w - ' -. ' ' " ' '
ffiofe JMi. 931.
Ttirborough (Edgecombe County, JV. Satnvdmj, October 2S, 183.
The Tarborough Press,
BY GEORGE HOWARD,
Is published weekly at Two D, liars and Fifty
'Cents per year, if paid in advance or, Three
dollars at the expiration of the subscription year.
Yor any period less than a year. Twenty Jiot
Vents per month. Subscribers are at liberty t6
'discontinue at any time, on wiving notice thereof
and pay i nt; arrears those residing at a distance
:ti ust invariably pay in advance, or give a respon
sible reference in this vicinity.
Advertisements not exceeding a square will be
inserted at One fiollar the first insertion, and 25
cents tor every continuance! Longer adverlise
'ments at that rale per square. Court Orders and
Judicial advertisements '25 per cent, higher. Ad
vertisements must be marked tne number of in
sertions required, or they will be continued until
otherwise ordered and charged accordingly,
Lettt-rs addressed to the Kditor must be post
paid, or they may not be attended toi
YOUTHFUL ASPIRATIONS.
Hy Monxomcry.
Higher, will we rlimb,
Up the rriotlni of ;lorv.
That our name may live through lime,
In our count i -y's story;
Happy when her welfare rails.
He who conquers, he Vh6 falls.
Peeper, deeper let us toil
In the mines of knowledge.
Nature's wealth, anil learning's spoil,
Win from school and college:
Delve we ihere for richer gems
Than deck royal diadems.
Onward, onward may we press
Through the pith :f duty;
Virtue is true happiness.
Excellence, truehrautv!
Minds are of cc!etid buih,
Mdke we then a heaven of earth.
Closer, closer, let us knit
Hearts and hands together;
Where our fire-side comforts sit
In the wildest weather;
Olu they wander wide, who roam
For the joys of life from home.
Nearer, dearer bands of love
Draw our souls in union,
To our Father's house aboVe,
To the samts' communion;
Thither every hope ascend,
There may all our labors end.
From the Primitive Baptist.
BIOGRAPHY OF
ELDER JOSHUA LAWRENCE.
The language of obituary is too often
that of empty panegyric, or unmerited eu -
logy; but all who knew the subject of ihe
following sketch, will accord in ihe senti-
mpnt. that he was nn common man- md
we regret, that our limits and ability forbid
our doineiusjice to the memory of one who
occupied so prominent a place among man
kind; hut as he was known (hy character,
if not personally.) by all to whom these
presents shall come, a biography of unusual
length might seem supeifluous and Uncalled
lor.
According to information which may be
robed on, Joshua Lawrence wan born the
lOih day of September, 177S, on Deep
Creek-, in Edgecombe county, N. C. of re
fpectable parents. His father's name was
John, who married Absilla Bell, bv whom 8" commanding was his general appeai
be had several child. en, none of whom ance, that he seldom failed to atiract the at
were ever distinguished for any thing re- lenlion of all who Saw or heard him. And
markable, save the indlvidu d whose life we hate never seen the man whose ap
and death are h-rein recorded. Joshua pointmenis for preaching could call togetn-u-',;iot
, l wi ..,.., ,t; i u ..u....i ler as larire and resectable assemblages as
.n a i.ivi noi HHtUCIBH l t liC MH r.lVII,
witty, and gave early presages of great
powers of intellect and diversified talents
As soon as he was able to handle tools, he
commenced making various kinds of wood
ware, &c for sale, and in process of time
bicame a very ingenious mechanic without
instruction. His father s- nt hnn to school
only a Very short time, so th ot he learned
to read and write but imperfectly; his fa
ther dying soon af;er he commenced going
to school, left no One who could control
him, and instead of profiting by his advan
tages, he gave a loOse rein to all the evil
propensities of his nature.
At about 17 years of age, he (with an
old negro woman) settled on a plantation
which his father give him, on which he
jived till the day of his death. He lived
in ihe woods a year or two, with little or
"o pathway to bis house; in which time
vto use his own language) he became almost
a complete1 wild man. Drinking, gambling,
and debauchery composed a portion of tin
catalogue of many of his wicked practices;
suffice it hnvvever to say, that he was the
ringleader in all the vice and immoralitv
in the vicinity in which his lot was cast;
out amid all his profligacy, he poss ss d
a spirit of industtv which kept him out ol
the very depths of poverty and degrada
At an early ag he married Mary Knight,
by whom he had thirteen children, seven
of whom and his wife he left behind him.
