some mighty work, and when he came to use it in a
brief application, the eifect was often irresistible. The
whole weight of his accumulated reasoning was brought
to bear upon the conscience and heart; and many a
strong man felt his courage and^ insensibility give way
under it, if he was an unbeliever ; or his resolution for
holy living and active zeal quickened, if he was already
a disciple of Christ.

Several persons have kindly furnished reminiscences
of their impressions, &c, the first time they ever saw
Mr. Donnell in the pulpit, which cannot fail to be in-
teresting, particularly to those who never saw him ;
and which will be better calculated to preserve some
likeness of him when his cotemporaries and acquaint-



246 LIFE AND LABORS OF

ances shall all have passed away, than anything the
writer could say.

Rev. Cyrus Haynes remarks : " My first recollection
of Mr. Donnell was in 1810. I was then about five
years old, but his dignified manner in the pulpit, and
in his social intercourse, made an impression on my
mind at that early period which I have not yet for-
gotten. He had studied in youth the rudiments of
vocal music, and his voice was wonderfully adapted to
singing. He never failed to interest an audience when
engaged in that exercise. The hymn of Dr. Watts,
commencing, 'My God, my life, my love,' was a great
favorite with him ; and I never see the hymn, or hear
it sung, without thinking of Mr. Donnell.

"He began at a very early period of his ministry
delivering a lecture on the distinctive doctrines of the
Cumberland Presbyterian church. The first time I
heard this lecture, was at Marshal's camp-ground, in
1820. He used as a motto, ' I speak as unto wise men,
judge ye what I say.' He showed in a clear and most
forcible manner wherein Cumberland Presbyterianism
differed from Calvinism and Armenianism. A gentle-
man of much respectability for talents, as well as stand-
ing in the Presbyterian church, took exceptions to the
lecture, so far as it referred to Calvinism, and spent
nearly the whole night, after the discourse was deliv-
ered, in debate with Mr. Donnell, in a camp. A few
persons sat up listening to them, and were of the



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 247

opinion that Mr. Donnell was equally as conclusive in
private debate as he had been in the pulpit.

" I will merely add, that I regarded Mr. Donnell as
one of the most deeply pious and holy men I ever
knew, and his usefulness as a preacher I think has
rarely been excelled."

Eev. J. M. Penick : " The first time I ever heard Mr.
Donnell preach, was at the General Assembly, at Elk-
ton, Kentucky. His subject was the Holy Waters
Ezekiel xlvii. Several years afterward, a prominent
lawyer asked me what had become of that old fisher-
man. Knowing to whom he alluded, I asked him if
he had not forgotten that sermon yet? No, said he;
and I shall not while I live. He was an irreligious
man ; but the reply indicated the deep impression
made upon his mind by the discourse. He was not
alone : the sermon made a lasting impression upon the
audience. I heard Mr. Donnell preach but once after-
ward. His text was, < Examine yourselves whether
ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. Know ye
not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ be in you,
except ye be reprobates?' (II Cor.xiii: .) I thought
I had never before heard the Calvinistic views of the
doctrine of eternal and unconditional election and
reprobation so fully confuted."

Eev. Joel Knight : " The first time that I ever saw
Mr. Donnell, was at the Synodical meeting at Prince-



248 LIFE AND LABORS OF

ton, Kentucky, in 1826. The Synod was then the
highest judicatory of our church. He preached on
Sunday, and I regarded the sermon, whether consid-
ered with respect to matter, manner or spirit, as one
of the greatest discourses I had ever heard j and my
opinion then formed has not yet changed."

Rev. M. Priest : " Mr. Donnell preached with the
demonstration of the Spirit, and with power ; and I
regarded him as the greatest preacher of our church,
if not the greatest of the age. He was not only great,
but good. I fear his mantle has fallen on but few of
his sons in the ministry. More than once I have
known him close his sermon upon his knees, praying
sinners to become reconciled to God. He lived for the
benefit of mankind, and in his death the country has
lost a benefactor. His works will follow him, and in
heaven many redeemed spirits will hail him as their
spiritual father."

Rev. J. N. Edmonston : " The first time I ever heard
Mr. Donnell preach, was at a Synodical meeting, at
Columbia, Tennessee. It was a doctrinal sermon, em-
bodying the distinctive peculiarities of Cumberland
Presbyterians. On the next day, he delivered a most
impressive exhortation. He commenced by repeating,
in his characteristic tone and emphasis, the text, ' Let
us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we
shall reap if we faint not.' The church in town was



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 249

small, and struggling for a position of usefulness. He
dwelt with much earnestness and feeling upon the
words, in due season we shall reap, &c. His words were
as apples of gold in pictures of silver. The meeting
continued several weeks after the close of Synod, and
many were converted and added to the church." .

