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STEPHEN Bo WEEKS 
 
 CLASS OF 1886; PHD. THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNHVERSIMIY OF MOKIH CARDUNA 
 TIE WEEKS OBJECTION 
 
 OF 
 
 CAEOLEMANA 
 
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This book must not 
 be taken from the 
 Library building. 
 
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 Form No. 471 
 
LIFE-SKETCH 
 
 -OF— 
 
 RB\7. CHARLES f\. ROSE. 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. L. E. BUSBY, D. D., 
 
 PASTOR, 
 
 ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 
 
 SALISBURY, N. C. 
 
 SMITH & IRVIN, PRINTERS, 
 SALISBURY. N. C. 
 
A®@/^ 
 
 ^//MW^ 
 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 To the Faithful Wife and Dutiful Children, 
 
 who, ere the joyous ties of the home-circle 
 were broken, breathed the sweet atmos- 
 phere of domestic happiness made holy by 
 the influence of a loving husband and tender 
 parent; and to 
 
 The Members of St. Paul's and Bethel Evan= 
 gelical Lutheran Churches, 
 
 of Eowan County, N. C, who for fifteen 
 years sat under the pulpit ministrations, and 
 were trained and moulded spiritually by the 
 shepherd-care, of God's servant, our sainted 
 brother, whose life-sketch is here given, 
 these pages are affectionately dedicated by 
 
 The Author. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This simple heart-offering' is laid as a 
 tiny flower upon the grave of a departed 
 friend. The book does not claim the digni- 
 ty of a biography. No special collection of 
 materia] has been attempted; no ornate 
 phraseology has been called into requisition; 
 no exuberance of feeling has been indulged 
 in. The simplest outlines of an honest, no- 
 ble christian life make up the contents of 
 this little volume. To resist the sad pleas- 
 ure of penning these pages would be disloy- 
 al to the memory of one whose friendship 
 was true and abiding, and would do violence 
 to a heartfelt duty. 
 
 Hence, as love's token, this volume is 
 sent forth to comfort the bereaved ones, to 
 stimulate the toiler in the Lord's Vineyard, 
 and perpetuate the memory of a true chris- 
 tian fellow-laborer. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. Birth and Boyhood. 
 
 II. Aspirations and Prophecies. 
 
 III. The Man in the Pulpit. 
 
 IV. The Man in the Pastorate. 
 V. The Man and the Citizen. 
 
 VI. The Voice and the Message. 
 
 VII. Sunset at High Noon. 
 
 VIII. Sweet Memories. 
 
 IX. Truth's Coronet. 
 (A Sermon.) 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Portrait of Kev. C. A. Rose. — Frontispiece. 
 Monument of Rev. C. A. Rose. — Page 85. 
 
XK*X~ 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES A. ROSE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 THE CHILD 19 FATHER OP THE MAN."™WOHnSWORTn. 
 
 cmLnnooD snows the man, 
 
 AS MORJfrtfO SHOWS THE DAY. MILTON. 
 
 CHARLES ALEXANDER ROSE was 
 born in Cabarrus County, North Caro- 
 lina, March 11, 1857; and died at Zeb, 
 near Salisbury, N. C, July 2, 1899. These 
 two dates mark the beginning* and the end 
 of a life that was earnest, faithful and effect- 
 ive. When the summons, which no man may 
 resist, came to him at the noonday hour of 
 his consecrated activities, he responded 
 
10 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 with an unfaltering Faith which, amid the 
 shadows of death, as well as in the sunlight 
 of ardent toil, had taught him to say — 
 
 "I follow thee, safe guide, the path 
 
 Thou lead'st me, and to the hand of heaven submit." 
 
 Born of honest, sturdy, God-fearing 
 parentage, and inheriting a strong physical 
 constitution, he developed a self-dependence 
 in mastering difficulties, and a laudable am- 
 bition to win success where others failed. 
 The rural simplicity of his boyhood years 
 guarded him against the indolence, 
 temptations a.nd vices so prevalent in the 
 city; and no doubt the modest and unosten- 
 tatious characteristics of his later years 
 were the natural development of that gen- 
 tle, trustful and transparent nature implant- 
 ed within him in the countrjr home and as- 
 siduously cultivated by a devoted christian 
 mother. 
 
 Young Rose, when only five or six years 
 of age, was left to the counsel and direction 
 of his pious mother, his father, at the out- 
 break of the great Civil War,having entered 
 the army. 
 
 Amid the disturbed conditions incident 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 11 
 
 to the war and the disruption of many coun- 
 try homes, the educational facilities of the 
 rural districts were exceedingly meager and 
 unsatisfactory; hence, young Rose's early 
 education was the product of such opportun- 
 ities as he could snatch from the neighbor- 
 hood schools during the less busy days of 
 farm-life. Possessed of an ardent disposi- 
 tion, and too proud to accept a mediocre 
 position among his companions, he always 
 stood at the head of his class in the school- 
 room. He was fond of all kinds of out-door 
 sports; and on one occasion, when a young 
 champion of the neighborhood had defeated 
 all opponents in a wrestling match, young 
 Rose accepted the challenge to a test of 
 athletic skill, and easily overcame his com- 
 petitor. He scorned an honor that was un- 
 justly won; he needed no discipline at home 
 or at school to urge him to the performance 
 of any task. The motive-power to urge him 
 to obedience and to the performance of duty 
 was that of maternal love. With a cheer- 
 ful, joyful spirit, he assumed the burden of 
 physical support, for fortune never threw its 
 golden opportunities in his pathway. A 
 sense of manly dependence constrained him 
 to rely upon his own exertions for prefer- 
 
12 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 ment in life. He wasted no precious time in 
 storing his mind with that knowledge 
 which, in after years, would fit him to be a 
 benefactor among his fellowmen. 
 
 His mind was not quick and brilliant 
 like the flashing meteor; rather it was like 
 the steady, focussed sun-ray that penetrated 
 and enkindled into life whatever it touched. 
 He was not content to scan the surface of 
 things, but, like Carlyle, he felt impelled 
 "to look through the show of things to the 
 things themselves," by discovering their 
 basic truths and principles. One idea loom- 
 ed up before him continually and to the at- 
 tainment of this ideal he constantly directed 
 his efforts — to become a worthy ambassador 
 of the cross of Jesus Christ. From a child 
 he was imbued with a pious disposition. 
 His one aim was to be a preacher of the 
 Gospel. He was not an ascetic in temper 
 ament. He never believed, as do some, that 
 lawful pleasure is incompatible with piety, 
 nor did he assume a sanctity that excluded 
 the display of a genial temperament. He 
 was affable, though not effusive; he was 
 transparent in all his motives and purposes. 
 He loved and encouraged the best that was 
 in men. He grew up with a hatred of shams 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 13 
 
 and with an unmeasured contempt for all 
 cant and hypocrisy whether in church or so- 
 ciety or individual. 
 
 When thirteen or fourteen years of age, 
 Charles left his old home-roof, to live with 
 his maiden aunts, Elizabeth, Polly and Mar- 
 garet Rodgers. In the sacred enclosure of 
 this godly home peace and contentment 
 dwelt; and here it was, more than anywhere 
 else, that the traits of genius, shaped by 
 Providence and guided by these saintly wo- 
 men, became fixed and permanent. Love 
 was the guardian angel of this home. The 
 wealth of their affection was laid as a will- 
 ing tribute upon the altar of this young life, 
 and the very fountains of his reverential 
 nature, imbibed from his mother, were 
 sweetened and purified by the prayers and 
 sacrifices of these devoted servants of God. 
 "Auntie" Elizabeth, especially, adopted 
 "Charlie" as her "boy"; and like Ursula 
 Cotta, she felt that the one great, loving ob- 
 ject of her life was to rear her young pro- 
 tege for that work to which God was mani- 
 festly calling him. She inspired him with a 
 reverence for holy things; counseled him in 
 the home circle to cultivate true piety; in- 
 structed him in the study of the catechism; 
 
14 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 nurtured and encouraged him in the gifts 
 and graces of the spiritual life; accompanied 
 him to the house of God; and placed within 
 his reach the means by which he secured an 
 education. How gratefully he cherished 
 this loving ministry was attested by his fre- 
 quent private and public reference to it in 
 his maturer years. What undeveloped tal- 
 ent lies dormant in many a home and church, 
 and lies forever buried in obscurity, for the 
 lack of a consecrated hand to develope and 
 use to the glory of God ! Budding genius is 
 crushed, aspirations thwarted, hopes blight- 
 ed, because no friendly hand is outstretched, 
 no kindly word is uttered, to stimulate to no- 
 ble purpose and give wing to heavenly as- 
 pirations ! Struggling under insuperable 
 burdens, oppressed by poverty, and ignored 
 by sympathy, how many young Luthers 
 there may be to-day in our Southland who 
 would, in due time, by a little tangible en- 
 couragement, thrill the hearts of men with 
 their eloquence and become the saviors of 
 their country ! It may be earnestly asked 
 to what higher, holier end can men devote 
 their earthly fortune than that of striking 
 the manacles from fettered genius, and giv- 
 ing freedom to its god-like powers ? Long- 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OP REV. C. A. ROSE. 15 
 
 fellow has beautifully said — 
 
 "All the means of action — 
 
 The shapeless mass, the materials — 
 
 Lie everywhere about us. What we need 
 
 Is the celestial fire to change the flint 
 
 Into transparent crystal, bright and clear." 
 
 That "celestial fire" is the human heart 
 touched by divine love, and thus made keen- 
 ly responsive to the needs of helpless hu- 
 manity. Without the helpfulness of sym- 
 pathetic affection, the "shapeless mass and 
 materials" of latent greatness must remain 
 unshaped and useless. 
 
 So it doubtless would have been in 
 young- Rose's case. But Providence raised 
 up these godly women as his chosen guar- 
 dians and succourers in the day of need. 
 
 J. M. Barrie pays this loving - tribute to 
 "Margaret Ogilvy, "the maiden name of his 
 sainted mother — "God sent her into the 
 world to open the minds of all who looked to 
 beautiful thoughts. " 
 
 Such was the mission of the beloved 
 women who had in their sacred keeping 1 the 
 destiny of our young - friend. They, indeed, 
 "opened his mind to look to beautiful 
 thoughts." To the last day of his earthly 
 
16 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 life he was grateful to them for the good 
 that they had wrought. When, in 1892, 
 ( 'Aunt Lizzie" fell on sleep, this strong 
 man bent over her grave, and shed tears of 
 pungent grief — a grief sanctified only by 
 the assurance that — 
 
 "We shall meet where all time's shadows 
 
 To oblivion flee away; 
 We shall meet amid the brightness 
 
 Of an everlasting day." 
 
 Under the ministry of sainted Father 
 Kimball, young Rose was catechized and 
 confirmed in Lutheran chapel, Rowan 
 county, when about fifteen years old. From 
 earliest childhood he had formed the mental 
 habit of storing up the sermons, prayers and 
 hymns he heard in the sanctuar}^ and on his 
 return home would reproduce them from 
 memory. This process had much to do with 
 his skillful use of the Scriptures in the pul- 
 pit and the facility with which he recalled 
 the utterances of others. His devout nature 
 made him a constant and sincere student of 
 the Bible. Unlike many young men, he be- 
 gan his intellectual career with a definite 
 object in view. Like St. Paul, he felt "Woe 
 is unto me, if I preach not the gospel !" To 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 17 
 
 this end he bent all his energies. He was 
 spoken of as the "young - preacher," and 
 frequently took part in the public services 
 of the Sunday- school and prayer meeting. 
 He was reserved and quiet in his deport- 
 ment, and his brother, Rev. R. S. Patterson, 
 in writing of him, says, "Under the counsel 
 and training of his maiden aunts he was 
 kept singularly free from those habits and 
 associations so detrimental to the religious 
 development of young people. Never were 
 there three persons more loyal and de- 
 voted to the Lutheran Church. Charlie 
 was governed by kindness and words of 
 praise rather than by coercion; hence he al- 
 ways manifested a cheerful disposition. He 
 loved innocent fun, enjoyed a clean joke, 
 and mingled in the social gatherings of the 
 neighborhood. Both in early and in mature 
 life he was quick-tempered and extremely 
 sensitive, yet he never nursed spite nor 
 withheld forgiveness of an injury. All who 
 knew him, and especially those of the com- 
 munity in which he lived, regarded him as a 
 true exponent of every manly virtue, and 
 prophesied of him a life of great usefulness. " 
 It was a pathetic scene, on the day of his 
 funeral services, when the aged sires and ma- 
 
18 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 trons-members of the historic LutheranChap- 
 el congregation-gathered around and linger- 
 ed beside the casket of our sainted friend and 
 brother, mingling their tears over a common 
 bereavement, yet feeling that the prophecy of 
 other years had been fulfilled; and as they 
 recalled the traits and deeds of his noble 
 life, their hearts responded to that proudest 
 encomium ever uttered of a human being: 
 "He was a good man, and full of the Holy 
 Ghost and of faith. " 
 
 Luther, in remembering the kindness of 
 Ursula Cotta, gave utterance to this beau- 
 tiful thought: "There is nothing sweeter 
 on earth than the heart of a woman in which 
 piety dwells." The home that is trellised 
 and crowned with maternal piety becomes 
 the invincible bulwark against aggressive 
 worldliness, the mightiest curb of evil pas- 
 sions, and the holiest inspiration of the no- 
 blest thoughts and feelings that find lodg- 
 ment in the human breast. Such a home 
 sheltered the youthful life of Charlie Rose, 
 nursed in his tender breast the tenderest sen- 
 timents, and breathed into his soul the prin- 
 ciples of a noble manhood. 
 
