USA > Georgia > Biographic etchings of ministers and laymen of the Georgia conferences > Part 5
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Under a rough exterior he carried a heart as generous as ever throbbed in a human breast. His charity was as broad as humanity, but never, at any time or anywhere, was he willing to compro- mise with religious or political error.
One of his strangest fancies was the writing and publication of a volume which he named "The Reign of Satan." It was certainly a dolorous picture of the times, and would have satisfied the inmost soul of Schopenhaur, the high-priest of
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pessimism. It is long since out of print, noris its ghost ever likely "to revisit the pale glimpses of the moon."
This much deserves, in conclusion, to be said of him, that all through his arduous wayfaring of sixty odd years, he never shrunk from any peril or hardship that confronted him in the path of dutv. Hedied as he had lived, a staunch Method- ist in his religion and a typical Whig in his poli- tics.
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GEORGE BRIGHT.
George Bright was a preacher of like gifts with Russell Reneau. They were both men of rather coarse intellectual fibre, and were both admirably fitted for the rough-and-tumble fight of the old time itineracy. Such men are not yet antiquated but the demand for them is less urgent than in the Arcadian days when there was less of what is now called culture. It would be a fool's bargain, however, to exchange that heroic virtue for what the sage of Chelsea was wont to style dilletanteism, limp alike in brain and muscle. Brother Bright spent the greater portion of his life on big circuits, and mountain districts. In these localities he was
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greatly admired for his ability, nor less so for his aggressiveness, which has left an abiding impress on that whole section of the State. Out of his labors, and those of his contemporaries has come, in part at least, the great educational movement which has developed into the Young Harris Insti- tute, and the Reinhardt Normal School.
Our personal association with him was confined to the Annual Conference session, and we are poorly qualified to speak of him from personal observation. The statements, however, of others who had better opportunities of knowing him, are of a flattering sort.
His preaching was logical, and yet there was no lack of a native eloquence that sometimes stirred the multitude like a "war-denouncing trumpet." Toward the close of his life I was brought in closer contact with him and learned to love him, not only for his sturdy manliness, but for his gen- tler traits. As often happens, increase of years had mellowed his spirit, and I could hardly realize that he was altogether made of the "sterner stuff" of which I had heard no little in the earlier days of my own ministry.
On one or more occasions afterward I heard him preach with great earnestness and power. But while he was virile he was not virulent in speech or manner.
Brother George Bright was an elder brother of John M. Bright, who, in the days of his strength,
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was also an able minister. Barring some eccentric- ities that marred his usefulness, his conference record was without blemish.
I wish I had more data in regard to these. two brothers, but I have not. Nor, do I know at this present writing where or how I could procure the needful information. 1
J. B. C. QUILLIAN.
J. B. C. Quillian was quite a favorite with all classes of North Georgia people, whether in the pulpit or at the fireside. Meek in spirit, he disarmed all opposition, and old and young had always a pleasant word to say about "Uncle Chap."
At times, brother Q. was a preacher of rare ex- cellence. His style was, it may be, a trifle too or- nate, having a kind of family likeness to Dr. Lat- ta's "Sacred Wonders." When fully aroused, he had a sing-song delivery, deeply pathetic we might say, weird as autumn winds as they wail through a forest at midnight.
These seemed to be his moments of inspiration; and on these occasions he stirred deeply the relig- ious sensibilities of his hearers.
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Brother Q. dearly loved a camp-meeting, and several times in the years gone have we had pleasant talks at the door of the preachers' tent, long after the entire encampment was wrapped in silence and sleep.
He had read quite extensively in early English literature, and his writings. and sermons were in- terspersed with choice quotations from some of the best of these old masters. He was the author of several small volumes that were read with much interest both in town and country.
With better health, he might have been immensely useful; but even as it was, he was a blessing to thousands, having learned "in suffering, what he taught in song and sermon."
ALEXANDER MEANS, D. D., L.L. D.
