Newspaper Page Text
MARCH 29, /902
THE SUNNY SOUTH
FIFTH WAGE
Beautiful Ceremonies Performed
Jerusalem at Easter
in
By Evangeline Ben.diet
JVrlttait for Sonny South
HE ceremonies during East
er week in Jerusalem are
unique. In no other coun
try are such peculiar sights
to be witnessed as in this
City of Pilgrimages. Rus
sians, French, Armenians,
Kopts, Abvssinians and Sy
rians all are attracted to
Jerusalem for the festive
occasion. They swarm
through the town giving to
the street at times a rain-
1*o wl ike appearance with
their colored garments and curious head-
iff-ir and ga.y banners in the religious
'cessions of the French; and at others
i semiblance of some funeral pageant
with the> long, solemn processions of the
aRussiansUn their somber and shabby gar-
,rr.- nts, marching through the town sing-
-! • harmonious hymns. Some few of these
7 grims are distinguished by rank or
v alth, but. most of them are poor, weary
uvortals who- spend their all to visit the
s i'red placestnnd whose only recompense
■f >r the sacrifice is the realization of their
' -’s dream—to witness the descent of the
h >ly fire over the tomb of Christ in Je-
r salem. Here and there are American
e d English tourists with field glasses
d guide books in hand led by Arab
crones.
'-Vhither are these many pilgrims bound
this season? One and all wend their
way to the greatest goal of Christian
1 grlmngo to the Holy City.
Tn the middle of the town stands an
tioue building, the outward appearance
which hardly seems that of a church,
v -t as one looks down on the city from
e surrounding hills'the two domes of the
ifico stand out ns the most nromi-
nt cupolas amidst tthe many domes and
h narets in the picturesque panorama.
The Church of the Holy Sminleher
v here all the great services are perforin
s' was built by order of Oueen Helena, in
' 1. over the supposed site of the tomb
Jesus Chris*, which she is said to have
fl scovercd. The church and the sur-
r unding convents form the venerable oile
buildings wh'oh rises in solemn gradenr
■f ward the north of the city.
Within the p~eeincts r.f the church are
r any alters of different nee* and a col-
l- ction of religious relies with many
s range traditions from the time of Adam
t - Christ. Innumerable lamps perpetually
r> ed a mellow lieht ever the otherwise
gloomy and heavilv-lnden chapels In the
’ *erior of the building.
For the church -consists in numerous
.- nail chapels belonging to the various
Christian sects who worship there. These
sanctuaries vary in magnificence, the Eat-
Ins and Creel-c owning- the t-hnncs ef
g-patest splendor. Tn the center of the
large Basilica beneath the dome is a
small chapel covering the site of the
tomb. Tt contains a marble sarcophagus
which is highly polished hv the constant
V«se-s of the pilgrims. Forty-five gold and
silver lamns hanging from the ceiling arn
bent alight continually. Tn this narrow
■ anriuarv a ceaseless stream e.f pilgrims
'ram every laud* can he seen films' in anti
nut of the low door, offering candles and
kpeeling before the empty tomb, shedding
♦ ears of adoration.
Curing Foster r'ffk cervices are net-not-
vanv going on within t-he cathedral. 1- ran-
ih-'f-Sn monks can be seen marching on
<" - d Friday in c ’emn nrocesslons carry
ing banners and crucifixes to the various
•stations of the cross.” These are met by
-menian worshippers whose monotonous
5-one mokes a strange e< ntr.-st to the deen
hanting of the Latins. Tn the Koptic
ha pel are dark-faced men. heavily
Easter ceremony in the cAmerican Convent, Jerusalem
tur-
aned, wearing large loose r'hes. and
■ TosPly-veiled women squatting on the
marhel floor. Tn every corner a’-e pilgrims
- ither devoutly kneeling or else sleeping
>n their comfortables while awaiting the
hour of their own services. Monks,
arlests, men. women and children, speci
mens of every nationality stream in and
'it at all hours, for the matins and v.-s-
-ers which are sung in succession by the
efferent sects.
Vet these numerous worshippers who
meet under one dome and worship the
ime God have very antagonistic feelings,
'•or this unfortunate circumstance Turk-
;h soldiers are stationed within and with-
ut ' the. building to guard them from
quarelling. .
\t the entrance of the church is a !oft>
Fothic portal and a beautiful facade from
Crusader's days with a double doorway
n d sculptured friezes, showing a strange
• mblnation of Romanesque architecture
surrounded by Oriental imagery. On
hrove Thursday a very interesting cer-
monv takes place in the large court be
fore the church. The Greek patriarch in
-.resence of hundreds of pilgrims washes
-he feet of twelve priests.