 Longfellow has charmingly said: "Glo- 
 rious indeed is the world of God around us, 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 19 
 
 but more glorious tbe world of God within 
 us. There lies the Land of Song-; there lies 
 the poet's native land." With greater em- 
 phasis he may have added: "But most glo- 
 rious of all is the home that gives birth to 
 noble thoughts, for there lies the land of 
 Eden, the sun-kissed dime of primal peace 
 and innocence. " 
 
 Into such a home young Rose was brought 
 both by birth and adoption— a home sancti- 
 fied by truth and garlanded by reverence 
 and devotion. 
 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 ASPIRATIONS AND PROPHECIES. 
 
 EVERYWHERE IN LIFE, THE TRUE QUESTION IS, NOT WHAT WE 
 GAIN, BTJT WHAT WE DO."— CARI/ST.E. 
 
 "WHAT IS A GREAT LIFE ? IT IS A THOUGHT CONCEIVED IN 
 THE ENTHUSIASM OF YOUTH AND CARRIED OUT WITH THE STRENGTH 
 OF MATURITY. "— ALFRED DE VTGNV. 
 
 mAZZINI tells us that "life is a mis- 
 sion. Every other definition of life is 
 false, and leads all who accept it 
 astray. Religion, science, philosophy * * 
 all agree in this, that every existence is an 
 aim. " What that aim in life should be was 
 voiced even by Socrates, the great pagan 
 philosopher, when he wrote, "I believe that 
 we cannot live better than in seeking to be- 
 come better, nor more agreeably than hav- 
 ing a good conscience. " Young Rose had a 
 good conscience, a laudable ambition and a 
 noble purpose. By his excellent deport- 
 ment, integrity and energy he had won the 
 respect and confidence of young and old, 
 for in the yearning of his young heart and 
 in his aspirations towards an honorable goal 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OP REV. 0. A. ROSE. 21 
 
 he gave evidence of personal worth and the 
 promise of a splendid return for all the inter- 
 est that had been centred in him. Ere he 
 attained his majority he had finished his 
 academic studies in the "old field schools." 
 Hence, he left the adopted home of his child- 
 hood and sought the wider advantages of col- 
 lege life. The same gentle hand that had led 
 him up from childhood still guided him, and 
 the frugal savings of years were placed by 
 "Aunt Lizzie" and her sisters at his disposal 
 to enable Charlie to prosecute his studies. 
 The session of 1877-78 finds him enrolled as a 
 member of the Sophomore class in North Ca- 
 rolina College. College life reveals a new 
 world to the young mind and heart. New 
 views of human existence loom up before the 
 mental vision, youthful freaks andfancies give 
 place to more substantial realities, and the 
 easy and care-free life is thrown upon its 
 own resources. College life is the border- 
 land between the happy home and the cold 
 and busy world. Happy is the youth that 
 can carry across that borderline those im 
 planted heaven-born elements of head and 
 heart that are at once the inspiration and 
 the guarantee of an honorable and success- 
 ful life ! 
 
22 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 Our young" friend entered upon his col- 
 lege career with a sober earnestness that 
 held in check the buoyancy of spirits, while 
 his self-reliance taught him that he was to 
 be the architect of his own future. Ardent- 
 ly, patiently and faithfully he plied his men- 
 tal task, and his classmates tell us that no 
 student ever bore a prouder record of so- 
 briety, honesty, virtue and diligent applica- 
 tion than did the subject of this sketch. 
 The humbleness of his origin might have 
 dampened his ardor and subdued his spirit. 
 Not so! He felt that:— 
 
 "Men may rise on stepping stones 
 
 Of their dead selves to higher things:" — 
 
 and that the angel of a beautiful and useful 
 life may be carved out of the uncouth and 
 shapeless materials of an obscure beginning. 
 
 He believed — and this faith became an 
 overmastering passion- that "man is mas- 
 ter of his fate," and that the winds and 
 floods of adversity could not divert the 
 dauntless vessel from its destined port. 
 
 Young Rose, turning from a retrospect- 
 ive glance that, like a blessed vision, lin- 
 gered before the mirror of memory, looked 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OP REV. C. A. ROSE. 23 
 
 now to the wider world around and before 
 him. All conscious of the struggle that 
 greater responsibility involved, he never- 
 theless was stirred by those emotions 
 which are expressed in Wordsworth's touch- 
 ing sentiment, as, after passing years, the 
 deep heavings of the poet's soul find pathet- 
 ic utterance in the language : 
 
 "While here I stand, not only with the sense 
 
 Of present pleasure, but with the pleasing thoughts 
 
 That in this moment there is life and food 
 
 For future years. * * * 
 
 And I have felt 
 A presence that disturbs me with the joy 
 Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime 
 Of something far more deeply interfused, 
 Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, 
 And the round ocean and the living air, 
 And tho blue sky and in the mind of man; 
 A motion and a spirit that impels, 
 All thinking things, all objects of all thought, 
 And rolls through all things. " * * * * 
 
 A nature so ardent, aspiring and self- 
 assertive as that possessed by our young 
 friend could not be satisfied with the mental 
 and moral achievements already secured, 
 nor would its steady ambition find its full 
 realization in the environments of college 
 
24 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. O. A. ROSE. 
 
 life. Too many youths make their college 
 days the wasteful period of their existence; 
 they cultivate extravagance in speech, in 
 manners, in expenditure of money; they 
 form associations and habits that are de- 
 structive of virtue; they give loose rein to 
 frivolities and pleasures that are mentally, 
 physically and morally debasing, and that 
 repress the nobler sentiments and emotions 
 of the heart. The training of young Rose 
 both by precept and example had led him 
 to regard life as a solemn gift and each pas- 
 sing opportunity as a stepping-stone to ex- 
 alt to better things. 
 
 The college life of our young friend was 
 bounded by two sessions. He entered the 
 Sophomore class, and the next session com- 
 pleted, in addition to the studies of the Jun- 
 ior year, nearly all the text-books of the 
 Senior class. The limited means at his com- 
 mand did not allow him to complete 
 his college course. His stay at col- 
 lege, however, served not only to pre- 
 pare him intellectually for his vocation, but 
 especially did it enstamp and crystallize 
 those characteristics that manifested them- 
 selves so prominently in his maturer 
 years. These were: Earnestness and fixed- 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. O. A. ROSE. 25 
 
 ness of purpose; concentration of effort; de- 
 cidedness of conviction; wise discrimination 
 in the choice of suitable associates; deep 
 and abiding - sympathy for those in need; 
 and unshaken loyalty to the principles of a 
 godly life. His college mates regarded him 
 as the embodiment of veracity, integrity 
 and virtue. 
 
 North Carolina College ever afterwards 
 found a loyal friend and advocate in 
 Charles A. Rose. His contact with its in- 
 ner life; his knowledge of its vicissitudes and 
 gigantic struggles; his observation, for two 
 years, of the sacrifices and unrequited toils 
 of its faculty; his recognition of the god- 
 like faith of those who for more than a half 
 century had poured out their hard-earned 
 treasure for the founding and perpetuity of 
 this institution of learning, and baptized it 
 with their tears and prayers; — all these so 
 wrought themselves into the texture of his 
 being that to be true to himself he felt that 
 he must be true to his alma mater. To the 
 day of his death he never forgot his first 
 love. When his school and seminary prep- 
 aration gave place to the engrossing ac- 
 tivities of pulpit and pastorate he recogniz- 
 ed that North Carolina College needed a 
 
26 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 loyal advocate and defender in ever}- pulpit 
 and pew of the North Carolina Synod. The 
 varying - success and checkered career of the 
 college had not met the ensanguined hopes 
 of some of its former friends; criticisms of 
 legislation and management of the institu- 
 tion had paralyzed the interest and efforts 
 of some; while conflicting sentiments and 
 opinions in reg*ard to the wisdom of loca- 
 tion and expenditure of funds had alienated 
 others, who were unwilling - to be drawn 
 into conditions that prophesied disaster to 
 the institution. Mr. Rose had decided con- 
 victions on all these questions and issues, 
 and thoug-h he did not always endorse the 
 legislation of synod, nor embrace the opin- 
 ions of some of his brethren in regard to the 
 college, he nevertheless believed that the 
 success and influence of Lutheranism in 
 North Carolina depended very largely upon 
 the perpetuation and efficiency of this school 
 for our young - men. 
 
 Of this conviction he was, during the 
 whole of his pastorship in the charge he 
 served for fifteen years, a loyal and out- 
 spoken advocate. Such was the tenacity 
 with which he clung" to what he conceived to 
 be right that be felt it to be his duty to 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 27 
 
 stand firm though he stood alone. He was 
 no time-server. He did not refuse a task, 
 however arduous or self-sacrificing". He did 
 not needlessly antagonize men. He dealt 
 with men candidly yet cautiously. He 
 loved to trust his fellowmen and encourage 
 whatever gave promise of their exaltation. 
 At the same time he recognized human weak- 
 ness and the fallibility of human judgment; 
 hence, he did not always reveal himself ex- 
 cept to his restricted circle of friends, nor 
 did he encourage intimacies and familiarities 
 that would compromise the dignity of his 
 character. He was lenient in his judgment 
 of men because he knew that human infalli- 
 bility finds no sanction either in contact 
 with men or in the teachings of the Word of 
 God. 
 
 His teachers and classmates in college 
 and theological seminary testify to the up- 
 rightness of his life, the sincerity of his mo- 
 tives, and the zeal with which he discharged 
 his duties. 
 
 In 1880, Mr. Rose, then in his 23d year, 
 attended the Southern Lutheran Theological 
 Seminary, located at Salem, Va. He spent 
 two sessions in this school of the prophets, 
 virtually completing the curriculum of study 
 
28 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 in these two years. In the summer of 1881 
 he accepted a call to become pastor of the 
 Floyd Pastorate in Virginia. He was or- 
 dained by the Southwest Virginia Synod at 
 its meeting - in Clover Hollow Church, in 
 Giles County, Virginia, in August, 1881. 
 The enthusiasm of bis spirit knew no 
 bounds when he entered upon his pastoral 
 work. He had yearned for active work in 
 the ministry, and whilst be experienced that 
 laudable timidity that should characterize 
 all who assume so responsible a task, he 
 nevertheless believed that the widest and 
 grandest field for the exercise of human ef- 
 fort is that which spreads out before the 
 eager heart and consecrated life of the true 
 minister of Jesus Christ. He was not rash 
 and impetuous in assuming the work; rather, 
 he felt that duty to God and man and fealty 
 to the inheritance and traditions of his 
 younger years left no option in the course 
 before him. He labored in the Floyd pas- 
 torate about three years. Those years, 
 though brief, were full of activity and spiri- 
 tual fruitage. Tenderly and lovingly did 
 he interweave his life into the lives of his 
 noble parishioners, as he went in and out 
 before them, breaking the Bread of Life, 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 29 
 
 sympathizing with the unfortunate, comfort- 
 ing" the sorrowing", and by conduct and con- 
 versation emphasizing" the holy gospel which 
 he preached. 
 
 Feeling, however, that his own synod 
 should have his best service, he resigned the 
 Floyd charg"e, and on July 9th, 1884, accept- 
 ed the call extended to him by the joint 
 councils of St. Paul's, Bethel and Christ 
 churches, of Rowan county, N. C. Even 
 now, after the lapse of nearly a score of 
 years, the brethren of the Floyd pastorate 
 cherish his name and memory as a sacred 
 treasure, and many of them gratefully recall 
 the enthusiasm with which he discharged his 
 duty, the richness of his pulpit utterances, 
 and the fruitfulness of his pastoral energy. 
 
 Some of the pioneers of the grand old 
 Lutheran church in that section have been 
 called from their earthly labors to their 
 eternal triumph, and, like our sainted broth- 
 er, have entered the courts made glorious 
 with the Savior's presence. What a joyful 
 meeting it must have been when pastor and 
 parishioner, bloodwashed and glorified, met 
 before the great white throne in heavenly 
 and eternal recognition ! With a sublime 
 and heroic trust in God, each was "faithful 
 
30 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. O. A. ROSE. 
 
 unto death, " and in the prospect of a bless- 
 ed world beyond, could triumphantly ex- 
 claim — 
 
 "There is a future ! O, thank God, 
 Of life this is so small a part ! 
 'Tis dust to dust beneath the sod, 
 But there, up there, 'tis heart to heart." 
 
 On May 25th, 1882, Mr. Rose was united 
 in marriage with Miss Maria S. Patterson, 
 of Rowan county, N. C. This union was the 
 culmination of a mutual affection reaching* 
 back to boyhood's days and growing strong- 
 er as the years went by. His wife was a 
 true companion and helpmeet. Each made 
 the other's happiness complete. The exact- 
 ing and arduous labors of ministerial life 
 were sweetened and inspired by her devo- 
 tion, and the new-made home was made rest- 
 ful and attractive by the tender touches of 
 her taste and refinement. Of her it might 
 be truly said — 
 
 "She was the rainbow to the storms of life, 
 The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, 
 And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray." 
 
