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VV/iLLACE.
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LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
IN MEMORY OF
STEWART S. HOWE
JOURNALISM CLASS OF 1928
STEWART S. HOWE FOUNDATION
B
W188W
cop. 2
I .H.S.
SUSY l<iFE:
A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY
REV. DAVID A.WALLACE, D. D., LL. D.,
FIBST PRESIDENT OF MONMOUTH COLLEGE.
KEY. H. F. WALLACE.
" I have fought a good tight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but
unto all them also that love His appearing." II TIM. 4 : 7, 8.
GBEELEY, COLORADO :
1885.
Copyrighted, 1885, by
H. F. WALLACE.
ALUMHI OF MOHMOUTH COLLEGE,
WHO REPKESENT
THE CAUSE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION,
FOR WHICH MONMOUTH COLLEGE WAS FOUNDED,
AND TO WHICH THE SUBJECT OF THESE
MEMOIRS HAD CONSECRATED HIS
LIFE, THIS VOLUME IS
DEDICATED.
CONTENTS.
PART I IN MEMORIAM.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY WORK 3
CHAPTER II.
COLLEGE WORK ' 17
CHAPTER III.
MONMOUTH PASTORATES 39
CHAPTER IV.
LEAVING THE COLLEGE 51
CHAPTER F.
LAST DAYS 62
PART II DEAD, YET SPEAKING.
SERMONS AND ADDRESSES:
1 CLAIMS OF THE BIBLE - 81
2 WALKING IN THE TRUTH 124
3 " WHAT MUST I Do TO BE SAVED 't " 146
(v)
vi Contents.
4 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION 154
5 THE HOLY SPIRIT 168
6 THE STATE AND TEMPERANCE 181
LETTERS:
1 To His CHILDREN .... 204
2 To A COLLEGE STUDENT - - - 209
3 To A THEOLOGICAL STUDENT - - 213
4 To A YOUNG MINISTER - - - - - 225
IT is with feelings of diffidence that I present this
volume to the public. Few will, perhaps, see
more defects than myself. Yet I feel that it is going
among friends among those who knew Dr. Wallace,
and who desire some memorial of him. This, how-
ever, can be but a feeble one. His lasting memorial
is written upon the hearts of the sons and daughters
of Monrnouth College. I therefore, send this volume,
not into the cold, cynical world, to be judged by
merciless critics, but I send it 'especially to those
who knew him, and had learned to love him, and
who Avill refrain from passing a critical judgment.
The difficulty of gathering material for such a work
as this can only be known by those who have them-
selves undertaken a similar task. His busy life left
him no time for writing long letters, only short busi-
ness ones, and very little in the form of a diary. In
1873 his residence was destroyed by fire, and most
of his manuscript sermons and lectures were burned.
Very few of his sermons, in later years, were written
in full. The matter from which choice was made for
Part II. was consequently limited.
To the many friends to whom I am indebted for
(viij
viii Preface.
valuable materials, acknowledgment has been made
in the course of the work where their communica-
tions have 'been used; but I would especially men-
tion the names of Prof. J. C. Hutchison, Ph. D., a
professor in Monmouth College almost from the be-
ginning, who contributed the second chapter; the
Eev. Marion Morrison, D. D., a classmate and life-
long friend; the Rev. Alex. Young, D. D., LL. D., a
colleague in two pastorates ; the Eev. Hugh Forsythe,
the Rev. J. T. Cooper, D. D., and the Rev. J. A.
Grier. I would also acknowledge the many en-
couraging words that have come to me, especially
from the early alumni of Monmouth College.
My aim has been to present as truly as possible
the inner life of the man ; with the material at hand
this could only be imperfectly done. There was
much in the home life, and in the private communi-
cations with those Avith whom he had to deal, that can
not be brought to the view of the public.
My prayer is that this little volume may be the
means of magnifying the grace of God, that so
cheered and sustained the heart of our depprted
brother, and of which he loved so much to sper k to
others.
GREELEY, COLO.,
August 1, 1885.
PART FIRST.
IN MEMORIAM.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY WORK.
