• Robert Richardson. Obituary, pp. 300-303.
• S. H. Campbell. Letter to James Challen. January 23, 1854, pp. 304-306.
• S. H. Campbell. "To Father Campbell in Heaven", pp. 307-308.

      THE following obituary notice of Father Campbell's decease is from the pen of Professor R. Richardson, who in early life was his pupil, in the city of Pittsburgh. He knew him long, was very especially intimate with him, and was much beloved by Father Campbell:

      I have to announce to the brethren and friends of the reformation the death of the venerable Thomas Campbell, Sr. He died on the evening of Wednesday, January 4th, having attained to the advanced age of ninety-one years, lacking about a month.

      This event, though, in the natural course of things, by no means unexpected, will doubtless awaken in many a bosom the deepest emotions and the dearest recollections. Our beloved Father Campbell had been so long and so earnestly devoted to the cause of religious reformation, for which alone he seemed to live and labor, and had made, while thus engaged, so many journeyings through different parts of the United States, that he had formed a very widely extended circle of acquaintances and friends, to whom he was justly endeared, not only by these labors of love, but also by personal qualities so engaging as to command universal love and veneration.

      Never was there an individual who manifested greater reverence for the word of God, or a truer desire to see it faithfully obeyed. Yet this trust in the Divine word was not, [300] with him, a mere verbal confidence, a faith or knowledge, like that of some professors, merely intellectual--lexical and grammatical; for never was there one who more fully recognized the spirituality of the Gospel, or sought more diligently to impress all around him with the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of the soul; and never was there one who more fully exemplified the doctrine which he taught, or whose life was more evidently guided by the teachings of the Spirit, and controlled by the Divine principle of love to God and man. To the faith of Abraham and the piety of Samuel, he added the knowledge, the purity, and warm affections of the Christian, and combined in his deportment a simplicity of manners and a courtesy singularly graceful, with a dignity which inspired with respect all who approached him.

      O! who that has enjoyed the pleasure of his society can ever forget that countenance of benignity, those thoughtful eyes, beaming with affectionate regard; those venerable silvery locks, smoothly parted with habitual neatness upon the high and ample forehead, and contrasting so agreeably with the fresh and lively tints of his complexion; those kindly greetings and inquiries with which he so politely welcomed his friends; or that ready overflow of Christian feeling and instruction, which he seemed unable long to repress within a heart filled with love and Divine truth! O, thou revered instructor of my early years! beloved guide of my youth! honored counselor of my manhood! can thy image be ever obliterated from my heart? can thy teachings and thy example be ever absent from my remembrance? O, how great a blessing it has been to multitudes to have been allowed the privilege of contemplating thy character, and of hearing from thy lips words of truth and grace! What thanks do we not owe to God for so precious an illustration of the power of the Gospel, and of the beauty and excellency of the Christian profession! [301]

      From an early period of life until within about seven years, this devoted servant of God was actively engaged in the work of the ministry. He was connected, in his native country of Ireland, with the Covenanters and Seceders, and continued with the latter for some two years after his removal to this country. From this time he gave himself wholly to the cause of Christian union and religious reformation, having become thoroughly disgusted with the party spirit and religious animosities of the different sects. He seemed to prefer the life of an itinerant, and visited every part of the country where he thought his labors might be useful, delighting to revisit occasionally the brethren with whom he had previously sojourned. He returned from one of these excursions so late as the summer of 1846; but being greatly exhausted with heat and fatigue, he was induced, through the solicitation of his friends and relatives, to remain at Bethany, where, under the affectionate care of his son Alexander, and the kind and unwearied attentions of his daughter-in-law, Mrs. S. H. Campbell, he has spent his last years in all the happiness and comfort which the infirmities of age permitted him to enjoy.

