CHAPTER III.
""" State of the Church. - His Father's Loss of Property. - Opposed to his Preaching; Insists on his having a Profession besides. - He Selects Medicine. - Married. - His Father Dies. - He Becomes a Farmer. - Death of his Wife. - Removal to Fayette, Howard county. - Joel H. Hayden. - Alex. Procter. - Second Marriage. - Death of his Wife. - Visit to Dubuque, Iowa, with. Bro. D. P. Henderson. - Robt. B. Fife, of St. Louis, Marries his Mother.
""" At the time Dr. Hopson became a minister of the gospel, the new religion on the old plan had just emerged from the mists of sectarianism; it was in its infancy. The gospel plan of salvation had to win its way into the hearts of the people; men had to be converted, churches organized, sectarian ignorance and bigotry had to he overcome. There were no salaries waiting for preachers, but there, were wide prairies to be ridden over in the heat of summer; and cold of winter; there were rivers to swim, and privations of every sort to be endured, and all for the love of Christ and His word.
""" During the first seven years he preached he received"four hundred dollars. In addition to this, a good sister would now and then present him with a pair of socks or jeans pants.
""" About this time his father lost his investments in the South, through the failure of those indebted to him, and, knowing he would be unable to assist his son, he urged upon him the necessity of having a profession to fall back""
[book page] 12
upon. He well knew that he would not be supported as a preacher in that early day. He selected medicine as preferable to any other, and attended several courses of lectures in St. Louis, where, in 1848, lie graduated with a large class, among whom were numbered Drs. Hodgens, Maughs, and many others who became prominent and successful physicians. The eccentric Dr. Joseph N. McDowell was president of the college at the time.
""" In 1844 he married Miss Rebecca Parsons, an amiable, lovely girl. His father died not many months after his marriage, and he at once removed his widowed mother to his home, and cared for her tenderly.
""" While attending lectures in St. Louis, he preached for the church one winter, when Bro. Jacob Creath, Jr., was ill, and one winter for Bro. Patten, who died soon after. During this time he made the acquaintance of Elder Robt. B. Fife, who subsequently became his step-father.
""" After his marriage he became a farmer, as well as physician and minister. We visited that neighborhood in 1875, and saw many of the children of those who knew the Doctor, and loved him well. They said his influence was still felt in the community, and his name was a household word among them.
""" His dream of happiness was brief. In a little over two years death invaded his home, and took from it its brightest treasure. The death of his wife was a heavy blow to him. He was preeminently a domestic man, and loved his home better than any place on earth. Now everything was changed : the same stroke that took from him his companion, took his home also. His father-in-law had never deeded to his daughter the place that he had given them to live on, and at her death it and the servants returned to the former owner.""""""""""""""""""
[book page] 13
""" As soon as Dr. Hopson could settle up his business; he left that county and moved with his widowed mother to Fayette, Howard county, where he established himself in the practice of his profession, preaching as he had opportunity.
""" While living in Fayette, the Doctor was an intimate friend of Dr. Saltonstall, who was step-father of Bro. J. W. McGarvey. Here is where he first met and formed a friendship for that worthy son of a noble Christian mother.
""" During the last years of Dr. Hopson's residence in Fayette, Bro. Alexander Procter lived at the home of the venerable Joel Hayden. He was genial, companionable, and beloved by all, and a special favorite with Sister Hayden, who was a warm friend of young preachers. The Doctor always enjoyed a visit to the old homestead so much. She looked upon "Winthrop" as her own child. I. have often heard her relate how she and Dr. Hopson's mother used to go to church where they had all-day meetings, and Sister Hayden, who had a son a few months older than Winthrop, would stay out of doors in the morning and nurse the two babies, and Mrs. Hopson would take care of them in the evening, until the little fellows hardly knew which mother to claim. I look back with heartfelt pleasure on the weeks spent in their beautiful country home near Fayette. Their hospitality was unstinted, and their house was always filled with welcome guests. There the old found companionship; and the young, counsel and encouragement. This was thirty-six years ago, and all the dear old people have passed through the gates ajar, and are resting, waiting for our coming when we, like them, shall have finished our work."""