David Alexander Wallace was born near Fairview,
Guernsey County, Ohio, June 16, 1826. His ances-
tors belonged to that sturdy race the Scotch-Irish
who left Scotland and settled in the district in
Ireland called Ulster. They inherited largely the
peculiar characteristics of the two countries. They
carried with them wherever they went, a love of
liberty religious and secular ; and were strong advo-
cates of education. They figured largely in the
American struggle for independence; and "the com-
mon schools of America, and the colleges were in a
great measure inaugurated by them." The thought
of separating religion from secular education never
entered their minds. The Shorter Catechism, as
well as the Bible, occupied a prominent place in
their schools. They were educators in the highest
sense of the word. They believed that secular edu-
cation should be sanctified and directed by a knowl-
edge of the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God. They held that Christian statesmen were the
safest and best to control the affairs of state, and
(3)
4 A Busy Life.
that men trained in the fear of the Lord made the
best and most patriotic citizens.
David Wallace and John McCleuahan were the
grandfathers of David Alexander. It is not known
when David Wallace came to this country; John
McClenahan came in the year 1812, just before the
declaration of war between the United States and
England. The vessel in which he and his family
came, was the last to enter an American port until
after the cessation of hostilities. David Wallace is
said to have been a man of sterling integrity, great
equanimity of temper, and strong mental powers.
He held the office of Justice of the Peace for about
thirty years, or as long as he could be induced to
accept it. He was a ruling elder in the Associate
Reformed Church, first at St. Clairsville, Ohio, and
afterwards at Fairview, Ohio.
John McClenahan was a ruling elder in the Fair-
view congregation for about thirty years. He pos-
sessed strong mental powers, a good memory and a
great taste for reading, and thus secured a vast fund
of information upon the history of the church. He
wrote a number of articles for the press, some of
which appeared in " The Preacher," now " The
United Presbyterian."
John Wallace, the father of David Alexander, was
born in Belmont county, Ohio. His mother, Jane
McClenahan, was born in county Down, Ireland.
Early Work.
She was eight years of age when her parents came
to America. They were married, June 14, 1825,
when they settled on a farm near Fairview. John
Wallace was a ruling elder in the Fairview congre-
gation of the Associate Reformed Church for over
twenty years; first under the pastoral care of the
Rev. Samuel Findley, D. D., afterward under that
of the Rev. Hugh Forsythe. He died April 20, 1850.
His pastor, the Eev. Hugh Forsythe, writes: "He
was a man of good sense, sound judgment, very
judicious and very prudent. He was kind liearted.
In cases of discipline, if he erred at all, it was on
the side of mercy. I suppose he had more influence
over me than any other member of session. He had
great influence in the congregation. Two things
gave him influence in congregational meetings, good
sense and a perfect willingness to do his part. He
befriended a great many poor people, without respect
to race or color. When he was buried, some colored
people, whom he had befriended, were standing near
the grave looking into it while tears were rolling
down their cheeks. John Wallace was emphatically
the poor man's friend. 1 '
His grandmother McClenahau, and mother, were
women greatly beloved by all who knew them. They
were respected and loved by their children and
grandchildren. Their influence over their children
was great. His mother, left a widow with a number
6 A Busy Life.
of children, who were unable to do much for their
own support, and with limited means, was compelled
to plan and work for their support and education.
But her cheerful spirit and energy carried her over
all the difficulties in her way. The writer, though
young during those trying years, can never forget
the anxiety she manifested for the welfare of her
children; and the thoughts that passed through his
mind, when, morning and evening, we were gathered
together, a chapter was read, and prayer was offered
by her. This was in the days when women were
unaccustomed to take any part in public religious
exercises. She still lives, having attained her four-
score years.
At an early age David Alexander manifested an
aptness for learning, which led his parents to deter-
mine to give him an education. He started to
school at the age of four years. It was in the winter
of 1830. He spent that winter with his grandfather,
Wallace. Although too young to walk to school
through the snow, yet so desirous was he to attend
that his uncles carried him there and back. At the
age of twelve years he entered Madison College,
located at Antrim, Ohio. He remained but a short
time. His parents were unable to keep him at col-
lege continuously; hence he was under the necessity
of teaching. He taught his first school at Green-
wood, near his home, when he was about fifteen
Early Work. 1
years of age. A debating club was organized in
the neighborhood, which he attended, and in whose
exercises he took part. Here was manifested that
ability in debate which characterized him in after
years.
