Newspapers / North Carolina Christian Advocate … / Feb. 23, 1899, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of North Carolina Christian Advocate (Greensboro, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Z M - .1 CONTRIBUTED. JESSE ANDERSON CUNINGGIM. rAt, a memorial service, held bv the paculty and students of Trinity College (on Tanunrv ifv tSoo tho fnllmvino- me- j -, - j-,, ... ...... hnorial was read by Dr. John S. Bassett. lit'' is well written and exhaustive, and vas prepared by one whose literary ability, gifts o fheart and close acquaint ance with Dr. Cunninggim will qualify ihim for such a mournful duty and privi lege : lt Jesse Anderson Cuninggim was born I in Greeu county. North Carolina, Jan tuary 28, 832. Judging from the family Wine he waa of Scotch descent and there Avas much in both his physical appear- ance and Uri fiis mental make-up to con-' firm this ,$. His father was Rev. W. iH. Cuiiini, a local elder in the pletnct Episcopal church. South. vwuier w as jiuuii uiuoons, a At- rf T?M' TrVlm rillr-:Y -21-1 ifinvi- &. V- A. Wl. V V- V J Ullli VJ LKJ lKJXi till lilllVi minister in the same communion iixi d. iiicianci ui a. laiiinv nidi na.; tfivcii 1 r r 1 rnp.n .rme pn ' pur Tire r ner t , 1 iV , 1 . l til L.i x v.'ii nit mviimviiL'iiit a u ' a 1 ' t ig Methodist preacher stocks should e resuueu 111 iwo ureacneis 111 uic 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 earnest, working preachers wives le second generation. Of the ten ildren born in Greene county to Rev. Cunninggim two, Rev. W. H. ninggim, Jr., for a long time a faith- ul lccal preacher, and Jesse A. Cun- nggim, tne subject 01 tins sKetcn, dc- ame Methodist preachers. Of the three children of the former of these brethren two, William L. and Jesse L. Cuning im, are now members of . the North Carolina Conference, while the other, daughter, married Rev. R. W.. "Bailey, of the same body. A sou of a sister of Dr. Cuninggim, also (is Rev. A. L. Ormond. and a daughter fcf another sister is the wife of Rev. teeorge T. Simmons, both of which gen- klemen are ministers of the same church. Chis continued turning to the ministry by members of this family indicates, at ifleast, two noteworthy traits : a deeply re- fligious nature and a disposition to fol low the family calling, a tendencv wiiicii Sias alwavs been associatied with our Isturdiest and most conservative social Iddeas. A Methodist preacher's home in the early years of Dr. C's life was a place of hardship and of exalted spirit uality.,. It is an abiding tribute to the simple 'iaithfuiness of tire Cuninggim liome that both hardship and exalted spirituality were so presented to the fyounrer members thereof that they were 'attracted rather than repelled thereby. vThe subject of this sketch was in his eleventh year, when he professed re ligion and joined the church at Or (anond's Chapel, the place at which his feather's family worshipped. f Ten years later, after a narrow escape ilrom drowning, he felt called bv God to the ministry. For a time he hesitated because it se&mcd that he had a higher duty to his parents, who were then Wged and in need of his assistance. But &i.sconviction to preach became deeper nd deeper until in 1853 he would resist :tiolonger, and applied for and received jifiis; license from the jMethodist church. &ext he sought an education and in 1854 lieT.entered Normal College in Randolph county. Here he was able to remain jbtjt one term: but the love he thus form jtd for the college grew with increasing Strength until his death. ,? In November. 1855 ne joined the yprth Carolina Conference at its session Wilmington, N. C.,. iHis first work was the Smith field jciriCuit,H which he held for two years. fferthat his work was as follows: fa86o-i Chapel Hill. -"862-3 Wilson. 864-5 Rowan circuit. 1 866-7-8-9 Louisburg. .vi80 Chapel Hill and Haw River circuit, a '1 87 1 -2-3-4 Greensboro. ;i875-67-8 Agent for G. F. C. fa 879-80 Returned to Wilson. i'1881 Durham. IVVlllIC 11C VVclS ill ill licliil mo iiwaitu e down. The physician declared that thtej I intense, sympathy and solicitude he put into his pastoral relations was too much for his nerves, and suggested that the duties of Presiding Elder would be more suited to his physical condition. The suggested change was made and Dr. Cuninggim was assigned to the Fay etteville district, which he served for 1883-4. Then he sfefved Greensboro Warrenton district in 18c district in 1889- t i distri v-u, or all Duj ihouerh to do so neceaj the los YrtnrV in t!tf mrvrnincA years worse, andfvas reluctantly compelled to be absenyfrom some of his