Soon after he married he commenced clear
ing, and cultivating his land, and selling
pork and corn; and at his death left a com
petency for his widow and children, which
indus'ry and frugality had placed in his pos-s-.'ssion.
His conviction for sin (as stated by him
self) took place while he was in his ten'h
year; and under the r6ign of sovereign ami
aII conquering grace, he suffered the mo-u
pa igerit conviction, indulging at the same
lime in all the sinful practices which are
characteristic al ne of the most, abandoned
sinner. Endeavoring for so;ne time by
all the means which he possessed to rid
himself of the distress of mind which he
was under, produced by the Weight and
burden of sin and a guilty conscience, and
finding no relief from what his own efforts
could accomplish, be gave up all depen
dence in an arm of fled!, and went to the
Lord .leus Christ poor and naked as he
lound himself to be, and begged him to
clothe him wvith that righleou-iu ss which
alone can shield the soul from the wrath of
i sin-avenging God, and which is alone
given to and put upon all them that be
lieve. Here the Lord who worketh all things
alter the couns.d of his own will, delivered'
him from the fear of hell and wrath to
come, by applying to his conscience the
following words: "F.eely ye have receiv
ed, freely give." Heie his prayer was
turned inio praise and thanksgiving, his
weeping into rejoicing, his hell into hea
ven; ami feeling himself called to the work
of the ministry, he coul'ened not wiih
flesh ami blood, but forth wito preached Je
sus as the way, the truth, ami the life of
the sinner's salvation. He joined the Bap-j
l:st chinch at Fishing Creek, (now Law
fence's meeting house.) and was hapiiz- d
by Elder Nathan Gilbert. He was ordain
ed at this place b Elders Butkitt and
Read, and became the successor of Elder
Gilbert, who was at the time of his ordina
tion the pastor of the church at the Falls of
Tar River. In the course of a year or two
a glorious revival commenced at the Falls
of lar Rivet, under Elder Lawrence's
ministry, and he baptized at one time 22
peisons, mostly young men and ladies;
and within two yeats upwards of 100 were
added to the church by baptism.
He commenced preaching when about
23 years old, and was unusually awkward,
and havii g very little education could
scarcely read without spelling his words as
he went; but possessing gilts both natural
and spiritual of the higne-t order, he soon
reached a distinction in the ministry seldom
surpassed. And so great at times was the ex
ercise of his mind, that he has been often
known while asleep to give oet a hymn,
sing and pray, and then preach a lengthy
sermon, without having any knowledge of
,1' bun-ell. lie possessed a. very retentive
me'ry, and by close application obtained
a profound knowledge of the holy scrip -
tnre and church history. The doctrine
I of unconditional election and eternal pie -
(destination, was his theme and his song;
anu was exniuueu ny nun in a manner
which seldom failed to ch dn the attention
of his audience. He was never more at
home than when in the pulpit, and whatev
er he attempted to prove liom the word of
God he seldom failed to do, and that too in
a most satisfactory manner, having (eem
ingly) always at command all the scripture
for which he had any use. Ho was a gieal
natural orator, and possessed a very plea
sant voice and a great flow of words; and
O
could those of Joshua Lawience, even in
his immediate vicinity.
He had the pastoral charge of divers
churches, during a long lileol usefulness is
a preacher of the gospel; by all of which
his ministry was highly approved. In pri
vate conversation he was remarkably en
tertaining and instructive to young and old,
religious and irieligius. He never trav
elled much while officiating in his ministe
rial capacity, but was very useful among
the churches of which he had the pastoral
charge, as also throughout the Kehukee
Association, as he had the courage at first
sight to expose error wheievtraud when
ever he detected it.
In the church of which he was a
member sent him as a delegate to the Asso
ciation, which was held wnh the church at
Log Chapel, in Martin county, where the
fust missionary step was taken within ihe
bounds of the Kehukte Association; which
was soon succeeded by a spirit of reserve,
distrust, and jealousy, and ultimately by
disunion. And instead of that harmony,
union, and brotherly love, which is so well
calculated to adorn the church of Christ,
angry debate, s:rife and contention became
the distinguishing characteristics of chur
ches, neighborhoods, and family circles,
within the bounds of our Association.