During 1842-1844 he was assistant in an academy
in West Virginia. His uncle, the Rev. William
Wallace, D. D., was nominally the principal, but
the work was mainly performed by his assistant. In
the autumn of 1844, he entered the junior class in
Miami University. The Rev. Marion Morrison,
D. D., who was a class-mate, and much of the time
room-mate, thus writes concerning his college days:
" He made many warm friends while in college.
He was the kind of student who will always com-
mand the respect of his professors. Very diligent
and intensely devoted to his studies, he never went
into the recitation room without having made
thorough preparation, unless something very unusual
occurred. Then he plainly told the professor he
was not prepared, and gave the reason. He was not
satisfied with a recitation unless he had thoroughly
mastered the subject. He was ambitious, but his
ambition was of that kind which led him to make
thorough work of whatever he undertook. His
temperament was such that sometimes he was the
most jubilant; then again he would be much cast
down, almost despondent. Yet when in his most
8 A Busy Life.
despondent mood he was able to work on with such
energy, that no one, not on intimate terms with him.
would ever suspect his discouragements. This
remained with him during life. 1 "
He graduated in August, 1840, at the age of
twenty, with the honors of his class. While in the
last session of the senior year, he was elected presi-
dent of Muskingum College, at New Concord, Ohio.
This position he held until 1849, when he resigned
the presidency of the college, and accepted the posi-
tion of principal of the North Ward Public School
of Wheeling, West Virginia, which position he held
about two years.
In these positions he was fitting himself for his
life work, that of an educator. But his desire was
to secure a theological education, and. to this end
his heart was turned, and his energies were bent.
While at Wheeling, he pursued a course of private
study in theology, under the direction of his uncle,
Dr. William Wallace. He spent two sessions at the
Theological Seminary. The first at Oxford, Ohio,
then under the direction of the Rev. Joseph Clay-
baugh, D. D. ; and the second at Allegheny, under
the direction of the Eev. John T. Pressly, D. D.
He was licensed by the Second Associate Reformed
presbytery of Ohio, April 10, 1849. He attended
the seminary at Allegheny after his licensure. About
this time he received a call from Canonsburg, Pa. ;
Early Work. 9
also one from the congregation of Fall River, Mass. ;
but he felt it his duty to accept the latter, although
the more needy and less inviting field. He was
ordained by the Associate Reformed presbytery of
New York, and installed pastor of the Fall River
congregation, June 3, 1851.
He spent the summer previous to his ordination
in this congregation. In a letter to his friend,
Marion Morrison, he gives expression to his feelings
in reference to the work in which he was engaged,
in these words: "It has been my lot heretofore to
be compelled to work. I have got into the way of
it I can't keep from it work I must. How do you
find it? Is not preaching to souls a very serious
business, far different than seminary preaching?
Oh, how awful a business! What earnest minister
would think of decking his sermons with garlands,
made of the flowers of rhetoric? For my part, I
feel that the work is too awful for any such trifling.
I talk right on the plainest truths of the word
naked though they be. I would not polish a truth,
gloss it up, until it slips down like an oyster or a
sugar coated pill; the rough corners sometimes
make the impression." In this connection we will
insert an extract from an article of the Rev. James
A. Grier, which shows that his early ideas of preach-
ing clung to him through life. "His presentation
of truth was so exceedingly clear and simple that
10 A Busy Life.
often it did not look well in print. In the pulpit,
from his lips, it was the great power of God. In
all the branches of illustration, he was a master.
Especially was he at home in analogies drawn from
ordinary life, travel, business transactions and such
like matter of fact affairs.. What clear, pungent
illustration of expiation and substitution and the
duty of complete repentance he used to draw from
the ordinary occurrences of human life, and all pre-
sented in the most idiomatic English. He never
lacked a word or apt phrase, but it was always clean
and chaste. He was deficient in the mental quali-
ties which produce floridity in eloquence, and which
takes delight in elaborate ornamentation. Yet he
had a sublimity about him, which lifted him into
lofty heights at times ; and at such times the thought
and speech of the man did not alone seem to rise
but the man himself. Such occurrences were some-
what rare, and the flights short, but his strokes were
those of the eagle. He had large power of pathos,
although he rarely showed it. I remember a chapel
sermon on 'Looking to Jesus,' when almost every
face was wet with weeping, and another on the
' Solace there is in Jesus at the time of death,' when
some of the audience broke out in sobs. At such
times his soul seemed in flame with a divine fervor."