On Saturday morning preceding Faster
with some friends, had the
of :
•he writer,
.nique experience
nessing
the "holy fire" within this
an *ient building. After
passing through several
no i row, crooked streets
and some steep ascents
mostly darkened by high
walls and overhanging houses we came
Sacre
Ceremony
Amid
Odd Jur-
roundings
to an archway opening into the court be
fore the c.hure-h. This was lined with
soldiers. All around \ye?«; vendors sitting
cross-legged selling /’dies, crosses, hearts
and pictures. Every terrace and window
and housetop was crowded with specta
tors. Men in bright garments and women
"shrouded in white sheets sitting in picar
esque groups, shading their eyes from
tile dazzling sun.
Through a low do rway we entered into
the Basilica In a deep recess some Turks
were smoking and drinking coffee. The
rotunda of the church was brilliantly il
lumined by hundreds of gorgeous lamps
shedding a bright radiance on the bended
forms of pilgrims muttering prayers be
fore ipiided altars and on the dense mass
of Russinans wedging their way toward
the chapel of the tomb, endeavoring to sta
tion themselves close to the door of the
tomb before the service commenced. We
were led to a gallery running round the.
rotunda, which was already filled with
tourists. Above us were balconies in the
cupola, occupied by Greek ladies. As
we looked down from our height the
chapel of the tomb rose in grotesque
magnificence encircled liy a sea of thou
sands of restless heads, some bare and
some turbaned. Every niche in the build
ing was filled. A passage 3 feet wide
was kept open by lines of soldiers with
guns in hand. Along this passage a pre
cession of devotees began to rush round
the chapel dancing and shouting furious
ly. Five or six parties succeeded each
other in this wild race, each vying with
the other in the number of circuits ac
complished.
This strange performance continued for
several hours, the enthusiasts now carry
ing each other erect on their shoulders
and now running in phalanx, four or five
abreast, group clashing "group in the re
turning race, and even overthrowing one
another as the spot rt inerfased; now drag
ging each other along the floor and now
leaping on to one an ther’s backs. Their
fierce countenances flushed by excitement,
and the fire of fanaticism in their eves,
as they beseechingly implored the fire to
descend and save them. The pavement
became strewn with caps ..nd shreds of
garments. Loud "Kvrie Elaisms”
resounded through the church, intermin
gl'd with shouts and applause.
The Greeks were soon joined by Kopts
and Armenians, wh i brought in a new
element of confusion in the noise of drums
and cymbals. Tawny Arabs with bare
limbs and chests and some with long,
streaming hair, and others with closely-
shaven heads also joined in this frantic
dance, tossing their arms wildly about
them, their weird cries and their curious
attire presenting a heathenish spectacle
rather than one of Christian devotion.
The soldiers were kept busy trying to
maintain some kind of order amid this
religious frenzy. The throng was jostled
to right and left by the runners. Cries
arose from all sides responding to the
song of the erratic procession:
"Christ the Son of God has died for us.
This is the tomb of Jesus Christ. God
save the sultan!"’
Racing round with tremendous rapidity
heedless of trampling over the worship-
lifetime in wit- j pers, they even grasped hold of a priest
the ceremony of I and carried Kim triumphantly around the
sepulcher.
On each side of the chapel was a round
opening from which the fire was t> issue
forth. Around these the people pressed
eagerly so as to rut-ivc the flame pure
from heaven. A few fortunate persons
lad taught the privilege of standing close
A
Moment
of
"Saprem*
Emotion
Interior of the church of Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem
to the tomb. Suddenly the priest who had
paid the largest sum appeared clad in a
yellow silk robe.
At about 2 o’clock the pas>ha arrived,
attended by his train, preceeded by
harasses with stales to clear the wav.
Xow a procession of archbishops and bish
ops gorgeously attired in loose silk vest
ments of white and gold and gilded miters
and of Greek priests with -long hiack
hair twisted in brakfs under their tall,
black hats, bearing torches and splendid
silken banners entered, chanting solemn
ly a. beautiful litany, which was almost
lost by the persistent shouts of the fanat
ics. The procession made the circuit three
times, some of the soldiers endeavoring
to keep the passage, clear for it to pass
through and others falling in behind it.
As the "bishop of the fire" appeared be
fore the tomb a great hush fell upon the
congregation who waited breathlessly for
tiie groat event. On every face was a
look of expectancy, in every hsert a silent
prayer for the miracle to he vouchsafed
to them. More vehemently than ever they
pressed toward the chapel, notwithstand
ing the blows aimed right and left by the
almost exasperated soldiers, who had
great difficulty in keeping clear the pas
sage through which the bearers of The
light were to pass out.