Eev. Samuel McSpedden : "I heard Mr. Donnell
preach Mr. McGee's funeral sermon, at the Beech, and
at Smith's Fork. He used the same text, ' He being
dead yet speaketh' (Heb. xi : 4,) at both places, and
the sermons were substantially the same. At the close
of each discourse, he called on all who believed they
had been convicted and converted under Mr. McGee's
preaching, to indicate it by a signal which he pre-
scribed. Quite a number gave the sign. He then re-
quested all who had enjoyed the comforts of religion,
under the ministry of the deceased, to make it known.
To that proposition, every christian in the congrega-
tion gave the signal, and a general burst of feeling pre-
vailed all over the assembly. Mr. Donnell then showed,
in his beautiful and masterly manner, how Mr. McGee
was still speaking in that congregation, and would
continue to speak in the lives of christians.

" In my estimation, there never has "been a greater
man in the Cumberland Presbyterian church than Mr.
Donnell."

Eev. Isaac Shook : " Some twenty-five years ago, Mr.

Donnell held a sacramental meeting in a very wealthy
32



250 LIFE AND LABORS OF

neighborhood of Limestone county, Alabama, where,
unfortunately, most of the leading men were professed
infidels. On Sabbath morning, he rode from home to
the meeting, in company with one of his neighbors,
who observed that he traveled most of the way with
his head uncovered, apparently engaged in ejaculatory
prayer. That day he preached a powerful and con-
vincing sermon on the truth of the Scriptures. The
result was, nearly all the infidels of the neighborhood
were convinced of their error soon made a profession
of religion, and a very extensive revival followed."

Rev. James H. Shields, of the Presbyterian church :
" It is perhaps about forty years since I first saw Mr.
Donnell, and heard him preach. He was in company
with Revs. Samuel King, J. B. Porter, Robert Bell, and
Robert Guthrie all, as I thought, powerful preachers.
But Mr. Donnell, like Israel's first king, was head and
shoulders above them all, both physically and intellect-
ually. In person, he was large, portly, grave and dig-
nified. His gestures in the pulpit were natural ; voice
commanding and strong, yet musical and well disci-
plined. His perception of truth was clear, and he pos-
sessed the happy art of delivering it so that others
would understand it.

" The last time I ever saw him was in the fall of
1830. He attended a meeting, in company with the
late Rev. John Morgan, in the town of Franklin, Tenn.
After the latter had preached a most excellent sermon,
Mr. Donnell delivered an exhortation, which I still re-



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 251

collect with much interest. Indeed, everything about
that extraordinary man still has a hallowed place in
my memory. But he has fallen ; and who among his
sons in the ministry will ever wear his mantle ? Like
him, may we all fall at our posts."

Bev. W. Eolston : " I became acquainted with Mr.
Donnell in the fall of 1819, at a camp-meeting at the
Beech meeting-house, Sumner county, Tenn. I was
then a sinful youth, and haJ never before seen a camp-
meeting. Mr. Donnell preached on Sabbath to a very
large assembly of people, from the text, 'That as sin
hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ
our Lord.' (Rom. v: 21.) I had heard Dr. Blackburn*
preach in his most palmy days, but never before were
such impressions made on my mind in reference to re-
ligion, as I received under that sermon. He called for
mourners, and many appeared before the pulpit. I re-
member one remark he made in the invitation, with
great emphasis, which was; ' Let the greatest sinner
come first.' 1 did not preseiit myself as a seeker of
religion on that occasion, but ever afterward attended
the ministration of truth by Cumberland Presbyterian
ministers, believing that God was with them.

"After I made a profession of religion, and entered
the ministry, I frequently attended camp-meetings with



* Dr. Blackburn was a celebrated preacher of the Presbyterian
church, and one of the first orators of the country.



252 LIFE AND LABORS OF

Mr. Doimell. In 1831. I aided him at one in Wilson
county, Tenn., at which upward of one hundred per-
sons professed religion. He preached on Sabbath, at
11 o'clock, with great effect, to a large audience. About
an hour after closing his sermon, and while a powerful
work was going on immediately before the pulpit, he
took a position in the rear of the congregation, in the
midst of a crowd of careless sinners, read and sung a
hymn, prayed, announced a text, and then preached
another most awakening sermon, and again called for
mourners. Thus, the work spread throughout the vast
assembly. He often pursued this course at camp-meet-
ings, and with much success.

