Memoirs of William Nelson Pendleton, D.D., rector of Latimer parish, Lexington, Virginia; brigadier-general c.s.a.; chief of artillery, army of northern Virginia. |
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| XX. |
| XXI. | CHAPTER XXI. |
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 | CHAPTER XXI. Memoirs of William Nelson Pendleton, D.D., |  |
CHAPTER XXI.
WORK IN LEXINGTON—Continued.
A few weeks previous to the time of Miss Pendleton's marriage,
John Brown had put the finishing stroke to his prolonged,
secret efforts to stir up insurrection among the negroes in Virginia
The commotion then excited and the facts of his capture, trial,
and execution are too well known to need further allusion. Although
his daughter was going into the very heart of the disturbed
region, no reference to public affairs was made by Dr.
Pendleton in his letter to her. That he felt deeply on the subject,
however, may be learned from himself.
Writing to a brother clergyman in New York, he says,—
"My dear Doctor,—I write a line to yourself, as I am doing
to other friends in the Northern States, to beg that you will
say and do what you can towards such expression and action
in your section of the country as may restore to our people
the friendly spirit which mad abolitionism has so sorely revolutionized.
"I have never known the fountains of popular sentiment so
thoroughly stirred as they are now in Virginia, and we may depend
it is not otherwise farther South. Disunion, with its dread
train of strife, animosity, blood, sorrow, retardation to piety and
all happy influences, is absolutely inevitable if the 'irrepressible
conflict,' in every form, is not thoroughly disavowed by the larger
part of the Northern people. And, indeed, without a great
change in feeling and conviction there, I fear the issue must
come at any rate. For instance, the Observer, with the best intentions,
published an article last week going to show how conservative
the New York pulpit is, and, among other things, gave
an extract from Dr.—'s Thanksgiving sermon. But that very
sermon was in itself a most ominous sign of coming evil. For
the doctor allowed himself to hurl anathemas against slavery in
the very breath with which he was disavowing sympathy with
the destructives. It really seems to me amazing that a good
man, with the Bible in his hand, can thus outrage the claims of
peace in the pulpit itself. And it is as certain as any coming
event can well be that these desecrations of churches to work
wrong convictions in the minds of half the country against an
institution providentially existing in the other half must excite
disgust, enmity, and war in the section thus assailed.
"Depend upon it, without something adequate at the North,
its course.
"Pray signify this in the spirit of a man of God, as you can
wisely make occasion. Sad! sad! sad! if the mad passions
now so fearfully aroused work out to a fearful death-struggle!
God help us in the part of peace-makers, and keep His own
people faithful, and the country through them.
Small-pox became epidemic in Lexington in the latter part of
1859. The deaths were numerous, and the dread of the disease
caused the closing of all the places of worship except the Episcopal
church. Dr. Pendleton held his regular services, believing
that they would rather conduce to than hinder public health, by
calming the minds of his people and strengthening their trust in
God's care over them. He also contrived to minister to the
families cut off by the disease from the sympathies and assistance
of their neighbors. Standing outside the house, he would ascertain
their condition and needs, and give them words of cheer.
He then procured such things as they required and deposited
them in a convenient place and watched until some one from the
house to be supplied appeared to take them. Defoe had described
this mode of communication in his "History of the
Plague in London," and it proved most efficacious at this time.
The following letter tells its own story:
"My dear Daughter,—It has been nearly a month since you
wrote to me on the recurrence of my birthday, and I have not before
been well able to reply. First, I was using up as much writing-time
as possible during the absence of the boys on account of
small—pox, getting ready my first volume for the press; and when
that was achieved, Sandie gave me quite a tug at another important
work,—viz., to meet some serious questions in his mind in
regard to his own spiritual progress and on certain issues respecting
the great baptismal controversy. He has so much to do
that I thought it best to clear up matters pretty thoroughly in
this way, instead of sending him to several volumes for the elucidations
he wanted. And, situated as he is, it is doubly desirable
that he should always be ready to give a reason for the hope that
is in him.