appointments. In mostcases his duty was filled by lov ing friends who esteemed it a privilege to preach that he might rest. Drs. Ivey and Kilgo often were his supplies, kind nesses which his gentle soul appreciated with affectionate remembrance. As con ference drew near it became apparent that he could not again take regular work. He was not able to be present at this session of the conference and thus missed his first roll-call. The conference expressed their regret at his absence and sent a telegram con veying sympathy. At his own request he was placed in the supernumerary re lation. To most men this is a hardship. To Dr. Cuninggim it was the will of God and he did not murmur nor, so far as one knows, secretly chide. One of the first to recognize the necessity of his retire ment it was like him to withdraw at the properjmoment, neither1 too soon nor too late. " On Jonuary 2,t 1862, Dr. Cuninggim was married to Miss Lucy. Arm-field, of Statesville, N. C. It was. a. most fortu- irafe and congenial' union. " No husband and wife ever lived together more agree ably and helpfully. Somewhere Pmhp Gilbert Haiiierton says that, a true mar riage is a thing of years that' it is like two trees planted quite close together in the forest. They gro wclos'er into one, with branches interlacing,2;! ill at last they appear a single tree. So husband and wife come into one single nature; and so it was with the subject of this sketch and his wife. There was no virtue of the one that was not that of the other. There was no friend of the one that was not equally a friend of the other. There was 110 duty, no joy, no interest that was not shared between them, and no tear from a friend's eye has dropped on his grave that has not been for her equally as much. No children were ever born to their home, but hundreds of little ones found in them the best of friends. They became to such children "Uncle Jessie" and "Aunt Lucy," and when these little ones were grown up the same terms of endearment were con tinued .till at length the terms were used by all Methodist people who knew them with the same degree ol affection. Dr. Cuninggim was strong m the confidence of his associates. They made him delegate to the General Conference. They made him agent for Greensboro F. C. Trinity College gave him the de gree of Doctor of Divinity. They . made him conference trustee of Trinity Col lege in 18688. In 1893, when it was' de sired to have some of the business men of Durham for an executive committee the difficulty was presented that a mem ber of this committee must be a trustee. At once and unsolicited Dr. Cuninggim offered his resignation so as to make room for one of the desired gentlemen. Others also resigned and the contem plated arrangement was effected. It was like him to make wav for any man who he thought was more necessary than he. His resignation was regretted by the Board; but it did not lessen his love for the college. He was still a regular visitor at Commencement. In 1896 ho gave to the college $i,oco the proceeds of which are to be lent to worthy stu dents who needed it, and when these loans are repaid they are to be added to the original amount so that-the fund will ever be increased. It is in appreciation of this gift that his portrait has been nung in Benefactors Parlor in the Washington Duke building. There was no token of our respect, or confidence that would not have been given by any one connected with the college. It was felt that he deserved all. As a pastor, Dr. Cuninggim was en tirely successful. He was sympathetic and faithful. Said a lady wwho lived in the Durham charge: "It was a benedic tion for him to come into my house." He was a persistent visitor, especially among the poor. This work he would divide with his wife. Each morning a certain number of visits was arranged by the two, and if not impossible they were faithfully performed. He never en tered a house to visit it without a season of prayer, and if it were the home of the needy he usually left quietly some gift to help along the occupant. At family prayers in the morning he always sug gested that the servants be called in. He knew his entire flock and did not fail to remember them should lie meet them after leavingUhe community. He was scrupulous about money matters and once said to a frie'Al that lie had never let the sun go down on a debt. He never found it necessary ip ride on a train on Sundav, and when he learned on Sun day that his brother in Raleigh was dead, he waited patiently and, prayerfully tor the earliest tram on Monday, al- rtatefl a start at Tit Neither would take hJsjrun v but