 Seven bright, promising children sprang 
 from this marriage, one of whom, while in 
 its infancy, preceded its father to the Heav- 
 enly Mansions. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE MAN IN THE PULPIT. 
 
 BUT IN HIS DUTY PROMPT AT EVERY CALL, 
 BEE WATCHED AND 'WEPT, HE PRAYED AND FELT FOR ALL." 
 
 QOLDBMITU. 
 
 "gKILLFUL AT.IK H-. WITH TONGUE AND PEN, 
 
 HI PREACHED TO ALL MEN BVERTWHEBE 
 
 THAT GOSPEL OF THE GOLDEN RULE, 
 
 THE NEW COMMANDMENT GIVEN TO MEN, 
 
 THINKING THE DEED, AND NOT THE CREED, 
 
 WOULD HELP US IN OUR UTMOST NEED." LONGFELLOW. 
 
 THE pulpit is the mirror of human char- 
 acter. It reflects the man, his intel- 
 lectual and moral attainments, his 
 passions, his motives, his gifts of eloquence. 
 No other position in life will so tax one's 
 powers; none is so fraught with tremendous 
 responsibility. While it affords to the 
 worthy the grandest opportunities and re- 
 sponsibilities for sanctified influence and 
 exercise of talent, it may at the same time 
 be the exalted height from whence the un- 
 worthy have fallen into the deepest depths 
 of ignominy and shame. It is well that Di- 
 vine wisdom has arranged this antithesis; 
 otherwise, the vanities and inordinate ambi- 
 
32 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 tions of men would turn the pulpit to the 
 most unholy uses, and usurp functions 
 from which the godliest men of the ages 
 have shrunk with reverential awe. The pul- 
 pit and the preacher must be counterparts 
 and complements of each other. The former 
 must be an impregnable bulwark of a spot- 
 less Faith, the latter the uncompromising 
 exponent and mouthpiece of that Faith 
 which alone can regenerate the world. Both 
 are the target of the world 'sin tolerance and 
 criticism. 
 
 Butler, in his "Hudibras, "aims his mer- 
 ciless sarcasm and wit at the degeneracy of 
 the pulpit and preacher in his day when he 
 ironically asks : — 
 
 "What makes all doctrines plain and clear ? " — 
 
 and then proceeds to answer- 
 
 " About two hundred pounds a year, 
 And that which was proved true before, 
 Prove false again. Two hundred more." 
 
 Such gibes and sneers not only show the 
 spirit of the world, but should also warn the 
 Church of God that she has nothing to hope 
 for from the malignant spirit of the age in 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 33 
 
 which we live. 
 
 Rev. Rose believed that a strong- pulpit 
 makes a strong - people, and that the best 
 food upon which to feed the people is the 
 unadulterated doctrines enunciated in the 
 Word of God and proclaimed by the Luther- 
 an Church from the beginning" of her history. 
 He disliked a controversial spirit, and never, 
 in a critical study of the Bible, found aught 
 to shake his faith in its inspiration. His pul- 
 pit utterances, therefore, were fresh from 
 the * 'oracles of God." He never apologized 
 for the truth, nor was he ashamed to stand 
 as its open defender. 
 
 We may note some features that char- 
 acterized him as an ambassador of Christ: 
 
 1. He was a close student of the Script- 
 ures. The sacred page was his daily text- 
 book. From a child he was familiar with the 
 g*ospels and epistles of the New Testament. 
 With a carefully trained and retentive mem- 
 ory, he was never at a loss in the pulpit for 
 any quotation from Holy Writ or Bible illus- 
 tration that would serve to fix the truth 
 upon the mind of the hearer. The exacting" 
 demands for pastoral work in a large and 
 growing" field were never allowed to encroach 
 
34 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 upon his private study; his sermons, there- 
 fore, were maturely prepared before enter- 
 ing - the pulpit. He was a careful writer, 
 leaving" little or nothing - for extemporaneous 
 remarks. His sermons were delivered from 
 manuscript. 
 
 His natural timidity and distrust of self, 
 together with the awe with which he regard- 
 ed the delivery of the "Word, made preach- 
 ing a great cross which he could not have 
 carried but by the grace of God. The writer 
 recalls the frequent interchange of thoughts 
 and feelings on this subject with our sainted 
 brother. Only a short while before his de- 
 cease, in speaking of men who abandon 
 the ministr3 7 for some other more lucrative 
 or less laborious occupation, he exclaimed, 
 with a heart full of emotion, "No, I shall 
 never desert my colors ! When I fall, it 
 shall be at the post of duty !" And yet such 
 courageous resolve was not born of nature. 
 Naturally he was timid, reserved, shrinking; 
 by the strength begotten of God's spirit he 
 exalted the christian above the man, and 
 laid under willing tribute every factor of his 
 being to the glory of God. With Paul he 
 could truly say, "I live; yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 35 
 
 live in the flesh I live by the faith of the 
 Son of God." 
 
 Thus, notwithstanding - the ordeal of 
 public service, he spoke from a heart regen- 
 erated by the Holy Spirit. His sermons 
 breathed the tenderness of love and persua- 
 sion, exhorting - to a nobler life; when warn- 
 ing's and expostulations against specific sins 
 were uttered, there was the recognition of 
 that divine authority which constrained him 
 "to declare the whole counsel of God. " The 
 burden of his sermons was "Jesus Christ 
 and Him Crucified;" the prophecy was 
 "Man's Salvation." 
 
 2. He was scripturally conservative in 
 church worlc. Sensationalism found no advo- 
 cate in him. He did his work quietly and unos- 
 tentatiously, unmoved by artificial methods 
 and practices so prevalent in some sections 
 of the country. His knowledge and experi- 
 ence of God's Word constrained him to re- 
 gard Divine Truth alone as all-sufficient for 
 the uplift of humanity; and that any "high- 
 pressure methods" were a rehash of the 
 heretical mysticism of Post-Mcene days, a 
 perpetuation of papistical "work-righteous- 
 
36 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 ness, " and a dishonoring" of the Plan of 
 Salvation through faith in Christ. The com- 
 promising attitude of many churches in these 
 latter days has grown out of the suicidal at- 
 tempt to render truth palatable to the carnal 
 mind. Human philosophy is substituted 
 for Divine Wisdom; and emotionalism and 
 temporary reformation, instead of regenera- 
 tion, are made the basis of a new life. 
 
 The pulpits of St. Paul's, Bethel and 
 Christ churches under the guidance of Rev. 
 Rose gave forth no uncertain sound as re- 
 gards the vital doctrines of Christianity. 
 Every sermon was a polished mirror in 
 which was reflected in clear and definite 
 outline the issues of "the life that now is, 
 and of that which is to come. " 
 
 The effect of these teachings is seen in 
 the doctrinal and practical stability of the 
 people to whom he ministered, as well as in 
 the numerical growth and substantial prog- 
 ress of the congregations. During the first 
 ten years of his pastorship of the Bethel 
 charge the statistics show that he added to 
 his membership by infant baptism 188 chil- 
 dren, confirmed 200 adults, and received b}^ 
 certificate 25 persons; making an average of 
 over 40 additions for each synodical year. 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 37 
 
 This summary of facts and results shows that 
 the spasmodic and unscriptural methods so 
 common in the modern-day "revivalism" 
 are not necessary to the stability and prog- 
 ress of the Church. 
 
 3. He was patient in service, and prompt 
 in meeting all ministerial engagements. Fail- 
 ure in these respects has weakened many a 
 preacher's influence. Some are too anxious 
 to see the results of their efforts, others are 
 not sufficiently aggressive. It is a happy 
 adjustment that results from the antithetic 
 teaching of God's Word — "Sit still, and see 
 the salvation of the Lord, "and "Do with thy 
 might whatsoever thy hand iindeth to do. " 
 Happy is he who can wait patiently on God, 
 and yet leave no individual agency uuused 
 in the accomplishment of good ! Rev. Rose 
 happily combined these two elements of 
 christian character. 
 
 Hartranft, in his "Biography of Luther, " 
 says of the great Reformer — "'He sought to 
 penetrate all life with a higher life." This, 
 certainly, is the noblest service we can 
 render mankind, and in fulfilling this design 
 we become " co-workers with Jesus Christ, " 
 who is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." 
 
38 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 With loyal obedience our brother endeavor- 
 ed, by patient service and untiring - zeal, to 
 lead men into the "better way." 
 
 4. He was candid and unselfish. He de- 
 spised artifice and self-seeking*. The nobili- 
 ty of his character was seen in his scrupu- 
 lous adherence to the Golden Rule. He 
 dealt with his clerical and lay brethren of 
 the synod with fraternal candor,- and rather 
 than seek preferment, he rejoiced over the 
 successes of his associates in church work. 
 The issues which frequently sprang - up in the 
 legislative and executive work of synod 
 were safely intrusted to his wisdom, and it 
 will be seen by reference to the minutes of 
 synod that many of the most important 
 measures were wisely directed by his discre- 
 tion and good judgment. He did not hastily 
 arrive at conclusions. His mind did not 
 readily conceive abstract truths; his mental 
 strength lay in his ability to adapt means 
 and measures for the attainment of certain 
 ends. His sole desire was to advance the 
 interests of Christ's Kingdom, and not his 
 own aggrandizement. One of the philoso- 
 phers of the present day was recently 
 asked, "What virtue is greatest in human 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 39 
 
 character? " He replied by saying - , "Content- 
 ment. " Is it not true, however, that Un- 
 selfishness is the crowning grace of the hu- 
 man heart ? Whatever other virtue Rey. 
 Rose possessed, his unselfish disposition dis- 
 played itself in all his actions, and won for 
 him a proud distinction among his fellow- 
 men. 
 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE MAN IN THE PASTORATE. 
 
 POWEB, IN ITS QOALITT AND DEGREE. IS THE MEASURE OP 
 MANHOOD."— J. G. HOLLAND. 
 
 "iS PLEASAUI SONQ8, AT MORNDfG SUNG, 
 
 THE WORDS THAT DKOFPBD FROM HIS SWEET TONGUE 
 
 STRENGTHENED OUR HEISTS) OR HEARD AT NIGHT, 
 
 MADE ALL OUR SLUMBERS SOFT AND LIGHT." LONGFELLOW. 
 
 It is not easy to combine the elements 
 of preacher and pastor. 
 
 One may succeed in the pulpit, but sig- 
 nally fail in the pastorate, and vice versa. 
 The qualifications fitting" for the one office 
 are quite different from those of the other, 
 and very few men are so elastic and many- 
 sided as to measure up to the diverse re- 
 quirements of both positions. In the Old 
 Testament polity the priest and prophet 
 formed two distinct functions, whereas un- 
 der the New Testament these two offices 
 blend together. The minister must be both 
 priest and prophet, not in an Old Testament 
 sense,or even in the sense of modern hierarch- 
 ical pretentions and claims; but in this sense, 
 that the minister is to stand as a prophet in 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 41 
 
 the sacred desk to declare the riches of grace 
 and truth as they are presented in the New 
 Testament, and as a priest, to stand at the 
 altar to administer the Sacraments of the 
 Church and direct her ordinances. 
 
 The pulpit, however, is to reach the 
 people as a mass, as an aggregate; the altar 
 is to reach each individual. To do the latter 
 effectively, every individual of the congrega- 
 tion requires spiritual preparation, instruc- 
 tion and exhortation. Here opens up that 
 unique New Testament arrangement by 
 which the two-fold functions of the minister 
 are aptly set forth by the term pastor. 
 
 What is a pastor ? The idea is grandly 
 expressed by the German word Seelsorger; 
 literally, "he who has the care of the soul. " 
 But in order to the salvation of the soul, it 
 must be fed with appropriate food, just as 
 the body, in order to proper health and 
 growth, must be fed with appropriate food. 
 The pastor, therefore, is "one who feeds," 
 or nourishes the soul with the divine word, 
 which to each individual must be, in turn, a 
 word of instruction, of direction, of exhorta- 
 tion, of reproof, of encouragement, of conso- 
 lation, of correction in righteousness, etc. 
 But hoAv can each individual of the congre- 
 
42 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 gation be reached as to his spiritual needs ? 
 And, more than all, how can those who do 
 not attend the sanctuary be reached and 
 saved ? The answer to these most vital 
 questions is found in pastoral visitation. The 
 labor and responsibility involved in the task 
 of caring for and leading" a community of in- 
 dividuals may well appall the bravest 
 heart. St. Paul gives expression to his awe- 
 burdened feelings when he speaks of "that 
 which cometh upon me daily -the care of all 
 the churches." Yes, the care, the anxiety, 
 the sleepless vigilance, of a true pastor's 
 life ! Who but the God-fearing pastor can 
 feel the oppressive weight of his position, 
 understand its self-sacrifices, or measure its 
 fearful responsibilities ! 
 
