boyhood removed h
Paris, and were long and actively identi
6ed with the Baptist church on Paril
Hill. The homo on farm, three milel
distant from the church, was one Of great
re6uement and beautiful simplicity, On
ideal New England home OF . past gensr'
alton. In it, atmosphere the children
learned the true meaning and purpose
OF life, and early surrendered tho hear
70 him who 10 Saviour and Master Of u
oil.
Prsntiss, - hs was called, appreciatine
the value Of an education was encouraged
to prepare himself for college, and grad.
uated from Waterville College In 1857.
he studied at the Newton Theological
Institution but . single. year, and was
ordained to the Christian ministry BY
tho Baptist church 1t Farmipgton, Me-,
In 1858. He served - the pastor of the
First Baptist church In East Providence,
r. L, 1890 1886, where his memory is
still lovingly cherished by tho older
members, and then entered upon bis
life work - q teacher OF the colored
people.
He taught first In Richmond for two
years, served a. Principal Of the National
theological Institute Ia Washington,
and In 1850 was appointed President OF
Wayland Seminary In the same city,
which position he occupied for twenty
eight years, from 1859 to 1897, during
the entire existence of tho Seminary.
This was . school for both sexes OF
colored students, and did q noble work
in those early years after the civil war.
When the Seminary was given up by our
home Mission Society and its work
transferred to Richmond, DR.. King WAS
appointed professor In tho Virginia
Union University, and continued in that
relation until his decesse, although for .
few years on account of age and impaired
health unable to render full service.
His work In the University was especial
~ devoted to the preparation and In.
struction of students for the Christian
ministry. That bis life has been one OF
rare fidelity and OF great usefulness 10
acknowledged BY all who have known
him.
His heart was drawn ont In deepest
sympathy for the millions of colored
people who had been kept 90 long in
Ignorance under the system Of slavery.
He profoundly believed In the possibility
and the necessity for the safety of the
Republic of educating them mp to an
intelligent manhood and womanhood,
and that to this end the great need was
intelligent Christian leaders Of their own
race. His ever manifest sympathy, his
unshaken faith, together with bis wise
counsels, his unwearied conservation
and his winning personality quickly
inspired confidence In himself, gave to
him large influence and won the lasting
gratitude of hundreds of students who
have come under his influence. He
kept up his personal interest in bis
students after they had gone forth from
the University, visited them In their
fields of labor, counseled them In their
perplexities and rejoiced with them In
their successes. They all knew that in
him God had given to them an inspiring
teacher, . Wise counsellor, and . sincere
and true friend to them and to their
race. Few teachers In the schools of
the South have exerted more potent
and lasting influence for the elevation
of the colored people, or won more
appreciative recognition than has Pro-
lessor King.
His Alma Mater conferred upon him
the honorary degree of D. D. in 1885,
and the Kentucky State College the
degree of LII. D. In 1908.
On account of his age and feeble
health his friends urged him to come
North during the recent summer vacation
and breathe again, as he was wont to do,
the invigoratipg air of his native state,
and come into touch with the scenes
and the associations of bis early years.
But his vision of large opportunity
for service and his sense of duty kept
him in Virginia. he spent the hot days
visiting and encouraging pastors and
churches, attending associations and
conventions lat one Of which he closed
his earthly labors) and frequenting
camps of soldiers, carrying comfort and
counsel, and distributing religious liters-
ture. He had several thousand copies
of Rev. John F. Oberlin's "Sound Ad-
vice to Soldiers" which the French
pastor gave to his young men who en-
listed ut the time of the French Revolu-
ton, printed and circulated them freely.
Only three weeks before bis death he
gave to me In letter an account Of his
activities, deploring bis limitations and
wishing he was twenty-five years
younger.
who shall measure the extent of his
ife-service or say that his faith and
courage were not heroioP The last year
of bis life was overshadowed by great
personal SORROWS. His beloved wife was
taken from him and also devoted son.
a physician residing In Washington, was
stricken down In the midst Of his useful
ness. But the bereaved husband and
father faltered not, but pressed on with
the work to which his life had been con-
secratsd. Mrs. King was his second
wife. His first wife died many years
ago. She belonged, I think, to promi-
nent Baptist family In Turner, Me-, and
was the mother OF bis children. One
SON survives, who 10 in business In Port
land;-H. NJ. z. In lions Advocate.