featured_family2.html - Rev. James Mitchell

Obituary of Rev. James Mitchell

Written by Rev. George Mitchell Winton - 1876

In Memoriam - Rev. James Mitchell, the subject of this sketch, died at the residence of his son, Judge Benjamin C. Mitchell, near Morrisville, Polk County, Mo., on the 28th of June, 1876. His birth was on October 29th, 1786, in what was then known as Knox, now Green County, East Tennessee. He was the son of Rev. Morris Mitchell and Elizabeth (Hoosong) Mitchell, his father being a local preacher and his mother a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They reared their son under pious influences, but he delayed his return to God till his twenty-first year, when under the ministry of Rev. James Axley, he was powerfully converted. It was soon discovered that God designed him for the ministry. He was accordingly licensed to exhort by Thomas Trower, on the 17th of March, 1810, and licensed to preach on the 5th of April, 1813, by Rev. James Axley. In due course of time he was ordained Deacon by Bishop Roberts, and on the 13th of November, 1831, he was ordained Elder by Bishop Hedding.

The Bible, Fletcher’s Checks, Wesley’s Notes, Clarke’s Commentary with the Church papers, formed the staple of his reading through his long and useful life. A few days before his last sickness, I paid him a visit, found him comfortably seated in a chair, and in answer to an inquiry as to his health, his reply was, “first rate”. He was unusually cheerful during the day. Among other things, he gave me one item in his early experience, as follows: He said when first impressed that it was his duty to preach, he was greatly distressed, being unlearned. Poor and exceedingly timorous, he knew not what to do, but was finally driven to the extremity of forming a vow to the Lord, that if he would excuse him from itinerating, he would preach as a local preacher, and at such times and places as no one else could or would; and if the Lord blessed him with children he would rear them for God. And said he, “I kept my vow and in their infancy dedicated each of my children in prayer and baptism; and the Lord blessed me and accepted them, and has preserved them as his own to this day.”

To show how he impressed others and the esteem in which he was held, I wish to insert the following: In 1872, during a District Conference near his residence, he not being able to attend, there was a committee appointed to bear him the sympathies and kindly regards of the Conference. W. M.

Prottsman, being one of the committee, wrote and had published a communication relative to this man of God, and among other things, he says of him and his example and influence upon his family: “So closely were the example and practice and the doctrines and precepts which he taught, that of the large family of children with which he was blessed (fourteen in number), just fourteen were members of his own Church.” Here is an example worthy of any man’s serious reflection.

Three of his sons were called of God to preach the Gospel. His sons who have not devoted themselves to preaching have all filled honorable places in society and official and useful places in the church. His daughters have all bee the development of the doctrines and precepts of the father, and have given their influence and their children to the Church. His grandchildren are not only taking useful and influential positions as members of the church, but some of them too are preachers of the Gospel. Truly here is a patriarch sitting amid a household of trophies gathered from the field of moral conflict.

We dare not praise while life says the labors of the man of God are not yet ended, but we confess to a feeling of veneration when in the presence of such a man that seems struggling within us for utterance , and we could not get away from the impression that his home was “none other than the house of God”, and we said, surely the Lord is in his place. Once a man and twice a child; but Father Mitchell was not in second childhood. In our interview with him not a word escaped him that evinced the least weakening of intellect. His mind lost none of its strength; even memory was fresh as morning, and the intellectual of the man was that heavenly mindedness which is the uniting link between doctrinal and practical piety - the result of the voluntary surrender of the whole man to God. In the physical man there was perfection; tall, but graceful in form and commanding in appearance. Take him as a citizen and a Christian, there was great resemblance in his character; and by the grace of God, he attained life’s noblest end. This is a long extract, but so in place, that I could not but give.

Our friend and father came with his family to Southwest Missouri in the year 1834. He at once commenced preaching to the few settlers then there, with great zeal and efficiency, often being the first to carry the Gospel to newly formed communities. He had due respect always for the preachers in charge and the presiding Elders sent by his Bishop, and even cooperated with them. His last sermon was preached some years ago when Dr. Keener was his pastor. He read the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew without a book, then read the last verse as his text. His sermon was short but the effect was wonderful. Many came to the altar and a number were powerfully converted. Christians shouted aloud for joy. Time before this, by a fall, he was made a cripple for life. His last sickness was flux; lingering a few days with but little suffering, he fell on sleep, having every comfort that friends and the grace of God could give.

We in sadness, and amid many friends and tears, buried him at Mitchell’s campground, beside the wife of his early love, and the mother of all his children. Let them sleep in peace.

~ Rev. George Mitchell Winton

Contributed by Donald G. Mitchell of San Francisco, CA., a descendant of Rev. Morris Mitchell.