Alexander Means held a deservedly high rank in the Methodist ministry of forty years ago. He was distinguished for scholarship, chiefly, however, in the line of physical science. In chemistry he was not less an expert than was the Elder Silliman, of Yale-and in astronomy he might be fairly likened to Dr. Dick, whose "sidereal heavens" has always been the delight of the average star-gazer. 6
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Dr. Means was at his best when discussing from the platform some educational or moral question which allowed him to utilize his vast scientific ac- quirements. He was all his life, a zealous advo- cate of popular education, and his contributions to the press did much to help forward a move- ment which, in these latter days, is crowned with success.
He was moreover, one of the earliest and ablest champions of the temperance reform, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Chief Justice Lumpkin and Dabney P. Jones when they were paving the way to the local option triumphs of recent years, which have well-nigh rid the State of the licensed whiskey trafic.
Dr. Means was only in a nominal sense a mem- ber of the annual conference, but he was abundant in ministerial labors, and frequently occupied our best pulpits. In this capacity he was immensely popular, and by very many was regarded as one of the great lights of Georgia Methodism.
He was, much of his life, connected with the faculty of Emory College, of which institution he was a devoted friend until his dying day.
During many years he was an honored member of the faculty of the Georgia Medical College of Augusta, and this writer has often heard the alumni of that institution speak of his inimitable lectures on chemistry, and his masterly manipula- tion of the apparatus of the laboratory. Like
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his old friend, Judge Longstreet, he was fond of music, and was quite as gifted with his violin as Longstreet was with his flute. Dr. Means was an occasional writer of verses, which were not of - the highest order, but by no means lacking in liter- ary merit. A few of his hymns are still found in the old collections of sacred songs, and are still sung with delight around the old camp-fires of Methodism.
If he had been less exhuberant in metaphor, his reputation in literature and oratory would have been wider and more enduring.
Georgia Methodism will, at least for another century, cherish the memory of his noble virtues and splendid abilities.
ALLEN TURNER.
"Uncle Allen Turner" was one of the fathers of the conference long before I was admitted on trial. At our first interview, he rallied me on my whiskers, which he regarded as decidedly un- Methodistic. This he did, however, in a half humorous way, which robbed the criticism of its sting. Dear old man, he was an "Israelite indeed ;" and while there were peculiarities that bordered
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on crankiness, he was treated by the older and younger brethren with the utmost reverence. There was a saintliness in the expression of his face which I never saw in any other man. It was not long-facedness, still less was it sour godliness, it rather resembled the expression which is seen in the pictures of Medieval saints. "Uncle Allen's" early ministry was prosecuted in the face of priva- tions and hardships that would have staggered the faith and shaken the constancy of many of us that cameafter him. But neither the perils of the wilderness, nor scant salaries, drove him from the field. When at last physically disabled, he bowed gracefully to the action of the conference, and re- tired from the effective list. He lingered some years, occasionally preaching and exhorting with great power, and died at a ripe age without a single blot on his name.
CHARLES R. JEWETT.
Charles R. Jewett had a pious and intelligent ancestry-fair scholarship-a pleasing address and no mean oratorical gifts.
There was, however, a declamatory drift in his sermonizing which impaired his efficiency in the
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pulpit. Quite a number of the educated young men of his day affected-it may be unconsciously -this style of preaching. Pierce and Milburn and Maffit achieved distinction on this line and others. we must say copied a bad example.
Bishop Pierce, in speaking to me on this subject, stigmatized this sort of preaching as a species of "hifalutinism" of which, in his maturer years, he was heartily ashamed, and which he had de- liberately and praverfully abandoned, not with- out some sacrifice of reputation with the masses.
But what he lost in one direction he had more than gained in greater simplicity and increased spiritual power.
I was pleased to note a like improvement in Brother Jewett, as he attained a riper experience and a fuller consecration.
The last sermon I heard him preach at Monte- zuma, was a masterly argument on the "Tempta- tion of Christ."
It exhibited close research and a breadth of thought which I had seldom heard equaled by our ablest conference preachers.
I met him no more, but Rev. T. T. Christian tells me that,his last preaching was the best. That as he neared the crossing he seemed like Barnabas, full of faith and the Holy Ghost.
I am quite sure that I never knew a purer and more unselfish spirit. Nor have I known but few pastors who were more endeared to the congrega- tions that they served.
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JOHN W. TALLEY.