" He was never discouraged at small congregations,
but preached as though he had a large audience before
him. I recollect to have been present at one of his
appointments, on a week-day, when, owing to its being
quite a busy reason of the year with farmers, but few
came to hear him. He, however, preached as though
the house had been crowded ; and a great revival of
religion commenced in the neighborhood. A young
lady present was converted introduced religion into a
large and respectable family, and subsequently became
the wife of a minister of the Gospel and after a long
life of usefulness in the church, left the world in the
triumph of faith. The people of the vicinity had been
in the habit, for many years, of celebrating the fourth
of July in the woods, with what they called a bran-
dance. Over the very spot that had been cleaned off



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 253

for that purpose, a large arbor was erected, under which
many sinners professed religion, from time to time, at
camp-meetings all growing out of the little unosten-
tatious meeting already alluded to."

Rev. J. C. Provine: "Long will I remember a funeral
sermon preached by Mr. Donnell, in reference to the
death of my mother and uncle. It was delivered under
the arbor of Big Spring camp-ground, to a large and
attentive audience. The matter of the discourse was
well adapted to the occasion, and the manner of the
speaker was unusually solemn and impressive. Often
have I heard aged persons allude to that sermon with
great interest."

Col. John S. Topp: "When I first saw Mr. Donnell,
and heard him preach, I was a youth of 16 or 17 years
old. His personal appearance and bearing in the pulpit
were commanding and dignified. His sermons were
unusually attractive -and edifying, and his earnest man-
ner and power seldom failed to interest the large audi-
ences that attended his ministrations of truth. His
skill and prudence in calling out or developing impres-
sions made under his sermons, were conceded by all ;
and his counsel at camp and protracted meetings was
uniformly sought and appreciated.

" Under his preaching at Lebanon, Tennessee, I re-
ceived my abiding convictions, which, as I trust, led
me to submit as a guilty sinner to be saved by grace."

.Rev. A. J. Steel : " The first time I ever saw Mr.



254 LIFE AND LABORS OF

Donnell, or heard him preach, was in 1818. It was at
Meridian church, Alabama. His text was, ' Who is on
the Lord's side ?' (Exodus xxxii : 26.) Great power
attended the discourse, and myself, sister, and many-
others were deeply convicted. On the evening of the
same day, he preached again, with great power, from
'Why stand ye here all the day idle?' (Matt, xx : 6.) I
attended his ministry for several months that summer;
witnessed frequent revivals under his preaching ; pro-
fessed religion myself, and soon afterward became a
candidate for the ministry, in the Tennessee Presby-
tery, of which he was a member.

" It was my privilege to hear Mr. Donnell preach
many years, and I do not recollect ever to have heard
him deliver a sermon that did not produce a visible
effect upon the audience. I have often heard wicked
men say that it was impossible to listen to him in the
pulpit without feeling the necessity of religion. His
preaching seemed to have more weight, both with
saint and sinner, than any man's I ever heard."

James McCord, Esq.: " The first time I ever saw Mr.
Donnell, was in Franklin county, Tenn., in the neigh-
borhood of the old Goshen church. He was then quite
a young man, dressed in plain homespun ; his coat after
the fashion of the Methodists of 1800. He delivered
his sermon, standing in the door of a cabin, a portion
of his audience being in the house, and the rest in the
yard, for want of room inside. The sermon produced
a deep impression on his hearers many of whom he



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 255

doubtless found in heaven, on his arrival in that happy
world.

"In describing Mr. Donnell's character in general
terms, I would say, in the language of Scripture, l He
was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of
faith : and much people were added to the Lord.' He
was the most industrious, untiring, zealous, faithful,
humble and godly preacher I ever knew."



256 LIFE AND LABORS OF



CHAPTER XXIII.

MR. DONNELL IN THE PULPIT. CONTINUED.

Reminiscence by Rev. M. Bird, D.D. By Rev. A. M. Bryan, D.D. By
Rev. S. Corley By Rev. H. B. Warren, D.D. By Rev. T. C. Ander-
son, D.D. By Dr. J. S. Blair By Rev. R. Barrow, D.D. By Rev. R.
Beard, D.D.

