Born: Near Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, October 29, 1818.Died: Lexington, Kentucky, June 17, 1880.
Born: Near Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, October 29, 1818.
Died: Lexington, Kentucky, June 17, 1880.
IF it be true that "just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined," then, if the author of a "Review of Campbellism Examined" did not grow up into a crooked tree, he certainly deserves great credit for overcoming his inclinations. But his life is a fine illustration of the wonderful workings of Providence, as "from seeming evil he is still educing good."
MOSES E. LARD was born in Bedford County, Tennessee, October 28th, 1818. His parents were Scotch, and migrated to Missouri when the son was about fourteen years of age. His father was a man of "quick, strong sense; tall and straight as an Indian, with a flashing eye and black hair; of manly bearing, candid, frank, and generous to a fault; loved his friend with an intense love, and hated his enemy with an intense hate; a man of great courage, quick temper, but cool and self-possessed." He was always very poor, and though respecting religion in others, never became religious himself. The mother was a deeply pious woman, a strict member of the Baptist Church, and thoroughly devoted to the moral training of her children.
Soon after settling in Missouri, the father died of smallpox, leaving the widow and six children without any means of support. It was not long before the family was compelled to separate. The parting scene with his mother is thus described by the subject of this sketch: "As my brother and myself stood beneath the little cabin eaves, just ready to take leave of the only objects on earth dear to us, and thus close the saddest scene of our lives, my mother said: MY dear boys, I have nothing to give you but my blessing and these two little books.' Her soul was breaking, and she could say no more. She then drew from her bosom two small Testaments; and as her tears were streaming, and lips quivering, she screamed as if it were her last, and placed them in our hands. We all said good-by, and that family was forever broken on earth. Yet, gentle reader, think us not poor as we turned from that mean abode. We bore with us a Christian mother's blessing, and the precious words of Jesus. We were wealthy boys. To that little book and the memory of that scene my future life owes its shaping. I never neglected the one, thank Heaven, nor forgot the other."
At seventeen years of age he was not able to write his own name; but finally learned to write by tearing down the advertisements stuck up around the village, and using them for copy. From about this time till he was twenty-three, he lived a hard life, and time dragged heavily on. He was deeply religious in feeling, though not so in life; for he did not know how to be so. He heard the various religious parties preach, but could not understand them. Finally, he was driven to infidelity. But after struggling awhile with its unsatisfactory conclusions, he heard one of the Disciples preach the primitive Gospel. He was at once captivated by its simplicity and beauty; and before the meeting closed, he was a Christian. He was twenty-three years of age when he was immersed, and the next year he held his "first meeting," an interesting account of which is given in No. 2, vol. 1 of the "Quarterly."
On the 4th of March, 1845, he entered Bethany College. He had then a wife and two children. Under great pecuniary embarrassment he went through college, and graduated with distinguished honors, making the valedictory address. He then returned to Missouri, and entered actively and successfully upon the work of preaching the Gospel--most of his labors being in the evangelical field.
In 1857, he published his "Review of Campbellism Examined," a work, which, when considered with reference to its design, simply leaves nothing more to be said. In 1859 he made a successful preaching tour through Kentucky; and returning home, had, in 1860, a debate of several days with a distinguished Methodist Presiding Elder, by the name of CAPLES. In 1863, he removed to Kentucky, and began the publication of the "Quarterly," an able periodical, which he still edits. He resides at present in Lexington, Kentucky.
Brother LARD is about six feet three inches high, has a large, bony frame, dark hair, small piercing eyes, and a mouth that indicates decision and great firmness. He has a strong analytical mind, is a close and vigorous thinker, and stands in the front rank of the Disciples as a writer and speaker. Though an extemporaneous speaker, his style is much the same when speaking as writing. Every sentence is uttered with a correctness and precision to which nothing but diligent, laborious preparation could attain.
He is emphatically a student; not that he reads so many books, but that he completely masters whatever he undertakes. His preaching is characterized by more heart power than is generally supposed by those who have formed their judgments of him from his writings. His whole nature is in deep sympathy with all kinds of suffering; and when thoroughly aroused in the pulpit, he not unfrequently carries his audience before an irresistible tide of the most impassioned eloquence.