 His talents, his taste, his aptitude, his 
 ceaseless energy, his undying love for souls 
 — all are involved in the pastor's work, and 
 will be called into incessant exercise. Even 
 St. Paul, with all his vast experience in 
 "caring for the churches," had no concep- 
 tion of the complicated and divergent condi- 
 tions that confront the minister of the pres- 
 ent day in the management of his pastorate! 
 The antagonistic factors so evident in the 
 pastorate and which constitute so formidable 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 43 
 
 a barrier to the peace and spiritual progress 
 of the people, cause many a midnight heart- 
 ache to the true pastor, and, in spite of his 
 soul-consuming - ardor, discourage him in the 
 work he is trying to do. O that each mem- 
 ber of the church could realize that he is "a 
 priest of holy things," and that upon his 
 godliness, peace making - zeal and unselfish 
 interest in others depend so largely the up- 
 lift of the community and the stability of 
 the home, the Church and the State ! How 
 sad that among men professing" to believe in 
 the Christian Religion — the only religion 
 that can cleanse and sanctify the heart and 
 life — there should be such inconsistencies 
 and antagonisms as will forever forestall the 
 work of sanctification and the resultant 
 spiritual unification of the people! 
 
 These were subjects of frequent confer- 
 ence between Rev. Rose and the writer. Be- 
 ing pastors of adjacent and partially over- 
 lapping pastorates, we were frequently 
 thrown into each other's company; and this 
 intercourse was never without spiritual 
 profit to the writer. Pastors especially have 
 need, at times, of counsel and comfort. Who 
 above all other human beings is so qualified 
 to give them as a frank, honest, true-hearted 
 
44 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 co-laborer in the ministry ! Freely we un- 
 burdened our souls to each other; candidly 
 we criticised each other's weaknesses; hon- 
 estly we strove to assist each other by coun- 
 sel and encouragement. His honesty of 
 heart and disinterestedness of motives are 
 treasured as among the most beautiful traits 
 of his character. 
 
 His sincere sympathy brought him into 
 contact with all classes of his parishioners. 
 His tender interest in the children drew them 
 to him; his cordiality made him a welcome 
 visitor in every home. His people lay near 
 his heart, and in all their plans and enter- 
 prises, doubts and difficulties, trials and be- 
 reavements, they consulted him freely. The 
 confiding relationship existing between pas- 
 tor and flock constituted his pastorate a 
 paternity — he the spiritual father, they the 
 dutiful children. 
 
 He was an accurate observer of human 
 nature. He approached men on their better 
 side and knew how tactfully to draw out and 
 utilize the best that was in men. Through 
 "the constraint of love" he made men feel 
 that their contact with him was of a whole- 
 some character. 
 
 At times he may have been charged with 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 45 
 
 the semblance of flattery; if so, it was that 
 guileless artifice which St. Paul used when 
 he wrote to the Corinthian church, "* * be- 
 ing" crafty, I caught you with guile. ' ' 
 
 Again, he may not have been so aggres- 
 sive in church work as some of a more im- 
 petuous nature. The Germanic type of 
 character with which he had to deal pre- 
 cluded rapid development. Hence he be- 
 lieyed that the good seed patiently sown 
 would, in God's own good time, bring forth 
 its abundant fruitage. 
 
 , The sower does not always gather the 
 harvests of his sowings. "One soweth, and 
 another reapeth." The faithful worker in 
 the Lord's vineyard may rejoice in the 
 knowledge that God's own time is best, and 
 that He will take care of the results. 
 
 Rev. Rose was a favorate preacher in 
 all the churches of the North Carolina Syn- 
 od. During his fifteen years' pastorship of 
 the Bethel charge he preached from time to 
 time in nearly one-half of the pulpits in the 
 synod. He had a missionary spirit, and 
 loved "to do good as he had opportuni- 
 ty." His broad mind and practical experi- 
 ence added to his influence wherever he was 
 known, and gave to the synod its meed of 
 
46 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 prestige and power. One special feature of 
 his work, and one that calls for imitation, 
 was the exactness that marked every detail 
 of that work. He never did anything by 
 halves. He was systematic, though not 
 stereotyped; persistent in execution, yet not 
 indifferent to circumstances. Wherever he 
 went he carried a calm, steady air of seren- 
 ity and kindness. Naturally excitable and 
 nervous, he carefully and resolutely main- 
 tained a mental equipoise on all questions 
 and experiences requiring weighty consider- 
 ation and decisive action. His good judg- 
 ment guarded him against mental bias, and 
 enabled him to avoid those conflicting issues 
 that unhappily sometimes distract the com- 
 munity and alienate brethren. With excel- 
 lent tact he managed differences between 
 neighbors and friends, and brought reconcil- 
 iation and harmony out of apparently irre- 
 concilable issues. 
 
 With the olive branch of peace, he 
 sought to make men happy; and by being 
 himself a noble example of the religion he 
 professed, he constrained men to aspire to 
 higher attainments in their intellectual and 
 moral life. Such a man cannot but be "the 
 salt of the earth" and "the light that cannot 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. O. A. ROSE. 47 
 
 be hid." . 
 
 Having" cast his lot among* a rural peo- 
 ple who knew him from his boyhood and 
 who honored him with their confidence and 
 support, lie was content to live and die 
 among them. Other more lucrative fields 
 invited him, but with a humble spirit he la- 
 bored on, growing - year by year stronger in 
 the affection of his people. The portraiture 
 which Goldsmith draws of a godly minister 
 most fittingly delineates the character of 
 our beloved brother : 
 
 "Remote from towns he ran his godly race, 
 
 Nor e'er had changed, or wished to change his place: 
 
 Unpracticed he to fawn, or seek for power, 
 
 By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour: 
 
 For other aims his heart had learned to prize, 
 
 More skilled to raise the wretched than to rise." 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE MAN AND THE CITIZEN. 
 
 KB WHO IS FALSE TO FSESBNT DUTY BREAKS A. THREAD IN IH8 
 LOOM, AND WILL FIND TUB FLAW WHEN KB MAY HATE FOROOTTEN ITS 
 OAU9H." HENRY WARD B2ECHER. 
 
 "tiib BUSY -world SHOVES ANGRILY ASIDE 
 THE MAN WHO STANDS WITH ARMS AKIMBO SET. 
 UNTIL OCCASION TELL HIM WHAT TO DOS 
 
 AND HB WHO WAITS TO HATE HIS TASK MARKBD OUT, 
 WILL DIE AND LEAVE HIS ERRAND UNFULFILLED."-— LOWELL, 
 
 6DMUND BURKE, in his "Reflections 
 on the Revolution in France," empha- 
 sizes public responsibility in these 
 words: "All persons possessing" any por- 
 tion of power ought to be strongly and aw- 
 fully impressed with an idea that they act in 
 trust, and that they are to account for their 
 conduct in that trust to the one great Mas- 
 ter, Author and founder of society." 
 
 None more seriously recognizes this than 
 the intelligent, consecrated minister of the 
 gospel. While he is a subject of the King- 
 dom of God, he is, at the same time, a citizen 
 of the world. Or, as Vinet declares, "As re- 
 ligion adopts the whole of human life in or- 
 
LIFE-SKETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 49 
 
 der to elevate it, the pastor, who is the 
 most perfect representative of religion, 
 ought, in the same degree, to be a represent- 
 ative of human life. " 
 
 He has a social and political, as well as 
 professional and ecclesiastical life. Each 
 has its duties and responsibilities; each is 
 replete with labor and sacrifice; each has its 
 full share of test and criticism. This two- 
 fold relationship often brings conflicts. The 
 abnormal conditions of society and govern- 
 ment are sometimes at variance with the 
 clearly defined principles of God's Kingdom. 
 The conscientious christian has no option in 
 such contingency. He must be true to his 
 principles and convictions even at the risk 
 of public detraction and opposition. What- 
 ever others may do, he must by precept and 
 example be the exponent of virtue, benevo- 
 lence, unselfishness and moral progress. In 
 a word, the material, intellectual, social 
 and moral welfare of the community must 
 lay near his heart and engage the attention 
 of his brain and hand. The christian minis- 
 ter is expected to suggest, initiate and 
 direct measures and movements for the ben- 
 efit of the people; while his knowledge of 
 those factors that are conducive to this end 
 
50 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 gives him a mighty lever for the accom- 
 plishment of good. 
 
 Rev. Rose was closely identified with 
 the best interests of the section in which he 
 lived. His mature judgment solved many 
 a neighborhood problem. It was wonderful 
 what influence he commanded among men of 
 all classes, regardless of denominational or 
 political affiliations. For several years 
 prior to his death he was Chairman of the 
 Board of Education of Rowan County. 
 His faithful execution of the duties of the 
 office is a matter of public record. During 
 his administration the educational interests 
 of the county received such an impetus as 
 to constitute his term of service a transitional 
 period in educational affairs. His worthy 
 colleagues speak in highest praise of the 
 promptness with which he discharged his 
 duty, as well as the prudence which he ex- 
 hibited in all the complicated details of his 
 office. "The prudent man," says Adam 
 Smith, "always studies serious]}' and earn- 
 estly to understand whatever he professes 
 to understand. * * and though his tal- 
 ents may not always be very brilliant, they 
 are always perfectly genuine. His 
 
 conversation is simple and modest; and he 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 51 
 
 is averse to all quackish arts by which other 
 people so frequently thrust themselves into 
 public notice and reputation. As he is 
 cautious in his actions, so is he reserved in 
 speech; and never rashly or unnecessarily 
 obtrudes his opinion concerning" either 
 thing's or persons. " 
 
 Rev. Rose was prudent, not from policy, 
 but from principle; and this, with his can- 
 dor, gave him vast influence among his co- 
 laborers. His sagacious insight and cau- 
 tious planning made it safe to adopt and 
 prosecute whatever he proposed; and fre- 
 quently when critical issues presented them- 
 selves, his ingenuous mind resolved the diffi- 
 culties by suggesting the proper mode of 
 precedure. 
 
 He sought no popularity that would in 
 the least cast a reflection upon the dignity 
 of his high calling as a minister of Jesus 
 Christ; and yet he was justly held in such 
 high esteem that he could have commanded 
 any official distinction within the gift of his 
 people. He was first of all an ambassador 
 of Christ; and no act or word of his ever 
 left a tarnish upon the lustre and glory of 
 that high office. 
 
 Men are prone to criticise the minister; 
 
52 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 to misinterpret his utterances, motives and 
 acts; to assign him restricted bounds beyond 
 which he dare not pass; to erect for him a 
 standard of perfection such as they do not 
 attempt to apply to themselves. The true 
 minister courts investigation of his words, 
 acts and motives. He has nothing to con- 
 ceal. His whole life is an open book. Rev. 
 Rose recognized all this, and he acted upon 
 it. No man was more free, frank and trans- 
 parent in every expression of his life. And 
 yet the writer has never heard from the lips 
 of any one a single word derogatory to the 
 character of Rev. 0. A. Rose, or detractive 
 of the sincerity of his motives. What a 
 proud eulogy is this of the minister and the 
 citizen ! In all his intercourse and dealings 
 with men he was pacific, affable and honest; 
 hence he could not be classed with those 
 ministers whom Vinet denominates "thorny 
 men, with whom one fears to have to do. " 
 
 One of his co-workers in the educational 
 field speaks of him in the following eulogist- 
 ic terms : 
 
 "He was the splendidly poised balance- 
 wheel that kept men steadily adjusted to all 
 their work, secular and religious. The com- 
 munity received a shock when he fell asleep. " 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 53 
 
 Added to this is the following" beautiful 
 testimonial from Rev. W. A. Lutz, President 
 of North Carolina College : 
 
 "Rev. C. A. Rose was a most impartial 
 presiding officer of synod. He made the 
 humblest minister feel the warmth of his 
 great heart. In the distribution of the leg- 
 islative work of synod he made those pas- 
 tors who received the smallest salaries and 
 held the humblest pastorates feel that they 
 had in him a true friend and brother. To 
 this the pastors of this class have borne fre- 
 quent testimony to the writer. It is these 
 little thoughtful tendernesses that consti- 
 tuted the greatness of his character. " 
 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 THE VOICE AND THE MESSAGE. 
 
 THE VOICE OF OKI CRYING DC THE WTI/DERXESS, MAKE 
 STRAIGHT THE WAT OF THE LOBD." BIBLE. 
 
 WO, J*0 S THE S9XHOT OP XL,Kj7E MAT BE 
 
 -■> 4WEB XHE GEATI, JbET XOT BKSl'V| 
 AJs'I> HE WHO PLAG6'B SOT IN aASTBLY STRIFE. 
 
 M S1HEXG1B TO STREXfllB ADTAJfOINB — ■ONI J Tf Ji»: 
 LS SOUI-. WELL-KSII, A>'I> ALL HIS BATTLES "WON. 
 . HARDLY, ro ETERNAL, l/I'.l'B." 
 
 -MA11'*! W A EUTOEOD. 
 
 THE century- grandest of all centuries — 
 was ebbing" to its close when Rev. 
 Rose fell on sleep. In the providence 
 of God it was not his privilege to catch the 
 day-dawn of the Twentieth Century. With 
 flashing eye and pulsing - bosom, he stood 
 midway between the gates that shut out 
 the old, and opened a new era of the world's 
 history. He was no pessimist sighing* in 
 dolorous strains — 
 
 "Life is a waste of wearisome hours, 
 Which seldom the rose of enjoyment adorns, 
 And the heart that is soonest awake to the flowers, 
 Is always the first to be touched by the thorns." 
 