"You and I were alone in remembering the fact—memorable
enough, surely, in the life of a human being—of my numbering
half a century on the 26th of December. It occasioned me serious
retrospects and anticipations and suggested needful prayer,
but the predominant feeling with me was fervent gratitude for
the ample and unmerited mercies that have crowned my days.
'Long-suffering and of great kindness,' truly can I testify, is our
Heavenly Father. None others of the family remembered the
circumstance of my passing that notable mile-post in the journey
of life, and I preferred saying nothing about it till a day or two
after, when all presented congratulations, though no one, I believe,
ventured to wish that I might have as long an earthly road
before as behind me.
"In writing to you to-night I have no twinges of conscience.
For it is, I am sure, holy work, like that I have been privileged
to do to-day. Perhaps you may like to know my texts. In the
morning from Isaiah liv. 17, 'The heritage of the servants of the
Lord,'—dwelling on their character as servants, and their precious
inheritance in time and in eternity. In the afternoon from II.
Corinthians iv. 4, 'The glorious gospel of Christ,'—dwelling on
the substance of the glad tidings and the glory thereof. Pretty
good and attentive congregations, notwithstanding another smallpox
panic has visited us.
"My book, I forgot to tell you, is to be 'Science a Witness
for the Bible,'—five articles before published, mainly rewritten,—
'Science and Scripture,' 'Human Family,' 'Age of Mankind,'
'Chronology of Creation,' and 'Monuments of Lost Races.'
They will make a book one-fourth larger than Dr. Cabell's.
Afterwards I hope to get ready a volume on "Human Progress,'
etc. When I go on to see about printing in a few weeks I may
get to see you for a day or two."
The volume here spoken of was published a month or two
later by Lippincott & Co. Bishop Meade, writing to Dr. Pendleton
researches, had said,—
"I have read with interest your articles in the Reviews when
they first came out. I should like to see them all, just as they
are, in a volume for my own reading, but think a selection of the
main points would be more apt to find readers and purchasers in
this day of small books and abridgments. We seem to have
dealt much of late in the same authors, or in some of the same.
If you could spend a week here you would devour much that I
have collected.
"If I had not twelve grandchildren now dependent on me for
education, and others coming on, and my own book[1]
to publish,
I would offer to aid in the publication of yours; for, according to
my experience, authors have to work and pay for it too."
When the book appeared it elicited high encomiums from
many intelligent and thoughtful readers, and but for the storm-cloud
overshadowing the land would have become widely
known. From many letters of approval, Bishop Meade's is
given as highly characteristic.
"Reverend and dear Sir,—Your daughter and her husband
reached here yesterday, and brought with them your book, which
I have devoured with a good appetite, though not chewing, after
English fashion, so as to digest it well. Having read so much on
the subjects treated of in the last few years, a cursory glance was
sufficient for much of it. I am much pleased with it,—more than
I expected,—and consider it a valuable addition to our religious
literature. Dr. Cabell's book on the 'Unity of the Human Race'
will be much strengthened by one of your articles. Your article
on the 'Monuments of Lost Races' is very interesting. That on
the age of the human race will occasion some diversity of opinion,
and will frighten some good, pious, and sensible persons. Though
I think you have, with your views, managed it with great propriety
and ability, yet I could wish that you had spoken in stronger
terms of doubt about Bunsen's views of Egyptian chronology.
extension of the post-diluvian period to nearly four thousand
years before Christ. The difference of several hundred years
between the chronologies of the Pentateuchs—the Samaritan and
Hebrew versions—is as much as most of us are prepared to bear.
Nevertheless, you may be right, and I would not have you burnt
as a heretic for leaving it an undecided question. It becomes us
to be very cautious and modest in this age of theological daring.