A somewhat notable man in his generation was John W. Talley. Brother T. was not distinguished for learning or brilliancy, but for working quali- ties of a high order, and a piety that challenged the confidence of both clergy and laity.
When I had not reached my legal majority, I attended a temperance jubilee at LaGrange, where Brother Talley was stationed, already well-ad- vanced in years. He made the address of wel- come in behalf of the community, and I was as- signed to the duty of making one of the responses. This was the beginning of our acquaintance and of a life-long friendship.
Brother T. was a man of what was then con- sidered a liberal education. His preaching was such as to make him acceptable on our average stations. This, combined with his affability and otherwise pleasant address and his excellent pas- toral qualifications, made him quite a favorite with all denominations.
Many years ago, perhaps after his superan- nuation, he removed to Texas to be with his oldest daughter, an I there his faithful life was crowned with a triumphant death. In his far-off Western home he still cherished roseate memories of his
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ministry in old Georgia. At intervals he sent love messages to his brethren of the conference, amongst whom he had served with signal fidelity.
JOHN W. KNIGHT.
Amongst the twelve apostles there was a strik. ing diversity of character. How sharply con- trasted were Matthew the staid, mater-of-fact tax- gatherer and the impetuous Simon Peter, the Galilean fisherman, who was ready by turns and in quick succession too, to fight or flee.
Neither are all Methodist preachers fashioned after any given pattern. Allen Turner and W. J. Parks had few traits in common. John P. Dun- can and Russell Reneau were thoroughly antipodal. This brings us to remark that John W. Knight had well marked individuality, and was quite un- like any member of the Old Georgia Conference. Who amongst us, at an annual session, ever saw him inside the bar of the conference? Who ever heard him speak on any issue, great or small, that might be the subject matter of debate? Usually he sat apart, brooding over some problem in the- ology, or some question in metaphysics, seemingly oblivious of the bishop's gavel and of the secre-
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tary's announcements. I was both startled and stumped on two or three occasions, when, on leaving the conference room, he called to me and asked me some question about a Hebrew construc- tion on a Greek text. I had been, when a boy, pretty thoroughly drilled in Greek, but my knowl- edge of Hebrew, after only a few months' study under a Baptist divine, was exceedingly limited. I told Brother Knight that I knew less about He- brew than he did, a statement that he found it difficult to credit.
I mention this as illustrative of his peculiarities.
Did you ever hear him preach when the Holy Ghost overshadowed him? What unction, what sweep of the imagination-and then his hortatory appeals, how they reminded one of the wind of Ezekiel as it swept over the valley of Dry Bones. Bishop Pierce was not a bad judge of preaching, and it is well known that he was enthusiastic in his praise of John W. Knight. Better than his preaching, however, were his prayers for penitents. Many years ago, at one of the Griffin Conferences, he was asked after the sermon, to make the prayer for a number who had gathered at the altar. At .first there was some hesitancy, a not infrequent thing, but as he warmed to the occasion he seemed almost to shake the heavens with his supplications for divine mercy. Before he concluded there was weeping blended with hallelujahs, from the pulpit to the door; then came the shout of new-born
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souls, and we had more than a glimpse of Pente- cost.
The last time I saw the dear old brother was at the State Lunatic Asylum. I had gone through some of the wards with one of the assistant physicians, and as I walked down the long corri- dor I inquired about Bro. Knight, and expressed a desire to see him. Just then the physician re- marked, "Yonder heis, now"-but before I caught more than a glance at him he turned into his room and shut the door.
The physician informed me that for some days he had been unusually excited, and when in such moods he refused to see all visitors, especially his old friends. I passed the door, which was slightly ajar, and heard his delirious mutterings. How deeply pathetic.
Not long after this occurence he died, a mental and physical wreck. 1
J. BLAKELY SMITH.
J. Blakely Smith was a thrifty merchant when divinely called to the arduous work of an itinerant preacher. He promptly responded to that call, and to the end of life was a useful and laborious
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member of the conference. For a long term of years he served with great efficiency as the con- ference secretary. Few men have been more universally beloved by his brethren, nor was there one of their number who was more thor- oughly consecrated in heart and life. On circuits and districts his work was honored of men and signally blessed of God. As a preacher, he made no claim to learning or brilliancy, but in point of effectiveness he had few superiors in his immediate generation.