The kady at last gave the signal. The
bishop taking off his outer vestments cut
the string with which the door of the
topib was fastened and
scaled and entered, shut
ting the door after him.
The next moment the
whole edifice resounded
with the jpyful acclama-
/ tion which burst fortli in
e to the bishop's announcement
that the fire was kindled. The priest
nearest to the opening drew out a lighted
silver lamp fashioned to shield the sacred
fire. The pilgrims nearest lit their tapers
from it and others received the precious
fire from them. Thus from taper to taper
the light spread with marvellous rapidity
till as by a magic wand the tight had
spread from north to south and from east
to west, to every corner and nook of the
great church, from the Basilica to the
galleries and balconies in the cupola till
the whole building which had been bril
liantly illumined before became a very
dream of fairy lights. The dome was
ablaze with tapers which had been let
down to catcli fire and the roof cast a
magnificent reflection of gold and red on
the animated faces. T/Ooking down we saw
a dazzling spectacle of brilliancy. The
torches being waved to and fro by the
swaying multitude cast a reflection ef
myriads of tiny lights in the glittering
gold and silver decorations around the
church.
A resplendant background of gilded fig
ures of saints and angels encircled t.he
throng. The scene was one of victorious
triumph combined with conflict still, for
the antagonistic sects extinguished each
others tapers while endeavoring to keep
;heir own alight and safe from the grasp
of others.
Three Amenians in blue gowns rushed
off through the avenue reserved from
them carrying ten lamps to their
churches Others ran barefooted for miles
around on this meritorious errand.
A universal shout of thanksgiving arose
from the thousands of pilgrims assembled,
accompanied by fanatical cries and
shrieks whi -h were simply appalling. Bells
rang merrily to proclaim the advent of
the miracle to all Jerusalem. The bishop
emerged from the tomli holding bundles of
lighted tapers. 3 feet long, with which to
light the candles in the Greek church.
Between his haste and the tumult of
the multitude anxious to light their tapers
from his, he fell and his long white beard
■ took fire. Being too unnerved to proceed
further some pilgrims carried him into
l his chapel.
As we looked down on ‘the scene before
us we trembled at the sight of all that
blazing fire in the hands ,if such a fran-
fTo molt.
Presently the pilgrims began extinguish
ing the lights wi'th their handkerchiefs
which they would henceforth treasure for
• life, the women devoutly crossing t'hem-
: selves and pressed the tapers to their
I hare breasts and then relighted them
j again and again. The men put theirs to
j their faces and beards with the suppo-
i sition that they would not burn like
| earthly fire.
In former days at this climax a dove
! was let !no«e from the cupola to further
I mystify the pilgrims by the miraculous
appearance of the dove emblem of the
Holy Ghost.
One wonders if this strange ceremony is
a relic of the fire worship of old. It is ccr-
| tainly a peculiar sight in these days of
; enlightenment. Or it may be a reminis-
■ cence of Arab funeral games and races
around the tombs of ancient chiefs.
Leaving the church we saw pilgrims
\ daubing pieces of linen with the melting
I wax. These would then serve as final
| shrouds and would have the efficacy
I through the merits of the celestial fire to
' preserve them from the flames of hell.
i Now the pilgrims flock to the Jordan
to bathe in its sacred waters After this
they feel assured of having won eternal
salvation.
^Key to tHe Famous
BullocH Painting
A
By-J C B Bulloch
IVrlttmn for SK« funny South
SHORT time ago The Sur-ny South
published a faithful reproduction of
the historical painting of the Bul
loch family, in which appeared the an
cestor of President Theodore Roosevelt.
I hawe had frequent inquiries as to the
personnel of the artist and requests to
give brief histories of the different mem
bers of the group.
As to who painted the picture there
is no positive evidence, and I do not
think it could have been by Gilbert Stu
art. but rather by a well-known artist at
thru time -esident in South Carolina.
Jeie>miah Theus. who had quite a reputa-
tiol as an artist prior to the revolution
of 1776. As young James Bulloch was
only born in 1765. or about that time, and
as he appears in the painting to be a
boy of 12 years of age, the probable date
of the picture's birth would be about
1776-’77. not later, as Archibald Bulloch
died in 1777. There was also an artist of
note in South Carolina by the name of
White and there can be no doubt as to
the pointing having been done by either
White or Theus and the date 177ti-'77. The
painting was given me by my cousins,
Miss Margaret Bulloch and Mrs. Charles
F. Preston, daughters of Hon. Archibald
Stobo Bulloch, second ;;nn of President
Bulloch, and is to descend to my eldest
son. Archibald Irvine DeVeaux Bulloch.
