USA > Virginia > Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical > Part 42
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CHAPTER XXIX.
REV. CONRAD SPEECE, D. D-HIS YOUTH AND MINISTRY TO 1820.
THE author of the beautiful hymn - "Blest Jesus, when thy cross I view - that mystery to the angelic host"- Conrad Speece, was for many years pastor of the Stone Church, Augusta County, the third in succession. Of German origin, though entirely English in his education, he often playfully, in his later years, called him- self "the old Dutchman.""In some manuscript notes, he says : "My father's name was Conrad Speece, the son of Conrad Speece, who emigrated to this country from Germany. My mother's maiden name was Ann Catherine Turney. I was born in New London, Virginia, November 7th, 1776. My parents were poor, but honest and industrious people." His birth occurred about a year previous
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to that of John H. Rice, D. D., and in the same county, Bedford. Both were blessed with pious mothers; both struggled hard with poverty for an education. They were associated as tutors in college, and maintained for each other a warm friendship through life.
" My parents," he says, "sent me several years, in my child- hood, to a common school, where I learned reading, writing and arithmetic. They also instructed me early in religion. In 1787, we removed to a farm five miles from New London, where I was employed, several years, in the labors of agriculture. As I delighted much in reading, I gradually acquired some knowledge of the his- torical parts of the Bible, and some ideas on the leading doctrines of religion."
Samuel Brown, afterwards pastor of New Providence, was one of his early teachers. Having formed a high estimate of the boy's capacity, he wrote to his father, urging him to send his son Conrad to the grammar school, near New London. This request, declined by the father, on account of his narrow circumstances, made an impression of lasting influence on the boy. Some months after- wards, Mr. Edward Graham, the teacher of the grammar school, moved probably by the representations of Mr. Brown, " offered to give me tuition for four years, on condition of my assisting him in teaching, as soon as I should become capable, and until the end of that period. My grandmother Speece, in New London, offered to furnish my boarding on moderate terms. On this plan, I entered the school in November, 1792.
" At first, the Latin language was very irksome to me, but soon became easy." He committed the grammar with great readiness, but as a matter of memory. There was no pleasure in the effort to apply the forms and rules to the examples in the first Latin book. Mr. Graham encouraged him, and complimented the progress he was making. One day, while looking over the forms in the grammar, and getting almost weary of his occupation, the whole matter seemed to open to him in a twinkling, like the drawing of a curtain, or awaking from sleep ; and he saw at once the meaning of the forms, and the design of the rules he had been storing in his retentive memory. He proceeded to gather word after word, in rapid suc- cession, reduce it to its root, find its place in the form, subject it to the rules, ascertain its meaning, and commit all to his faithful memory. After that day, the acquisition of Latin was a delightful exercise. For a time, his teachers knew not what to think of young Speece. On went his recitations, rapid, without pausing, sentence after sentence, with the same cheerfulness and ease he had followed the plough unwearied, from rising to setting sun. At the close of the year, Mr. Graham removed to Liberty Hall, and was succeeded by Mr. George A. Baxter. This gentleman, while presiding over this Academy, had two pupils, John H. Rice and Conrad Speece, who honored him in after-life. Mr. Speece remained under the instruction of Mr. Baxter a year and a-half, applying himself with great devotion to his studies. '"I had now gone" - that is, in two
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years and a-half -" through the usual course of languages and sciences" taught in the Academy. Of his habits with the pen we know nothing more, than that he sometimes wrote poetry, which was thought extraordinary for a youth.
"In February, 1795, my excellent mother died. This led me to resolve that I would seek religion. I tried to pray, and find the way of salvation. Being about to quit school, my father told me I must provide for myself. I had formed the idea of becoming a lawyer, but rather dreaded it in a religious point of view, and was not in circumstances suitable for studying law. I wrote to my friend, Mr. Edward Graham, of Liberty Hall Academy, asking his advice on my future conduct. He invited me to go to Liberty Hall, offering my boarding, and what instructions I could gain, for a little assistance to him in teaching. Perpetual thanks to God, and thanks to my friend Graham also, for this invitation - I went to Liberty Hall, in May, 1795. New studies, in which I engaged eagerly, together with light, ungodly company, soon banished serious im- pressions from my mind. I heard the preaching of William Graham, our rector, with intellectual pleasure, but with a hard heart. I became fond of the profession of the law, and spent my leisure hours in legal studies. Towards the end of this summer, I gra- dually became again anxious about my eternal interests; I felt myself a sinner, and set out more earnestly than ever to seek sal- vation. I was soon driven to the brink of infidelity, by some of the more mysterious doctrines of Scripture. Jenyn's Internal Evi- dences and Beattie's Evidences, providentially put into my hands by our rector, fully convinced me of the truth of Christianity. I resolved now to turn my whole attention to the obtaining of accept- ance with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ. But how should I come to the Father by him ? I set out ignorantly to gain, by my own strength, what I called the wedding garment, an humble, holy disposition of heart, as a preparation to my being accepted in Christ. Here I discovered, much more than before, the dreadful depravity of my nature, felt the evil of sin, and acknowledged myself most justly condemned. In the midst of many desponding fears, I cried to God, in the name of Christ, for sanctification as well as justification. At length, in the course of the autumn, I was enabled to cast myself, with mingled joy and trembling, by faith, on the rich mercy of God, in Christ, for salvation, and to devote myself to his service. Blessed day, ever to be remembered with gratitude and wonder! In the ensuing winter, I resolved to engage, God willing, in the ministry of the gospel. In April, 1796, I was received to communion in the Presbyterian Church of New Mon- mouth."
