Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-06-13
BRIEF But BRILLIANT CAREER

The Richmond Times-Dispatch
SAYS fifty years ago yesterday Kew
William E. Munsey, the most eloquent
Of Virginia divines, was invited by
the Methodist ministers of Richmond
to visit that city and deliver series
of sermons.
!! Rev. Mr.. Munscy was at that time,
, pastor Of the Southern Methodist
Church of Alexandria. He was APP
pointed to the charge i'll this city
shortly after the close OF the CIVIL
war. and up to that time had at
tracted no attention. He was ma
tive of the southeastern section OF
Virginia, and when he made his APP
nearance in Alexandria it was gen.
orally supposed that his sermons
would not be above the ordinary. Mr.
Munscy wore an habitual smile, was
tall and lank and with head almost
as bare of hirsute adornment as
ten-pin ball.
He had. however, delivered but few
sermons before his flock realized
that the bishop had, doubtless un-
consciously, sent them a genius. HIS
discourses showed that he welded an
originality which was a marvel to all
who heard him. The fame of Mum
sey soon spread over this entire
section of country, and ne was IN
constant receipt Of invitations to de-
liver addresses in different cities OF
, Virginia and other states. His mag
jsation was wonderful and his &C
uuaintancc with the Bible, Sacred and
profanc history and the classics made
him a rival of Edgar Allan Poe or
even Milton. and as = preacher he
J seemed destined to cast cloud over
SpurgQon. His delivery was forceful,
his gestures striking and his elo-
quence enhancing.
While the morning services at the
Southern Methodist Church were
we'll attended, at night the crowd
was dense. People of all denomina-
lions attended, as we'll rs many who
| were not allied to any church. After
the pews had been filled anxious
hearers stood in the aisles and in
the space under the gallery which
! was in the old church, while many
persons carried camp stools and
chairs to the edifice.
Dickens in one of his books tells
of the tolling Of church bells of Lon
don. seemingly emitting the sound
COME" come" to which invitation
so little response is made. When
Munsey was at the heighth Of his
fame there would have been nc use
J for 4 bell on the Southern Mctho
dist Church. On long summer even
ings people began to forge their way
into the edifcc as soon as it was
open in order to secure seats. Scrvi
ceS began at eight O'Clock, but the
church was generally filled an hour
earlier.
Mr.. Munscy. it was said. drew
much Of his inspiration from the
classic Potomac He was a we'll
known figure about the river front
during his soiourn in Alexandria, and
he often spent his evenings seated
upon a pile of lumber where he en-
joyed his musings far from the
madding crowd
Mr.. Munsey <spcnt two years in
Alexandria, during which time he
made many friends and acquaintan
ccS. He was transferred to Balti-
more while at the zenith of his fame,
but two or three years later he vir-
tually retired from the ministry. and
took up his residence near Lynch
burg. He died about forty years
ago.
The case of Rev Mr.. Munsey was
regarded as marvellous by all who
heard him. 1t was hard to under |
stand how man with such a mighty
intellect should have remained so
long virtually unknown in an inte-
rior Virginia hamlet But he was not
destined to become fixed star ir
the constellation Of the great Flo
suddenly shot forth as brilliant
meteor. and his waxing and waning
was comprised in the short space of
about five years, at the end of which
he passed into an eclipse from which
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