--part1_89.8970c7be.25aa1cb9_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --part1_89.8970c7be.25aa1cb9_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <INMONROE-L-request@rootsweb.com> Received: from rly-yc03.mx.aol.com (rly-yc03.mail.aol.com [172.18.149.35]) by air-yc04.mail.aol.com (v67.7) with ESMTP; Sun, 09 Jan 2000 11:26:11 -0500 Received: from bl-11.rootsweb.com (bl-11.rootsweb.com [204.212.38.27]) by rly-yc03.mx.aol.com (v67.7) with ESMTP; Sun, 09 Jan 2000 11:25:51 -0500 Received: (from slist@localhost) by bl-11.rootsweb.com (8.9.3/8.9.3) id IAA07179; Sun, 9 Jan 2000 08:25:19 -0800 (PST) Resent-Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 08:25:19 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000109014201.008045e0@bluemarble.net> X-Sender: gftl@bluemarble.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2000 01:42:01 -0500 Old-To: INMONROE-l@rootsweb.com From: Randi Richardson <gftl@bluemarble.net> Subject: Thomas C. Johnson Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Resent-Message-ID: <Q3_MCD.A._vB.uZLe4@bl-11.rootsweb.com> To: INMONROE-L@rootsweb.com Resent-From: INMONROE-L@rootsweb.com Reply-To: INMONROE-L@rootsweb.com X-Mailing-List: <INMONROE-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/2773 X-Loop: INMONROE-L@rootsweb.com Precedence: list Resent-Sender: INMONROE-L-request@rootsweb.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Christian Record, October 1848, p. 126-7. ANOTHER SOLDIER GONE. Departed this life on the 7th day of September, 1848, at 30 minutes past noon, at his residence near Spencer in Owen County, Indiana, Elder THOMAS C. JOHNSON. He was some 50 years of age. Seldom, if ever, has it fallen to my lot to record so afflictive a providence. Bro. Johnson, I believe, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., but his Father moved to Scott County, Ind. when he was quite young. Here he grew up to manhood and married Lettissia Harrod, daughter of William Harrod. In 1826 or '7, he removed to Owen County and located near Gosport where he followed, for several years, the business of school teaching, in which vocation he succeeded well. He was chosen Clerk and Recorder of Owen County about the year 1830, the duties of which office he discharged with singular ability. He has been elected to the same office twice since, almost unanimously, which shows the estimate the people of the county placed upon him as a public officer. And Judge McDonald has often been heard to say that he was "equal, if not superior, to any Clerk in the District." He enjoyed in a very eminent degree, the confience of all who knew him. When any legal question would arise among the farmers of the country, they always consulted "Tomy Johnson," as they familiarly called him, and his opinion was generally satisfactory to all concerned. In a word, he was an honest, intelligent and prudent business man, and always that kind, attentive, condescending and gentlemanly officer. But the best remains to be told. He was a CHRISTIAN. He embraced the religion of Jesus Christ when he was quite a boy and joined the people called "Christians," and by their enemies called "New Lights." And at a very early day he commenced preaching in that body. He was a very zealous and devoted advocate of what he believed to be true. He was considered one of the best hands to carry on a "camp meeting," in the state. He was a good singer and something of a poet, and it was supposed by some that he could sing all night, and in some instances, make his song as he went. "As a preacher he was perservering and zealous, and perhaps, in those times, enthusiastic. Under a very high sense of duty, and perhaps in some respects a mistaken view of the "call to the ministry," he labored almost incessantly through cold and heat, rain, snow and ice, opposition and poverty, but he succeeded nobly, in company with McClung, the Craftons, Joseph Berry, John Henderson, John Harrod, Jonathan Nicholas, Street Cox, Comings Brown, John Mavity, and many others of the same stamp. As a scholar, bro. Johnson's attainments in English literature were quite respectable, but not profound. He confined his studies mostly to the practical in life, and hence his education, which he acquired mostly by his own efforts after he was 30 years of age, was of the useful and practical kind. As a preacher, his talents were far above mediocrity, though it was very difficult to persuade him that such was the fact. He was modest and retiring, always esteeming others better than himself. He very seldom spoke more then 50 minutes at any time and his discoureses were generally very systematic and always interesting to his hearers. But his strong fort was Exhortation. When he planted himself upon the facts of the gospel and gradually led the sinner up to the cross of Christ, his features would kindle up, his voice would become animated, and his appeals were almost irresistible; and when he would portray the Judgment Day, and the solemn scenes or eternity, the sinner was made to tremble, and christians to weep over a ruined world. HIs eloquence was of the popular kind, and his voice was very melodious. Never shall I forget the sound of his voice or the deep pathos of his language when his countenance kindled into a living flame, he would exhort sinners to repent and turn to the Lord, or saints to perserverance. He embraced the Reformation as soon as he understood it, and became a pioneer in the cause in central Idiana. Brother Johnson was very pious. He was emphatically a praying man. He came to a throne of Grace with childlike simplicity and a humble boldness and would plead the promises of God before him with so much earnestness, power and pathos that soemtimes it seemed that the very "place was shaken." No man was better calculated than he to pour the balm of consolation into the wounded breast or, by his counsels, prayers and exhortations, to cheer the dying pilgrim and throw around the couch of the sick and the dying the sweet influence of hope. He was a very successful preacher and contributed much to build up and sustain the cause of God in Owen and adjoining counties. Long will his labors of love be remembered by the brethren at Union, Liberty, Bethlehem, Cloverdale, Spencer, Antioch, Concord, Richland and Republican. But his health had been sensibly on the decline for a number of years. His disease, which was dispepsy at first, gradually ran into the pulmonary consumption which, connected with a stubborn diarrhea, would not yield to medicine, terminated his earthly career. Some two weeks before his death I visited him and spent two nights and one day with him. The christian hope was the theme of his conversation, and I never conversed with any man who seemed to enjoy brighter evidence of a title to mansions in the skies. Bro. Johnson was a kind and affectionate husband and father, a constant friend, and a tender-hearted and benevolent man. Want went smiling from his door and the stranger never was neglected. Indeed, he was liberal almost to a fault. Bro. Johnson has left a companion and a large family of children to mourn their loss; and we assure Sister Lettissia and her family that we deeply sympathise with them in their bereavement. Brother Isaac E. Johnson, his second son, is the only one of his children who is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. May God grant that the example of their father and his kind admonitions may yet influence them to put on the yoke of Christ! In conclusion, though the tongue of our beloved brother is now still in death and his voice forever hushed in the silence of the tomb; yet we have no doubt he sings the praises of God in the Paradise above. We therefore sorrow not as those who have no nope. O may we be faithful, that when the Lord comes again and brings all the saints with him, we may be prepared to enter into his everlasting kingdom, to join our glad voices in conection with our dear brother in swelling the loud Hallelujah that shall ascend from the redeemed multitude when they are assembled around the throne of God and the Lamb. J. M. M. ==== INMONROE Mailing List ==== Learn more about Monroe County and her genealogical resources at <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inmonroe/monroegw.html>. --part1_89.8970c7be.25aa1cb9_boundary--