In September of this year, Mr. Speece was chosen tutor at Liberty Hall on a salary of sixty-five pounds and his board; Oc- tober 20th, together with George Baxter, he received the degree of A. B. at the Hall; on the same day the Rector, William Graham's resignation was received by the Trustees. "In the same month
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(September) I was received by the Lexington Presbytery as a can- didate for the ministry. They appointed me, as trials, a homily on original sin, and a Latin exegesis on the question, in quo consistat coeli felicitas. The ensuing winter I studied Theology under the instruction of our Rector. . In April, 1797, our Presbytery accepted my first trials, and further appointed me a lecture on Isaiah 11th : 1-9; and a popular discourse on John 3: 7. Reluctant to engage too early in preaching, I obtained leave of the Presbytery in Sep- tember to defer delivering these exercises until the ensuing spring. On carefully examining the Confession of Faith, I found no subject of scruple, except the doctrine of infant baptism. It was necessary to obtain, if possible, full satisfaction on it before the next meeting of Presbytery. I entered on the study of the subject by the Scrip- tures, with the aid of Booth's Pedobaptism Examined, and William's Antipedobaptism Examined. In the result the preponderance of evi- dence seemed to me to be against infant baptism. In April, 1798, the Presbytery, after accepting my pieces of trial, desired of me an account of my difficulties on baptism. They treated me in a friendly manner, and desired me to attend their next meeting. In the mean- time my licensure was necessarily suspended."
The succeeding year he made his home mostly at his father's, having left Liberty Hall on account of his health, in the month of June. In the month of October the Presbytery held a conference with him on the subject of baptism, in a kind and friendly way, without removing his difficulties. He continued with his father, and was engaged laboriously on the farm during the winter, and regained his bodily vigor by the continued toil. In the spring of the year 1799, Rev. Archibald Alexander, President of Hampden Sidney College, on a visit to Rockbridge, called to see him for the purpose of engaging him as a tutor in College; and found him engaged in the hardest of farming work, running a ditch to drain a portion of the farm. The interview was agreeable and characteristic, and ended in an engagement of Mr. Speece as tutor. "In May, 1799, I settled as tutor at Hampden Sidney College. Made little pro- gress this summer in the study of baptism. About the end of the year, however, I considered it my duty to be baptized by immersion on a profession of my faith. This was done in April, 1800, by the Rev. James Saunders, pastor of Appomatox church. Without any preliminary formality I immediately began to preach the gospel. An awful, yet delightful task ! Preached almost every Sabbath, at various places around and often at college."
"My friend, the Rev. Archibald Alexander, having obtained, in the autumn of this year, the removal of his objections against infant baptism, soon convinced me of the necessity of reconsidering the subject for myself. I now read Richard Baxter's Plain Scripture Proof of Infants' Church Membership and Baptism, and received much light from it, as also from Mr. Alexander's consideration. In the course of the winter I became thoroughly a convert to the Pedobaptist doctrine ; and informed our pastor by letter of my in-
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tention to return to the Presbyterian church. April 9th, 1801, having read before the Presbytery of Hanover a discourse on bap- tism by way of trial, they licensed me to preach the gospel. Went on preaching as before." This is his brief narrative of his life at Hampden Sidney for a little more than two years. He received for the service rendered the first year as tutor, by agreement with the President, and by order of the Board, March 28th, 1800, one hundred pounds - "which," say the records, "is twenty pounds per annum more than was formerly directed to be paid him." He was asso- ciated with John H. Rice, under President Alexander, and proved himself to be, what he said of Mr. Rice-"an able teacher." Fresh from the labor of the farm he delighted to retain the simple habits of his father's house, dear to his recollections of childhood, and blessed to the restoration of his health; frequently found it difficult to conform, to his position as instructor of youth. Often, in his room, he might have been seen without coat, vest, shoes, or stockings, engaged at his books, attired as for haymaking; and sometimes when summoned by the bell to recitation, he has rushed out of his room unconscious of his appearance, till some friend remonstrated with him for his carelessness in exposing himself to the ridicule of the boys. A severe reproof from the President, Mr. Alexander, was the effectual cure.
