Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA
Newspaper Page Text
things, momentous things. Forty years since and our own Civil War, one of the greatest wars of modern times, had just closed. Only sixteen years had passed. The effect of that war lay heavy on our country. The South came forth stricken, impover ished, bleeding at every pore, mourn ing. Some of its fairest portions, and especially Virginia, had been deso lated by fire and slaughter. Out of it came blighted hopes. There was sorrow in the land. Crepe hung on many doors. The vacant chairs were in many homes. Broken hearts were everywhere. Devastated fields and ruins of towns and homes. Out of it, too, came a new world. A galaxy of brilliant stars rose above the horizon. Men and women of heroic build ap peared; men and women who exem plified in their lives of devotion the noblest traits of the human heart. Since then two other great wars have been fought and won. First came the war with Spain, when this country became aware of its own might and gave freedom to Cuba and suddenly emerged from its isolation to become a world-wide power. Again rame the challenge to war, and the challenge was accepted and it mar shaled its armies, its navies, its man hood and its womanhood and stepped out into the arena to battle for hu man freedom, and again stood forth the unselfish champion of what it be lieved to be right. What wonderful advances have been made in the world in forty years. How educational institutions have multiplied. How they have add ed to their equipment, increased their faculties and enlarged their powers of usefulness. It has been a day when inventive genius has flowered to a wonderful degree. The period of wireless teleg raphy, automobiles, telephones, sub marines, airships, printing presses and hundreds of other useful addi tions to humau progress. New dis coveries in the arts and sciences, con structive in their powers. Work of the Church. We have witnessed manifestations^ of philanthropy, world-wide in their lieneflcient effects. Missionary enter prises have multiplied. Workers have tome forward. Agencies to meet the wants of a perishing world have been established. T^ie representative of the cross, bearing the gospel message to every land, have gone forth. In this period the world has been mar velously opened up, permitting the missionary to go anywhere in all the earth. What a change has taken place in the status of woman! The history of woman has entered upon a new era. Within this period great educational institutions have come into existence for the higher education of women, that we may have trained women, disciplined women, informed women, qualified women. Institutions like iioilins College, established in 1849, Vassar College in 1861 and Bryn Mawr in 1885. The spirit has gone to foreign lands and we have colleges for women in Constantinople and Beirut and other places. Who dreamed in 1881 that the right of suffrage would be given to the women of this land by 1921? And yet to day women have not only the right to assist in the selection of officials, but may themselves become candi dates for any office within the gift of the people. Saloon Overthrown. Within this period the most deeply intrenched of modern vices has been overthrown. An institution intrenched in human selfishness, human custom and human appetite. I refer to the saloon. Along with this has gone a number of other vicious temptations. Within this period tremendous changes have come with their respon sibilities and activities and surprise. Within this time world interdepen dence has been wonderfully demon strated. Men and nations are now being challenged to abandon their iso lation and self-centered life and be come a part of universal humanity. To become world-wide in their sympa thies and activities. To realize that all men and women have a claim upon all men and women. That human need and human ability constitute a claim. That we cannot dissever our selves from others, no matter how loud the voices of selfishness and pol icy may call. It is a day when we have learned that the claims of hu manity are a common burden which no one may lightly shirk. l>ay of Mass Movements. It is a day of mass movements when men and women inspired by the same purpose move forward to the common end. At this time I believe that the darkness which has clouded so many through ignorance is being dispelled. If women have come to take a larger part in material affairs, it is also true that men who have stood from under the common task are now com ing to take a larger and more definite part in spiritual things. Men are now asking, "Why should the work of es tablishing the kingdom of Jesu9 Christ in a lost and suffering and dying world be turned over, as many of us have done, to women and chil dren?" Men are now seeing that re ligion and its forces to lift up and help mankind out of Bin and misery is a man's job. That men too long have been slackers in the greatest of causes, and that too long have they ignored a duty which called, but called in vain. This day sees men coming forward and offering themselves will ingly for the service of Jesus Christ. Inspiration now comes from re newed or new-born activities. Stimu lus for right endeavor comes from success. Men succeed. The impossi ble becomes possible. The new faith born of success becomes an inspira tion to other efforts. Things can be done. ' Things are done. There is new faith, and with new faith comes new courage. Idols Being Discredited. The idols at whose shrines men through centuries have worshipped are becoming discredited. The idols of power. The idols of mere wealth. The idols of education apart from re ligion. It is a day of new ideals. These ideals may be as the sun shin ing through clouds and mist, but some day they will drive away the mist and darkness and shine forth with the brightness of the noonday sun. It is a day of conflict of the masses and classes. These are but the birth throes of new-born principles to direct the relations of man and man and employer and employee. These strug gles are calling forth a new force, conservative and righteous in its Judg ments to take its place on the Judg ment seat and decree righteous de crees. Distressed by Call. Now in conclusion. For forty years I have enjoyed your confidence and have felt the inspiration of your love and confidence. That love has ex pressed Itself in many, many ways. For some reason I have never desired to leave this church. I have had op portunities to leave you, but I never saw any reason for doing so, and be cause of that I discouraged the calls and refused to visit other churches with reference to a call. I once had a call from the Synod of Virginia to some special work, which would have necessitated my resignation. I never knew till then how hard it was to leave