 With an optimistic faith he believed 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OP REV. C. A. ROSE. 55 
 
 there is a brighter age for the world — the 
 golden age of all the ages, focusing the eter- 
 nal truths of the christian religion, and dis- 
 sipating the darkness of superstition and 
 ignorance from the minds of men. His ser- 
 mons were, like the cry of John the Fore- 
 runner of the Christ, full of hope and re- 
 demptive glory. As Minerva leaped full- 
 armed from the head of Jove, so, and more 
 truly, did Rev. Rose's faith leap full-crown- 
 ed and majestic from the heart of Christ. 
 God's Word was the ultimatum, the infalli- 
 ble rule of faith and life, the Alpha and 
 Omega of all true human philosophy. He 
 made no attempt through polished phraseol- 
 ogy or sycophantic display to gain human 
 applause or weaken the force of divine 
 truth. The Word was to him the life-giving 
 and life-sustaining message of God to men, 
 and he was but the voice to herald it. His 
 was but the hand holding aloft the torch of 
 revealed truth in Jesus Christ, in whose 
 streaming light all human souls must be 
 transfigured and all human philosophy must 
 receive its baptism. 
 
 But while he voiced the supremacy of 
 the Faith, he looked with reverential awe 
 upon the fearful struggle through which 
 
56 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 Faith must pass to reach the goal of ulti- 
 mate victory. He believed that the Twen- 
 tieth Century would be the battleground 
 upon which will be fought the Armageddon 
 between Truth and Error. Every decade, 
 every year, every day, the hosts of the one 
 and the other are coming to that awful en- 
 counter; and while the outcome is not doubt- 
 ful, yet the success of the Gospel would be 
 measured by the courage and heroism of 
 those who claim to be its adherents. A re- 
 ligion of negation or even of musty and 
 mirky generalities of doctrine can neither 
 beget victory for the Church, nor satisfy 
 the deeper cravings of our immortal nature. 
 While conservatism of doctrine is ever the 
 safeguard of the Church, conservatism of ef- 
 fort — so plainly evident in our church work 
 in some sections — is suicidal to the best in 
 terests of the trusts committed to our hands. 
 Truth is eternal and unchangeable in its es- 
 sence; but the vehicle, the machinery, by 
 which it accomplishes its mission is to be 
 properly adjusted and applied to meet the 
 demands of this material age. 
 
 Faith demands expression, and that ex- 
 pression is the voice of one crying, ''Make 
 straight the ways of the Lord." So clear 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 57 
 
 and distinct must be that voice, and so bold 
 in the strength of God must be he who ut- 
 ters it, that men will cease their cavilings 
 and speculations under the soul-renovating" 
 force of the divine message. 
 
 The duty, then, is plain, if we would see 
 the great church of the Reformation carry 
 out her mission and meet her obligation. 
 What is that mission ? It is to declare to the 
 world the great doctrines of the Word of God. 
 Apart from this the Church cannot justly 
 claim the right to exist. This must be the 
 touch -stone, and when the Lutheran Church 
 fails to measure up to that divine standard 
 she fails of her mission, and thus forfeits 
 the respect of men. 
 
 Is it true, however, that our pulpits 
 ring out clearly and emphatically the doc- 
 trines of the Bible ? Upon what basis are 
 human souls to plant themselves except the 
 immutable foundation of doctrine f Why, 
 we should ask, is there so little of clear-cut 
 doctrinal preaching in our day ? May it not 
 be the result of a morbid sentimentality that 
 clamors for an emotional religion which 
 touches the feelings alone, but leaves the 
 mind and will unchanged ? 
 
 A minimum of knowledge is not condu- 
 
58 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 cive to a maximum of spiritual usefulness. 
 The more knowledge of the doctrines of 
 God's Word one has the more hearty will 
 be his appreciation of them, and the more 
 boldly will he defend them. 
 
 Pastors make the great mistake of sup- 
 posing that their parishioners are thorough- 
 ly rooted and grounded in the simplest doc- 
 trines of the Bible. Such ignorance par- 
 alyzes christian activity, and is in direct vio- 
 lation of the injunction, "Know the truth, 
 and the truth shall set you free. " But igno- 
 rance does more; it begets disloyalty to the 
 Church. 
 
 What christian heart does not contem- 
 plate with sadness the unrest and vacilla- 
 tion so prevalent throughout the ranks of 
 professed followers of Christ ? 
 
 Brethren who should live together in 
 the fellowship of the gospel and who should 
 be "examples of righteousness" to an evil 
 generation, allow themselves, by a spirit of 
 disloyalty, to turn back from "the good, old 
 way of their fathers. " This disloyalty does 
 not rest satisfied with the alienation of mem- 
 bers of "the same household of faith;" but it 
 raises its hand of rebellion against "the pow- 
 ers that are ordained of God. " 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 59 
 
 How often are synodical resolutions and 
 enactments rendered null and void by a lack 
 of church love, christian unity and fraternal 
 co-operation ! The wisest synodical or con- 
 gregational legislation can accomplish noth- 
 ing unless it is enforced; nor will it be en- 
 forced successfully until the people learn to 
 subject themselves in obedience to authority. 
 
 The polity of the Lutheran Church in 
 this country we believe to be inadequate to 
 meet the demands and to settle the great is- 
 sues that call for adjudication. The tenden- 
 cy of all human governments is to centralize 
 authority, and to hold that centralized au- 
 thority responsible for proper legislation 
 and discipline. It is also true of church 
 matters. Where authority is lodged in some 
 responsible head there will be obedience, 
 and order and progress will grow out of dis- 
 order and lax administration. In our south- 
 ern territory, so wonderfully blessed of God 
 in material and intellectual resources, we as 
 a Lutheran Church have a thousand oppor- 
 tunities offered to us of expansion and num- 
 erical strength; but our imperfect organiza- 
 tion, defective discipline and imperfectly 
 utilized resources forestall the attainment of 
 our most ardent desires. Our hope of sue- 
 
60 LIFE-9KETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 cess as a Church, as the writer sees it, lies in 
 the adjustment of a polity that will facili- 
 tate, and not hinder, the outflow of our im- 
 perishable doctrines. To this task will be 
 called the wisest thinkers of the Lutheran 
 Church in this century. 
 
 We rejoice to know that there are schol- 
 ars and consecrated men who are to-day 
 bending" their best thoug-ht to this effort. 
 Our sainted brother had deeply and serious- 
 ly pondered the subject. Even on his dying" 
 couch his great mind was taxed with this 
 profound problem; and had he been spared, 
 the synod would have reaped the fruits of 
 his splendid investigations. 
 
 In order to stimulate those who shall 
 read these pag"es perhaps we can do no bet- 
 ter than give an extract from a paper writ- 
 ten by Rev. Dr. J. B. Remensnyder, one of 
 our foremost thinkers, on the subject, "What 
 Advantages Will Our Church Derive from 
 the Introduction of the Episcopate ? " He 
 says in part : 
 
 "We have the pure doctrine. Armed with 
 that can we not overlook all else ? is the 
 answer we most frequently g*et. Now, per- 
 haps, no one in the Lutheran Church values 
 pure doctrine more than the writer. Still we 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 61 
 
 do not believe that pure doctrine alone is 
 sufficient. Men can hold the pure doctrine 
 intellectually without being- correspondingly 
 spiritual. They can also cling" to it with the 
 heart, i. e., emotionally, and yet not be prac 
 tical, not translate the sentiments into deed 
 and fact. And just so in our devotion to 
 truth alone, we may forget that this truth 
 both lives and works in and through a Church, 
 a visible organization, and that the Script- 
 ures declare of this Church that it is the 
 "pillar and ground of the truth. " Pure doc- 
 trine to the Christian host is what courage 
 and patriotism are to an army. But what 
 avail, all this splendid inspiration of soul, 
 if there be imperfect organization, defective 
 discipline and incompetent generalship? The 
 great host will not be a regular army, but a 
 band of guerillas to be flung a useless sacri- 
 fice into the hands of the enemy. What our 
 Church above all things needs now and has 
 always needed, as the lamentations of Muh- 
 lenburg over this very defect prove, is a 
 more judicious organization, compactness, 
 solidarity, unity. We want our numbers, 
 our intelligence and our wealth in hand, so 
 that they can be made to work unitedly to- 
 gether toward the accomplishment of our 
 
62 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. G. A. ROSE. 
 
 mission. 
 
 1. But, is the Episcopate that feature 
 which will accomplish this ? We believe 
 that it is, because it has those very fitnesses 
 adapted to remedy our present defects. 
 What are the conditions which at present 
 most weaken and demoralize our columns 
 and diminish our strength ? A great one is 
 the lack of the oversight of congregations. 
 These when vacant are left to be filled in 
 the most indefinite and injudicious manner. 
 And when filled are left to drift along" at 
 haphazard, or be entirely moulded by the 
 one-sided and defective individuality of the 
 one who chances to be the pastor. The 
 whole community may be disturbed by the 
 unhappy state of affairs. The congregation 
 may be going to pieces, and the name of 
 Christ may be suffering, but there can be 
 found no remedy. 
 
 It is vain to say that this can be reme- 
 died by the visitations of the President of 
 Synod. The writer holds that position in a 
 Synod which has conferred the largest pow- 
 ers of this character upon its President, 
 charging him with the visitation of congre- 
 gations, the settling of disturbances, etc. 
 But in practice it has proven a failure. Va- 
 
LIFE-SKETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 63 
 
 cant congregations fail to consult him, im- 
 portant changes are effected without his 
 knowledge, he has his own congregation to 
 look after, and, as matters of fact, the indi- 
 vidual congregations run themselves, each 
 one after its own fashion and license, doing 
 that which is right in its own eyes. 
 
 But were there a Bishop this would all 
 be different. The oversight of the congrega- 
 tions would then belong to him. Their gov- 
 ernment by this means would then be order- 
 ly. It would be reduced to a system. Con- 
 gregations would be trained to it, and expect 
 it; and would look for it as naturally as the 
 child does for the supervision of the parent. 
 It is then the business of the Bishop to over- 
 see the congregations. The habit grows up - 
 of looking to him on occasions of difficulty and 
 trouble. His presence in the congregation 
 familiarizes the people with his person and 
 office. They learn to love, revere and con- 
 fide in him. They respect his counsel. They 
 defer to his authority. They see the benefit 
 of his holding the reins, and they allow him 
 to conduct and guide. The Presidential 
 oversight is a name, the Episcopate is a 
 thing — the one is nominal, the other is real; 
 one is a mere make-shift, the other is an or- 
 
64 LIFE-SKETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 derly system. 
 
 2. Another great benefit secured by the 
 Episcopacy is that of uniformity. Mark, I 
 do not say unity. Unity is indeed the far 
 greater, but it is also the impossible thing*. 
 Absolute unity, except in the great cardinal 
 essentials, we cannot have. So long* as men 
 are thinking 1 beings — not machines — so long 
 no score of them met together, Catholic or 
 Lutheran, can exactly agree, much less can 
 millions do so. But uniformity we can have. 
 For it is not a matter of conscience, but of 
 expediency. I cannot sacrifice my conscience 
 in a point of doctrine, but I can sacrifice my 
 mere preference for the common good, and 
 more, it is my duty to do so. Besides, noth- 
 ing tends more to unity than uniformity, i. e. 
 provided always that it be a matter of liber- 
 ty and be not imposed as a necessity. No 
 church can be strong, efficient and united 
 without uniform methods and usages. Look 
 at the sorry spectacle which our Church in 
 this country presents in this respect. One 
 general body has one method of procedure, 
 and another has another. Ordination pre- 
 vails here, licensure there. 
 
 One congregation has one order of ser- 
 vice, another has part of that order, another 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 65 
 
 has a totally different one, another defiantly 
 refuses to use any. One congregation uses 
 the Reformed common table-bread, another 
 uses the Lutheran wafer. One uses wine as 
 Christ prescribed, another adopts the Puri- 
 tan nondescript liquid, which is designed to 
 reprove our Lord's miracle at Cana. One 
 minister wears the clerical robe, the other 
 denounces it as an abomination. One church 
 has a chancel and altar, giving the -Lord's 
 Supper its place as one of the great co-ordi^ 
 nate means of grace. But another adopting 
 the Zwinglian confusion, puts the pulpit over 
 that which is no longer an altar, but is igno- 
 miniously dwindled into a common table. 
 The question arises, amid all this heterogen- 
 eousness and disorder and distraction and 
 opposition, can we expect progress and suc- 
 cess ? What does our boasted agreement 
 on the Augustana amount to, when it has 
 such a puerile and discreditable outcome ? 
 In fact, is there unity of faith and mind 
 where there is such utterly irreconcilable di- 
 versity ? And can we expect other denomi- 
 nations to respect us, or consider us ecclesias- 
 tically of any importance when we are at 
 such hopeless odds among ourselves ? Or 
 can we expect our young people to grow up 
 
66 LIFE-SKETCH OF REY. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 in love and devotion to the Lutheran Church, 
 when no one can tell them who or what that 
 church is, what is its worship, what are its 
 usages, or by what external form, flag or 
 banner they may recognize it ? Beyond 
 doubt the whole tendency of this unhappy 
 state of affairs, is to weaken and discourage 
 our membership throughout the whole rank 
 and file, and to make it an easy prey to 
 those who have more ecclesiastical foresight 
 and common sense. 
 
