Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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from Halnpden-Sidney College. At the opening of the war between the States, he organized a eompany from among the students of the college-sixty strong-of which he became captain and commanded with undaunted courage during the brief period of its separate history. 'lille retined home in which Dr. Atkinson was reared, was situated three or four miles from the city of Petersburg, and was surrounded by families of culture and independent means. Three of his brothers became ministers ot' the gospel, the eldest ot' whom was Williani M. Atkinson. ll. D., sometime a lawyer in Petersburg, afterwards a devoted minister, and pastor ot' the Presbyterian Church in YVinchester, Virginiag the second, Thomas Atkinson, D. D., LL.D.. ot' the Episcopal Church, the distinguished Bishop ofthe Diocese of North Carolina, and the third, Rev. Joseph M. Atkinson. D. D., for many years pastor ot' the Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. The two latter were alumni ot' Hampden-Sidney College. The social environment ot' Dr. Atkinsou's youth was genial and inspiring and exerted a profound intluenee on his subsequent life. Reared in a pure, chivalric and Christian atmos- phere, with shining examples of true nobility ot' character and virtuous conduct constantly before him, in his own family and the community in which he dwelt, he naturally termed ideals which at once weaned him from everything sordid and incited him to seek the best thingsg and early acknowledging his allegiance to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, to whose word he bowed with reverence and whose law he accepted as the guide of his life, he gave himselt' unreservedly to the service of his heavenly Master, in ettorts to hallow and bless and save l1is fellowmen. Duty early became his watehword. WVhatever it commanded, he did! wherever it led, he went. Conseientious tidelity, was the moving force of his con- duct: earetiil and candid in investigation, his allegiance to its results was absolute. Show him the right and you would know exactly where to lind him. This was the supreme charac- teristic, the eontrolling principle of his life. It' ever there was an honest man, in the broadest and highest sense ot' the term, -T. SI. P. Atkinson was one, and in this sense, it is true that 14

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3obn flbayo llbleasants LEltki11so11, EJ. E. f- ' L HE salient facts 111 tl1e life of this adniirable 1111111 are these: He was the son . of Mr. Robert and Mrs. Mary Mayo Atki11so11, and was lJO1'l1 at D.i2lllS1'1Q1l.1, -- Dinwiddie County, Virginia, O11 Jainiary 10tl1, 1817. His father and lllHtl1Ql' , 1 belonged to the old Virginia gentry of that day andto gentleness and 1't-1i11e- nient of manners added 1l1CO1'l'll1'11'1lJlC integrity of character and loyalty to truth and right, for which the social life 111 which they mingled was so reniarkably distinguished. He graduated froin Hznnptlen-Sidney College in 1835 and froin Union Theological SGIH1llLl1'AY11l 1838, after which he spent two years 111 post-graduate study at 131111061011 Se111i11a1'y. He was licensed to preacli the gospel by East Hanover Presbytery, on May 5th, 1838, and ordained as 2111 evangelist on May 5th, 1841. 1Vhile yet a lieentiate, he was stated sn1111ly for briet' periods ot' the clinrches ot' Wine-liester, Virginia, and of Lelmanon, in 1Vest. llanover Presbytery. Atter O1'1lillilt1Oll, he was a 1111SSiOl12l1'5' in Texas for two years, ot' whit-h one was spent as stated supply ot' the church 111 Housto11. He was pastor ot' tl1e church at. XXrill'1'El1fOll, Yi1'gi11i11, from 1343 to 1850 a11d of Bridge Street Presbyterian Church, Georgetown, D. C., 11111111 1350 to 1856, and President of Hainpden-Sidney College froni July, 1857, until l1is resignation, July lst, 1883. He died at l1is residence at II2l1l1Pl,lGl1-SlLlllGy, August 28th, 1883. He was thrice married and left two Slll'ViV1l1g Children: Mrs. Alfred J. Morrison, of Fnrinville and Mrs. A. A. Owen, of Halifax County, Virginia. He received the degree ot' Doctor ot' Divinity 13

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an honest man's the noblest work of God. IIe was wholly nnprctentioiis, absolutely without ostentation, free from the shoddyism and seltlcxaltation sometimes seen ill the pulpit ot' the present day. His worth was that of solid and pure gold, and l1is influence iV6l1t to make people humble, and honest and truthful and good. Dr. Atkinsonis service to the church and the world apart from Ztlltl beyond the work perforined by him as the head of a Christian household, the citizen of a free COll11HOIlXVQillfl1, the trusted friend, tl1e courteous and hospitable host and neighbor, and in the other 111ore private relations of life, was performed chieliy ill two directions: First, as a Christian minister, a11d second, as the President of Halnpden-Sidney College, a Christian College. In regard to the fiI'St poi11t, it goes without saying that he was an able and faithful minister of the gospel. The care he took to tit himself for the sacred oiiice by completing a regular and full collegiate and theological course supplemented by post-graduate study, gave assurance that he would be equally faithful a11d diligent in discharging its duties after they were i1SSl.l1H9Cl. He felt the need of CO1l11flQtGIlt scholarship, that he might correctly understzmd and expound Grod's word, and he obtained it before presuming to obtrude himself into tl1is responsible position. He became an accurate and trustworthy theologian, 4' able rightly to divide the word of truth, witl1 a. thorough comprehension of the system of doctrine taught ill the sacred scriptures and was 't ready always to give an answer to every man that asked l1i111 a reason of the hope that was i11 him. As a preacher, he was QV21l1g9liC2ll, instructive and earnest. As a pastor, he was faithful, sympathetic and unwearied. The writer happens to have known some members of l1is congregations at XVarrenton and Georgetown, and the affectionate and honorable regard in whicl1 he was held by them is the highest testimony to l1is ministerial efficiency. Another evidence of the same thing is the relatively large I1ll1HlJG1' of students from Northern Virginia, where he was best known, who attended Hampden-Sid11ey duri11g his administration. - 15