USA > Virginia > Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical > Part 54
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448
DR. RICE'S LECTURES ON THEOLOGY.
4th. Dr. Rice was fond of his pen. Besides the various publica- tions in the Magazine and in pamphlet form, he found time to write out, in a fair hand, part of his lectures on Didactic Theology, viz. - The Scriptures a Revelation; the Being and Attributes of God ; Creation ; Man's nature ; Christ in his person, character, and works; His Atonement in its nature and effects. Here the com- plete series was interrupted. Soon after his death, some friends of Dr. Rice proposed the publication of the Lectures ; and preparatory to such an event, the manuscripts were submitted to Dr. A. Alex- ander, of Princeton, the firm friend of the author. The following extracts from a prefatory paper, he returned with the manuscript Lectures, express his opinion of their merits. "When my judgment was requested on this point, (that of publishing), I acknowledge that previously to an examination of the work, I was strongly inclined to the opinion that it was altogether inexpedient. I knew that Dr. Rice had been but a few years in the Professor's chair; and that' during that period he had been oppressed with a weight of cares and responsibilities, and had so many avocations, that I concluded his Lectures must of necessity be mere skeletons ; or in so rude a state that it would be a high injustice to his memory to permit them to be published. I had not proceeded far in this examination, before I was fully convinced that this unfinished system of theology ought by no means to be withheld from the public. I found that the lamented author had entered much more elaborately and profoundly into the discussion of several of the most important and difficult subjects of theology, than I had supposed possible in the embarrassing circumstances in which he was placed. Indeed, I scarcely know a writer, on Systematic Theology, who has more learnedly and tho- roughly discussed the main points in the system than is done in these Lectures ; and that which is especially a recommendation is, that the investigation is throughout scriptural. I mean that the doctrines maintained are founded on a careful exegesis of those texts which are considered as teaching them. No man can, I think, rise from the perusal of this work without entertaining a very exalted opinion of the learning, the candor, and the diligence of the author. And I anticipate that those ministers who enjoyed the privilege of sitting at the feet of Dr. Rice, when he delivered these Lectures, ex cathe- dra, will esteem them a treasure more valuable than gold or silver.
"A. ALEXANDER.
" Princeton, New Jersey, Oct., 1833."
Unfortunately the project for publication failed; and these lec- tures still remain in manuscript in the hands of his widow. The opening sentence of his Introductory Lecture is -"Theology teaches the true doctrine concerning God. Christian Theology teaches the doctrine concerning God, as it is revealed in the Bible. This doc- trine is the foundation of all true religion. Religion is the worship of God according to his nature, and his purposes, and works among men. It is feeling as God requires us to feel, and acting as God
449
DR. RICE'S SOCIAL QUALITIES.
requires us to act. Hence Theology is the foundation of religion. It teaches the principles which in being religious we receive; and the conduct we pursue. Hence, also, Theology as a science, and religion as a system of practice, embrace all that can be known of the purposes and works of God; the whole range of human relation- ship, and the whole extent of human duty. . Of all objects of human knowledge, it is most important ; and on this subject it becomes every human being most diligently to seek for truth.'
Dr. Rice's Lectures will show his kind of orthodoxy. And the fact that many in different parts of the country looked on him with suspicion as not caring for the clear truth of the gospel, because he did not adhere to either of the parties into which the church was, at that time, much divided, but appeared to think lightly of some sub- jects of discussion, would seem to require that those Lectures should now be published, that all may know the ground he occupied. His early life had been spent in a region of country in which the minis- ters were discussing and contriving a platform on which believers in the gospel might unite in action, as was afterwards done in the Sunday School Union, the American Tract Society, and the Bible Society. The Republican Methodists united with Hanover Presby- tery ; and had their congregations in his vicinity. In Richmond he offered peace to all, and wrote Irenicum, that the peculiarities of denominations should not destroy Christian love. In his visits to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, he was a lovely man some- where in the centre of good men; not entirely on the side of any one, but between those who were opposite. When he wrote against Bishop Ravenscroft, he declared it was not for the love of war or personalities, or against the Episcopal Church as a branch of the Church of Christ, but against the exclusive pretensions of some of her members. He loved his own church and her peculiarities, with- out wishing to multiply them. He would go far for the sake of peace ; but when peace could not be had on fair and honorable terms, and a clear conscience, he buckled on his armor, and no opponent that met him ever doubted his courage, his firmness, or his vigor. Had his life been spared a few years, he would, in the commotions which rent the Presbyterian Church, have been one of the centres of action, around whom many would have gathered; but where, in the South and in the North, the circumference would have been, no mortal man can now tell, nor is it necessary to conjecture.