 3. But will the Episcopate heal these 
 evils ? My answer is — Look at our Church 
 in Sweden, at its uniformity, its unity, its 
 5,000,000 members, as over against but 50,- 
 000 dissenters, its wide influence all over the 
 world! What but the Episcopate, vindicat- 
 ed by a previous history of fourteen centuries, 
 has effected that ? The experience, the con- 
 sultations and the influence of a body of ven- 
 erable Bishops, would banish our suicidal 
 divergencies and oppositions, and make us 
 one in reality and form as we are one in 
 Lutheran name. I forbear to urge other 
 reasons. No church has ever tried the Epis- 
 copate and regretted it. The Catholics, the 
 Episcopalians, and our own Lutheran 
 Church, who to-day use it, are convinced of 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 67 
 
 its efficiency, and would regard the loss of it 
 as the excision of their right arm. And we 
 who have tried the experiment of getting 
 along without it, find the result to be inex- 
 tricable confusion and disorder. Wise men 
 profit by mistakes. With our pure doctrine, 
 great history, and ideal form of worship, let 
 us adopt that wise and historic church gov- 
 ernment, the Episcopal, and order will come 
 out of chaos, and our great ecclesiastical 
 army will become not the laggard rear, but 
 the honored vanguard, in the victorious col- 
 umns of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. " 
 
 Those who love the Church of God will 
 ponder the above with prayerful earnestness. 
 We desire to see the truth prevail over all er- 
 ror. We must, to this end, bring every fac- 
 tor to bear its full measure of strength. We 
 have the financial resources in hand if our 
 people will consecrate them to God's service. 
 
 We have the intelligence to comprehend 
 our task and consummate our hopes. We 
 have the men and women who, under the 
 sway of the Spirit, are willing to "rise up 
 and build the walls of Zion. " 
 
 What we need most of all is a consecrat- 
 ed heart to use whatever talent God has 
 
68 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 given us to the advancement of His Kingdom. 
 
 We believe our people will produce the 
 means when they see that every dollar is 
 wisely and economically administered. 
 
 When men learn that their wealth is 
 honored of God in the perpetuation of His 
 Church, and that not one single dollar is 
 needlessly wasted, their love to God and His 
 Kingdom will constrain them to consecrate 
 their money and time to the cause of Christ. 
 
 We rejoice to know that the hearts of 
 our people are opening to greater liberality, 
 and new visions are beckoning them on to 
 nobler endeavor. 
 
 The silent voices of the sainted dead, 
 their efforts and prayers, — all bear to us the 
 voice of duty and the message of consecra- 
 tion! 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 LIFE'S SUNSET AT HIGH NOON. 
 
 NOTHIXO IS MORK SIMPCK THAN GBSlINEBSl INDEBB, TO B* 
 HIMFLI IS TO BBi GHKAT, EMUHSOX, 
 
 "oNT/T A. STEP INTO TIE OPBN AIR| 
 
 OUT O^ A TBX1 ALKIADT LUMIXO08 
 
 WITH LIGHT TDIT SHINES THROUGH ITS TRANSPAHIXT ITALtS," 
 
 — LON6FBLMW. 
 
 JN closing" these pag*es of an imperfect life- 
 sketch of Rev. Charles Alexander Rose, 
 the following" sweet, little poem, entitled 
 ' 'Rest From Labor," comes consciously to 
 our mjnd : 
 
 • 'He has finished his work, and his journey is over, 
 The war is accomplished, the triumph begun; 
 
 He laid down his armor beside the cold river, 
 
 And brilliant with stars is the crown he has won. 
 
 He has finished his work, and his spirit rejoicing, 
 The voice of the King, in His beauty, has heard, 
 
 In accents of music, 'Well done, faithful servant, ' 
 Now enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 
 
 He has finished his work; shall we mourn our belov'd one? 
 
 Or weep, that his face we no longer behold ? 
 Oh ! sweet is our hope, in this moment of anguish, 
 
 We'll meet him again in the City of Gold." 
 
70 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 The following was published in the 
 Salisbury Sun of July 5, 1899— the day fol- 
 lowing" his funeral services; and is here re- 
 produced in order to give the closing scenes 
 in the short life of our sainted friend and 
 brother : 
 
 DEATH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 » 
 
 HIS .LAST ILLNESS — A SKETCH OP HIS LIFE 
 — THE FUNERAL SERVICES. 
 
 The entire Southern Lutheran church 
 will mourn, and the North Carolina Synod 
 will grieve the loss of Rev. C. A. Rose, its 
 beloved president. Three weeks ago he was 
 attacked with malarial fever, which by med- 
 icinal remedies had been partially compass- 
 ed. He had so far recovered as to be able 
 to leave his room, and even to attend divine 
 service at Bethel, his home church at Zeb, 
 on the last Sunday in June, the service being 
 conducted by Revs. W. A. Julian and H. N. 
 Miller. On Wednesday of last week, how- 
 ever, alarming symptoms began to develop. 
 The very best medical talent was laid under 
 tribute in vain. Medical experts, who had 
 kn< wn zrA lcved the stricken man, and 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 71 
 
 hence added to their professional concern an 
 intense personal affection, administered in 
 vain the latest remedies and appliances of 
 therapeutic science. On Saturday the sick 
 man, realizing his condition, consigned the 
 voluminous work of Synod to the hands of 
 his official co-laborers, and almost immedi- 
 ately his mental powers succumbed to the 
 terrible ravages of the disease. 
 
 Up to the last hour, amid his delirium, 
 the work of church and synod wrought upon 
 him, and with counsel and praise and song 
 he imagined himself engaged in the great 
 work of the church. Peacefully and gently, 
 folding his arms across his bosom, as if to 
 say "all's well, " at ten minutes to midnight, 
 July 2, 1899, our beloved brother passed 
 from the world of toil to the rewards of 
 glory. With a spotless record and a stain- 
 less character he lived and labored among 
 us; with the universal benedictions and amid 
 the tears and sorrows of his fellowmen he 
 passed away. No man ever lived in our 
 midst more honored and esteemed; none died 
 more regretted. 
 
 A preliminary funeral service was held 
 in Bethel church at Zeb at 7 o'clock, Tuesday 
 morning, conducted by Rev. L. E. Busby, of 
 
72 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. O. A. ROSE. 
 
 St. John's church, Salisbury. 
 
 The church was crowded with grief- 
 stricken parishioners, who for fifteen years 
 had sat in those pews and listened to the 
 words of wisdom and salvation as they fell 
 from the lips of the faithful pastor now ly- 
 ing - dead before them. The minister said in 
 part : 
 
 "I would gladly escape if I could the 
 ordeal of this occasion. You come not here 
 at this early morning - hour to catch, as in 
 other days, the matchless words of inspira- 
 tion from his lips. That tongue is silent 
 now, his body cold in death. I come to do 
 for him what I know he would sadly do for 
 me, his friend — to perform this last sad of- 
 fice, and to exhort you to recall the faithful 
 teachings, pleas and warnings of his long 
 and patient ministry. He passes from 
 your sight to-day, but that which he gave 
 you of his ministry will remain. You bury 
 God's workman to-day, but God's work goes 
 on. It is our's to cling with a loyal love to 
 the memory of him who, in life, was our 
 friend and guide; but it is also our's to ad- 
 here with a deathless devotion to the pre- 
 cious Gospel which his lips so eloquently 
 proclaimed. He has gone to experience the 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OP REV. C. A. ROSE. 73 
 
 joys he told us of; we linger yet awhile, 
 then we too, shall pass over to the blissful 
 home! May we, when the summons come, 
 be as well prepared to enter the blessed por^ 
 tals as he whose pulseless form is before us 
 to-day! 
 
 At the conclusion of this service the 
 body, followed by a long train of mourning 
 parishioners and friends, was carried by pri- 
 vate conveyance to Lutheran chapel, near 
 China Grove, 15 miles from Zeb. Long be- 
 fore the funeral procession arrived the 
 church was crowded. The deceased had 
 been reared in this community, having been 
 catechised and confirmed in this church in 
 his early life, and it was this congregation 
 that assisted the deceased in his preparation 
 for the gospel ministry. 
 
 The funeral services were conducted by 
 Revs. L. E. Busby and C. B. Miller, official 
 members of Synod, by special request of the 
 family. The following clerical brethren 
 were present and participated in the ser- 
 vice : Revs. W. A. Lutz, B. S. Brown, J. 
 Q. Wertz, V. R. Stickley, R. L. Brown, C. 
 A. Brown, W. B. Oney, G. A. Riser, Geo. 
 H. Cox, S. D. Steffey, H. A. Trexler, H. 
 W. Jeffcoat, H. N. Miller, J. P. Miller and 
 
74 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 P. J. Wade. 
 
 Rev. L. E. Busby delivered the opening 
 address, giving" a biographical sketch of the 
 deceased. Rev. C. B. Miller spoke of his 
 personal relations and intimate acquaint- 
 anceship extending even to boyhood, his 
 deep feeling of sadness, the high esteem 
 he cherished, and the delightful official 
 intercourse he had with the departed brother 
 during past years. 
 
 By agreement, Rev. V. R. Stickley and 
 W. A. Lutz voiced the sentiments of sorrow 
 experienced by all the clerical brethren 
 present, and indeed by the entire Synod, 
 over the loss we have sustained, and urging 
 the people to supreme faith in God in this 
 trying affliction. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Holland, of Charlotte, tele- 
 graphed his inability to be present. It was 
 his desire to meet in the sad concourse, and, 
 with the grief stricken church, drop a tear 
 upon the honored grave of our sainted 
 brother. 
 
 The crowd of over one thousand people 
 viewed the face of the dead, and few indeed 
 were the eyes that were dry as they gazed 
 upon one who had embodied the finest type 
 of citizenship and true christian manhood. 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 75 
 
 The remains were deposited in the cem- 
 etery adjoining - the church, there to await 
 the trump of a blessed resurrection. 
 
 REV. L. E. BUSBY'S ADDRESS. 
 
 The following" is the address of Rev. L. 
 E. Busby at the funeral of Rev. C. A. Rose, 
 July 4, 1899: 
 
 Scarcely more than 12 months ago we 
 gathered on this sacred spot. It was our 
 sad duty then to stand beside the sainted 
 dead, and attest our affection for one who, 
 for 36 years had proclaimed to men the 
 "story of the Cross. " The slow tread of 70 
 winters had left the snow-wreath upon his 
 kingly brow. We thanked God on that day 
 of Father Kimball's coronation that the long 
 and loyal life had borne its holy fruitage, 
 and our chief est consolation was that, the 
 lengthened struggle ended, he was at last 
 crowned with an abundant entrance into the 
 Heavenly home! 
 
 But to-day we sadly come to this sacred 
 place not as before we came. To day we lay 
 beside this consecrated shrine not one whose 
 steps had climbed the summits of three 
 score years and ten, nor one whose bucklered 
 
76 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 harness of the holy ministry had been worn 
 even for a generation. In the prime of his 
 manhood, and with the splendors of a zenith - 
 life just breaking - full upon him, we bear the 
 lifeless form of our sainted brother into these 
 sacred courts. When life's great work had 
 just, as it were, begun; in the noon-day of 
 his best service; with noble deeds and high 
 endeavor beckoning him on to grander 
 achievements and more triumphant victories; 
 our friend and brother falls, pierced with the 
 invincible missile of death! 
 
 In the gloom of this great grief we may 
 not understand the mysteries of Divine 
 providence. Had he fallen in the sere and 
 j^ellow leaf of age we had found no mystery 
 to solve; but why should he, so strong, so 
 young, so brave and true — why should he be 
 stricken down in the first skirmish of the 
 battle ? We need him — oh, so sorely! — in 
 the counsels of our synod; we need him in 
 the fostering of our plans; we need him in 
 the execution of our work! 
 
 It was his splendid executive ability 
 that, in the years gone by, served to exalt 
 our beloved Synod to higher heights; it was 
 his unflinching devotion to duty that en- 
 kindled new aspiration in the hearts of his 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 77 
 
 fellow workmen. By his prudence, foreseen 
 dangers were averted; by his wisdom the 
 wisest plans were adopted. 
 
 Scrupulously honest and candid, he had 
 nothing" to conceal, nothing to fear ! Gen- 
 tle as an innocent child, men were glad to 
 call him friend. Generous-hearted and af- 
 fable, he unconsciously bound the multi- 
 tudes to him in the undying bonds of his 
 great love. Timid and shrinking, he had no 
 ambition but to serve his Master in humble 
 ways; trusting and faithful, he won the con- 
 fidence and honor of all men. Meek and 
 humble, he knew not his own matchless 
 worth; too proud to do or think an unjust 
 thought or act, he has carved his name on 
 the proudest monument that can be reared 
 to mortal kind ! 
 
 Brave, noble soul ! We embalm thy 
 precious memory in our hearts ! Thou didst 
 teach us by thy devotion to the Master's 
 service, the grandeur of our stewardship. 
 By thy heroic faith we vow to live to perpet- 
 uate the work thou hast begun. 
 
 A life so great, so good and true shall 
 bring the harvest of its gracious fruitage in 
 the ages yet to come. In the gathering of 
 the sheaves God will say "Well done !" 
 