"Weary of a college life, and desirous to devote myself more entirely to preaching, I left Hampden Sidney in September this year (1801), and set out as a travelling preacher. About the beginning of October the Synod of Virginia appointed me a mis- sionary to any of their vacancies below the Allegheny mountains." While connected with college, Mr. Speece exercised his poetic powers to some extent. His productions were of a devotional kind, ex- pressing the spiritual exercises of a Christian man. "I prescribed to myself a rule, never to write a line for which I should, as a Christian, blush in a dying hour." The hymn in use, the 372d of the Presbyterian collection, bears date October 6th, 1800, and first made its appearance in the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. His contributions to that periodical in the poetic line were numerous, until the appearance of the Virginia Religious Magazine, which became the vehicle of his thoughts for the public eye.
Spending a year among the vacancies in Virginia and Maryland, he visited his native county in 1802. "There being a revival in Bedford, I spent a few weeks in April there, and found the preach- ing of the gospel in such circumstances peculiarly delightful." In February of the next year he accepted an invitation from Mont- gomery County, Maryland, and divided his labors between the con- gregation of Captain John and the Falls church, and Union in Fairfax, Virginia. On the 7th of December, the Presbytery of Baltimore received him as candidate, and put in his hands a call. He delivered before the Presbytery a sermon on 1st Cor. 10th: 20 and 21, and a lecture on Romans, 9th chapter. They "put me through the usual examinations. On Sabbath, April 22d, 1804, the .23
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Presbytery at Captain John ordained me to the work of the ministry and installed me as pastor of that church. The Rev. Dr. James Muir presided and preached on Heb. 2d : 3d, first clause. The Rev. Stephen B. Balch delivered the charge." On account of re- peated attacks of bilious fever he concluded that the climate did not agree with his constitution, and the congregation finding some diffi- culty in sustaining him, he asked a dissolution of the pastoral relation, and preached his farewell sermon, April 21st, 1805. For a series of years, in his early ministry, he was greatly afflicted with sickness ; attacks of bilious fever were severe and protracted. From his poetical effusions the affliction appears to have been blessed to his spiritual welfare.
Mr. Speece laid before Synod regular journals of his journeyings and preaching for the time he acted as missionary, before and after his settlement in Maryland. These are lost. Only one extract is extant, in the Virginia Religious Magazine, vol. 1st, pp. 378, 379: "Passing lately through a neighborhood where I had preached several years ago, I called on an old acquaintance and relative, who has for some time past professed religion. Of his first awakening he gave me the following account. 'You may remember the time when you preached at I was one of your hearers. Until that time I had been quite careless about the salvation of my soul, and for some years a profane swearer, and otherwise grossly wicked. My heart was not affected by any of the solemn truths which you delivered on that occasion - yet from that day I felt very awful and abiding religious impressions. When I saw and heard you, I was led to reflect that a few years ago we were children and playmates together ; that now you were become a Christian, and a minister of the gospel, while I remained a miserably impenitent sinner, under the wrath of God, and in danger every moment of dropping into hell. These reflections produced in my mind the most alarming convictions of sin, and so fastened them upon me that they were not to be shaken off. I was constrained to betake myself to prayer for divine mercy; and so continued until, as I trust, I obtained the pardon of my sins by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.' How various are the methods of the Holy Spirit in bringing sinners unto God ! and how strangely does he bless the labors of his ministers often, while they seem to themselves to be spending their strength in vain ! I remember well that on the day referred to I concluded with sorrow of heart, that I had preached the gospel without the least success. Yet God was pleased to make me instrumental in awakening this person ; and that not by my preaching, strictly speaking, but merely by my presence. Let not the preacher of the gospel despond because he sees no immediate and striking effects of his ministra- tions. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, this or that."