In reference to his work in Fall River, previous
to his installation, he said; "I have to work verv
Early Work. 11
hard here. I am as emphatically a missionary as
though I were in Damascus. I go from house to
house preaching; prayer meeting and lecture on
Wednesday evening, two sermons on Sabbath, a
lecture on the Shorter Catechism on Sabbath even-
ing, complete the round of my parochial labors. It
keeps me busy busy, but that I like." Concerning
his work in Fall River while pastor, we have been
furnished the following: "In addition to his abund-
ant services on the Sabbath, he conducted a Bible
class on Tuesday evening, which was open to all
who desired to attend. Thursday evening was
devoted to the weekly prayer meeting. He always
gave a lecture, taking as a basis one of the questions
in the Shorter Catechism. When he came, he found
a congregation discouraged and downcast, by means
of disappointment and debt. The congregation was
divided into districts. An elder was assigned to
take charge of a district and be a leader in it. They
met once a week to talk over the sermon of the pre-
vious Sabbath, and for prayer and praise. The
pastor met with one of these divisions each week.
There was also a plan for work among those who did
not attend any church. Those who were at work
under this plan reported once a month, at his study,
their progress and any work of interest."
We here give an incident which illustrates his
work and the character of his preaching. It is one
12 A Susy Life.
of those experiences which the Master gives to his
faithful servants to encourage them in their work.
While he was living at Wooster, he received a letter
from a man whom he had never seen, nor did he
know anything concerning him. The writer stated
that, years before, he had been in Fall River, had
been living a very careless life. Being in the park,
in the suburbs, one Sabbath evening, where a young
man was preaching in the open air, he was attracted
by the " handsome boyish face of the preacher,"
who was presenting the free offer of salvation, which
he was enabled to accept. He ascertained the name
of the young man, but lost sight of him, yet he
never forgot that face. He had at that late date
learned where he was, and had been constrained to
write and tell him he had been instrumental in sav-
ing his soul. "In the morning sow thy seed, and
in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou
knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or
that, or whether they both shall be alike good.''
In 1853 he was elected to succeed the Eev. Dr.
Claybaugh, as Professor of Theology, in the Associ-
ate Reformed Theological Seminary at Oxford, Ohio ;
he had also been chosen to nil the chair of mathe-
matics in the Miami University, located at the same
place. Upon the advice of his presbytery, these
offers were declined, as was also a call from one of
the churches at Pittsburgh.
Ktn-ly Wot-l: 13
Previous to this time, August 21, 1851, he had
been united in marriage to Miss Martha J. Findley,
daughter of Mr. James Findley, of New Concord,
Ohio, who proved a faithful companion and helper
through all the trying scenes of his life.
A mission station had been started in East Boston,
and at the request of his presbytery, he resigned
his charge at Fall River, to engage in the work at
that place. He commenced labor in this field on
the last Sabbath of January, 1854. The congrega-
tion was regularly organized August 16, 1854. and
he was installed pastor November 15th of the same
year. The work at East Boston was much of the
same character as that at Fall River. Many of the
members were young men, who worked in the ship-
yards. The work among these was much enjoyed.
Nevertheless the work of building up a congrega-
tion was arduous and slow.
He enjoyed a great advantage in having access to
the public libraries of Boston, and by hard and
systematic study he was enabled to prepare himself
for work in after years. In addition to his regular
pastoral duties, he prepared and published a pamph-
let, entitled "The Theology of New England; An
attempt to exhibit the doctrine now prevalent in the
Orthodox Church of New England." Dr. Daniel
Dana, of Newburyport, Mass., in an introduction to
this pamphlet, says: "The worthy and respected
14 A Busy Life.
author of this pamphlet has executed a task of no
common importance. He has presented to the
churches a view of the theology of New England, as
it now exists, together with the means and steps by
which it has arrived at its present position. The
whole work is^ marked with great care and accuracy
of investigation, with great clearness of statement,
and with a candor which is mingled with a decided
and warm attachment to the pure principles of gospel
truth. In a work involving such extensiveness of
general survey, and such minute statement of par-
ticulars, it would be strange indeed, were there to
be found no mistakes. In the present case, it is
believed, there are few, and these of small im-
portance."
