| |
CHAPTER
VI
Visited my Relatives in
Batavia, Ill.—My Brother's Letter Describing the Meeting.—Other Visits
Made there.—His Estimate of Dr. Hopson.
As yet Dr. Hopson had never seen any of my relatives, and concluded to
visit them at this time. I will let my brother, M. N. Lord, describe his
visit to Batavia, and my family:
Dr. Hopson's first visit to myself and other relatives of his
wife then living in Batavia, Ill., occurred the last of April, 1851. I was
very favorably impressed at our introduction upon his arrival. His
personelle pleased me. His dignified, manly and erect figure; his
splendid physique; his gentlemanly, courtly and pleasing address; his
frank, open and kindly way of approaching one, not only challenged one's
admiration and commanded respect, but it compelled one to give him a warm
place in one's heart. This much for my first impression.
"At the time I was baptized, there was an understanding
between the Baptists and myself, that I would worship with them until I
found a people who took the Bible, and the Bible alone, as their rule of
faith and practice. In accordance with such understanding, I remained with
them until this visit of Bro. Hopson's. My position with the Baptists
opened the way for him to preach in the church. In fact, at that time I
controlled the house. Another fortunate circumstance occurred to make the
enterprise easy. The Baptist minister was away on a vacation of two weeks;
hence no opposition from that quarter. The arrangement was made
immediately after Bro. Hopson's arrival, to speak several nights, as well
as on Lord's day. I had notices circulated throughout the town and
neighborhood, and the people who had never heard a Christian preacher came
together to see what new doctrine this man had to teach. Methodists,
Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Universalists, religious and
irreligious people were all represented.
[book page] 38
"What my sister had written and said to me about Bro. Hopson's ability as
a preacher and teacher, had aroused my curiosity and given me quite an
exalted idea of his power. It is almost thirty-six years since that night,
memorable to me. His themes selected for the occasion, as I now remember,
were as follows: `The Sonship,' in which he proved that God had selected
`His Son,' through whom he spoke to man. Those who have listened to his
logic and eloquence when presenting the claims of the Son of God, and
especially when he was at the summit of his fame as a preacher of the
gospel, can well imagine that the mass of people before him on the first
night were spellbound. His simple but clearly stated propositions; his
proof adduced; his logical and masterly arguments; his summing up his case
on the ends of his fingers-presenting the whole in such a way that all
could see the structure in all its parts, and comprehend and understand
it. Added to the matter presented was his manner as a speaker. All were
pleased; but when, at the close, he made his appeal to the people, all
hearts were captivated. They wanted to hear more.
"The next night the house was crowded long before church
time. His theme was `The Inauguration.' As it was the first night, so it
was the second. When we separated for the night, we all agreed upon one
point-and that was, we must hear more of the new doctrine.
"The third night, as I sat in that large and silent audience,
giving him my profound attention as I listened to his discourse on the
`Exaltation and Coronation of the Son of God,' I thought then, and still
think, it was the greatest subject ever presented to men or angels. I
thought then, and still think, it the most sublime theme that ever
challenged the attention of sinners or saints on the earth. I thought
then, and still think, that the effort made by Bro. Hopson that night has
never been excelled, and seldom equalled. The intellectual structure
reared by him that night, founded upon the sublimest of all themes, was
the grandest and most solid that mortal man ever gazed upon. That speech,
as all the others he preached at that time, although thirty-six years have
intervened, is as fresh in my mind as the night I first heard it. The
impression made was deep, indelible and lasting. I can repeat the sermons
today; so with all I ever heard him preach. They were all uniform. Since I
listened to those discourses I have had the pleasure of hearing Alexander
Campbell and all of
[book page] 39
our distinguished men-and, we have had, and now have preachers of great
ability-but of them all, Dr. Winthrop H. Hopson, taken as a whole, is my
model preacher.
"His fourth speech was on `Rightly Dividing the Word of
Truth.' This was the one subject, of all others, I most needed. Eternity
will not be long enough to blot out the impression made upon my mind. The
Bible, from that night, was no longer mysterious in any of its parts. It
was plain and simple. From that date I felt competent to instruct others
in the way of life. To this, the many hundreds whom I have baptized will
bear testimony. How little do they realize that, under God, they are
indebted to Bro. Hopson, who was my instructor in the Word!
"His meeting closed with two confessions and baptisms,
although no particular effort was made at that time, as there was no
Church of Christ in Batavia, or nearer than Chicago. However, the
impression made upon the minds of his hearers, in a short time brought
forth fruit. I soon had a church organized, and the work was continued.
Bro. Hopson returned in August, 1853, and held another meeting, which
resulted in ten additions. His stay was short.
" In October, 1858, he again visited us, and delivered seven
or eight discourses and had fifteen confessions. I was in business in
Chicago, and not present at this last meeting.
"From Batavia he came into Chicago. The church in Chicago was
then worshiping in their new church, which I had caused the brethren to
build on Monroe Street, Brethren Honore and Major furnishing a large
portion of the means. Here Bro. Hopson held a meeting of ten days, with
about twenty additions.
"Touching my impressions of Bro. Hopson, I deem it proper to
stag, in conclusion, that for thirty-six years I have looked upon him as
one wholly devoted to the great interests of the kingdom of Christ. The
resurrection and exaltation of the Son of God gave inspiration and impulse
to his loyal, loving and generous heart, while every instinct of that
heart was interwoven with his love for his Master and his desire to save
sinners; it was always filled with sympathy for the erring, who had
alienated themselves from human love as well as divine favor. The
victories of the Gospel to him have been grander in achievement, more
glorious in results, and far greater in magnitude-because victories of
peace-than all the victories of this world's wars have been to its heroes.
[book page] 40
"Bro. Hopson's rare gifts as a Christian orator; his clear, incisive and
logical way of stating his propositions; his convincing proofs and his
demonstrative reasoning, made him conspicuous everywhere he preached. His
loyalty to the `Word of God'; his fidelity to the truth, and his
unfaltering determination to stand by both; his boldness and frankness of
character; his energy and force of manner, and his zeal in the advocacy of
the claims of Christ and Christianity, classed him among the ablest
speakers in or out of the Christian Church.
"His earth work, in all probability, is finished. He is no
longer a conspicuous figure among his peers, in the restoration of the
`Gospel and Church of Christ'; his voice will he heard no more in the
councils of the brotherhood: but his fidelity to Christ, his example in
the church and before the world, with the great work he has done, will be
cherished in the loving hearts of thousands of his brethren and sisters in
Christ, who remember him in the strength of his manhood.
"M. N. Lord.
"Glen Lord, Mich., February, 1887."
[book page] 41
History Home
History Index Page
Next
Chapter
Contents Page
|