The central figure is( of course, the
president, and his wife was Mary De-
Veaux, the lady in the painting, who
was the daughter of Hon. Colonel James
L'tVfiiux, a planter, who owned a planta
tion on the Savannah river, called
Shaft! bury on Argyll island, and who
was one of the king's judges and a mili
tary man. and in every way a very prom
inent citizen. To the left of the president
is James Bulloch, Jr„ his eldest son, who
could not have been more than sixteen
when he was made a captain in the Vir
ginia state garrison troop, 1781, raised
for state defense, under Colonel George
Mater. He was honorably retired in 178;?,
returned to Georgia, became clerk of the
superior and inferior courts of Chatham
county and captain of Georgia troops in
1790. The baby in the lap of his mother
was Arcnibald Stobo Bulloch, afterwards
one of the justices of the inferior court,’
Chatham county. Georgia, collector of
pints, etc. It was his daughters who gave
me the picture of the family group of
President Bulloch. The girl and only
daughter in group married James B.
Maxwell. After the painting was finished
William Bellinger Bulloch was born and
after the death of the president he be
came a most distinguished man, United
States senator, etc.
The father of President Bulloch was
James Bulloch, Sr., a man of prominence,
who married Jean Stobo, daughter of
Rev. Archibald Stobo. a distinguished
clergyman of South Carolina.
in order that the painting may lie
clearly understood I would say that
President Bulloch and Mary DeVeaux
had the following children;
1. James Bulloch, married April 13,
17S6, Ann Irvine.
2. Archibald Stobo Bulloch, married Sa
rah Glen. „
3. Jane Bullocji, married James B. Max-
veil.
4. William BeJlinger Bulloch, married,
first. Harriet DeVeaux; second, Mary
You ng.
Captain James Bulloch, eldest son and
the one to left of President Bulloch, mar
ried Anne Irvine, daughter of Dr. John
Irvine, and Ann Elizabeth Baillie. daugh
ter of Colonel Kenneth Baillie, and had:
1. John Irvine Bulloch, married Char
lotte Glen.
2. Major Janies Stephens Bulloch, who
married, first. Esther A. Elliott, daugh
ter of United States Senator John Elliott,
and second. Esther Ditnw fly, from whom
descended the late Captain James’D. Bul
loch. confederate agent in Europe.
Senator John Elliott married the second
time the beautiful Martha Stewart, and
it is said they were the handsomest
couple at a ball given in Washington.
Martha Stewart was the daughter of
General Daniel Stewart, who as a youth
fought in the revolutionary war, joining
the army at the age of fifteen or sixteen
years, who was frequently in battle un
der Generals Sumter and Marion and
Colonel William Harden. He was .1
native of St. Johns parish, now Liberty
county. Georgia, where his daughter.
Martha, also was born. Stewart county
is named after tills gallant man.
After the death of Major James Ste
phens Bulloch’s wife. Miss Elliott, Major
Bulloch married the widow and second
wife of Senator Elliott. Martha Stewart,
a most lovely and charming woman, who
the writer remembers. To this union was
born:
1. Martha Bulloch, who married Theo
dore Roosevelt, of New York, father and
mother of the president.
2. Anna Bulloch, married James K.
Grade.
3. Charles Irvine Bulloch, died.
4. Irvine Stephens Bulloch, sailing mas
ter of the “Alabama.”
Captain James Bulloch and Ann Irvine
had also:
3. Jane Bulloch, who married John Dun-
woilv, Esq., parents of the gallant Dun-
wody brothers of Georgia.
4. Ann Bulloch, died.
Such is the history of this painting now-
in the Georgia Historical Society and
to descend to Archibald Bulloch, the
seventh generation of the name in Amer
ica.
636c Leaves
Grand Old Mercer, Alma Mater of
Famous Southerners
By Dr R J Massey
Written for CKe jlunny South
PRESENT two pictures, not
by hand and brush on can
vas, but pictures by de
scription: At a cross
roads 7 miles east of
Greenesboro. where the
Lexington road is crossed
by the road from Madison
to Washington, was locat
ed the town of Pen field,
named in honor of Josiah
Penfield, Savannah, Ga.
Mr. Penfield bequeathed to
the Georgia Baptist con
vention quite a sum. the interest of which
should be used in educating poor Baptist
ministers.