78 LIFE-SKETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 Farewell, dear brother, till in the com- 
 ing - day thou shalt greet us with "all hail !, 
 all hail!!" 
 
 It is not needful that we eulogize the 
 dead. We need only to recall his virtues 
 and his devotion to duty and to God. His 
 whole life, as transparent as crystal, has 
 been passed among" his people. His history 
 is a part of the history of this community. 
 
 It is safe to say that no more prudent, 
 farseeing, conscientious, laborious worker 
 has ever graced the rolls of the N. C. Synod. 
 True in his friendships, honest in his asso- 
 ciations, and diligent in his calling, he has 
 passed out from his labors to the rewards of 
 his toil. May our Heavenly Father grant to 
 each of us as grand a record ! 
 
 His retiring, timid, unambitious nature 
 did not allow him to seek office or honors at 
 the hands of his brethren, else all these 
 could have been his. He was content to 
 toil in the ranks, and to do the hardest 
 work. 
 
 So unbounded was the confidence which 
 his brethren had in him, and so spotless his 
 record, that in every convention of Synod 
 he was chosen upon the most important com- 
 mittees. How nobly he performed his tasks 
 
LIFE-SKETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 79 
 
 the records of Synod will freely attest. So 
 long - and so self -sacrificing- did he labor 
 among- us that we had learned to await his 
 counsel, suggestions and co-operation in the 
 most trying work of Synod. 
 
 At the 95th convention of the N. C. 
 Synod at Burlington, Brother Rose, during 
 his absence, and in opposition to his wishes, 
 was unanimously elected president. This 
 office he held at his death. 
 
 When the delirium of his last illness 
 came, his constant thoug-hts were eng-ag-ed 
 with the cause to which he had consecrated 
 his life. 
 
 By the choice of the people of Rowan 
 county, he was made chairman of the Board 
 of Education, which office he held at his 
 death. The citizens of the county will 
 cheerfully bear testimony to his eminent fit- 
 ness for the position, and they will not read- 
 ily find one so well qualified as he to become 
 his successor. 
 
 The following- account of Memorial ser- 
 vice held in St. John's church, Salisbury, 
 
80 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 appeared in the Salisbury Sun of July 10, 
 1899, the day after the service was held: 
 
 MEMORIAL SERVICE. 
 
 HELD AT ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH 
 LAST NIGHT. 
 
 A large congregation assembled at St. 
 John's Lutheran church last night, the oc- 
 casion being a service to the memory of the 
 late lamented Rev. C. A. Rose. 
 
 Appropriate Scripture was read b} 7 the 
 pastor and congregation, and a number of 
 songs suitable to the service were sung- 
 Rev. L. E. Busby offered thanks to the Al- 
 mighty God for the great work which Rev. 
 Rose had accomplished, for his untiring ef- 
 forts for the salvation of his fellowmen, and 
 for the influences for good which he had left 
 behind. 
 
 Mr. John M. Julian made a pathetic and 
 touching address. He spoke of Rev. Rose 
 as a citizen, and of his love for mankind, and 
 his devotion to his people. He compared 
 him to that Eastern sage of whom it is said 
 that because of his love for his fellowmen 
 the gates of Paradise stood ajar, and the 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 81 
 
 Recording - Angel inscribed his name upon 
 the Book of Life. The speaker referred to 
 the fact that the people with whom this 
 godly man served had followed his remains 
 over hill and dale, through field and forest, 
 by communities in which he had espoused 
 the cause of Christ, and on to the scene 
 which had been his playground in happy 
 boyhood da}'s, and there had consigned 
 his body to the tomb to await the resurrec- 
 tion morn. 
 
 Prof. R. G. Kizer, Secretary of the 
 County Board of School Directors, spoke of 
 the public life of Mr. Rose. He, as Chairman of 
 that Board, had been a great friend of edu- 
 cation, a friend of the teacher and a friend 
 of the children. He longed to see the day 
 when the name of every child of school age 
 in the county would be enrolled on the 
 school records of Rowan. He was a staunch 
 supporter of Teachers' Institutes, contend- 
 ing that they inspired the teachers to do 
 greater work, and at the last meeting of the 
 Board championed the cause of these insti- 
 tutes. He was fearless, he was brave, and 
 always did that which he conscientiously 
 believed to be right, regardless of conse- 
 quences and without fear or favor. The 
 
82 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. 0. A. ROSE. 
 
 speaker spoke of his fine executive ability, 
 his work in placing* the educational interests 
 of Rowan on a firm basis, and said that he 
 always listened to the plea of the humblest 
 man when he came before him in the interest 
 of a school. He believed education to be a 
 great factor in abating - vice and crime. Prof. 
 Kizer said that in the death of this man the 
 community had lost one of its brightest 
 stars, the county one of its best citizens, and 
 the State one of its noblest sons. 
 
 Such a life as this man lived is worthy 
 of emulation. 
 
 On the spot where lie the remains of 
 this sainted servant of God, and overlooking* 
 the scenes of his youthful days, stands a 
 polished shaft dedicated to his name. This 
 monument was recently erected by the fam- 
 ily, parishioners and friends of St. Paul's 
 and Bethel congregations. 
 
LIFE-SKETOH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 83 
 
 On the front face of the monument is 
 this inscription: 
 
 REV. C. A. ROSE, 
 
 BORN 
 
 March 11, 1857; 
 
 DIED 
 
 July 2, 1899. 
 
 A minister of the Ev. Lutheran 
 Church. 
 
 "He taught and led the way 
 to Heaven." 
 
 On the south face of the monument are 
 these words : 
 
84 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 This monument was erected 
 by the Family, Friends, and 
 Members of St. Paul's and 
 Bethel Ev. Lutheran Churches, 
 Rowan Co., N. C. 
 
 "He was a good man, and full 
 of the Holy Ghost and of faith. " 
 
 While on the second base stone in mas- 
 sive relief letters is the name : 
 
 ROSE 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 SWEET MEMORIES. 
 
 TO LIVE IK HEA.KT8 WE LEATK BEHIND IS NOT TO DIB," 
 
 — CiMPBBLL. 
 
 "MOW BBAOTirUL IT IS VOK A MAX TO BIK 
 
 UPOK 1R> WiLLU OF ZIOKI TO BJO CALLED 
 
 LIKE A WATOH-WOHH AHD WUET »BHI1WBL, 
 
 TO PUT HIS ABMOE OFF, AND RBBT IK HBATBN,"— WILLIB. 
 
 j T has been truly said the good man never 
 ^ dies. His body may be laid in the dust, 
 his voice stilled by the finger of death, 
 his work unfinished dropped from the pulse- 
 less hand; but the potent influence of his 
 godly life is perpetuated in those who come 
 after him. 
 
 "In the famous Watt's collection there is 
 the picture of death entering - a cottage. His 
 face wears no fierceness, but determination is 
 written there. The door is pushed back a 
 little and the roses torn from above the door 
 lie bruised upon the floor. Love, with 
 prayer and anguish written on her face, tries 
 in vain, with uplifted arm, to stay the intru- 
 der. The picture is not complete. Back of 
 it from out of the open gates of Heaven 
 
86 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 should be the Angel of the Resurrection 
 sweeping - to earth on broad, graceful wing's, 
 who with a touch and a single kiss, will 
 wake to life all the dead who have died in 
 the Lord." 
 
 Hence, like silver bells on the evening- 
 air, sweet notes of: memory will echo the 
 virtues of those who have passed from our 
 sight, and the hearts and lives made holier 
 by contact with the good and great will be 
 made the happier and brighter through the 
 inherited blessing*. 
 
 When the news of the death of Rev. 
 Rose was announced, the writer received 
 many letters expressive of the feelings of 
 the authors. We would do violence to our 
 duty to the living and the dead were we to 
 withhold these expressions of tender regard. 
 We therefore append to these ' 'Sweet Mem- 
 ories" a few of these outpourings of loving 
 hearts : v 
 
 Rev. H. W. Jeff coat writes : "It was 
 not my privilege to know Pastor Rose more 
 than a few years, and yet his life is an in- 
 spiration to me, even now. By it the truth 
 of God's word is impressed upon me, and I 
 see the force of it as I never saw it before. 
 Truly 'He being dead, yet speaketh,' 'for 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 87 
 
 his works do follow him. ' He was one of 
 the few men in whose very heart and life the 
 spirit of God was easily recognized, and in 
 whose presence it was an easy thing to be a 
 lover of God." 
 
 Kev. P. L. Miller, formerly pastor of 
 the Albemarle charge, writes as follows : 
 "The first time I met dear Bro. Rose was 
 Oct. 3rd, 1898, in company with yourself and 
 others, at Christ church, Spencer, N. C. I 
 was very favorably impressed with him at 
 this first meeting, and I shall never forget 
 the hearty welcome I received at his hands. 
 He always treated me in a most brotherly 
 manner. He was truly a christian minister 
 of the highest type. The work he per- 
 formed for the building up of the Kingdom 
 of Christ was a grand and noble one. He 
 was humble, and yet a very sincere man. He 
 was one of the best friends I ever had. No 
 one knows how much I miss him. I was never 
 in his home but once: but I found it to be a 
 home, in the truest sense of the word. I was 
 most kindly entertained by this dear brother 
 and his wife. Thank God! He has gone to 
 a better home than any of us have here be- 
 low. He has been called to his reward in 
 Heaven, and his works do follow him. He 
 
88 LIFE-SKETCH OP REV. 0. A. R08E. 
 
 sleeps in Jesus." 
 
 Rev. Sidney D. Steffey, of St. John's 
 church, Cabarrus co., N. C, writes; "I am 
 glad that you intend to devote one chapter 
 of your book to the expression of the kindly 
 feeling* of the ministry for our dear departed 
 Brother Rose. I knew him only to love him 
 and would gladly add a word to what the 
 brethren may have to say. He was a chris- 
 tian gentleman and that covers a great deal. 
 I have never known a minister that was 
 more sincerely loved byhis congregations, and 
 also by the ministry; and he richly deserved 
 it. He was a friend and helper to all with 
 whom he came in contact, and I doubt not 
 now reaps a blessed reward for his labors." 
 
 Rev. C. A. Brown, of Gibsonville, N. C, 
 writes as follows : "To know him was to 
 love him. My first acquaintance with him 
 was while he was studying - theology at Sa- 
 lem, Va. A few years after that he was call- 
 ed to the Bethel pastorate, composed of 
 Bethel and St. Paul's churches, Rowan 
 county, N. C, and upon acceptance became 
 my pastor. Out of this relation grew an in- 
 timate fondness for each other. No one was 
 more interested in me and my success than 
 he was. When my way was dark and gloomy 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 89 
 
 in my preparation for the ministry, pastor 
 Rose was ever ready and willing" to speak 
 words of cheer, comfort and encouragement. 
 Often did I go to him for counsel and advice, 
 and always found in him a wise counselor. 
 As a preacher of the Gospel he was fearless, 
 proclaiming the whole law of God in plain- 
 ness and simplicity, but with eloquence and 
 power. Among all the preachers that I 
 ever heard, there were none that I loved to 
 listen to better than him. In him I always 
 found a friend and in his death feel that I 
 have sustained a great personal loss." 
 
 Rev. Prof. C. L. T. Fisher, of Elizabeth 
 College, Charlotte, N. C, writes: "Rev. C. 
 A. Rose's decease removes from the N. C. 
 Synod one of its foremost men. He was a 
 talented speaker. His native gifts were 
 marked from his youth, and he prepared con- 
 scientiously for all public utterances. Few 
 speakers have been so universally popular. 
 His safe judgment and conservative temper 
 made him a balance wheel in every public 
 body. Probably no other member of the Syn- 
 od had an equal influence over the laity of 
 the Church. He was a faithful pastor and 
 was held in the highest esteem by his flock. 
 His influence with his people grew with the 
 
90 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 years— the highest test of sincerity and per- 
 sonal force. He was a kind husband, a dis- 
 creet father, and a model man and citizen. " 
 Rev, F. W. E. Peschau, D. D., of Miamis- 
 burg, O., who was for several successive 
 terms President of North Carolina Synod, 
 and who is thoroughly familiar with the de- 
 tails and difficulties of the work of Synod, 
 gives the following beautiful tribute: "Start- 
 led, shocked and sorrow-stricken was I, when, 
 in the Church paper's columns, in heavy 
 black letters, the death of our beloved friend, 
 associate and brother was announced. My 
 mind and heart refused to believe what the 
 eyes saw on the printed page. Far away 
 from the silent death-room where many tears 
 were being shed, and the whispered words of 
 love, s}^mpathy, sorrow, and comfort were 
 being spoken, my heart was sad, and silent 
 tears also flowed over the loss sustained, in 
 the bereaved and worthy family, the large 
 pastorate, the ever to me dear old North 
 Carolina Synod, the noble United Synod, and 
 the Church at large. One of the noblest of 
 our 6,000 ministers has fallen, all too soon, 
 in the best years of life, and in the midst of 
 work that would receive a shock and be re- 
 tarded by his premature departure. Memory 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 91 
 
 recalls the many happy hours, holy hours, 
 spent with the noble departed, in his own 
 home, at Synod, on other occasions, and at 
 Wilmington. They were hours of holy, pure, 
 Christian friendship and fraternal inter- 
 course, that are among" the most precious of 
 life's garnerings, and help to gild the life of 
 the past with a holy halo, like pictures of 
 heavenly life in earthly colors. Pastor Rose, 
 as man, was sound from center to circumfer- 
 ence, and illustrated the old saying, 'Anhon 
 est man is the noblest work of God.' 
 As companion, he was ever delightful, and 
 drew one to him. As friend, he was pure as 
 gold, and as true as the eternal hills. As 
 minister, he was dignified and yet humble, 
 earnest and always courteous, truly pious 
 and yet without display, and faithful in 
 every way. As preacher, he was forceful, 
 eloquent, ever well prepared, and was char- 
 acterized by an earnestness that carried con- 
 viction to the hearts of his hearers. He was 
 far above many a pulpit orator. As pastor, 
 he was as tender as a child, gentle, loving, 
 kind, sympathetic, true and sincere. He 
 manifested the noblest devotion, and proved 
 himself to be a man among men, of whom 
 the great Lutheran Church could justly be 
 
92 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 proud and profoundly grateful. He was an 
 honor to his parents and relatives, his 
 old home church, his family, his Church, 
 and his God ! 'The memory of the just is 
 blessed. - " 
 
 FAREWELL! FAREWELL f 
 
 m 
 
 "We meet no more" 
 
 On this side Heav'n; 
 The parting scene is o'er, 
 
 The last sad look is giv'n. 
 