In the beginning of the year 1806-" I entered on the discharge of my duties in Fluvanna and Goochland,-a half of my time to be
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employed at Columbia, in Fluvanna, and the other half at Licking- hole, in Goochland. Took my abode at Major Robert Quarles, in Fluvanna. At the close of the year circumstances did not favor a renewal of my expiring engagements. At the beginning of Feb., (1807,) I entered on a new scene of action ; having acceded to a pro- posal for my preaching during five years, one half of my time at Peterville Church, in Powhatan, the other half equally divided at Turkey Cock, and Tearwallet Churches, in Cumberland, with a reserve of the fifth Sabbath to myself, whenever one should occur in any month. In these regions there are a few pious Presbyterians thinly scattered, but no organized societies. Took my abode at Josiah Smith's, Esquire, in Powhatan." While residing in this family, which was his home during the whole time of his engage- ment, he attended the General Assembly in Philadelphia, 1807, received. the degree of A. M. from Hampden Sidney, 1808; second time a delegate to Assembly, and preached the Missionary Sermon, 1810; made observations on the annular eclipse, 1811, and Dec. 26th-" witnessed this night the latter part of that most tremen- duous scene, the burning of the Richmond Theatre." At the close of his engagement he says -"I enjoyed the pleasures of friendship in no ordinary degree. But the success of my preaching, especially in Powhatan, appeared to be small. I fear indeed my own spirit too often slumbered over my sacred work. Upon the whole I felt a wish to retire :- accordingly, about the middle of November, (1812), I went to my father's in Campbell, and spent a few months of the winter in preaching around."
Dr. Speece wrote a short sketch of the events and circumstances he thought worthy of remembrance, up to this period. It bears date Augusta County, Virginia, Jan. 28th, 1828. It is contained on three and a quarter sheets foolscap paper, written in a round, plain hand. It is to be regretted that he did not give a fuller account of his life, connected as he was with some eminent men : and that he did not continue it to the close of his days. From this time to the end of his life his memoranda of ministerial services is complete, with the exception of baptism, of which there is not a single entry. The memorandum books contain only occasional statements of facts.
"March 5th, 1813. Having received an invitation, I set out from my father's to visit Augusta Church, which afterwards became, and still continues to be my pastoral charge, and which has been the scene of my greatest usefulness in the ministry. From the point of time last mentioned, I preserve my journal entire." The dates and facts chronicled were helps to his memory, and to himself were suggestive of events innumerable, and circumstances of deepest interest-but to others little else than the chronology of a preacher's labors. As a specimen we give a page or two :-
" Journal.
" March 5th, 1813. Set out for Augusta .- Sabb., 7th. Pd at Lex- ington, Ps. 46, 1, 2, 3 .- Sabb., 14th. Pd at New Providence M. H.,
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James 1, 9, 10 .- Sabb., 21st. PJ at Augusta Church, Luke 8, 18 .- Same Ev'g. Pd at Staunton, John 12, 32 .- 23d. Pd at Aug'a, Ps. 117, 1 .- 24th. P' at Wm. Craig's, Heb. 4, 13 .- Sabb., 28th. Pd at Aug'a, 2 Sermons on 1 Cor. 3, 11 .- 31st. Pd at Salem M. H., Gal. 2, 19.
"April 1st. Pd at Capt. Jno. Campbell's, 3 John 2 .- Sabb., 4. Pd at Bethel M. M., 2 Sermons on 2 Cor. 6, 17, 18 .- 5th. Pd at Mr. Wm. Gilkeson's, Acts 21, 13 .- Sabb., 11th. Pd at Aug'a, Luke 18, 13 .- 16th. Pd at Mr. James Hooke's, Luke 8, 14 .- 17. Pd at Flo- gel's M. H., Ps. 119, 124 .- Sab., 18. PJ at Aug'a, 2 Sermons, the Ist on Luke 10, 42, first clause ; the 2d on Isa. 44, 5 .- 19th. Pd at Sa- lem, P. 119, 133 .- 22, Ev'g. Pd at Staunton, Rev. 22, 34 .- Sab., 25. Pd at Aug'a, 2 Sermons, the 1st on 1 Cor. 4, 2; the 2d on Ps. 37, 4 .- Same Ev'g. Pd at Staunton, Prov. 28, 13 .- 27. The people of Augusta Church invited me, by their Elders, to settle permanently among them as their pastor. They appeared unanimous and earnest in their invitation. I promised to decide on their proposal within the next month .- Same day. Pd at Aug'a, Matt. 7, 21 .- 29, Ev'g. Pd at Staunton, 1 Cor. 13, 5 .- 30. Pd at Bethel, Isa. 45, 22 .- Same Ev'g. På at Mr. John Logan's, 1 John 3, 1, first clause.