Rev. if. M. Sanders, first president of
Mercer university, in his valedictory ad
dress delivered before the trustees, fac
ulty, students and friends of the univer
sity December 12. 1839, says: "And the
respective advantage of a variety of loca
tions had been examined. The one we
now occupy was selected and the school
was gotten In operation at the beginning
of 1833. These arrangements consisted of
two double cabins with a garr< t to each,
with Mercer university, -while at Penfield,
which was at least twenty years, “I’ll go
home and consult Maria” was a by-word
among the students. Professor Sanford
was a hard worker, an indefatigable stu
dent, consequently he had seen very little
of life and had not traveled any until
the royalty from his books began to
bring him in a handsome Income. So one
vacation 'he and Mrs. Sanford visited
New York and while there decided to
take in all New York. They visited the
theaters, the operas and all such
places. According to the profes
sor's statemert when he came back,
they had a high obi time. He said to me:
"Just think of Maria and me going to a
theater and to an opera and to Coney
Island and other places of amusement,
and, my dear sir. Marla and I saw more
and lived more in that thirty days than in
all the sixty years before.”
Dr. Crawford was said to be the most
gMieraTTy learned man in the south. Long
before he came to Mercer he was profes
sor for many years in
A Professor Oglethorpe college at
Who Was M rtw.i v. near Milledge-
a Walking ville. The president. Dr.
Ency— Samuel K. Talmadgo,
eloped ia said of Dr. Crawford
h"t lie was the most eom-
f°r dwelling, for dining, and for studL |>]ote walking encyclopedia he ever met.
His knowledge of law. history, theology,
for both teachers and students. With
these limited accommodations, and with
one assistant, 1 opened with thirty-nine
students, having thirty-six of them lo
board in my own family. Among these
were seven young men preparing for the
ministry.
”1 shall ever remember with lively emo
tions of pleasure the patience and cheer
fulness with which the students "1 ruis
year sustained the privations and trials
to which they were subjected by their
cramped circumstances. While living as
in a camp in their midst, and burdened
with the charge and responsibility of the
literary, theological, laboring and board
ing departments, l found no little support
in all my cares and labors from witness
ing that while they lived upon the cheap
est fare but had no place for study but
the common school room, no place to re
tire for rest but a garret without a fire,
they labored diligently every day. No
complaint was heard, but that the m >st
entire cheerfulness ran through ail their
words and actions.
"The second year’s operations were
commenced with increased accommoda
tions with an additional feature and
eighty students, seventy of whom boarded
in commons. During the second and third
years the building of a larger and com
fortable dwelling, a commodious dining
room and two society halls abundantly
increased both the comforts and the con
veniences of file location.”
This was Mercer university in 1840. The
second picture we now present is Mercer
university in 1902. with her ten line build
ings, an endowment of
Mercer several hundred thousand
University dollars, consisting of the
Then several departments, !it-
®nd er; -y. classical, tlico
Now logical and law. and a
medicine and science was unequaled.
I myself was present once where three
physicians were discussing medical points,
each learned in his department An error
was made bv one and not noticed by the ■ , . , ...
. ,,,. ,, , ,, i,l "urrt and said: Brethren, vnur pastor
other two. When their discussion ended I
“The first board of teachers I ever met
were Mercer faculty. The young mart
who could not appreciate such men a9
Dagg, Crawford, Mell, Hillyer, S;|iford.
Reynolds, Pierce and Willett was cer
tainly dull in appreciation of mental and
moral worth. Each of these had an indi
viduality of his own and not the imitator
of another. The literary productions of
those who became authors have taken po
sitions in the highest ranks, and Mercer
then, as now, has had at the helm a
faculty in quality second to none.
Of the freshman class I mention first
that good old man. W. D. Atkinson. Al
though 27 years of age, he was a fresh
man. He, to us younger
A Mentor members of the class.
Worshiped was a moral mentor, full
by worthy of the trust which
Freshman he assumed. Having been
Class a minister for a number
of years, he felt that the
freshman class had been delegated to him
tis a special trust, and he certainly did
toward us his full duty. His conduct and
words have made an impress upon my
mind I will never forget. If not a great:
man he was truly a good man; and after
graduation faithfully served many promi
nent churches in Georgia, notably those
of Marietta and Brunswick. In all his
life of usefulness he never was known to
perpetrate but one joke. .M-ivmr serv-d
the ehttrch at Brunswick several months,
he ran out of money and family supplies.
