God the things that are God's." It was a grand sermon, and President Pierce, many Senators and Congressmen and eminent persons were there. He taught Senators wisdom, and they certainly had set before them that day their duty, both to God and to man. Dr. Hawks was a man of untiring industry and wrote many books. He was one of the best of talkers and a man of great versatility. Dr. Milo Mahan, when a teacher in Dr. Muhlenberg's school in Flushing, having heard a very eloquent address from Dr. Hawks on Homer, showed him a difficult passage and asked for his explanation, but he was unable to give it, not being as exact a scholar as Mahan. Dr. Hawks was a High-Churchman of the school of Ravenscroft and Hobart. No life of him has ever been written, and I wonder at it in these days of biographies. Rev. C. S. Hawks, his brother, was confirmed as Bishop of Missouri at this session of 1844. There was a remarkably able set of Deputies-clerical and layat this Convention. Rev. Drs. Empie, McGuire, Sparrow and Grammer, Messrs. S. H. Lewis, Philip Williams, R. H. Cunningham and Wm. H. McFarland, were from Virginia. Dr. Empie made several long speeches against Tractarianism, and he had fifty-five heads under which that teaching was condemned. Dr. Tyng and many other eminent men, clerical and lay, spoke on the subject and it occupied a great deal of time, but no positive action was taken. Judge Chambers' resolution was passed that the Prayer Book contains the sense of the Church as to essential doctrines, and that the General Convention is not a suitable tribunal for the trial and censure of doctrinal error, and that the Church is not responsible for the errors of individuals. Much consideration was given to the subject of Foreign Missions at this meeting, and Rev. William J. Boone was chosen as Missionary Bishop of China. Action was postponed in the case of bishops for the west coast of Africa and Turkey, though Rev. Horatio Southgate was nominated for Turkey. One of the most prominent clergymen and speakers was Rev Thomas Atkinson, of Maryland, then regarded as one of the ablest ministers and preachers, and later the beloved Bishop of North Carolina. Ten of the clergymen present soon afterwards were chosen bishops. Of all the Clerical Deputies at that Convention only two are now living, both of whom I happened to know. CHAPTER XX. SOME OLD FRIENDS. MONG my older friends were three of the class of 1832, all living beyond threescore years, and having each held in his ministry but one cure, the Rev. George Adie, William Friend, and Hugh J. Harrison, an example of devotion to one people and contentment with their lot very rare. The Rev. William Friend was most highly cultured, not only in theology, but in the classics and other learning, and doubtless to his intellectual as well as to his moral and personal worth was his lasting influence due. His sermons were models of force and elegance, for he had "the pen of a ready writer." A native of Massachusetts, he made Virginia the home of his affection and life-work. He married late in life, and during his bachelor days a ladies' society sent him a dozen shirts. He thanked them, and wrote that "the stream of their liberality could not have flowed into a more thirsty channel." The Rev. George Adie was a model pastor, with strong influence on all, and dying where he had long lived, in Leesburg. Rev. Hugh T. Harrison was a very learned man, especially in theology and exegesis. He was an expert linguist. His son, Rev. Dr. Hall Harrison, was like him in these respects, and for years had the same parish, though having in the General Church a reputation and influence far wider, and his sudden death removed from the Church one of her most useful and gifted sons. Rev. Charles W. Andrews, D. D., was ordained at the same time, though not an alumnus of our Seminary, and spent his whole life in Virginia, honored by the Church and wielding a powerful influence. He received a large vote for Assistant Bishop of Virginia. His life has been written by Dr. Walker. He and Charles E. Ambler were good friends, and this story is told: Dr. Andrews had a way of saying to the sick or old, "Well, soon you'll be walking the golden streets and will leave this world of toil and trouble.” It did not always comfort or brighten them. When he was taken sick once Mr. Ambler went to see him, and with very serious face said to him," Brother, soon you will be leaving the troubles and pains of this world and be walking the golden streets above." Dr. A. became quite excited, and said, "Not at all; I'll be well soon. Why do you talk to me in this way! This is a pretty way to cheer a sick man." "Well," said Mr. Ambler, "that is some of your own medicine. You talk in that way to others." Rev. Richard K. Meade, son of Bishop Meade, born the same year as I, passed away November 17, 1892. He was Rector of Christ Church, Charlottesville, from 1836 to 1868, his only charge, when ill health caused him to resign. For many years he was principal of the Piedmont Female Seminary. A man of fine intellect, a good scholar and preacher, he was a worthy son of the great Bishop. His two sons, Rev. W. H. Meade, D. D., and Rev. Frank A. Meade, have labored in their native State successfully. In the class of 1837 were many good friends of mine. Rev. Upton Beall was a very earnest and pious man, and an excellent preacher. I remember hearing him preach at St. John's, Washington, "The fathers where are they and the prophets, do they live forever," a funeral discourse. Bishop Johns preached a funeral sermon on his death. Rev. William Bryant, father