Rev. M. Bird, D.D. : " Mr. Donnell's manner in the
pulpit was natural; his voice was singularly impressive
and agreeable ; his enunciation clear and distinct. In
his attitude and gestures he was graceful and dignified;
his action grave and appropriate, varied with the char-
acter of his subject. There was an unearthly unction
in his delivery. The love of Christ in his heart showed
itself in his countenance, in his eye, and in the tones
of his voice. His eloquence was not artificial,, manu-
facturer! bv a mechanical observance of the rules found
written in the books. These did not control him as
did the unwritten rules of eloquence, which operate by
a kind of instinct in the mind of the orator, and are
those higher principles, which have ever guided the
great masters of the art.

"Mr. Ponnell was a working preacher, and in this
respect stood in the front rank of his profession. In
his day, no minister, in his own or any other denomi-
nation, excelled him in usefulness. He is still fondly
remembered, and will be while his church lives."



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 257

Eev. A. M. Brvan, D.D. : "I first saw and heard Mr.
Donnell preach about thirty-nine years ago. I thought
him one of the finest looking and most dignified men
I had ever seen in the pulpit. It was at a camp-meet-
ing near Russellville, Ky.

"After preaching a most powerful and effective ser-
mon, on the love of G-od in giving his Son to die for a
lost and ruined world, he came out of the pulpit, as
was common in that day with the preachers of our
church, and passed through the congregation, singing
and shaking hands with the people. I stood leaning
against the pulpit, much affected with the sermon, as
he came out, when he laid his hand gently on my head,
saying, 'Oh, my son, you must have religion.' I then
and there formed the purpose to become a disciple of
Jesus Christ. Four years afterward, I was introduced
into the ministry ; and I still remember, with much
tenderness, the name of Donnell, as the chief instru-
ment, under God, of my conversion. I regarded him
as one of the most forcible and powerful preachers I
ever heard."

Eev. S. Corley : " The last time I heard Mr. Donnell
preach, previous to his removal from Tennessee to Ala-
bama, was at Big Spring camp-meeting, in AYilson
county, Tenn. He had left his afflicted wife, by whose
bed-side he had watched for many weeks, to visit a
dying mother, in the vicinity of the camp-meeting.
Having some distance to travel from his home in Jack-
son county, after hearing of his mother's approaching
33



258 LIFE AND LABORS OF

death, he did not reach her residence in time to
receive her blessing, but in time to join the funeral
procession, and witness the mournful service of com-
mitting her body to the grave. This being done, he
set out for the camp-meeting alluded to. He arrived
on Saturday morning, Avhilc the people were at break-
fast. Mr. Calhoun had just risen from the table, and
gone out to arrange preaching for the day ; but was
immediately called back, to see Mr. Donnell. 1 saw
them meet. The greeting was, of course, most cordial;
how could it be otherwise? Mr. Donnell wept; he had
left a sick wife at home, and it was doubtful whether
he would ever see her again ; and on the previous day,
had seen the grave closed upon the remains of a beloved
mother. ISTo wonder that he shed tears. But the good
man, in whose camp he stood, wept too for Calhoun
had learned to weep with those that weep. For a mo-
ment there was silence. Mr. Calhoun spoke first, saying,
'How is your wife ?' 'I left her quite feeble,' was the
reply. 'How is your mother?' The weeping son re-
plied, 'She is well now, for I trust she is in heaven.'

" At this moment, it was announced that breakfast
was ready for Mr. Donnell ; when Mr. Calhoun invited
him to the table, saying, 'Excuse my absence; I was
just arranging preaching for the da} r .' 'Have you di-
rected any one to preach this morning ?' said Mr. Don-
nell. 'Not yet,' was the reply. 'Then let me preach.'
'jNo,' said Mr. Calhoun; 'I want to reserve you forthe
service at 11 o'clock.' ' I want to preach this morning/



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 259

rejoined the other. 'Then,' said Mr. Calhoun, 'you shall
preach;' and he did preach. God's people rejoiced, and
sinners trembled under the sermon. My own fears
were much awakened.

"At the hour of 11 o'clock, I saw Mr. Donnell again
go into the pulpit, and take up the Bible. I knew what
it meant. I was glad, and yet I was afraid. He sang,
and God seemed to be in the hymn. His text was,
'Why will ye die?' (Ezek. xxxiii : 11.) I sat awhile,
but so great were my convictions, that I fied to the
woods. He preached again at night, with similar
power and results. On Sabbath, he preached three
sermons ; and increased power attended each discourse.
His text on Monday was, 'For tophct is ordained of
old : yea, for the king it is prepared ; he hath made it
deep and large ; the pile thereof is fire and much wood;
the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone,
doth kindle it.' (Isa. xxx : 33.) He made a pile of
wood, by supposing all the timber in Wilson county to
be collected together; then all in the State of Tenn-
essee ; then all in the United States ; then all in the
world. After collecting the whole into one mighty
mass, he set fire to it, and wrapped the sinner in the
flames. The effect on the congregation was overwhelm-
ing. I again retreated to the woods ; but the impression
made by the sermon on my heart was abiding.