this church. I was distressed beyond measure. Where did my duty lie? While I was in this state of mind the elders of this church, under the leadership of Mr. William Dupuy, came to the manse and expressed to me their judgment that I should not leave this church. So here I am and have been. While I have been your pastor I have not turned aside to other things. I have felt with Paul, "This one thing I do." However imperfectly it has been done, I have tried to do it. I have been tempted to turn aside to other things, but a kind heavenly Father kept me from doing so. It has not been an easy road over which I have traveled these forty years. Sometimes it has been a road infest ed with stones and thorns, and my feet have often been bruised and bleeding, and my heart has ached. Some people misinterpret me. They think I am always happy and blissful ly Ignorant of what may be going on in the church and without it. They simply do not know me. If I have the smiling face it is because I do not care to add to the troubles others may have, the troubles of my own heart and life. I am old enough now to have a fairly good estimate of my self. I have always accepted the financial support you have given me. I never asked an increase in my salary but once. It was due then to a pardon able pride I had in this church. At that time an increase in my salary was proposed which was below the ability of the congregation and below that paid by other churches less able, and I asked if they would make it equal to that paid by some others I would not ask an increase again. I have kept my word, but you have been thoughtful of me and I appre ciate it. Had to Struggle. I have always been poor. I had to struggle for an education. My home was in the Valley of Virginia during the Civil War. Within sixty miles of my home more than fifty battles were fought, and when the war was over we had nothing. I came here in debt for my education. I began on a mea ger salary of fifty dollars per month. In the meantime the family grew and sickness came. I never could accumulate. I recall the remark of one of the olders when I came here. "If the Lord will keep you humble we will keep you poor." I do not know whether I am conspicuous for humility or not. At one time I was greatly troubled about my future. I could not save anything. Then by in heritance a little property came into my hands, and I have been like a lit tle baby I saw the other day. It had a poor little toy of some kind in its hand, and she held on to it with all the might she had. So I have been with the little bit of property. I be lieve I can truthfully say that not a dollar I have received in salary has ever been invested here or elsewhere. I believe I could have made money a3 many others have done, as I have al ways had faith in Roanoke. I have been solicited and tempted to go into all sorts of speculations, but I said. "Others can make money, but my business is to try and make men." Almost Alone. I have shared with you your sor rows. Nearly forty years since and my mother, my brother, my sister, my wife lived. Since then my mother has gone, my sister, my brother, my wife, my child. To-day I am almost alone with children scattered to the ends of the earth. Since then my Master whom I serve, sent His call for my mother, my precious mother, I bowed. When for my brother, sister, wife, child I bowed. When my country called for my boy I bowed and for two yearg he was in France. When the heathen world stretched out its empty hands for my precious girl and God called her, I bowed. I have tried not to withhold any or anything. So the range of my sympathies have kept pace with yours. If you have wept, so have I. If you have felt the pangs of separation, so have I. If you have felt the pain of giving up a hoy at your country's call, so have I. If you have given son or daughter for the heathen world, so have I. ltcnllirms Faith. After forty-two years of ministry I wish in the presence of this congre gation to reaffirm my faith. I believe in C.od, the one only living and true God. I believe in the triune Cod, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I be lieve in the deity of Jesus Christ. I believe that He took upon Himself human form and lived and suffered and died that men might live I be lieve that we can be saved in no other way than by faltl. In Iliin as a per sonal Saviour. I believe in the Bible as the Word of God. I believe in its plenary and verbal inspiration. I be lieve in the existence of a heaven and a hell. I believe in the sanctity of the holy Sabbath day. I believe that only the religion of Jesus Christ can save this lost world. In conclusion, I want to express to the members of this congregation, to its members here and to those who have gone to their blessed reward, the thanks of my heart for what you have been to me and mine. For you the daily prayer has gone from my heart to the Father above to abun dantly bless and keep you, and will continue to go. EDITORIAL FROM THE ROANOKE TIMES. All Ranoke unites with his own congregation in cordial and affection ate felicitations to Dr. W. C. Camp bell, who to-day rounds out forty years' notable and useful service as the pastor of the First Presbyterian church. As pastor and as citizen Dr. Campbell has contributed greatly to the moral and spiritual upbuilding of this community, which he has seen grow from a straggling village to its present proportions. Dr. Campbell came to Roanoke when it did not en joy, nor would it have deserved, its present reputation for law-abiding be havior, sobriety and general safety. But he quickly won the respect of all as a real man among men,' and that respect has been enhanced and has deepened steadily with the passing years. Ranoke loves and trusts Dr. Camp bell with unreserved affection and im plicit confidence. It is truly grateful for the providential intervention that cast his lot here. It Is a better city because of him and his activities both as clergyman and as citizen. It honors him and it esteems him second to none. A lovely character, a godly and just man. a citizen without guile and of blameless repute ? such is Dr. Campbell. The influence of such a man for good is fairly immeasurable, and so it can truthfully be said that no man will ever know how much good Dr. Campbell has done during his pastor ate here, how many lives he has helped, how many souls he has saved, how many weak mortals he has strengthened, by the beauty of his own life as much as by any words he may have uttered in his ministerial capacity. The Roanoke Times, In common with his fellow-citizens of every walk in life, salutes Dr. Camp bell upon this occasion, and Joins with its salutation heartiest and Blncerest best wishes for every good thing for this righteous and splendid man whom it is the delight of the whole community to honor.