W hen, on Sunday night, after having de
livered a good sermon, just before dis
missing the congregation, he came for-
Dr. Crawford quietly said: "Pardon me,
gentlemen, if you will turn to (such a
medical author, naming the page) you
will find that you are slightly mistaken;”
and referred them to three other au
thors, all of whom confirmed his state
ment. Dr. Crawford, after many years,
became president of Mercer university. It
became a habit among the faculty and j
students. In most discussions, to refer to |
Dr. Crawford instead of looking up au- j
thors on any subject. Dr. Crawford j
wrote a very interesting, a very readable
and a very instructive book on “Christian j
Paradoxes.”
Professor J. E. Willett was appointed j
professor of natural science in place of [
Professor B. O. Pierce, resigned, as soon |
its he graduated. He commenced duties |
at once and served Mercer forty-seven j
consecutive years. His record, with i*ro- j
fessor Sanford’s service of fifty-three |
years in any institution, is unparalleled j
in any institution in the United States. ;
He competed for and obtained, for the -
best essay on a scientific subject, a val- i
liable prize offered by the American Bap- !
tist Publication Society. The subject was j
"The Laws of Insect Life.” This book ;
showed such research and knowledge that i
it was not only very popular in the j
United States, but was sought after in j
Europe among all Engiish-reading people.
Professor S. G. Hillyer wrote a book '
on “The Morals of the Bible.” which was
received with high commendations from
many sources. Of all these great and
good men Professor Hillyer was the last
is hungry. Brethren, your pastor and his
wife are hungry. Brethren, your pastor,
his wife and his children are hungry.
25.000 volume library with ! to pass across the river. He lived to the
more students by far graduating each j ripe old age of 86, continuing to preach
year than Mercer university had in ail
her classes in 1.845. Claiming among her
graduates men who have fully sustained
the reputation of the old Empire State in
law, theology, on the battle field and in I
congressional Kalle— the peers of the best. I
At one time the governor of Georgia and !
six of her congressmen were graduates j
of Mercer.
I had the privilege of entering Mercer
as freshman the first of March. 1845. At !
that time there were only four in the
faculty: Rev. J. L. Dagg, D.D., presi
dent pro tern, and professor of theology;
and write almost to the very day of his
! death. He possessed the happy faculty
| of saying more good things in a plain,
simple sermon than almost any man
whom it was my privilege to hear.
Leaving these good old men I go to
the boys whom they trained while I was
it. cr!.eg -. There was n< scr'i r class at
the time of my entrance. Four in the
I junior, seven in the soph -mor ■ and twelve
| in the freshman constituted the entire
| college roll. Of these four three grad
uated. Sylvanus .Landrum. T. C. Neal
Rev B M Sanders
One of the first presidents of the Uni
versity
Whilst Brother Lambright. one ef the
deacons, carries around tin fiat, the con
gregation will please sing Come th t
fount of every blessing.’ ” Brother Lam
bright carried around the hat to every
body, brought it back and handed it >
the pastor. T!i.- pastor
turned it bottom upward and shook i .
A"i a cent did he find Vtk
"Let us return thanks to the giver of all
good that I got my hat back. ' ;% dis
missed the congregation. N» xt morning
| and Joseph E. Willett. Of Professor Wil- ! before dqy the pastor and his family
! 1,-tt 1 have already spoken. I were aroused by a rapping at the door,
i I know of a-' instance in which a whole : when there were three or -.- I
1 class got the first honor except the class i ed into his front porch, consisting of
of these three gentlemen. It is said that j every conceivable thing that la- might
their standing in college was so close to j possibly need for the next three months.
each other that the faculty could not.
help giving them the first honor and
make no distinction even then.
Air. Landrum became an eminent divine,
filling acceptably churches in New Or
leans, Savannah and other large places,
doing a great deal of good. lie was a
man of remarkable fort-ihouglit and pru
dence. and was ready for almost any
emergency. He was pastor of the First
Baptist church at Savannah when Gen
eral Sherman entered the city, and in
The next freshman we mention is W. R.
j Bennett, at this time an able divine, and
: for the last twenty years ji^ige of the
| county court of Brooks county. Judge
Bennett has led a long life of great use
fulness and always quite a favorite
among the class. I am by “Bill” Ben
nett’s flute like “Dick” Asbury was by
the Mercer brass band. To this day I
must say that the playing of his flute
about 10 o’clock at night was the sweet
est music I have ever heard. I give an
his first sermon after the northern army I extract from a letter just received from
had come into the city, whilst not com- i the judge:
The budding leaves with hright-huod ver
dure gleam.
Awakened from a dreary winter's dream;
The birds in verdant bowers sweetly sing
Tc anthem as the heralds of the spring.
