Year: 1860

l


1t is melancholy employment TO recount the


number Of eminent ministers Of the gospel who have


lately died. They have retired one after another.


in rapid succession from the scenes of earthly con-
hict. The good the wise, those in the prime OF
manhood those in the sere and yellow leaf have


fallen from the walls Of Zion. Dropping sword and
shield and leaving us as a heritage the memory of
their virtues, they have gone TO reap their reward


Among these departed worthes we have now to


number the Rev. Alexander X. Erwin d. D., who


has fallen in the prime Of life and in the full maur-


ity of his powers.


To record the merits of the pious dead, and per-
petuate their memories, is the solemn duty of the
living and mournful but pleasant Office of afec-
tion. The Divine will is that the righteous shall be
held in everlasting remembrance. In hopes of per-
petuating human excellence, we record some of the
virtues ofhm whose untimely death 80 universal
| ly lamented. lie was both wise and good. His
virtues, many and iflustrious, are worthy of COM
mcmorution and his memory, dear to thousands
deserves tribute OF praise. Let u.s. therefore with
fearful pleasure scatter few flowers, frnil though
they DC, on the grave of him whom we loved so
well


1t is no easy task TO give fair estimate of the
character OF DR. Erwin. To form Just opinion of
his merits, and assign him his proper rank amongst
men, is an undertaking not altogether free from
embarrassment. If he had been less symmetrical
having only n few prominent excellences, he could
be more readily and faithfully described but so
many and So salient were his virtues and so equal


y were they balanced that ii is difficult to give him
an adequate representation. lie seems TO us, now
that the shadows Of death have concealed those in
equaties which were barely visible in life as some
enchanting twilight scene, whose beauties may he
fully appreciated, but which neither pen nor pencil
can paint. As a man, Christian, and minister
Of the gospel in many respects he made very near
approach to perfection.


He was constutionally one of the most amiable
Of men. Nature with profuse hand had lavish
ed her greatness upon him, aud fashioned him after
the highest order of humanity. In person. moral
affections and mental dispositions, he had received
larger endowment than is usually bestowed on NOR
tails. With heart oyerfowng with kindness
mind teeming with the treasures of thought and a
peculiarly attractive manner, he was as a compan-
ion, in the very highest sense, agreeable. Social
lively genial, without aiIectatiou or hypocrisy he
was fitted to shine in private life. Modest and un-
assuming, without egotsm as without baseness he
neither concealed nor obtruded himself upon your
attention Moderately estimating his own abilities,
and justly appreciating the merits of others he
scrupulous in the observance Of all the courtesies o
life. Frank and open in his intercourse with men,
and fair aud honest in all his professions he retain
ed the friendship of those who became attached to
him. What he was at one time, he was at all times
and If the first impression good he was sure to
gun on your NJ taCn succeeding lnterNleW.
What he seemed To be lie was :. and no word of de-
ception or act of dupcty, stained the purity Of his
character or interrupted your social relations with
him. Mcanness and he were strangers He was
so kind and gentemany in his department. that it
was impossible to meet him without being pleased,
and having n strong desire to cultivate an intimate
friendship. You loved him at the first and the
longer you knew him, the better you loved him.
lie was one of the few Of those bland and genial
nan whose first nftraetiOna inetaod IF ia
creasng, grow stronger by time and familiarity
Here, where he had lived longest and was best
known, he had the most devoted friends After an
absence Of years, the congregation to whom he had
so often ministered was instantly melted to tears by
n bare allusion to his death.


His piety was of the highest type. 1t was hum
be, patient prayerful, active The precepts Of
Christ found beautiful illustration in his life, and
he glorifed God by running in the way of his COM
mandment. lie thoroughly understood the obliga-
tions Of Christian and faithful in The perfor-
nance Of all the duties Of religion. Its humbest
offices were discharged by him with as much fdeli-
ty II not with rs much cheerfuness as those of a
more exalted character. He needed not the am
bguous praise Of the multitude nor the soft atteTy
of friends to enlist his attention, to ncite him to
action To know that the work assigned him.
whether esteemed honorable or dshonorahle, was
done and well done, was sufficient reward for its
performance.


by nature, and from convictions of mind, his piety
was more Of an action than feeling more of a
principle than passion. II was quiet fervent and
steady not hot glaring, and ineonstant the mo-
ton Of deep and tranquil river instead Of foam
ing, noisy torrent His light was no meteoric spen-
dor, dazzling and disappearing but the serene and
steady lustre ofa fixed star, and growing brighter
and brighter unto the perfect day His life was not
made up of calms and squalls, of liugerings and
hurryings but an even, fervid tenor marked his
way, from the beginning TO the end of his spiritual
eternal, and was neither bahled nor turned aside
from his by the fluctuations Of human events
The abandonment OF principle for fame for gain, OF
for any thing else was 20 his conscientious mind,
thing inc0uceiyahle. Neither the alarms OF danger
the perSusSions of peace were sufficient TO turn
him away from what he believed TO be right With
er the clearly ascertained judgments Of his mind
pointed thithcT he went, at the cost of all earthly
mad and nt hazard of 1ifa ityeYF