. . . In going over your book I have turned down many pages,
to which I wish to refer in completing my own book and in order
to impress some things more deeply on my mind. I wish, therefore,
you would send another copy to Mr. Lee, with his name
written in it by yourself, and charge the same to me, with some
others,—viz., one to my son Richard, one to Bishop Lee, of Delaware,
one to Bishop Burgess, one to Slaughter, and to such
others as you may choose, to the amount of twenty dollars, including
postage, charging them to me, I paying you when we
meet. I shall send a few lines to the Protestant Churchman
about the book.
In the summer vacation of this year a tour of preaching was
again made in the western counties, and weeks passed away
from home on important church business. But no press of
public or ministerial duties hindered him in the habitual exercise
and expression of care and love for his household and his absent
children. To a little daughter at school he wrote,—
"One of my objects, my darling, is that we may know exactly
whether there is any risk to your health from over-study and confinement.
Mary G—insists that yon task yourself too closely,
and Mrs. G—thinks that both Mary and yourself had lost flesh,
strength, and complexion when she saw you ten days ago. I
am very much afraid of this. Your system is, I fear, rather too
much like a prison-life at the Institute. That you should all
reasonably improve the time and cultivate your minds with suitable
studies is right enough. But it is equally right, certainly,
that you should have a fair proportion of freedom and exercise.
you undertake, I do not want you to have so many things as to
worry you. If you find that your time is too much cut up, or
that you feel tired, fagged, worn down, day after day, speak freely
about it to Mrs. Phillips, and to him, if you can get an opportunity.
It is an oversight, I am sure, which they will take pains
to have corrected when attention is called to it. At all events,
never give any of your recreation hours to books. Rather let
the lessons go. Laugh, run, skip about, amuse yourself just as
much as you can, in all the time allowed for it. Snuff all the
fresh air possible. See how much enjoyment you can get and
give, and remember, I regard it as not a whit more your duty to
acquire Latin, French, etc., than it is to improve in strength,
weight, and color. I had rather a thousand times see you moderately
supplied with tongues, and active, cheerful, healthy, than
to find you learned as Cromwell's 'Latin secretary,' and able to
parlez vous with the savants of Paris, but pale, shrivelled, wasted,
feeble, and broken down for life.
"Don't sit up too late. Be sure to get sleep enough. That and
pleasant amusement, no matter what, in recreation hours, with
all the out-door exercise you can attain, will, by God's blessing,
keep you well and enable you really to accomplish more study
in the long run.
"I send you in this a gold dollar to spend just as you please.
"The others tell you all the news, I suppose, and if they did
not, I should find it a pretty hard matter to pick up much for
you. It is rather scarcer than the mud and water in our streets
this rainy season. The election, so soon to take place for President
and Vice-President, seems to swallow up all other concerns.
Books, sports, business, courtships, seem all forgotten, and we
hear little of anything but the likelihood of Lincoln's being
elected and the revolution to follow. There is, indeed, danger
enough to make us all look up to Him who alone is wise enough
and strong enough to overrule human passions and make all
things work together for good.
"God bless you, my darling daughter, and make you His own
precious, adopted child.
A letter from his son, written a few weeks later in reply to a
paternal admonition, shows the confidence subsisting between
parent and child.
"My dear Papa,—For two letters I am now indebted to you,
and have intended answering them for several days. The former
I am peculiarly obliged to you for, and trust the advice you gave
has been of real service to me. I felt that perhaps there was
some measure of apathy growing up within me in reference to
my spiritual state, and that letter with its kind and affectionate
warning came just in time to arouse me to redoubled diligence
and prayerfulness, and now I hope that I have again drawn
nearer to my Saviour. Though there is some danger, as there is
and ever will be in all situations of spiritual declension, that
danger is far less here than might be supposed. The weekly
prayer-meetings, in which we all participate, the regular intercourse
of the Christian Association, and, above all, the active
work in which we engage, these, in connection with the moral and
religious tone pervading all here, tend to diminish in a great
degree the force of the temptations lying in every young man's
path, and render it comparatively easier to pursue an outwardly
correct course, and be consistent, than to be otherwise. And my
association with Jim Howard and Randolph McKim, and others
of the most earnest type of Christians, and all looking forward
to the same ultimate work in life, is of such a character as to act
as a safeguard against letting the mere intellectual development
usurp the first place. And I trust that, by the blessing of God,
although, of course, more time must be devoted to the pursuit of
secular knowledge, I am now seeking and shall ever be enabled
to 'seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.'
