 | Berkeley papers |  |
The Preachers' Meeting of the M. E. Church, of this city, appointed
Rev. B. N. Brown a committee to draft something suitable on the
death of our esteemed brother, Rev. Matthew G. Hamilton, which
occurred in this city May 19th, 1852, at the residence of Dr. Davis,
his wife's step-father. In compliance with the resolution, he submitted
the following, which was adopted, with the request that it be
published in our Christian Advocate and Journal.
MATTHEW GREENTREE HAMILTON was born in Leesburg, Loudon County,
Virginia, on March 29, 1810. At a camp-meeting held about four miles
south of Leesburg, and on Sept. 5th, 1827, he was born again, not of
the will of the flesh, nor of man, but of the Spirit of God. He
immediately assumed the personal responsibilities of membership in
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was soon appointed to the charge
of a class.
Having been licensed to exhort, he was, in the winter of 1835,
employed by the presiding elder to supply the demands of a circuit;
and the following spring was received on trial in the Baltimore
Annual Conference, and appointed to Woodstock Circuit. He continued
in active service until 1850, when he was compelled from failing
health to ask a supernumerary relation. For a short time during that
relation he resumed with great cheerfulness the duties of an effective
man. But it was short. A malignant disease, hitherto rather
latent, now developed itself, and for sixteen months of uninterrupted
confinement to bed its wasting hand grappled with a constitution of
unusual vigor, till the strong man bowed to the stroke of a mighty
foe.
A singular tenacity of life, combined with a vigorous constitution,
subjected our brother to an extraordinary degree of suffering
in the progress of disease. If humanity can be made perfect through
suffering, then indeed was the work of salvation finished in him. We
are witnesses of his patience and suffering. No paroxysm of pain,
however, extorted from him a murmur. The spirit of cheerfulness, so
characteristic of him as a man, remained unchanged during the whole
of his protracted illness.
As a preacher, brother Hamilton possessed, among other elements
of usefulness and power, one of rare attainment—the power of exhortation—a
talent with which so few are endowed even to mediocrity:
it was possessed by him, with but little rivalry in our conference—
an element of success this which told with signal effect upon the
people to whom he ministered, and the hundreds gathered into the
Church during the fourteen years of his active service.
In his intercourse with society, such was the pervading influence
of his cheerful spirit, united with a generousness of feeling and
courtesy of manner, that his memory will be sacredly cherished by
the extended circle of acquaintances formed during his itinerant ministry.
At the late period of great trial in the history of our Church in
Leesburg, he rendered most essential service by personal exertions
and responsibilities, which contributed to relieve the property from
The severity and tediousness of the sickness through
which he passed, afforded ample opportunity to test the power
of Christianity, and to give triumph to the soul amid the
fire of affliction. Though he had everything to live for that
makes life desirable, yet he rejoiced in constant hope of a
glory yet to be revealed. "Glory", said he one day to his
wife, "was the first word I uttered after my conversion, and I
expect it will be the last I shall speak when leaving the
world!" It was true: the last word was "glory," and the
radiance left upon his countenance spoke in silent majesty
the triumph of the soul after the spirit had gone to God.
His domestic relations, as husband and father; the ceaseless
watchings, the ministrations, like an angel of mercy,
performed by a devoted wife, and the outflow of affection's
tears, must delineate a character which the pencil cannot
trace.
In paying this tribute to the memory of our dear fellow-labourer,
we most heartily offer our sympathies to his more
heavily bereaved family and friends, and, in earnest prayer,
commend them to the "Husband of the widow, and the Father of
the fatherless."
Grove Smith of Morven. Attached to this clipping was a sketch
of his tombstone done by his daughter, Eliza Ridgeley Hamilton
(Uhler) with the following written on it by his wife " This is
drawn by Lidie from memory. Rather rough but will give you
the idea. This is the Tomb or headstone. It is about 8 ft.
high." These were sent to Mrs. Smith.)
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