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5th. Dr. Rice had a quick sense of the becoming and of the ridiculous, in actions and in words. In early life he was ready to use his power of sarcasm with misanthropic force. The power of the gospel, and the kindness of woman, subdued that spirit to play- ful, humane, and gentle repartee. Ingham was taking a likeness of Dr. Rice for J. S. James, at the same time Dr. Milner was sitting for his picture. Greatly interested in both his subjects, Ingham used to tell of them, that Dr. Milner, one day, on leaving the studio, threw his gown and bands across the chair, and said, pleasantly, " Tell my brother Rice, I leave these for his benefit." When Dr. 1
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450
DR. RICE'S DOMESTIC LIFE.
Rice came in soon after, and heard Dr. Milner's message, looking at them archly, he said, "Tell Dr. Milner, it is a long time since I have quit wearing women's clothes." Sometimes he forgot his moderation, particularly in his earlier ministry. While yet a coun- try pastor, he visited Philadelphia as a delegate to the Assembly, and was commissioned to purchase some books for the incipient Theological library at Hampden Sidney, for which he, with others, had collected about $1200. While in the bookstore one day, a ministerial brother came in, and began to talk rather pompously about books. At length turning to Mr. Rice-" Have you any books in your wild woods, away out in Virginia ?" "Some, sir." " Well, what ?" "Why, we have," said the Doctor, "Dillworth's Spelling-book, and an almanac, in almost every house. Some peo- ple have the Seven Wise Masters and Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. That is a curious book, sir." Walking to the other end of the store, Mr. Farrand showed him the list of books made out. The young man looked it over, and repeated, "Walton's Polyglott, Walton's Polyglott, what can he want with that ?"
6th. Dr. Rice was happy in his domestic relations ; and much, of his usefulness through life was connected with the enjoyments of his ? - fireside. Not having children to demand his care, he enlivened his heart with the children of his sister Edith, some of whom were. kept . constantly as members of his family. Under the bereavements 'of Providence his nieces looked to him as a father, and shared in the tenderness of his heart. They were to him in place of children ; and the honorable positions they held in society evidence the faithfulness with which he discharged his important trust. Given to hospitality, he seldom was without some strangers in his house ; and their society at meals and his few spare moments, was a source of exquisite en- joyment. By his fireside, and at table, he was cheerful, never, light ; sociable, but never talkative; slow in speech, and often delighting with his polished wit, sent out to please and not to harm ; he maintained a benevolent feeling that drove all slander from his roof. Never speaking unfavorably of the absent, if others in his presence ventured to report some faults, he was wont to say - " What good did you hope to gain by telling me that ?" His friends at the North used to insist on his bringing his wife with him. He could make the public speeches ; and she could tell in the social circle the thousand little things they wished to know, and would never get from him in company. The assistance he derived from his wife in building the seminary is inestimable. This he ever ac- knowledged, joyfully, when proper to allude to it.
7th. Dr. Rice ever made it a subject of meditation, desire and prayer that the students should feel and exhibit the exalted prin- ciples of pure and undefiled religion before. God and the father. While absent upon the duties of the agency, his letters to Mrs. Rice, through whom, as correspondent, it was most convenient and agree- able for himself and the students and professor to communicate with each other, he sends messages to the students to cultivate most
451
DR. RICE'S CONCERN FOR STUDENTS' PIETY
assiduously personal holiness ; he charges his wife and the professor and teachers to impress the importance of holiness in heart and life upon the students, saying he could see the difference in congrega- tions of holy and careless-living men ; that the church must have a holy ministry, or be undone. His sentiments were expressed more at length in a letter to the Rev. Francis M'Farland, copious extracts from which exhihit his feelings and principles in his own words :
" Union Seminary, July 13th, 1830.