that he might be able to give more. He - aided many young people to get an education and for some time he and his wife supported a missionary in China. Early in life he covenanted with God to give away one-tenth of his total yearly income. is time went on his benevolent desires so increased that he found one tenth too small to satisfy him, and the proportion arose to one-fourth. He was always cheerful. He would often get up in the morning singing, "Saviour more than life to me," being a favorite tune. As a preacher he was calm, careful, evangelical, and at times profound. But his srr eat est success was as a Jfresiaing 1 t Elder. Here were brought into play those faculties of calm judgment, broad sense, regular attention to detail, and firm and unrelenting effort which made him in every sense the safe counsellor, the wise administrator, and the unbend ing leader of right. His conduct of his district was without error. His reports were always satisfactory. His death-bed was as beautiful as his life. He had had. one of the heart at tacks to which the serious nature of his disease was due, bue he was slowly recovering. A sister-in-law, on Sunday evening, remarked that she did not like the way he was rallying. He reassured her by reminding her that it took six days for his pulse to recover from the effects of a former attack. His wife re marked playfully that she must learn how to count his pulse, since the others teased her because she could not do so. She put her hands on his wrist, and he took her own wrist. "Your pulse," said he, "is all right, but mine is like a balky horse. It will go a little and then it will stop." In such lover-like spirit he lay at the gates of death. In a few minutes his wife sat down to read the papers to him; but she was interrupted to serve him his supper. That done she turned off to continue her reading. She had not be gun when she was startled by the sharp cry of "wife!" When she reached his side he was dead. "There standing above him," said . the heart-stricken woman, "there rung in, my mind this sentence, 'The Master says it is well with his soul' " Was it her deeply convinced mind speaking to itself a judgment on his life, or was it a message out of the infinite to reassure and comfort her? Be it one or the other, it was the simplest truth. . Many men of political note have died in North Carolina, and the morning pa pers have announced the fact. People have read the announcements and spoken of them with interest, at times with regret. But never has a man died among us where death has brought more heartfelt sorrow. His acquaintances were doubtless not as many as the politi cian's, but those he had loved him better. He did more for the State than it is the nature of the statesman's art to do. He touched individual hearts to make them better, cleaner. Dr. Cuninggim was pre-eminently a great man; great in character, and in purpose. He was well balanced. I never heard him make an exaggerated statesmen. He never flattered a man to his face or behind his back, and yet if a man had good qualities he Said so. He never reviled a man, and yet if he found anything to condemn he condemned it. His moderation was not cowardice, but simole love of truth. He was brave as a lion, and nothing ever terrorized him and drove him from his conviction. He was a very wrarm frjend and defender of education, even in the face of the strongest opposition. Dr. Cuninggim was of a rare type. We need more like him. I would like to know that out of this audience there might be one who will grow up into a man like him. THE OLD QUESTION RENEWED. By X. Y. Z. How to secure more reading and ; better order of reading among our peo pie is a question like most questions much easier asked than answered. Still it is one of such supreme importance as to excite the serious concern 01 every preacher and layman who longs for the best welfare of his church. A fact oft regretted is the slight progress made in many parts towards the prominent up building and advancement of the people. The annual protracted meeting does well to bring the people to the point where the previous one left them. Efforts to reach the whole mass must be made. To stir the emotion is good, yea, necessary, i.