Our Brother Elder James Dicken having departed this life on the 10th day of June last. After an illness of five weeks of a Severe fever aged forty one years - He was born in Madison County Virginia of respectable parents Who removed to this neighbourhood about the year 1800 and within a few years they both died. leaving a large family among whom were several small children, the education and burden of whom principally devolved upon their brother James who in 1808 married a respectable young lady in the neighbourhood by the name of Peggy Ann Cloud both of whom made a profession of Religion early in 1811, & Join'd Bullittsburgh Church - soon after which his great anxiety for the promotion of Christ's Gospel and the salvation of souls was so far manifested that he occasionly was constrained to exercise his gift publicky by prayer and Exhortation - However the undertaking appeared to be so great that he for a while yielded and surrendered its weight - declined exercising in public until the year 1818 - When it appeared as if the heavenly spark or gift which had been so long lying hidden and concealed broke forth and vented a fresh - He with much less timidity went forward in publick worship and with a kind of holy boldness, pressed forward in the ministry meeting with every encouragement that the church and brethren generally could give him and above all he was evidently succoured from above. In July 1819 he was licensed by the church to preach the gospel of Christ which he did with such success and approbation that on the 3rd day of June 1820 he was by the church & helps from other churches regularly ordained to the ministry in which capacity he acted until his death, faithfully Orderly Zealously and successfully which much endeared him not only to the members of this church but to the brethren generally throughout the Whole circle of his acquaintance - He was a man of excellent abilities had a good english education & of fine appearance, and address, and much adorned with the graces of the holy Spirit, entirely sociable and naturally humane and agreeable in every way. and had a peculiar faculty and aptness in administering comforts both spiritual & temporal to the sick and difficulted, Often visiting the widows, & houses of mourning and distress. and from his childhood never used any ardent spirits whatever and generally enjoy'd good health -We feel the loss sensibly, and we feel as though it was ours, but gain to him - He was a striking example to prove that a life of piety, is a life of industry, of peace and usefullness. he was not only eminently usefull in the church and as a Christian, But also as a friend neighbour husband & father -
Therefore as a Church, and as his late neighbours and friends we Join Our sister his pious widow their dear children & relations in Lamenting his loss - and do earnestly desire that his piety morality and Exemplory life conversation and admonitions may long be remembered and make suitable & lasting impressions upon our minds generally. so that our lives may in a good degree be spiritually liken'd unto his - and his God would be our God both in time and in Eternity.
W. Graves CPT Rob't Kirtley. Mod'r. ============= [The spelling, punctuation, language and capitalization are unchanged from the original. Transcribed and formatted in 1996 by Jim Duvall.]James Dicken Index
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