      From these, indeed, he suffered comparatively but little, if we except the loss of sight, which occurred about three and a half years since, and which debarred him from reading and visiting his friends; a privation which he deeply felt, but patiently endured. It was his delight, during his blindness, to converse with his former acquaintances; to recite to them various hymns and passages of Scripture, with which his memory was stored, and comment on the sentiments they expressed, or to hear portions of the Scripture read. On one occasion, during this period, through the earnest entreaty of friends who desired once more to hear him from the pulpit, he consented to deliver a farewell address. He preached, accordingly, on the 1st of June, 1851, at Bethany, to a large audience, a last discourse, on the subject of the two great commandments--love to God and love to our neighbor. It [302] was, indeed, a solemn, impressive, and most interesting occasion, the speaker being entirely blind and in his eighty-ninth year, yet with mental faculties still active and vigorous.

      His health continued goad until within some three weeks of his decease, when he became affected with a severe inflammatory affection of the mouth, which induced great debility and loss of appetite. Under these circumstances he became gradually weaker, but without suffering acute pain, and at length expired so gently that it was scarcely possible to distinguish the moment when he ceased to breathe, having, throughout his illness, manifested the same calm confidence in God and humble reliance upon his Divine Redeemer which had ever characterized his life. He was buried on Friday, January 6th, by the side of his beloved consort, agreeably to the wish expressed in his affectionate notice of her death, contained in a letter to his daughter Alicia, and published in 1835, in the sixth volume of the Millennial Harbinger, first series, page 284, where he says: "And now, dear daughter, what remains for me, thus bereft of my endearing, attached companion, from whose loving, faithful heart I am persuaded I was not absent a single day of our fifty years' connection--yes, what now remains for me, without any worldly care or particular object of worldly attachment, but with renewed energy, with redoubled diligence, as the Lord may be graciously pleased to enable, to sound abroad the word of life--the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light; and at last, if it be the will of God, to have my mortal remains deposited alongside of your beloved mother's."

      I have given the above details, as I know they will be most acceptable to many friends at a distance, who have long known and loved the deceased. May we all contemplate with profit this peaceful end of a life spent in the service of God, and follow his faith, considering the end of his conversation--Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. [303]

THOMAS CAMPBELL.

      I subjoin the following notice of my revered father, written by my wife, as it appeared in the Christian Annual of A. D. 1854. It will, no doubt, be satisfactory to his friends to know his last words as herein expressed:

BETHANY, January 23d, 1854.      

DEAR BROTHER CHALLEN:

      Your kind and consolatory letter, addressed to my husband, regarding the death of his venerated and beloved father, has, with many others of a like Christian sympathy and interest, been duly received, and but for the want of leisure would have been gratefully and thankfully acknowledged ere this.

      Owing to the very pressing and arduous duties Mr. Campbell is now engaged in, he has requested me to respond to your favor, and also to give you some of the particulars of the illness and departure of dear Father Campbell.

      It is with a peculiar reverence and a solemn pleasure I approach the task assigned me. Knowing as I do the ardent interest which you have manifested in everything pertaining to the departed patriarch and father, I feel my desire hightening to afford the greatest satisfaction on the present occasion, although one brief epistle must fall short of containing much that would be of interest to those who revere the memory of our Christian hero, whose labors on earth have now ended.

      His health had been pretty much the same as it was the beginning of the year past, when you visited us, with the exception of increased feebleness in his limbs, and a bowing down of his person with the weight of years; still he retired and rose regularly, slept soundly, and his appetite remained good until his attack of illness which was on the morning [304] of the 13th of December, shortly after his son's return from his late tour. He was taken with a swelling of his face, and inflammation of his mouth; which was immediately followed by a profuse salivation, and wasting away of the juices of the system, which continued on with all extreme sore mouth, till within four days of his death, when the salivation ceased, but the severe inflammation of the mouth remained, which prevented him from talking much during his sickness, which no doubt he would have done had it been otherwise.

