Alumni Reminiscences 1878 of Anti-Slavery Rebellion

Name in full Sherlock Bristol Born A.D. 1815 -- June 5th in Cheshire Ct. Converted in August A.D. 1830 Entered Coll. Septr --A.D. 1836. Began to preach (was licensed) in Mansfield Ohio Sept 18[blurred] Came to California Oct. 1866. Age 63.

[signature along side of page] Sherman Bristol

Binghamton N.Y May 27 1878

Rev M E Park My Dear Bro. Your note came to hand on Sat. I have scribbled in the most hasty manner a reply, which may probably be of some servie. Yours Cordially John R Sullivan

I was a boy of twelve when I entered Phillips Academy. Osgood Johnson was then the Principal. I first saw him while, slowly & limpingly, he was making his way from ^the door of the old Brick Academy down to ^^his chairs. His pallid face, surmounted by a dome - like brow, with his large spectacles, and a peculiar spiritual expression, gave me the impression, to a degree I never got it from any other man, that what I saw was not the man, but that his real self, was out of sight, behind those glasses, & that white placid face, and that great coat & muffler which he wore. He had a clubfoot also, which struck the side walk with a thud at every step, and alternately raised & depressed his form as he walked. The total ensemble made a great impression on my boyish imagination. His infirmities added to his dignity & the whole effect of his appearance, was to inspire the idea that some supernatural being had been born lame, like Vulcan and unjustly cast down from Olympus. After he had got out of sight in the depths of his capacious chair my attention was attracted to his horse. It was a beautiful bay, "well tamed & of fine action; but he carried his tail over on one side, as some troopers near their [??] Not being then acquainted with the tricks of horse craft that tail was a daily wonder to me and with the club foot, stimulated my scientific curiosity, as a true

2.

classical environment is laid always to do. As I have said, Mr Jonson was a man of real dignity. If any one wishes to realise this, let him attempt to enter the school room door of the Brick Academy, in opposition to a squaking pully & a ponderous might, & turn^{ing the}sharp corner climb into the contracted wooden box at the right,, and add this embarrassment a heavy cane & a lame foot and a mountain of wrappings. But Mr Johnson did all this, andnot one of the fun-loving boys who crowded the room saw anything to laugh at. On the contrary no sooner was that wooden foot heard in the entry than we were all hushed. Every eye was fixed upon him in respecct as he entered Levi Wilder at the upper end of the room stopped tuning his violin. We rose in silence, while Mr Johnson pronounced a brief invocation, uniformly asking that our morning devotions might be performed "as being Him who is invisible." Then followed a few verses of scripture, so read that a hidden radiance was made to flash out from its depths, as when a stillful lapiday, holds before you a gem, so adjusted that all its inner light beams upon your surprised vision. Then came the hymn; and was there ever such reading of a hymn? With feebler voice, but with distant articulation, and melodious

3.

cadence, he would read such a hymn as "Oh could I speak the matchless worth!" till the silence became oppressive & ^the tears would start in spite of us. Then Wilder would draw his brow very gently for a final preparation, and lifting his head as high as possible, to make up for his lack of inches, ^he started the "??" and what singing that was! We had just [??] through a powerful revival in which nearly ever member of the two Academies had been hopefully converted. By the side of Wilder stood Isaac P. Langworthy, beloved & honored then, as now, Horace James, the soldier minister, was there, in a blur round-about. [??] was there and Scooby, and Joseph Gibson Hoyt, and Putman, and Enoch & Warren Childs & M. N Long, and many another. We all sung as well as we could. Then followed the prayer. If anybody had failed to percieve before Mr Johnsons wonderful elevation both intellectual & spiritual one of his prayers would be enough to inspire a respect bordering upon veneration. He transported, us into that unseen world, when he seemed habitually himself to dwell. This [deleted text] ^{he played us} before the great white thorne, in the very presence of the most High.

Of Mr Johson as a teacher I cannot

4.

speak from much personal knowledge. My teacher at that time was James W. McLean - a large hearted, noble man, since distinguished as a pastor & shcolar in the city of N. York. I also remember well when Samuel H. Taylor first appeared in our recitation rooms, blushing like a girl, and conducting his class in an apologetic, diferential manner, which stands now in an almost ludicrous contrast, with his subsequent well knew decision & promptness.

Mr Johnson was usually quiet, but always & most searching & thorough in his style of teaching nothing escaped his notice. Any exhibition of accurate scholar shop or of skill in rendering ^translating the original, with its nicer shades of meaning, into idiomatic English, transported him with delight. I have known him to allow, unconsciously, one student to read the entire lesson, and then pour forth such ecominiums, as would be treasured by the happy recipient as a coronet of jewels, for his life time. On the other hand he would be carried away with indignation where some stupid slip shod rendering, informed the class that the student had "eaten up a monument harder than brass" when like Prof. Kingaly of Yale, but with much more vehemence of manner, he would bid