After long viewing in silence the dis-
tress which the churches were suffering On-(
ler, and feeling confident that division I
must ultimately ensue, he raised the stand
ard of opposition to the society called Mis
sionary Baptists and all its conco mi i ants';
and to the day of his death the unconquera
ble purpose of his sOul was to oppose and
condemn every principle, which might iti
any wise be calculated to reduce the gospel,
or represent the work of regeneration to be
no mor.i than what may be effected by hu
man eflort.
Of the many pieces which Elder Law
rence wrote, we shall only notice here, a
piece purporting to be a Declaration of the
Reformed Baptists in North Carolina, d
ted 26th of August, 1826: which was laid
beiote the churches composing the Kehu
kee Association for their deliberation. Al
ter calmly investigating the subject for 12
months, a large majority of the churches
discarded the Missionary Societies, Bible
and Tract Societies, Theological Semina
ries, &c. &c. and the practice by them re
sorted to, of begging the public for their
support. And while men of learning ami
talents were in various directions using all
their influence to promote the caUse of the
aoove named institutions, and many emi
nent servants of tiod seemed (for a season)
to stand in mute astonishment at the appa
rently learful odds against them, Jos-iua
Lawrence Commenced a successful opposi
lion to the aforementioned sthemesand de
vices, solitary and alone, with the excep
tion of Elder William Hyman, the only
minister of the gospel who expressed a wil
lingues to stand or fall by him. Backed
by this yoke fellow in the gospel, and arm
ed with the word of God, unseduced by the
thirst for gain or popular applause, unterri
lied by the threats and menaces of a uume-
ri)US hosi of enemies, this man of God re
mained steady to his purpose. Soon a gen
eral separation took place between the dis
cordant parties, and a spirit of harmo
ny was soon diseoveied among those
ciurches which continued steadfastly, in
the apostles' doctrine; and the white flag
of gospel peace once mote waved in sol
emu grandeur over Kehukee soil. He con
tinued to oppose the moneyed (religious)
institutions of his day, both from the pul
pit and the press, by which means he be-
came the object of vituperation, abuse, and
calumny, for all who favored the schemes
and devices of those whose object it was to
live and prosper upon the sweat ef the
brow of Others.
We want no better evidence of the reck- j
less and exterminating fury with which his j
enemies attempted to trample him down, j
than the many defamatory reports and
printed publications, which were industri
ously circulated againtthim through many
portions of the United States, together
with the many anonymous communica-
tious sent him through the mail, in some of,
winch his life was even threatened. But!
this we do not believe was done with any j
viw whatever of being carried into effect. !
! hut (if possible) to deter him from a couise
Uo detrimental to their foridest hopes.)
1 However much his mind may have been
I harrassed and embittered by the frequent
: attempts OI HIS persecutors io annoy nun,
! stfll he entertained for the rights ol man,
! the freedom of conscience, and the doc-
trine ot the Bible, an enthusiastic devo- try, mos ol his time would ne consumed
tion, which age could not cool nor persecu- j in conversing upon the truths of ihe doc
tion appal; and hp brought to their support ! trine which he had preached, and w hich
an amount of talents by no means Common, had sustained him through life, and was
and an high, unbending, adamantine cour now his only hope in ihepn spect of death;
age, still less common. and wained ihem of the danger he thought
But all his pains and his labors are over, he saw ol the churches being torn and rem
and he is now beyond the reach of malice j asunder after his deceas-; and earnestly
or friendship; he can no longer be hanass-1 entreated tlvut to continue to contend for
ed by the one or consoled by the other. the faith which was once deliveied to the
The spirit has passed to its long sought j saints. And continued to tesiify, even
rest, to that boUrne from which no travel-1 with his latest breath, that the truili of ihe
ler hath ever yet returned; and the great
secrets of immortality, however dark to us
are solved to him. He spent a long life of
usefulness amidst tribulation, toil and dis
tress, and suffered during a great portion of
his lile gi eater bodily affliction than most
of the human family ever fall heir to. His
health for several years immediately pre
ceding his death, was such as to forbid his
leaving home for many days and nights to
gether, without doing himself great injus
tice; and he was often seen, while exerci
sing in his ministerial capacity both in the
pulpit, and al the water's side (whilst he
was performing the ceremony ol baptism,)
when his emaciated appearance was suffi
cient to excite the sympathy and compas
sion of all who saw him. He continued
to attend the church at 1 arborough regular
ly till he was confined to his death bed;
having a son living within a few yards ol
the meeting house, he could rest with him
before and after preaching, which afforded
him great relief.