      He told Mr. Campbell, when he was first taken sick, that he was "going home, and that, he should soon pass over Jordan," and rejoiced in the prospect. He was patient and calm during all his illness, which was just three weeks from the time he was taken. He kept his bed entirely only four days. His mind was as clear and as strong as when in health. An incident that occurred, on the afternoon of his departure, about four o'clock, (and he died at seven o'clock,) will serve to show. His sons, the doctor and my husband, were not in. He suddenly grew worse, and we thought he would soon depart. His daughter, Mrs. McKeever, and several others, were around his bed. I leaned over him and said: "Father, you're going to leave us. Do you know you're going to leave us, and that you will soon cross the Jordan?" To all of which he responded by significant sounds, when I added: "You will soon see all THE DEAR LOVED ONES that have gone before." Then, in the fullness of my heart, I exclaimed: "O that an abundant entrance may be granted unto you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!" I had no sooner uttered it, than, to the astonishment of all around, he responded, in all audible voice, and in his emphatic manner, "AMEN!"--the last word I ever heard him utter. It shall be garnered in the recesses of my heart. All of his children living were with him, except one, and many of his grandchildren. At night the scene was peculiarly impressive--without, groan or struggle, he gently breathed his last. His son [305] the doctor was most attentive to him, and mitigated all his pains, as much as human aid could do it. But never has that decree been reversed: "Dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return." And so it will stand to the end of time, against the wisest and best of Adam's race.

      It is MOST gratifying to us all that we have so good a lithograph likeness of him. We are very greatly indebted to you for it. It is admitted by every person I have heard speak of it, to be one of the best of the kind. Indeed, it is the best I ever saw; I greatly prefer it to a daguerreotype likeness. We have a large on painting of him, taken some twenty years ago, and had been intending, for some time to have a good daguerreotype of him; but I feel under obligation to your son when here in the fall, for his energy in having the late likeness taken. Dear father agreed to it with pleasure, although from the want of sight he could not understand the process. I would suggest that it would still give more interest to the picture should you mention on it his want of sight, and also the figures of his age; about which, by the by, there is a little mistake. Mr. Campbell has made it, according to father's statement, only ninety-one, the 1st of February next.

      But, dear brother, I fear I have been too lengthy and tedious in my communication. I have desired to condense as much as possible my notices. I had for my satisfaction penned a few shreds of thoughts and feelings, previous to the writing of this letter, which were inspired by the late solemn and impressive event. If you will not think it obtrusive, I give them without further introduction. Mr. Campbell joins in love to you and Sister Challen and family.

                  With high Christian esteem, yours,

S. H. CAMPBELL. [306]      

TO FATHER CAMPBELL IN HEAVEN.

      My hoary-headed father! (whose snowy locks were to thee a "crown of glory,") thy useful, precious, holy life, of near five score winters, now is ended; calmly and peacefully thou hast passed away!

      O, how I loved to sit and look upon thy lofty forehead, and trace the lines upon thy well-marked face--a face on which wisdom and benevolence so clearly and so brightly shone, and admiration, pious and devout, of Him who gave thee being, and more than being, gave thy large soul, communion full, through the Spirit Holy, with Him who was thy Mediator, Intercessor, Savior, "all in all."

      It was my lot, and privilege, and highest honor, for many years, to hear thy voice, and minister to thine aged wants; and in return for which, thy richest blessing, with thy warmest prayers, upon me oft have rested.

      Beloved father of many sons and daughters, many of whose offspring passed before thee into the palace of the universe, and ready stood to bid thee welcome, to enter in and join with them and all the angelic choir, who day and night surround the throne of the great Eternal.

      O, how swift my mind recalls from memory's storehouse the many lofty, holy themes and scenes beyond--beyond the heavens, on which thyself and elder son (whose guide to wisdom thou wast in youth, and kind companion in thy riper years) were wont to dwell, in days that now are passed away, and joined to those "beyond the flood."

      But now thy disencumbered happy spirit feasts on the rich and glorious things thou then by faith didst view; and thy poor, mortal, sightless eyes no longer now afflict thee. For thy vision, spiritual, clear, and bright, beholds in full survey, with wonder, adoration, joy, and love, all the pure bliss of [307] heaven! O thou bright exemplar of thy heavenly Father's will, let the full impress of thy life be deeply graved on every heart that claims a kindred to thy sacred dust!

      Farewell, dear, venerated father! I humbly hope we soon shall meet again, where all the ransomed LOVED ONES, triumphantly rejoice, and pain of parting shall be known no more!

S. H. CAMPBELL [308]      

[METC 300-308]