[book page] 14
""" While living in Fayette, he married his second wife, Miss Caroline Gray, a refined and cultured lady, daughter of James Gray, who died in Callaway county. Of her, Bro. D. P. Henderson says:
""" "I met Bro. Hopson in Fayette, in June, 1848. He had recently married his second wife, with whom I had formed an acquaintance in Jacksonville, Ill., during a visit she was making to Bro. Stone's family. She attended a protracted meeting which I held near Franklin, Morgan county, and I had the pleasure of immersing her and receiving her into the Church of Christ. She and Dr. Hopson met myself and family and gave us a Christian greeting, and had, in anticipation of our arrival, secured a home for us with Bro. Wm. C. Boone, cashier of the bank in Fayette.
""" "Bro. Hopson exacted a promise from me to attend the State meeting in October following. After filling various appointments and attending the State meeting in Illinois, I returned in time for the meeting in Fayette, and again had the pleasure of meeting Bro. H. and enjoying his society, and mingling with many of the preachers and brethren from various parts of the State. At that time he was resident minister. The church in Fayette were devoted to Bro. Hopson and his amiable sister wife, and it was a feast of joy to mingle with such pious, unselfish Christian people.
""" "I visited monthly and preached for the church, during which period Bro. Hopson's large practice in his profession of medicine gave him little time for religious and social intercourse. Those happy days were short-lived, and the angel of death entered Bro. Hopson's home for the second time, tore from his arms the one who loved him dearly, and left him with an infant daughter six months old.
""" "The brethren in Dubuque, Iowa, had for a long time urged me to make them a visit, and hold for them a meeting, urging me to bring with me Bro. S. S. Church, of St. Louis, when they knew it was not possible for Bro. Church to comply with their request; and I urged Bro. Hopson to go with me. The death of his wife changed all his plans, and, after long and careful consideration, he decided to accompany me to Dubuque, where, as you well know, our joint labor gave not only satisfaction to the church but to the people generally. I had the pleasure of introducing him to all my friends, and also yourself, from which time we were"""""""""""""""
[book page] 15
thrown into separate fields of labor, and had but little opportunity for intercourse.
""" "For Bro. Hopson I have always felt a very great interest. I regarded him as the finest speaker I knew in all our ranks, of polished, elegant manners, a memory faultless, courage undaunted, unflinching in what he believed to be true, and devoted to his friends, He knows, and will carry with him into the spirit world, that knowledge that I loved him, and was always his friend and Christian brother.
""" "My prayers shall always go up to our Father in heaven for the richest blessings to be granted to him. Give Bro. Hopson my kindest, tenderest Christian love. Tell him I shall cherish his memory the few fleeting days I remain on this earth, and we shall meet with the loved ones, I trust, 'over there,' who are watching and waiting at the 'Beautiful Gate.' ""
""" Bro. Henderson has thus kindly furnished me with another link in the life of my husband. In addition to this, I find the following in his own handwriting in a blank book :
""" "In September, 1849, I relinquished the practice of medicine and gave myself up to the ministry. The fall of that year I spent in Kentucky, and did not commence the work properly till 1850. On the following pages I record the number of additions at the different meetings I may hold during the year: January-At Fayette, 1; at Lexington, Mo., 33; at Dover, 17. March-At Fayette, 4; St. Louis, 6. April-At Dubuque, 26, among them Mrs. Ella L. Chapell, Judge Henry, Mrs. King, Sarah Apsey, daughter of a Methodist minister. July-At Springfield, Mo., 12; at Brunswick, 2, one a niece of Gen. Price."
""" Making 101 additions the first seven months of his new work.
""" Some time after his second marriage, Bro. Robt. B. Fife, of St. Louis, called upon him, asking his consent to marry his mother. The Doctor was highly amused, and told Father Fife he certainly had no objection to taking him for a father, and thought he and his mother were old""""""""""""
[book page] 16
enough to settle the matter without his interference. They were married shortly afterward. After marriage, his mother moved to St. Louis, and, after the death of his wife, his little girl was committed to the care of his wife's sister, Mrs. Mary Bailey, of Fulton, Mo., where she remained until after our marriage.""
[book page] 17