of Mr. Herbert Bryant, of Alexandria, was a graduate of West Point, a soldierly man, as erect as if he had swallowed a sword, upright in every sense of the word. Rev. William A. Harris was sent to us by Bishop Otey for whom he had unbounded admiration. He was a successful minister and was long in Washington. Rev. Charles Goodrich was very prominent in New Orleans during the war. General B. F. Butler was very civil to him, and told him his family were Episcopalians, and he contributed largely to the Church. It was the custom for one of the senior class to make an address, which was replied to by one of the middle class. Goodrich made the parting address that year. The Rev. William Hodges, though of Baptist training, became an Episcopalian and wrote the best book on Infant Baptism that we have. He was most useful and earnest. Rev. John Towles was a most worthy man, whose ministry was spent chiefly at Accokeek, Maryland. Rev. William J. Clark taught at the Carters on Shooter's Hill. He was at Snow Hill, Maryland, and had some great church controversy, dying not many years ago. Rev. Joshua Peterkin, D. D., was nearly two years younger than myself, but we were friends from my coming to the Seminary in 1836, where he was a student, till the close of his life, 226 DR. JOSHUA PETERKIN. March 7, 1892. In all that time I can recall nothing but what was lovely and of good report in thought, word and deed in his life. Joshua Peterkin was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in August, 1814, and was educated at a classical school, which, however, he left when fifteen years old, and for four years he was in business. While thus engaged he attended Dr. John Johns' church, and often visited him for counsel. Bishop Johns used often to describe the winter night when, after hearing him preach, young Peterkin came to him about his soul. After that sermon he felt "If what Dr. Johns says is so, I am in a very bad way, and must turn, and my whole life and aims must be changed; so he went directly and opened his heart to him. His appearance as he entered the library was most attractive, his face flushed with excitement, his eyes clear and shining, and his hair sprinkled with snow which had fallen on it without his notice, and that night's talk was like that of Christ and Nicodemus-one never to be forgotten, since eternal interests depended on it. The friendship thus early begun lasted through their life and has doubtless now been renewed never again to be broken. Dr. Peterkin entered the Seminary September, 1834, and graduated in 1837, was ordained Deacon that July and Priest in July, 1839, by Bishop Moore in St. Paul's Church, Alexandria. As a Deacon he labored in Baltimore for the colored people and for a white congregation at St. Andrew's, which had no means to pay a salary. He was rector of All Saints' parish, Frederick, Md., for six years, and of Zion parish, near by, for two years. Then he took charge of Wickliffe parish, Clarke county, Va., the first, as he says, that he accepted voluntarily, where he felt as if his ministry really began. There he stayed for three years and for a like period at Princeton, New Jersey. Dr. Hodge told me that while at Princeton the students said he had sat up all night to nurse a sick chicken. I told this to Dr. Peterkin and he said that the foundation for it was that one cold night he had put a sick chicken in his room near the stove, and the heat made it so lively that it broke his sleep. Dr. Hodge said that the students liked his preaching very much, that it was quite different from the others, interesting in matter and manner. He was sent for to bury a Presbyterian minister instead of one of their own ministers. In 1855 he became rector of St. James', Richmond, where he exercised a most useful and beautiful ministry for DR. PETERKIN'S MINISTRY. 227 thirty-seven years. To know him was to love him, and his presence brought peace and blessing with it. His name was honored throughout the whole city, and Christians of every denomination admired and loved him. He had a fine gift of extemporaneous speech, so that he was most acceptable both as a preacher and a pastor. His first sermon at Falls Church showed his remarkable fluency. Some, it is said, heel it, and some head it in a parish; he did both well, and hundreds have risen up to bless his ministry. He improved every opportunity of doing good. Once when my parlor was full of young people at Commencement, he read in a most impressive way a little poem on judging others, beginning "Judge not." He had cut it from a paper. His tact and sympathy made all his approaches welcome, and the young loved him. Goldsmith's beautiful words seem written for him : "But in his duty prompt at every call He watch'd and wept, he pray'd and felt for all; Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise, During the war his house was a home for any Confederate soldier who needed it, and my son Walter found a welcome there and was tenderly cared for. He would visit the hospitals and would take tobacco with him, for, though he did not use it himself, he knew how much a soldier liked it. My relations with him were always most cordial, and I do not think I had a truer friend. As a trustee of the Seminary he was faithful and devoted, and in the General Convention, of which he was a member for some sessions, his influence was felt. His wife was Miss Elizabeth Hanson, daughter of Thomas Hanson, of Frederick, Maryland, and his lovely daughter, Rebecca, has left behind her a memory fragrant with noble deeds, which "Smell sweet and blossom in the dust." |