He closed his ddys amidst a revival of
religion al this place, during which time
21 persons were added to the church by
oapti-m, which greatly revived his droop
ing spiiits, and those also of the saints
around him, whose harps had been long
hung upon the willows. In the com
mencement of his last sermons he was com
pelled to rest his feeble frame on the pul
pit for suppoft; but towards the conclusion
bee tine animated and stronger. He was
heard several times to say, that he had not
witnessed such a revival (as the one just
named) in thirty years, and which he had
long prayed to see before he should go'
hence. i
The disease winch closed his day, and
wth which ie had long been afflicted, wasj
bowel con-umption; by which he was con-'
fined to his bed three or four months, and
frequently suffered the most excruciating;
pain. For a week or two 'after his last!
confinement, he seemed restless and unea- j
sy; but being vis'ted by a great number of j
his brethren, (both ministers and lay mem
bers.) his last das ve e cheered by the
pr -a uice of those whose company he had
long delighted in.
Being visit'-d a short time previous to
his death by the writer of this memoir,
(who loved him as a neighbor, friend, and
brother.) on entering the decta-el burst in
to tears and did not speak in some time; at
length he remarked, 1 am glad to see you,
and said likewise, the Lord revealed him
self to me in Such a "special manner the
night past, that 1 have not seen a moment
s nce when I was unwilling to die; for.
slid he', I have nothing to do but to die, to
get out of ihe storm. He was then asked,
to tell in what manner his mind was reliev
ed of the distress which lor a few days he
had lahouied under. He said, that h's
mind had been so beclouded for a season,
that he could not see his wty clear be
tore him and when he reflected that lor
forty years he had been a professor of re
ligion, and for the St.. e length of lime had
likewise professed io be a preacher of the
gospel, he shuddered at the mere thought
of being at lat deceived. But, said he.
the Lord applied to my mind in such
manner as to disnel all doubts and difficul
ties, the following passages of scripture:
I will put my laws into their minds, and
write them in their hearts; and I will be to
!tl, cm a G.d, and they shall be to me a peo-
plc -According as lie hath chosen us in
htm before the toundatton ot tne world,
that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love Having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will -To the praise of the
glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved In whom we
have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of his grace In whom also we have obtain-
ed an inheritance, being predestinated ac
cording to the purpose of him who work-
all things alter the counsel ot his own will
that we "should be to the praise of his glory
who first trusted in Chris'. After which
he continued to talk and preach till he was
completely exhausted He said that he
felt more fully established in the beliel ol
ihe doctrine which he had preached dining
the Whole course of his ministry, than ever
at any time before; and his only regret
now was, that he had not travelled and
preached more than he had.
Being now ready to be offered up. and
seeing that the time of his departure was at
hand, he evinced great concern for the
peace aim nai ihuim ui i"- Liiu..ta
I he was about to leave behind him, and
when visited by his bie'h'en in the minis-
gospel, the faith of God's elect, was near
and dear to turn to the last.
The gospel was his joy and song,
tiven to his latest breath;
The truth lie had proclaimed so long,
Was his support in death
Now he resides where Jesus is,
Above this dusky sphere;
His soul was ripened for that bliss,
While yet he sojourned here.
The church's loss we all deplore,
And shed the falling tear;
Since we shall see his face no more,
Till Jesus shall appear.
Alter all hope of his recovery was lost,
he told his son (who was his principal phy
sician,) that he was ready waiting and
willing to go. He seemed for a day or
two alter this, to pay no attention to any
thing said to him, of what was passing
around him, till the Saturday morning
which preceded his death on Monday; he
then (unexpectedly) opened his eyes, and
remarked how beautiful every thing look
ed without; and Said also, that he thought
he was a little better. He grew worse
however, on the evening of that day;
when it became very apparent to his frien 's
and family, that the vital spark must soon
forever quit his mortal frame. He remain
ed perfectly insensible and speechh ss,
(except for a very short interval,) till the
Monday following; when at just 45 min
utes after 2 o'clock in the evening, all thai
wis immortal of that great man left its igu-
em.Mit of cla v and winged its flight to tha
building of Clod, a house not made with
hands eternal in the eaven: where wiri
the congregated millions of happv spirit
he may hvmn the praise of his Redeemer
in a strain responsive to the words which
he b is so rften repeated with animation
Won by is the Lamb that was slain, and
ha'h washed us in bis blood, and made lis
kings and priests unto (lod, and w shall
reign wi h him forever and. ev f. He de
parted this life the 23rd dav of January,
IS4A aed 65 years 4 months and 13 days.