"May, Sab. 2d. Pd at Bethel before the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. 11, 24 .- 4th. Arrived at my father's in Campbell .- 6th. Attended the meeting of Hanover Presbytery, at Lynchburg .- 8th. Obtained my dismission from this Presb'y to join the Presb'y of Lexington .- Same Ev'g. Pd at Lynchburg, P. 119, 133 .- Sab'th, 9. Pd at do., before the Lord's Supper, Phil. 3, 7 .- 11th. Left my father's .- Sab. 16. Pd at the Masons' Hall, Richmond, Matt. 5, 6 .- Same day. Pd at the Capitol, do., Ps. 119, 124 .- 17th. Wrote to inform the people of Augusta Church of my acceptance of their proposal. They are to have my undivided labors, and to give me, for my support, 500 dollars per annum, and as much more as proper exertions can from time to time obtain. Appointed to begin my labors there on the first Sabbath of next month .- Same day. Pd at the Masons' Hall, Richmond, Rom. 8, 37 .- 18th. Pd at Mrs. Catherine Strothers, do., Matt. 16, 24 .- 21st. Pd at Josiah Smith's, Esq'r, 1 John, 3, 5 .- 22d. Pd at Peterville, Matt. 22, 4, 5 .- Sab., 23d. P' at Turkey Cock, Eph. 6, 15 .- Same day. P- at Capt. Joseph McLaurine's, Ps. 119, 140 .- 25. P' at Tearwallet, 1 Thess. 1, 3 .- Same day. Pd at Mr. Geo. Anderson's, Matt. 16, 24 .- 26. Pd at Mr. Stephen Trent's, Ruth 1, 16 .- 29. Pª at Turkey Creek, 2 Cor. 13, 11, first part .- Sab. 30. Pd at Columbia, 1 Thess. 3, 8.
"June 1. Pd at Lickinghole, Zach. 9, 9 .- 4th. Arrived at Alex- ander Nelson's, Esq'r, where I take my abode."
In this manner he journalizes till the day of his death. The situation of the congregation, the circumstances of the invitation, the retired pastor, his reason for acceptance, were all trusted to his memory with these simple dates. His visit to his much esteemed brother in the ministry, and companion at the College, John H. Rice, who had but lately removed to Richmond, in interesting circum-
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stances, is so recorded that a stranger would not know how much he valued that brother and friend. His interview with the brethren of Hanover Presbytery is summed up in the notice of meeting them, and getting a dismission, and the text on which he discoursed to their great gratification. All his public services are recorded in chronological order, his attendance on Synod and Presbytery, his visits of every kind that led him out of the bounds of his congrega- tion, short notices of events of particular importance, all are put down in chronological order. While he is particular in mentioning his attendance on the Lord's Supper, and performance of the mar- riage ceremony, he does not in the journal make record of baptisms. The reason is not anywhere given.
On the 1st of October, 1813, at Windy Cove, he became a regular member of Lexington Presbytery; and received and accepted a call from Augusta church. Saturday, the 16th of the month, was the day designated for his installation. The appointment was made for a communion season, on the succeeding Sabbath, embracing the two previous and succeeding days. His record of the last great gathering of the old congregation of "The Triple Forks of Shenandoah," is as brief as an ordinary notice could be ; "was installed as pastor at the church, by a Committee of Lexington Presbytery. The Rev. George Bourne preached on John 5: 35; the Rev. Wm. Calhoon presided, and gave the charge. God grant that the people and myself may never for- get the solemn transaction. May he bless our covenant abundantly."
The public services began as usual, on Friday, at the old grove embowered church-fort. The pastor elect preached from Heb. 12: 15, " Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God ; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be deceived." On Saturday came on the installation services. The pastor of Tinkling Spring, John M'Cue, whose charge many of them were accustomed to worship here in former days, came along to preach on the Sabbath; also William Calhoon, the minister of Staunton and Brown's meeting-house, whose charge embraced a por- tion of those on Lewis's Creek, and those in Staunton, that once made part of the "Triple Forks," and still in affection clung to the Stone church. From Mossy Creek and Jennings' Gap, the scene in succeeding years of the labors of Hendren, and from the South River down towards Port Republic, with their minister, George Bourne, the talented and the erring, the people came as in the times when their fathers and themselves, when children, fled to the fort for safety, and came on Sabbath to worship. The hill was full of horses and people ; not a carriage there. Horses, caparisoned with saddles for men and women, and pillions, and blankets, were to be seen standing all around, tied to the limbs of trees, from an early hour on Saturday. You could see the people coming from every direction, as the highways were not so fenced in as at this day, in groups of smaller or larger companies ; here a family all on horse- back, the father with a child behind him, and one in his arms, and the mother equally balanced, moving slowly along ; another with his
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