 My soul will weep, 
 
 While mem'ry lives; 
 From wounds that sink so deep, 
 
 No earthly hand relieves ! 
 
 My stricken heart, 
 
 To Jesus flies; 
 From Him I'll ne'er depart, 
 
 On Him my hope relies. 
 
 And shall we meet, 
 
 In Heav'n above ? 
 There, in union sweet, 
 
 "Sing a Saviour's love ! " 
 
 Farewell ! Farewell ! ! 
 
 Rev. M. G. G. Scherer, of Newberry, S. 
 C, a friend of many years standing", and for 
 several years an intimate co-worker in the 
 N. C. Synod writes thus: "My acquaintance 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 93 
 
 with Bro. Rose extended over a period of 
 about tweuty years. My first introduction 
 to him was at Salem, Va., when he arrived 
 there to enter "the Theological Seminary. 
 The first glimpse I had of him I was very 
 strongly impressed with the striking" likeness 
 which he rjresented to Dr. Martin Luther. 
 Being a great admirer of Luther, I fell in 
 love with Rose; and this earliest attachment, 
 for which his looks must have the credit, 
 was deepened and indelibly fixed by the 
 qualities which I observed in him throughout 
 the term of our earthly friendship. As a 
 student he impressed me as being conscien- 
 tious and faithful, and as entertaining the 
 loftiest conception of that holy office which 
 he had chosen and for which he was prepar- 
 ing. A true piety of an unswerving, un- 
 flinching, yet warm and genial type marked 
 him already as a man upon whom God had 
 laid His hand for the work of the ministry, 
 and whose shepherd- watchfulness and toil 
 and patience could not fail to be blessed. 
 The success of his ministry was but the ful- 
 fillment of what his gifts of mind and heart 
 prophesied. As a friend he was staunch and 
 true, not cringing; always maintaining a 
 dignified, self-respecting attitude while 
 
94 LIFE-9KETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 making" you feel the warmth and winning - - 
 ness of his personality. As a servant of 
 Christ in the Church of God, he was alert, 
 sympathetic, resourceful, tactful. There 
 was no interest and no joy or ang"uish of 
 the Church which he did not make his own. 
 In counsel he was prudent, conservative, 
 strong - , yet not contentious, and when his 
 views did not prevail (which was not often, 
 for he was usually on the rig*ht side) he was 
 conscientiously loyal to the decisions of 
 the Church, and faithfully soug"ht to carry 
 them out. Altogether he was a man whom 
 you could not resist; love him you must. " 
 
 We have taken the liberty of inserting" 
 the extract below, written by Rev. J. M. L. 
 Lyerly, of Crescent, N. C, to show the ten- 
 der regard others outside the Lutheran 
 Church had for our sainted brother : ; 'I wish 
 to be put down as an advance subscriber to 
 the biography of Rev. Rose. Thoug-h a min- 
 ister of the Reformed Church I learned to 
 love him as a brother, and our relations as 
 rieig■bboriug• pastors were most cordial." 
 
 Prof. R. G. Kizer, County Superintend- 
 ent of Education of Rowan County, N. C, 
 writes: ''Rev. C. A. Rose was elected a 
 member of the Board of Education of Rowan 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 95 
 
 County on the 5th day ot July 1897. In the 
 organization of the Board his sterling worth 
 was at once recognized and he was chosen 
 chairman of this body. His colleagues on 
 the Board never had cause to regret their ac- 
 tion. The public schools at this time were 
 entirely governed by the Board of Educa- 
 tion, and many were the questions brought 
 before this honorable body for adjustment, 
 but amidst all the troubles and perplexities 
 incident to all school life, and which at times 
 would seem to tax the best wisdom of the 
 Board, the people felt when their case was 
 properly presented that they had in Rev. 
 Rose a true and wise friend. While his de- 
 cisions might sometimes from the very na- 
 ture of the case have seemed disappointing 
 to some, yet I have heard those with whom 
 he did not agree say that he was cautious in 
 conclusions and hence just in his judgment 
 of men and their affairs. The children of the 
 county will never fully realize the serious 
 loss they have sustained in the death 
 of this good and noble man. He was 
 ever active in seeing that the child- 
 ren had the best opportunities to secure an 
 education and was always zealous in his ef- 
 forts to see that all public school money was 
 
96 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 
 
 appropriated to this end. Cautious, pru- 
 dent, far-sighted in public affairs, he was a 
 fine business man, and his advice in matters 
 of finance always made him a valuable aid 
 to the Board of Education and especial- 
 ly to the writer who was ex -officio Sec- 
 retary of the Board. His last official 
 school act was an instruction to me 
 to notify the other members of the Board, 
 Messrs. P. A. Sloop and Jno. K. Goodman, 
 to be present on the first Monday of July, 
 1899, and he remarked, 'you need not notify 
 me. I will be there, ' The meeting - was held, 
 but our leader was not there. God had de- 
 creed otherwise, for on that day death claimed 
 him. Thus he showed fidelity to the trust 
 reposed in him by his co-laborers even unto 
 the day of his death. " 
 
 Rev. V. Y. Boozer, of Zeb, N. C, the 
 worthy successor of Rev. Rose in the Bethel 
 charge, writes: "As I had not the pleasure 
 of association with Pastor Rose, either in 
 church work or private life, I cannot speak 
 of having* been benefitted by personal con- 
 tact with him. However, as his successor 
 in the Bethel pastorate, I wish to speak for 
 those to whom be ministered so long" in spir- 
 itual things. They love to speak of him and 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 97 
 
 his work while their pastor, and none but 
 w T ords of praise are heard. His name had 
 long been a household word, nor will it soon 
 be forgotten. He was greatly beloved by 
 his congregations and honored and respect- 
 ed by all who knew him. His pure and holy 
 life and eloquent gospel sermons had an 
 uplifting influence on all, and were the 
 means of leading many to Christ. Eternity 
 alone will reveal the good that his life and 
 labors among these people accomplished. 
 In their lives do we see the fulfillment of 
 God's Word: 'Blessed are the dead which 
 die in the Lord. They rest from their la- 
 bors, and their works do follow them. ' — Rev. 
 14:13. The good works of Pastor Rose are 
 following him. St. Paul's and Bethel, with 
 their well organized and progressive church 
 life, are living evidences of his ability and 
 faithfulness. I consider myself fortunate in 
 having been called to succeed one so able, 
 faithful, and greatly beloved. May he con- 
 tinue to live in influence with these congre- 
 gations and thus aid me in the work. " 
 
 These words of heartfelt affection at- 
 test the worth of the man. His name will be 
 precious in many a home and heart. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 TRUTH'S CORONET. 
 
 t ■ t 
 
 THE sermon below given was the last one 
 preached by Rev. Rose at St. Paul's 
 church — less than one month before his 
 decease. The sermon was not written out 
 in full, as was his habit, but given simply in 
 outline as printed. The disease that termi- 
 nated his earthly career was already prey- 
 ing" upon him, yet loyal to God and duty, he 
 filled his appointment, and those who were 
 present say that his earnestness, tenderness, 
 and pathetic appeals visibly affected the 
 large audience before him. 
 
 TEXT. 
 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His 
 Only-Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him 
 should not perish, but have Everlasting Life." — John 
 3:16. 
 
 Dear Brethren : I realize that I have 
 a text this morning often quoted and very 
 familiar to all present, but a text too full 
 for men or angels to exhaust. I have 
 
LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 99 
 
 preached 17 years, and I have often thought 
 of this text, but I have never preached from 
 it, and now it is with solemn awe that I at- 
 tempt to do so. In this attempt I am con- 
 scious that I can only present a few surface 
 thoughts on "God's Great Love to Man." 
 God's love to man ! What a subject ! Well 
 may cherubim and seraphim try to discover 
 its mysteries and the infinitude of its issues. 
 So deep is God's love that it reaches from 
 Heaven to earth, etc. So long that it ex- 
 tends from realm to realm, etc. So wide 
 that it reaches man, the apostate sinner, etc. 
 And so high that it exalts the name of 
 Christ above every name, etc. The Apostle 
 John here, though filled with the spirit of 
 inspiration, seems to indicate how powerless 
 words are to express the love of God to 
 man; therefore he used the so, saying, "For 
 God so loved." Have you ever thought of 
 that little word "so," — "God so loved the 
 world ? " 
 
 Come, ye surveyors, with chains and 
 charts and maps; ye who measure land and 
 sea, and measure if you can what John 
 meant by this word "so." Come, ye as- 
 tronomers, with your telescopes, etc., and 
 when you have measured the immensity of 
 
100 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. R08E. 
 
 space, here you shall find your powers too 
 feeble and your language too faint to grasp 
 or to portray what is implied in this text: 
 "God so loved the world," yes so loved the 
 world, "that He gave His only begotten 
 Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should 
 not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 
 Great and glorious things have taken 
 place upon the earth since God called 
 it into existence. Many greetings have come 
 to earth from Heaven. Angels ascend and 
 descend upon the ladder Jacob saw in his 
 night vision, bringing blessings. Patriarchs, 
 prophets and apostles have blest the earth 
 with their lives and teaching, and have died, 
 etc. Many daily blessings fall upon us 
 from the heavens above; in the star-light; 
 in the sunshine; in the storms; in thunders; 
 in the procession of the seasons, which bring 
 bread to the eater and food for the sower. 
 All these whisper of the love of God to man. 
 
 But His greatest gift to man was the 
 gift of His only begotten Son to die the just 
 for the unjust. 
 
 "For a good man some may die, "etc. But 
 "Christ died for sinners." Did you ever 
 know a judge on the bench who had con- 
 demned a man to death, who was truly 
 

 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE. 101 
 
 guilt}^ of murder, offer to sacrifice his own 
 son that the rebel might go free ? Yet this 
 is what God did in the gift of His only Son, 
 etc. By His gift we see the awful chasm 
 bridged between God and man. The love of 
 God seen in the garden of Gethsemane. The 
 rough miner, etc. 
 
 The mountains have been removed and 
 every hindrance, so that our prayers can go 
 to the very throne of God, and the Sun of 
 eternal love can shine into our carnal hearts 
 and warm them into spiritual life. 
 
 Christ has made the golden cord which 
 connects the believer and Deity, a cord that 
 is let down to a sinking world, and if any 
 man or woman anywhere will take hold of it, 
 and hold on in fair weather and in storm, all 
 the devils in hell or wicked men upon the 
 earth cannot prevent his salvation. 
 
 Christ, too, has solved the problem of 
 existence for us. Had there been no gift of 
 God's only-begotten Son, etc., no Bible 
 would have been written. All revelation 
 points to Jesus Christ. We would have had 
 only guesses as to man's origin, as to his 
 duties, and as to eternity. 
 
 Because of Christ we have God's grace 
 and favor here bestowed upon us. If God 
 
102 LIFE-SKETCH OF REV. C. A. ROSE 
 
 had not his purposes to accomplish herewith 
 the church, long before this He would have 
 brought sword and pestilence and famine, 
 and all the evils that can be described upon 
 man for his wickedness. God even would 
 have saved Sodom, etc. 
 
 Seeing this great love of God for us, how 
 it should demand our gratitude and all that 
 we have and are to be laid upon the altar of 
 His service as a reasonable return to God, 
 our Father, who created us, and, when lost 
 in sin, redeemed us by the death of His Only- 
 Begotten Son. 
 
 Oh, my friends, if we open not our hearts 
 to Him — to such love, to such condescension, 
 to the mighty movements of the very heav- 
 ens to us — how blind we are and how far 
 gone in iniquity are we ! 
 
 If God 's Holy Spirit that moves us to be 
 saved is grieved away again to-day he ma3 T 
 never be felt again in your bosoms pointing 
 you to the better way! 
 
 If the invitation to mercy be slighted 
 after all that God's love has done for you, I 
 ask you to-day, "How shall you escape if 
 you neglect so great a salvation ? " 
 
 "Sinners, will you scorn the message 
 Sent in mercy from above ?" etc.