" Tuesday morning, he left to see, as he said to Mr!
Calhoun, in a short time, the last of his beloved wife."

Eev. H. B. Warren, D.D. : "Mr. Donnell, in his per-



260 LIFE AND LABORS OF

sonal appearance, was commanding, and his manner
prepossessing. He was perhaps a little over six feet
high ; of stout, muscular frame, florid complexion, and
aquiline nose. In gesticulation, he was forcible, not
studied, but. good always indicating a heart deeply
impressed with the importance and magnitude of his
subject. Respecting his character as an orator, there
would, perhaps, be some diversity of opinion. If true
eloquence, however, consists in the speaker's feeling
the importance of his subject, and making others see
and feel it likewise, then was Mr. Donnell eloquent.
He was a man of giant intellect, and, like the indus-
trious bee, that gathers honey from every flower, he
entered the vast laboratory spread out before him, and
obtained knowledge, both from nature and revelation.
" He was my senior in the ministry, and from him I
learned some of my first lessons in theology. I was
often associated with him at meetings, and can say
that there was a promptitude and energy in his dis-
charge of ministerial duty, which I have seldom, if
ever, seen in any other preacher of the Gospel."

President Anderson : " In my youthful and wild
days, drawn by the prospect of agreeable company, I
wandered off to a camp-meeting, at Big Spring. Yery
early on Sabbath morning, I was attracted to the stand
by the soft tones of a mellow, plaintive voice, engaged
in solemn and earnest prayer. After prayer, a very
large, portly, and benevolent looking man, rose in the
pulpit, sung a tender solo, and then said, 'His father



REV. ROBERT DONNELL. 261

required him, when a boy, to feed the sheep and calves
before breakfast, and then do a full day's work besides ;
and he supposed he ought to be willing to do as much
for his Heavenly Father.' Struck with the appearance
of the man, and delighted with the simplicity of his
style, I inquired, ' Who is he?' The answer Avas, ' That
is big Bob DonnellS

" Unacquainted as I was, at that time, with preachers
beyond the limits of my own neighborhood, Mr. Don-
nell's fame had reached me ; and I determined to listen
for the first time to the great Alabama preacher. For
thirty minutes he talked to christians, particularly to
the younger members of the church, in a style and
manner that completely captivated me, sinner as I was:
and from indications among the people, I concluded
the sheep had indeed been well fed, and that they had
truly relished the food.

" At 11 o'clock, he again occupied the stand, and de-
livered to about five thousand persons the most lucid,
persuasive, and powerful sermon, I had ever heard.
The whole assembly were spell-bound, and not a few
melted into tears. Many of the ungodly said they had
never heard such preaching before.

" He administered the sacrament of the Lord's Sup-
per at 3 o'clock in the evening. His talk before the
communion excelled anything I had ever heard on the
subject. He first gathered christians around the cross,
and held them there till they became melted with its
sympathies; then led them away, in imagination, to



262 LIFE AND LABORS OF

the sunny plains of paradise, and verdant banks of the
river of life, till many seemed to fancy that they had
already gained a sight of the promised land.

" I left the meeting with the conviction that I could
not long stand such preaching, without becoming re-
ligious.

" In the fall of 1830, I saw Mr. Donnell again, in
Synod, at Gallatin, Tennessee ; and heard him deliver
what he called his Theological System, with a perspi-
cuity and conclusiveness, such as I have never heard
from any other man. He then made an appeal to the
unconverted, that brought scores of them to the altar
of prayer many of whom, in the morning of the resur-
rection, will appear as stars in his crown.*

" His exhortations were not less powerful than his
sermons. I have yet to hear the man that could excel
him in extemporaneous exhortations. When under
excitement, his appeals were grand : rich in imagery,
solemn as eternity, and subduing as the sympathies of
the cross. In a word, he approached nearer my ideas
of an inspired apostle, than any man I ever heard in
the pulpit.

" If Timothv cherished for Paul more reverence than
I did for Robert Donnell, his feelings were certainly