Reid, John C.
5/25/1881
- 1881 |
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Rev. John C. Reid, having passed away on the 25th of last May, it becomes our sad duty to chronicle the fact in the midst of our proceedings. The following are the statistics of his ministerial life. He was admitted to the Memphis Conference November, 1848; received into full connection and ordained deacon November, 1850; elected and ordained elder in November, 1852; was transferred to the Arkansas Conference November, 1854; transferred back to Memphis October, 1855; and transferred to the Louisiana Conference October, 1857, his first year in the Louisiana Conference being that of 1858. We believe that Brother Reid was transferred back to the Memphis Conference from us since the war, but remained only one year. For many years his constitution was very frail, and it was a wonder to his brethren how he endured as long as he did. John C. Reid was a man of marked character. He had eccentricities, but his life and preaching were a terrible rebuke to sin. Many of us will recollect occasions when the power of his utterances was overwhelming in its effect. He was a man of great self-reliance, of independence of thought, and positiveness of conviction. He made no compromise with sin and respected no one merely for the name he bore. While his preaching was generally severe and searching, yet the impression made was that he was thoroughly honest and conscientious. The same stern, self-reliance and composure were manifest in his sickness that characterized his active life. Although confined to his room and bed for two or three years before he died, yet he did not repine and complain. His mental vigor was retained to the last, and even when too feeble to sit up he took an interest in what was going on in the world. While prostrated upon his bed, emaciated and worn to a skeleton, he rejoiced to see his brethren and would engage with them in animated conversation on religious and other themes. He was more pretentious in regard to his own personal religion, but the testimonials that often came out incidentally were very gratifying. While there were no exhibitions of joyful anticipations in his last hours, yet his faith never seemed stronger, and he went unfalteringly down into the death valley. He died in full confidence that he had fought a good fight, that he had kept the faith, and that there was laid up for him a crown of righteousness. |
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| Source: Journal Louisiana Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1882 | |