He was often styled a weeping prophet because his sermons were characterized by great tender- ness, and quite often were baptized with his tears. We would not intimate that they were lacking in vigorous thought, but the emotional was largely predominant in his ministry. I found him on more than one occasion a valuable helper in a revival meeting, and his services in this capacity were everywhere in demand. When the conference was divided in 1867, he was greatly grieved. As a token of brotherly appreciation the members of the old conference presented him with an elegant gold watch as a souvenir of the days when they were an unbroken band.
He was deeply touched by their kindness and it , contributed somewhat to soothe his wounded sensibilities.
But he was too good a man to be a "sorehead," or to repine long about a result that many of us
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had long known to be alike desirable and inevit- able.
I saw but little of him after the division of the conference, but he continued to be a good man and true until the end of his pilgrimage.
CALEB W. KEY.
Forty years ago, Caleb W. Key was one of the most enterprising pastors and solid preachers in the Georgia Conference.
He was not a genius, but, better than this, he had an unusual working capacity which served him in good stead on several of our leading sta- tions and districts.
He was a man of fine address-of great per- sonal neatness, and wielded a large influence in the business affairs of the annual conference ses- sions.
He had enjoyed better educational advantages than a majority of the old panel of our preachers, and he was careful to improve those advantages by reading and observation.
I heard him preach as far back as the early forties, when he was pastor at LaGrange, then and now one of strongest stations. Even thus
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early in his ministry, he was highly esteemed in the pulpit and the social circle. As the years went by he grew in strength and popularity until he was disabled by "age and feebleness extreme."
We have already intimated that Brother Key was not noted for brilliancy, but there were occasions when in revivals and camp-meetings he had very considerable preaching power.
I remember an instance of the sort in connection with a visit I made to the old Putnam camp-meet- ing in 1860. A prominent young merchant, a mem- ber of his charge at Eatonton, had suddenly died on the camp-ground. The friends of the deceased, who was greatly beloved throughout the country, desired the funeral service to be held at the camp- ground. Brother Key officiated. He had a good theme and handled it with marked ability. His closing appeal to the young men of the congrega- tion was wonderful, and was thought to have resulted in wakenings and conversions. Brother Key was greatly blessed in his domestic relations, and had a good show of financial prosperity, for a man who gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry. Our present Bishop Key, whom all Georgia delights to honor, did much by his filial devotion to brighten the last days of his venerable father.
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JAMES O. A. CLARK, D. D., L.L. D.
.This great and good man passed away at 9:30 - a. m., on Tuesday, September 4th, 1894.
He was stricken with paralysis about three weeks before his death, after which time his family and friends had no hope of his recovery. He had not been strong, physically, for some years, but always strong mentally. His pen was not allowed to rest. His great mind was as busy and his thoughts were as clear and bright as when in the full vigor of manhood. Two books, in addition to those already published, were almost ready for the press when the lamp went out. His energy was boundless. As presid- ing elder of the Macon district he continued his work until the peremptory command from his physician required him to desist. He loved to work, and especially did he glory in his vocation as a preacher. In the pulpit he was the peer of any among us. He was, indeed, a great preacher! As a scholar he was easily in the front rank with the highest. No one who knew Dr. Clark, who had read his books, or heard his sermons, will sus- pect extravagance in anything that has been said.
He was at the time of his death about sixty- seven years of age. He was admitted with the writer of these lines, into the Georgia conference,
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held in Atlanta, Georgia, December, 1854, Bishop Capers presiding. Next December, 1894, will be forty years since this dear brother, in company with Bishop O. P. Fitzgerald, Wm. J. Scott, D. D., Jno. W. Burke, G. G. N. MacDonell, James T. Ains- worth, Alvin J. Dean, W. W. Tidwell, John W. Turner, Thos. T. Christian (and others whose names cannot be recalled at this writing) were re- ceived into the Georgia conference. Dr. Clark is the third member of that remarkable class who has finished his work.
Dean and Turner have been dead several years.