-.i. : i. 1. nr j i 11 ii 1 1 UUl 1 liS 11UL CHUUiMl. IO LUK.C UU UIC UCclU out of religion is equally as suicidal as to take all the heart. As )a people we do not need to leeUless, J$ut we need to think more. Ji Hfffmore thinking would come a p xpronf-fpHino- Hence :essitv -of using "even economical, not for his own sake, f ! thought of the race. It is a noble bens- faction to awaken the soul and then guide it into proper channels of thought. This makes possible a great life. It is a real contribution to the progress of the world. The influence of thought on life both individual and national is too often lost sight of. True, this in itself does not make the man. The material condition of one's existence, the physical resources of the body, the influence of heredity, he character of food eaten and else go. to make up the sum of life's forces; still, thought is the chief one. The most su perficial reading of history must power- ully reinforce this statement A new conception of man possessing the mind of Gautama gave to the world that system which is now the chief religion of the Orientals. Nearly one-third of the liunian race are followers of Budah. Thomas A. Becket was Chancellor and Archbishop a friend of the King and ivmg in palaces witli ever increasing magnificences and luxury. Another hough t dominated him. Then in place of the fastidious courtier came the hum ble and squalid penitent. He wore hair cloth rather than royal robes, and eat roots and drank water instead of using he King's meats. Thus he become the saint of his age and his tomb the shrine to which thousands flocked for prayers and healings. Chaucer has immortalized hese pilgrimages. No less true is the above statement when applied to the sec ular sphere. What has lifted the Gar- fields from the tow path to the helm of the ship of state? And leta it never be A. orgfotten that what is here affirmed of ndividuals is true of larger bodies of nations. The ratahsm predominating the East makes the people satisfied with their -lot and results in national stagna tion; the militarism of Mohammed led Islam in its rapid course, making the crescent a rival for the cross; the cru sades srrew out of the conviction that man is sinful, God is vengeful, therefore, his will appease him. So the record of the race runs. Christ evidently sent the multitudes away from him thinking new thoughts. They were stirred into a new existence by new truth entering their ordinary lives Can anything be better than exciting some noble thought and aspirations in the commonplace life of a fellow mortal? The plea is not for some strange, great or peculiar but for simple ordinary thought. For most of us stay on the common plane ot ordinary thinking. The duty of the hour, then, is plain "to every one with eyes open to present con ditions, having the welfare of men at heart, and wishing the best success to the church of God. Flad the church pa per and good books either poetry, fact or fiction rather than vellow journals and cheap trash gone into the home, not so many wrecks would now strew the way of life. More and better thinkine can be secured only bv putting some thing better into the hands of the people to stimulate this thought. Ought not each reader of this Advocate try to put another copy into some other home? Open your eyes to the existing need about you and be convinced. LETTER FROM GILDEROY. And the old Raleigh Christian Advo cate is to start again in the city of Ral cigh. That is good. Where should a Raleigh Christian Advocate come from but from Raleigh? That is the social center of the old North State the cen ter of Methodism and of politics My observation has been that it it dif ficult to have a great metropolitan paper in other than a metropolitan center. Somehow people want papers from the centers. The early apostles, particularly the Apostie Paul, established churches in the great centers of travel, traffic and trade. There were srood reasons for this. They were radiating points, centers for good as well as centers of evil. For this reason, and for other reasons, they sought to evangelize the great cities in all the countries where they preached il 1 T 1 .1 me gospei. 1 ieei mucn tne same way about the papers and organs of our church. My Conference, the North Mississippi, has had the New Or leans Christian Advocate as its officia ,t . r uigdu ever since tne uonierence was formed in 1870, and it is yet the officia organ and will be for two vears to come When that time expires a determined ef fort will be made to start and publish paper for the two Conferences in Missis sippi at Jackson, the capital of this State There are many good and weighty rea sons why we should have an official or gan at the center of Mississippi. There are stroilg arguments against it main ly that intakes quite a mint of it money to start andVun a new plter. At Tackson we have Methodist ollege and in connecti l with it a Lajkr Schdol ; and in the courslof time A . i2r.i,T:ii u thought by many that we will