This pamphlet shows the influence which sur-
rounded orthodox ministers of the Calvinistic school,
and exhibits the difficulties they had to encounter
in building up a congregation of the Calvinistic
faith. These doctrines he firmly believed. He
believed them, not because they were the doctrines
of his church, or of his fathers, but believed them
because, upon thorough investigation, he found them
to be in harmony with the Word of God. Before
this, while a student, he went over this system in
comparison with Arminianism. He had found him-
self inclined to Arminianism and wrote to his uncle,
the Rev. James M. Henderson, pastor of an Asso-
Early Work. 15
ciate congregation in Indiana, stating his difficulties.
Perhaps he had known that his uncle had, when a
young man, stumbled for years on the same ground,
and could therefore help him in his difficulty. He
replied in a series of twelve letters, which led him
to embrace the Calvinistic system of doctrine. It
was his design to have these letters published, but
before it was accomplished, these with other valu-
able papers, were destroyed by fire. He did not
want to believe and profess simply what his parents
professed, without examining for himself and know-
ing why he thus believed. He, however, did not
lightly esteem the opinions of his fathers. In later
years he endeavored to impress upon the minds of
his students the importance of adhering to the faith
of their fathers until, after a thorough personal
examination, they were satisfied they were mistaken.
It was well that he had the opportunity to go over
and settle thoroughly in his own mind these impor-
tant fundamental truths; for afterwards his time was
so much occupied with pressing college duties that he
would scarcely have had the opportunity. He after-
wards frequently remarked, that he could not have
sustained himself in Monmouth during these active,
busy years, if it had not been for what he had garn-
ered in Boston.
He had been laboring in East Boston nearly two
years, when he received an invitation from the Board
1(5 A Busy Life.
of Trustees of Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illi-
nois, to become the president of that newly founded
institution. So reluctant was he to leave his pres-
ent field, that he at first declined the invitation.
However, the health of Mrs. Wallace had been fail-
ing; the climate of New England was too severe for
her. In the winter and spring of 1856, her lungs
gave her much trouble. Under these circumstances
an invitation came the second time to become presi-
dent of Monmouth College. He consulted with a
noted physician, a specialist in lung disease, who
was very emphatic in his opinion that she could
not live in that climate. This decided him to accept
the position tendered him in Monmouth College.
His resignation of the pastoral charge of the East
Boston congregation was accepted by the presbytery,
September 10, 1856, and soon after he went to
Monmouth to commence what proved to be the great
work of his life.
CHAPTBE II.
COLLEGE WORK.
The history of David Alexander Wallace would
be but half told if it did not include in its telling
his relations with Monmouth College. Indeed, we.
who were the most intimately acquainted with the
college and her president, had begun to think that
they were inseparable the one could not exist with-
out the other and. when compelled to consent to a
separation, we yielded to the will of a Divine Power
that knew best. And this relation was formed at
such an early day in the history of the college, that
a brief account of its origin will be necessary to
complete the story.
The thought of establishing Moumouth College
originated in the minds of men who felt the need of
a Christian school of learning. The first public
step taken for the establishment of such a school
was in the action of the Second Associate Reformed
presbytery of Illinois, in 1853, by which the follow-
ing persons were appointed trustees of the "Acad-
emy," or High School, to be established at Mon-
mouth under the direction of said presbytery, vix:
Revs. J. C. Porter, W. R. Erskine and R. Ross,
2 (17)
18 A Busy Life.
Messrs. J. C. McCreary, W. R. Jamison, N. A. Ran-
kin, E. C. Babcock, J. G. Madden, Dr. J. A. Young,
Hon. A. C. Harding and Judge James Thompson.
The Board of Trustees of Monmouth Academy was
organized May 9, 1853, by electing Rev. J. C. Por-
ter president and Hon. James Thompson secretary
and treasurer. A building committee was appointed
and immediate steps taken to procure a suitable
building; b*ut no permanent one was secured until
1856, until which time the academy was conducted,
first in the Christian church, then in the basement
of the Presbyterian church, arid afterwards in a dis-
trict school-house.
Monmouth Academy was opened on the first Mon-
day in November, A. D. 1853, with the reading of