Beneath the boughs that south w inds soft
ly sway,
Tc claim the halcyon hours for happy
play,
And give to earth yet still a sweeter joy.
There romps a eareles. thoughtless, laugh
ing boy.
The drooping leaves, athirst with dust and
heat.
From scorching rays that fiercely burn
end beat
Upon the fields where grass an-.l flowers
die.
Despairing wilt beneath the sultry sky.
A - weary with the toii, the endless strife,
*V\ hich parch and wither all the hopes of
life,
A tired wanderer hails -the .’bade in sight.
And, while he rests, prays God for
strength to fight.
I he swirling loaves, that bleak winds
rudely shake
Ar.-d lust-le roughly in their dismal wake.
From songless bowers in pity sadly fall.
The lifeless earth to cover with a pall.
A lonely man, with head bowed on his
breast.
Whose Hope is Peace, whose or.Iy Prayer
is Rest,
With bruised and broken heart in sorrow
grieaes
Amid the seared, the dead and fallen
leaves.
AVhy should be grieve? He sowed and
he has reaped.
While low he lies whbre sodden leaves are
heaped.
Where trees are bared by winter's wast
ing blast.
To ghostly guard a specter-haunted past,
fcome other time, some other gladding
spring,
Shall robe tile trees and lure the birds to
sing;
Jesse Mercer
Founder of the University, v)ho endovoed
it in the sum of $100,000
S. P. Sanford, A.M., professor of mathe
matics; Rev. P. H. Mell, professor of an
cient languages, and B. O. Pierce, A.M.,
promising himself as a southern gentle- |
man, was of such wonderful forethought
and prudence that it is said to have done '
mure good for the people of Savannah i
than anything that was done whilst Gen- -
eral Sherman remained in the city. The ;
present pastor - f the First Baptist
church. Atlanta, Dr. W. W. Landrum, is
the worthy son of a worthy sire, follow- ■
Ing in his father's footsteps in greatness
and usefulness-^ The kind words and good I
advice given me by the senior Landrum
have always been to me a source of pleas- [
ure and benefit.
“I'll merely relate a little oireumstanco
connected with my recitations then that
may he amusing to you.
"You recollect we had a barbarous prac
tice of going to prayers at sunrise and
then reciting an hour afterwards bef-r.-
breakfast. One night I went to see the
girls and did not l-ook at the lesson which
I was to recite the next morning before
Professor Sanford. I was good in mathe
matics and always got along first rate
with Professor Sanford. I think the
recitation was in conic sections, and while
they were at prayers I looked over the
Mr. Neal became quite a prominent ed- j lesson, so I was satisfied T could demon-
;-ator in Texas, and while in the midst ; strate the problem if T could draw the
uc
of a useful career he met with an acci
dent which ended his life.
Of the sophomore class there is only
one living at this time. Professor R. T.
Asbury, of Macon, who has spent a life
in teaohing, having been the president of
several institutions; the iast Monroe coi-
professor of physics. During 1845, 1816 | lege, of which he was president twenty
and 1847 other professors were added to years. Professor Asbury is seventy-seven
the faculty, some of the above leaving, years of age, still sprightly and vigorous.
Those who were added were N. M. Craw- | living with a daughter in Macon. The
ford. Professor J. E. Willett. Rev. S. G. I next, Hugh L. Bunn, for many years a
I Hillyer and Rev. J. L. Reynolds.
It is a notable fact that of all these
gentlemen there was not one but was an
author of some eminence. Dr. Dagg pub
lished a manual on theology which was
adopted by all the theological schools in
the United States, and a book on mental
science that supplanted Wagland's moral
philosophy, a text-book of fifty years’
standing. Dr. Mell wrote an essay on
parliamentary law. the main features of
teacher, passed from his stage of use
fulness in early life. In connection with
Mr. Bunn I could mention a matter some
what personal to myself. Whilst in col
lege together we read a very interesting
hook on trees and we remembered dis
tinctly one truth set out in a certain
chapter which taught, by all means, to
plant trees whenever convenient and
wherever admissible.
This author went into detail as to the
/hich are now in force in both houses i kind of trees to plant and how to plant
C|T« Permanently Cured. No flu or nervousnee*
i ?e?. f %? n T4 ay FREE f ^-.^ ,, \Mglfrny I woodland hear again with joy
treatise. Db. K. H. Kline, Ltd., 831 ArchSL.Pbtl- I The laughter of a itappV, romping boy.
adelplila. Pa I —GORDON NOEL HURTEL,
of congress of the United States; a ve
popular book on baptism. “History of
Georgia Baptists,” "Predestination,”
"God's Providential Government” and
"Fhilcsophy of Prayer.”