need a pa per there to further these 'great" interests The Baptists of Mississippi, numeri callv as strong- or stronereo than tha Methodists, have their papeiiin Jackson! They will, ultimately, move teir colleg and Theological School from ackson, and they already have an Dhanage under way at Jackson. So you see the headquarters of thes1 two great denomination each near onsf lundred thousand strong will be loj cated at the capital of the State. Jack son is now the strongest railroad center on Mississippi soil. New Orleans, La is neither the social nor commercial cen' er of our North Mississippi territory. Id is a great center for the Mississippi Con ference. The Commercial Appeal , o Memphis, Tenn., is the paper mos widely circulated in North Mississippi. From it we get; the news from all parts of the world. Memphis is iust over the ine between Mississippi and Tennessee We have a moneyed interest in the New Orleans Advocate, being part owners ir the building, presses and type, and sowi of us are opposed to starting a new'pr when we alreadv have a. food ene ii j. - - .0 - - - TM- - AT - 1 A J i way. xne iew wneans vuvocate 1 mature age and of established charac It is one of the great papers of pur M odism. It has long wielded'sa migl influence fongood in this corner of Methodism. There is, perhaps, no si center in all our Southern Method where a strong, vigorous, religious pa is more needed than, in the city and mediate teritory of New Orleans'' course, the starting of a paper at T son wotua not stop tne iew. uriesns Advocate, but losing the patronage of two large Conferences would weaken it; r 1 1 ' 1 . 1 . oome peopie wno nave not Deen in tne paper business have an idea that a great religious family paper can be edited printed and published at one dollar year. 1 trunk they are mistaken, lhev. also, have an idea that all the people wil? jump at the chance of a religious papen at mat price, i do not believe this eitherJ .4. -r . - - 1 Some people do -not .want a religious pa per at any price not as a' gracious gift. It does not contain the kind of readin they want. It is very easy to suppose so mrny subscribers at one dollar, 'but get ting them and their dollar is another matter. While the publisher is waiting for the dollars to come in the expense 1' t,i are piling up ana tne nrst tning one knows the publisher is swamped. Preach, ers preach on a credit, but printers -wft not print on a credit, not long at a time But I wish you and the old, new Advo cate an open field and the largest sua cess. Yours, V GILDEROY. Ripley, .Tippah Co., Miss. La Grange Circuit. Dear received by the good people cate. We have been very kindly receiveu uy tne goou peopie on this circuit, for the second tim. Las year was a. very successful one and wd nave made tne nrst round tor tit present! 3-ear, and the indications are ff ajgoodf - i year., Uur circuit paid up ev lull last vear, and, though our flsessme for conference collections is eger th last year, we expect to corp: up wi everything at the end of thenear. . lne kind inends 01 tne Jpiurcn vis ited us en masse on the niglfof Janua: 2d, and brought with them al abundance of nice things for our pantrf , and almost every day since then somefene has serify us in something nice, keying us con stantly in inind of their kliclness. May 1 :urt- them. V Much success to the R; leigh Christies Advocate. We hope t( send a list ot. subscribers very soon. Truly, T. SUTTON. rAT THE ROOT CJF ANGER. It should be rememfered that irrita bility, which is the form most, frequent ly taken by ill temp, proceeds very largely from a want oilself-control. Nor can want of self-control, be considered as an isolated thing. BF it is shown in one direction, it may be ilepended upon to1 exist in many others. Traced to its root,, then, irritability assymes thev form of self-indulgence, thatis to say, the habit' of not governing cpr senses, of never denying ourselves, pi living an . uncon trolled lite, which results in its outward, expression as lrnta It is not sufficiently recognized, "to that anger is more often a sin of the fles than a sin of the Spirit, and that if laz ness or self-indulgent habits of any sod are curbed, we will have more powe over the distressing irritability which s olten makes Mela burden both to ouri selves and to thse ivho live aroundiu: .1 .t- Intelligent vij ity depends, much on what an knows." as cl r V I r ;means for exciting the' a Ladies' It IS he is learnh
North Carolina Christian Advocate (Greensboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 23, 1899, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75