"MY DEAR SIR - I thank you for writing it - (a letter to Mr. Goodrich, stating some reports in circulation), but should have been more thankful if you had written to me, and more thankful still if you had spoken to me in Philadelphia. I feel that I am a poor, frail creature, and I do hope that I shall always receive fraternal fidelity in a fraternal way. I know that when I am wrong it is the greatest kindness to set me right ; and every friendly attempt to do this I trust I shall always acknowledge with affectionate gratitude. It is no affectation of humility in me when I say that I feel myself to be very poorly fitted for the office which I sustain. I never would have accepted it if another person would have undertaken to build up this Seminary. And now, if the institution could go on without any shock, I would willingly give place to a man better qualified than I feel myself to be. When I left Richmond my favorite object was to get the South all united in the seminary, and Dr. Alexander at the head of it. I had sanguine hopes that this plan might be carried. * *
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But that event broke it up root and branch. That is, it convinced me that it was in vain for me to make the effort. And since then I have just been waiting to see what direction the Lord would give to affairs, that I might know my ultimate duty. "If it is the will of the head of the church that I should stay where I am, I am willing to stay. If it is his will that I should go elsewhere, I am willing to go. But this is not said in reference to any particular place or plan, for I have none whatever in view, nor have I had any, but what all my brethren know - to do what I could for this seminary while it should be the Lord's will to keep me here. I do with my whole heart and mind agree with you that the improvement of the stu- dents in piety is the most important object to which we can turn our attention. And I rejoice, my dear sir, that you feel on the subject so as to write to us about it. I should rejoice if every member of the Board were feeling on the subject so as to write not only to us, but to the students also. . And I should be delighted to learn that the members of the church were making it a subject of daily prayer, and that the ministers pray about it privately and publicly. But I have travelled five times from New Hampshire to the borders of South Carolina, and I have heard very few prayers for the semina- ries of the church, and almost all these have been official prayers - not expressions of the abiding feelings of the heart; but called for
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452
DR. RICE ON THE PIETY OF THE STUDENTS.
on special occasions. And this is one of the topics on which I in- tended to write to you.
" I have made the business in which I am engaged a matter of much earnest thought ; and have laid down a plan for the regulation of my conduct. I have no doubt it is defective, and imperfectly executed. But as well as I can I will detail it to you - and if you can suggest any practicable amendment, I shall hold myself greatly your debtor for communicating it. In the first place, the burden is too heavy for my shoulders ; and I have been, and am now, pressed beyond my strength. My discharge of duty necessarily has refer- ence to my capacity of endurance - and many a thing is done by me with an express design of enabling me to hold on until the Lord shall please to send more help. If I had not made daily efforts to keep up a cheerful spirit, I should have been done over long ago. In reference to the students, I have had in view these things : - 1st, and I hope principally, a fervent spirit of piety, and a high standard of ministerial holiness; 2d, a spirit of study, and an earnest de- sire of intellectual improvement ; 3d, the preservation of the health of the students, that they may be prepared to labor when they leave the institution ; and 4th, their manners and modes of intercourse with their fellow-men.