Dr. Mell vis ^ontinHourly elect-vl presi
dent of the Georgia Baptist convention
for twenty-six consecutive years. After
leaving Mercer h was president of
Franklin college, which afterwards be
came tiie university of the state for a
number of years. Bes'des faithfully serv
ing churches and literary institutions, he
was a gallant soldier, showing his bravery
on more fields than one.
Everybody who has studied arithmetic
within the last forty years remembers
Sanford's series of arithmetic?. Having
served Mercer university as professor of
mathematics for a little * ovpr fifty-three
years, no man was better oalculated to
edit an arithmetic than Professor S. P.
Sanford. The royalty on these books in
His old age, I am glad to know, brought
him a handsome annuity. So much so
that in his old age he lived in ease and
comparative affluence. Whilst probably
he had no superior as a mathematician,
he was one of the most diffident gentle
men whom I ever met; having but little
confidence in himself, he trusted almost
entirely, in common affairs, to the judg
ment of others. Possessing one of the
best wives imaginable, like a good man,
he trusted everything at home entirely
to Maria, so much so that once when
he went down to the store to purchase
a couple of pairs of socks he remembered
that he had not consulted his wife. After
loolfing at them he said to the merchant,
“I’ll go home and consult Maria.” He
did so. As long as I was acquainted
| figure. So when he sent me tn the
black board I slipped my book under mv
clonk two wore.cloaks in those days) end
whilst others were engaging the atten
tion of the professor I peeped in and
drew the figure. I announced as ready.
Professor Sanford told me to proceed. T
did so. I got through first rate. Profes
sor Sanford complimented mo very high
ly. Said my demonstration was hand
somely done. ‘Very well dope. inrte--d.
sir.’ Ho had 1-ut one objection. I s.-mv
you Pole in the book ’ ”
I shall mention but two other members
ef my class, one of whom is John \V
Burnev. whom we familiarly knew s
“Jack” Burney. TTe was the youngest
of the class and a pet. There was only
a slight difference of thirteen years be
tween liTs age and Atkinson’s. After
graduation Air. Burney taught school sev
eral years and after the war was judge
of Morgan county court and has very
acceptably represented Morgan in the
legislature on several occasions and ful
ly sustained himself as a worthy mem
ber of the Burney family of Aladison.
which has held high positions in the re
ligious. civil and political history of Geor
gia. Judge Burney, before and during
the war. was a man of ample means, and
j contributed largely in supplies to aid the
southern confederacy, so much so that
tliem, and then he gave a list of trees
not to plant, prominently among them
the plum tree, and he gave several good
reasons; but at the next plum season
Bunn and I found a better reason than
that why we should not plant plum
trees. We went out one Saturday after
noon and filled up on plums, so much so
that about 10 o’clock that night it was a
serious question whether Bunn would live j his grifts to the lost cause exceeded far
till day, and as I was partner in the j beyond a hundred thousaifl dollars
crime. Bunn selected me to ride to
Greenesboro, a distance of 7 miles, and
back through the dark for medical as
sistance. I could get nothing hut a hard
trotting old horse, and I remember to
this day how I was jolted up that night.
I got Dr. Ray and returned as soon as
possible, who administered to Bunn's re
lief, and in a few days Richard was him
self again. This became so noted through
college that when either Bunn or myself
was about, in the parlance of the "yan-
kee, the subject of plums "hadn’t orter”
be discussed.
Speaking of his class. Professor Asbury
says: "All are now dead bijt your hum
ble servant, who nears the seventy-sev
enth milepost in life’s joi.rn -y. h c
tended Mercer university commencement
in 1897, just fifty years after graduation, j
Not a member of the noble old board i
of trustees was living. Dr. Hillyer was '
the last surviving memhdr of the faculty !
and the writer the only survivor of his
class.
Professor Asbury also facetiously re
marks: "The first brass band I ever
heard play was at Mercer commencement,
and no music ever Impressed me as did
that.”
Speaking of the class, be also says:
I mention also Captain Dixon H. San
ders. of Greene county, another member
of the class. He was a son of that g""d
old man who first established Mercer uni
versity. and has fully sustained the repu
tation of the family in many important
trusts. He was a brave confederate sol
dier and illustrated Georgia in many a
Virginia battle field.
In this connection I state that out
of a class of thirteen freshmen in 1845
there still live four of us—a most wonder
ful instance of longevity for which we
ail have reason to he very thankful.
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