"Thursday night the Christian Association held a meeting to
pray for God's blessing and guidance for our country, and they
recommended the observance of to-morrow by all the students
as a day of humiliation and prayer; and surely if the arm of the
Almighty be not interposed in our behalf, vain is the help of
man now. . . . This is Monday, December 17, 1860, the last day
of the existence of the whole United States. The issue of affairs
is doubtful. I see you rather favor the experiment of separate
State existence. I have only two points settled: to cut loose
Speaking of politics, I saw the notice of the meeting in Rockbridge
and your remarks."
And so 1860 drew to its close. Seven years had passed since
Dr. Pendleton took charge of Latimer Parish, years marked by
a steady growth in grace and wisdom and by untiring labor in
his Master's cause. When at home in Lexington he constantly
preached twice on Sunday and once in the week carefully-prepared
sermons, and had held two weekly services at the Military Institute.
While agent for the American Sunday-School Union and
on his summer tours of mission work the amount of preaching
was much increased. When at home he had taught his children
and other pupils, and had superintended their studies while away,
and, as we have seen, had guided and assisted his son by instruction
and counsel. Not only was he a diligent student of theology,
but in addition to keeping up the mathematics, astronomy,
chemistry, and geology acquired in earlier years, he had devoted
himself to the new scientific questions of the day, and had made
himself familiar with ethnology and comparative philology, under
the guidance of Bunsen, Lepsius, Wilkinson, and others, whose
works could often be found only in the great city libraries. The
information thus attained had been given to the public in lectures
and reviews, and at last, as has been mentioned, condensed into
book form. In the practical work of the Church in Virginia
and elsewhere he had taken an active part. Twice during these
years he had been called to that most painful of clerical duties,
sitting on an ecclesiastical court. He had gone to Delaware to
give advice out of his experience as to the establishing there of
an evangelical Church college, and had been summoned to
Sewanee on the same errand. He had written, and was still contributing,
a number of articles to "Appleton's New American
Encyclopædia."
Thus, to sum up the many and varied occupations of his busy
life is an easy task. So to depict that life that the reader may
enter into the spirit of it, and realize how love to God and love
to man was the moving spring which actuated him to the full exercise
of all his powers of mind and soul; may have some conception
of the cheerful kindliness and genial sympathy, the ready helpfulness
may admire the noble presence, gaze into the pure soul through
the clear, beaming eyes, rejoice in the winning smile, and hear the
cheery tone of the ringing voice. This is scarcely possible.
One of his school-boys of those years, writing of him, says,—
"Of all the men that I have known, I believe Dr. Pendleton,
of Lexington, was the most completely free from those conditions
of character which belittle the full stature of a perfect man in
Christ. In looking back over a period that covers many of my
youthful years and several of my manhood, I cannot recall an
instance, when either entering into the sports or pleasures of us
boys, at marbles or quoits, etc., or entering so sympathetically as
he always did into the numberless difficulties of the dull and
perhaps the lazy boy in his studies, he did not fully impress me
with his complete Christian character. His patience seemed
boundless, his sympathy was all-pervading; nothing that a boy
could enjoy, proper in itself, failed to give him pleasure. And
he never failed to increase the boy's pleasure in it by entering
into it himself and giving a dignity to the game, which always
proved vastly pleasing to the scores of boys who thus remember
him. . . . I have thought over the acquaintances and friendships
of over thirty years, and I do not recall one person who more
completely eliminated from view of child, youth, or man the
ordinary littlenesses which mar any character, and most of all,
that of a minister of the Gospel."
| CHAPTER XXI. Memoirs of William Nelson Pendleton, D.D., | |