Dr. Clark has occupied every position of honor in the church except the bishopric. In every place he showed superiority as a man and a christian minister. He was both great and good. He was fixed and settled in his religious views, and knew, experimentally, thelove of Christ. The Methodist church has lost one of her ablest and noblest de- fenders.
The prayers of the church will go up to God in behalf of his precious wife and children in this hour of deep bereavement.
The funeral service took place at eleven o'clock a. m., at the First Presbyterian church. This was on account of the fact that Mulberry Street Metho- dist church was undergoing repairs. A large con- gregation was present. Dr. Monk, pastor of Mul- berry, preached a most touching and appropriate
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sermon. Dr. J. W. Hinton and Rev. Geo. G. N. Mac- Donell delivered short but beautiful eulogies of the deceased. At the close the body was carried to Rose Hill cemetery and laid away until the resur- rection morn.
. JAMES O. ANDREW,
OUR MARTYR BISHOP.
This eminent divine was a Georgian by birth and culture.
Although not like the Mercenas of Roman his- tory of royal lineage, yet, he was what was better still of pious parentage, being a descendant of the Dorchester colonists, who after divers migrations, settled at Midway, Georgia.
Like Obadiah and Samuel of sacred memory, he feared the Lord from his youth. While his educa_ tional opportunities were but fairly good yet he early exhibited an aptitude for learning which fitted him for the ministry before he had attained his majority. In a few years his services were in de- mand in leading stations of Georgia and South Carolina. including Augusta, Charleston and Savannah. At all these points he was greatly be- loved for his piety and not less admired for his
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pulpit ability. It was, however, somewhat of a surprise when, in 1832, he was elected to the Episcopacy over the heads of a number who were his seniors in age and his superiors in ministerial rank. On all sides, however, he was regarded as prudent in life, sound in doctrine and thoroughly loyal to the polity of Wesleyan Methodism. His reputation in these respects was in nowise sec- tional, but extended from Maine to Texas. And yet so rapid was the spread of anti-slaveryism that in a dozen years he was immolated on the altar of that fierce fanaticism.
At the time of his accession to the Episcopacy he stood on the border line of the heroic age of American Methodism. Its romance had wellnigh ceased with Asbury and Mckendree. But for- tunately for the enlargement of its domain there were men like Soule, Roberts and Hedding who stood ready in fellowship with their junior col- league to push its victories to the Mississippi and to the vast regions beyond. We had met him at Annual Conferences and admired him greatly, both as a presiding officer and preacher. But in 1862, while occupying the Wesley Chapel parson- ยท age in Atlanta, he was our honored guest for nealy a week. "No man," says the French prov_ erb, "is a hero to his valet de chambre." The Bishop atleast was an exception. We saw him en_ dishabille. Despite the disparity of age, he un- bosomed himself to us as a brother. Now and
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then, without undue self-assertion, he volunteered words of fatherly counsel. Yet, in these graver and more thoughtful moods, there was no Sir Oracle dogmatism. For our entertainment he occasionally fought over the battles of his minis- terial life, and modestly showed us how fields were won. As Desdemona was charmed by Othello's recital of his travels, history, and "the battle sieges, fortunes he had passed," so we were deeply fasci- nated by his unpretentious narrative of the ex- periences and adventures of a long and eventful itinerant career.
At this time he gave us at our own urgent re- quest a minute account of his virtual deposition by the General Conference of 1844.
He interspersed the general history with vivid sketches of the leaders of both sections, with oc- casional side glimpses that revealed the true in- wardness of the grand conflict. There was, how- ever, neither in word nor manner, the slightest ex. hibition of unseemly temper. But it was evident that the wounds inflicted by some envious Casca, or some beloved Brutus, were not yet fully cica- trized. 1
Henceforth we deeply venerated the man and were evermore jealous of his fame.
The General Conference of 1844 was the central event in the history of Bishop Andrew. It was to him what the synod of Dort was to Arminius, what the Council of Constance was to John Huss 7 .
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and Jerome of Prague. Never did the Bishop ex- hibit such sublime moral courage as when, after a momentary weakness, he confronted with the heroism of a martyr the ruthless majority arrayed against him, and intent on overwhelming him by sheer dint of numbers. This might well serve as a companion piece to that of Luther as he stood face to face with Charles V. in the Diet of Worms.
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