. . " As to my success, as far as the opinion of students (and others also) has been concerned, I have heard only two general remarks of an unfavorable character. One is, that sufficient pains are not taken to cultivate a spirit of piety : the other is, that at this semi- nary there is nothing like a literary spirit, but a general feeling that piety is the only thing necessary. An excellent young man, dis- posed to be grave, and perhaps rather melancholy, on account of dyspepsia, with a reference to his own health, has been spoken to, or before, in a tone of cheerfulness, and jocularity, and it has not suited his humor - he has been offended. Another, apparently more desirous to be a scholar than a very holy man, has been urged to pray more, and read his Bible with a more devotional spirit, and he has said that, at the Union Seminary, it was expected to make preachers by prayer. Perhaps, in each case, there is some truth. As to the measures to promote piety, I have not visited the rooms of the students for the purpose of personal conversation, because I did not see how, if I undertook that thing, I could go through with it; because I daily meet the classes, and spend four hours with them. I feel it to be my duty to make daily preparation for that work, and in this I spend at least four hours more. Besides this, I feel it to be my duty to aim at a general extension of my little stock of knowledge; also, I have to receive much of the company which the seminary brings to our house; and every day I am obliged to answer letters on seminary business. I work in my vocation at least twelve hours every day, and often more, and this in addition to the calls of the students on various matters which concern them. But, I do not know that one day passes by, without something being said to impress on the students the necessity of deep personal piety.
453
LETTER TO REV. FRANCIS M'FARLAND.
It is always a subject of prayer at every recitation, and frequently in private conversation - not indeed in a dry and formal manner, but in the way of free, affectionate intercourse, which is held between us. It is true, that often when we meet in our parlor, and also in the class, there is a good deal of cheerfulness, and in the recitation there is sometimes jocularity, and that designed and of purpose - yea, on principle ; because I am fully convinced myself, that the sombre, fixedly solemn and sanctified behaviour, which some seem to approve, is by no means beneficial to the character of the clergy- man, or the Christian. Cheerfulness and piety can go together, and indeed ought not to be separated ; for my observation has convinced me, that if young men at study are not encouraged to unbend their minds, and indulge in innocent mirth, they will become gloomy, desponding, and morose : a state of mind far less suited to the growth of that sort of piety which I wish to see cultivated, than anything I have yet observed here. Besides, I have many a time done what perhaps some disapprove, on account of its value to the health of the students -a subject which I have studied much, and regard as very important - but I have no more room.
: "As I said before, I have no doubt both of the defects of my plan, and of the deficiency of its execution. But, this I can say, that no student has staid here a year, without giving what I thought manifest tokens of improvement in piety ; and there are now here seven or eight bright Christians, who, when they came, could hardly be admitted, because they knew so little of religion. One of these is just now rising up from the very brink of the grave, to which he was brought by his excessive labors in distributing the Bible. He thought and we all thought he would die; and, when my last hour comes, I can hardly desire to be more peaceful and happy than he was. He lay perfectly easy in mind, and said, "Let the Lord do what he pleases." Another, who came here last winter, near the close of the session, has found religion here so much beyond any- thing he had seen before, as to feel that he knew nothing about it ; and he is just getting through a very fearful struggle, which will do his soul good. «
"I wanted to say much more, but I cannot. I wished to tell you of a conversation had by many of us on board the steamboat, the day after the Assembly rose. It was on the subject of the increase of piety among ministers and candidates; and on the meeting of the next" General Assembly, we pledged ourselves to one another to write and talk to our brethren -to mention the matter in Pres- byteries and Synods - to do everything, in a word, which we could do, to send a delegation next spring, which should, from the very first day, lay hold of this great matter as the principal business of the next General Assembly. In this letter, I have said nothing about my colleague, because I take it for granted he will write to you. But I must remark that I believe him to be alive to the great matter on which you are justly solicitous, and I know his influence is very valuable in the seminary.
"With sincere, fraternal love, J. H. RICE."
454
DR. RICE'S METHOD OF TEACHING.