Laborious tn his masters cause.
His view, nor lucre nor applause;
Williug to spend and to be spent,
Ne ne'er lr rllthy lucre went.
lint all bis labors now are o'er,
And we shall hear bis voice no more
His dut lies silent in the tomb,
For God has'call'J his servant home.
His funeral sermon was preached (pre
vious to interment) hy Elder James Os
bourn. of Bal.imore, in a very feeling and
appropriate manner, to a large assembly
lor so short a no' if p. from the 103rd
I'satm, and 15th, lfi h, and 17th verses':
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flow
er of the field, so he flourished!; for the
wind passed! over it and ii is gone, and the
place thereof shall know it no mote. But
the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting
i o everlasting upon them thai fear him, and
his righieousness unto children's children.
Rider II man then attempted in conclusion
In make a lev remarks respecting his past
intimacy with the deceased, but was 6
eompletely unmanned, that be could not
proc ed. Having long, been yoke
fellows in the go-pel. and having spent
many davs of hunger, heat and cold to
gether, tin ir h arts h id become knit to
gether as were those of Jonathan and David
of old, making as it. weie, only one soul.
His body was then followed by neighbors',
f lends, and family and connexion-', whose
weepi g and lamentation bore testimony td
the high es'erm in which ihey held him,)
to its last resting placed which had been
selected by himself, to fulfil thoe solemn;
words in holy writ: Dust thou art, and un
to dust thou shall return.
Ot happy soul! who safely pass'd
Thy weary warfare here;
Arrived at Jesus feet at last.
And ended all thy caret
No more shall sickness break thy rest,
Nor pain create thy smart;
"So more shall doubts disturb thy breast',
Nor sin afflict thine heart.
No more the world on thee shall frown',
No longer satan roar;
Thy man of sin is broken down,
.'And shall torment no more.
Adieu, vain world! the spirit cries,
My tears are wiped away;
For Jesus fills my cup with joys,
And fills it eveiy dayi
A taste of love we get below,
To cheer a pilgrim's face;
But every saint must die, to know
The feast of heavenly grace.
Delightful concord always reign3,
In Jesus' courts above;
There hymns are sung iti. rapturous straihai
With ceaseless joys of Iovei
Ejceciiiion nf a Christian dt Constanti
nople Constantinople, Jlng- 23, 1843.
A short distance frorti where I am novir
writing li s the headless trunk of a mari
who has jus' been decipiialed for ho other,
ciime thin that of professing the faith of
nearly the whole of Europe. He was an
Armenian by hirhvand after arriving at
the age of manhood, in an evil hour, un
der the inflnencedf loo much s'rong drink;
as it is said, he renounced his religion and
became a Miisselman.
He hail no sooner recovered pbsesiori
of h's mind than he saw the madness of the
step he had taken, and embracing. the fist
opportunity he fled to (rece. How long
he remained there 1 do rtot know; but, as
suming ihe European dress he teiurned to
this city, where he was soon recognized;
and thrown into prison. Every effort was
made by lli c ts and promise s to induce hirri
to return to the f it h of the false prophet, but
in vain. He w as on several diff. rent occd-.
.-ions, led out in chains to different parts of
the eilv, for execution, and wiih the
Sword of the executioner drawn over hii
head, he w.iS rrrjuireil to renounce forever
tiie Christian religion, & believe In Mahum
med;but he msoIuu Iv persisted in declar
ing that he was teady to die rather than de
ny Christ.
On each occasion he w as remanded td
prison, and some say th it torture was there
, ii-ed to effect what the threat of instant
death coeld rtot. To day; however, the
victim of Maiiommedan fanaticism received
the covn of marytd m, in th midst of
oite of the most tiequented streets of die
city. And. as if with the express, inten
tion of throwing all possible indignity upott
' the name f Christian, ami on ihe Christian
governn cuts of the world; he was executed
in his Enropian dress, and after decapita-
tibn. t e head, w id! a Frank cap up ofl It,
was placed between the legs
It is a public.and most outrageous insult
boon all Christian nations.' Every Euro-
t heart here feels the indignity, but yet no one
j sfceins know what the proper remedy.
:.3
ii
I:
m :
it.
'7
r
t'
9,.
f i
It
ft
i
I-
t
t
V 1