8th. In the class-room, Dr. Rice was kind in manner, patient in teaching, rich in instruction, always interesting, giving forth in abundance the fruits of accurate investigation, carried on through his whole pastoral life. Slow in his enunciation, his thoughts seemed sometimes unwieldy, as if he could scarce manage to give them utter- ance, and they finally were announced with a clearness and precision becoming their magnitude and worth. He had some lectures written out in full, and was every year adding to them, in a fair hand and pleasing style, fit for the press and the library ; he had copious notes of his full course, which he was constantly enlarging and enriching, and has left a syllabus of his whole course, and a full copy of a part. His recitations were close, continued, particular, almost severe, presupposing and compelling close investigation in the pre- paration for the class-room. To prevent weariness, he interwove playful remarks, cheerful personal anecdotes, pertinent pieces of history, references to common-life, scraps of his own experience with men and things. Diligent students found his recitations happy interviews, improving the mind and the heart, not neglecting per-
sonal manners. Rudeness in bearing and vulgarity met no ap- probation, with whatever other qualities they might be conjoined. The spirit of Dr. Miller's volume on Clerical Manners and Habits, was inculcated by Dr. Rice in his recitation-room, by precept and example, and in his domestic circle by the example of the Doctor and his wife, examples as charming as could be furnished, North or South, the North itself being judge. When the Doctor and his wife were in Andover, Massachusetts, the best way of improving the manners of the students of theology, was a subject of earnest and repeated discussion with the professors and their wives. It was evident the students at Andover were too secluded. "Let us have conversation-circles, or little levees occasionally ; that would do very well, if not too prolonged. Let us have some subject chosen, on which the conversation shall turn." "No," said Mrs. Rice, " that will degenerate into formal speech-making. Let each one come ready to do his share of the conversation, on what subject he pleases, and let the ladies make the meeting cheerful, and let it break up before the interest passes away ; or, what is better, let the students spend a few moments at some proper hour each day, in a well-regu- lated family, in cheerful intercourse, and cultivating the amenities of life." Dr. Rice ever bore in mind the moulding influences of his mother, the Malvern Hills, and Willington.
9th. The language of Paul - " in labors more abundant," may be applied to Dr. Rice in his pastoral office-in Charlotte with a school -- in Richmond with the press, and in his Professor's chair in Prince Edward. He rejoiced in labors that consumed the very fountains of his life. His error, if we should judge him strictly, was, that he suffered his love of labor for the church to surpass his physical powers. On his death-bed he had some solemn reflections on this subject, and felt some dark hours. Not that he had done absolutely too much as the sum of life; but that in doing it he had
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455
DR. RICE'S RESOLUTIONS.
overwrought himself, and perhaps cut short his days. He trembled lest God was angry. He feared that in his bodily service he had neglected his private communion with God. Far from looking, very far from expecting justification by the deeds of his hands, he ap- pealed to mercy and that was triumphant. His strong and abiding conviction had been for years -"I have become fully convinced that the work necessary to be done to build up our seminary must be done by me, or that it will never be done." In his opinion he was probably right; for his excessive labor who will blame him ? while all mourn the event:
The friendships formed for Mrs. Rice were strong, numerous, and abiding. Her kind manners, and Christian conversation, and cheer- ful use of her full treasury of important facts, and amusing inci- dents about the seminary and the Virginia people, won the hearts of gentlemen, merchants, and ministers, and the ladies generally, to that degree that the friends of the seminary used to say that when she accompanied him on a tour to the North, it was hard to say which was the better agent. And yet she was never importunate ; she never solicited, never addressed companies in a set speech. All things of that kind she left to the Doctor and others. But she was always bringing up, when fit opportunities occurred, the seminary ; giving some amusing account of the Doctor's labors and the trials they had gone through, some graphic sketch of the wants of the South, and the interest taken in the Seminary, some cheerful rela- tion of Christian experience, and hopeful conversions, and trium- phant death - all'embued with a spirit of inexpressible kindness. She reigned in the social circle as the Doctor did in the pulpit. He often said to her -"If your cheerfulness and health give out, I shall sink at once under my burdens." To her he gave his youth- ful affections ; in his manhood he said - "I love you more than words can express :" in his dying hours, he said - "I never loved you more than at this hour." To her he gave his last look, his last embrace, and his last words from the midst of Jordan.
Resolutions in the hand-writing of Dr. Rice, found in his pocket- book with his will, without date, or his name.
What I resolve that I will endeavor to do.
1st. To keep under my body; and change my physical constitu- tion. Take food for nourishment and not for pleasure. Take no more than is necessary, and be indifferent as to the quality. Sleep for refreshment and not for indulgence. Endeavor to do as much useful work every day as I can. Dress as cheaply as comports with decency.
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