LP-39-David Walk

David Walk

DAVID WALK was born, December 9, 1833, in Reading, a suburban village of Cincinnati. In early life he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, in his nineteenth year, was licensed by that body to preach, and entered upon the work of the ministry. He continued his ministerial labors in the Methodist Church for nearly nine years, but, having read and reflected much on his church relations, and being convinced that his religious position was not in harmony with the Word of God, he resigned his pastoral charge, withdrew from the Methodist Church, and was immersed--all the same day--in Cincinnati, January 3, 1862, by Benjamin Franklin. He claims to be more indebted to Brother Franklin for his present position than to any other man, and remembers, with the liveliest gratitude, the many expressions of kindness received from him.

Soon after his immersion, Brother Walk began to labor in the general field, and spent about three years traveling and preaching in some dozen States, reaching from Central Pennsylvania to beyond the Mississippi River; and, as an evidence of the amount of work done by him while thus engaged, it may be stated that he traveled, in one year, seven thousand miles, and preached three hundred and ninety-five sermons, besides the other labors that naturally devolve on an evangelist. During the three years spent in this way, he was instrumental in doing great good in many places: the weak churches were strengthened, while a considerable number of sinners were turned to the Lord.

Since he ceased to travel as an evangelist, he has been, and is now, pastor of the Christian Church in Paris, Kentucky, where his labors have been greatly blessed. He has been there not quite three years, and, during that time, the Church has more than doubled its membership, and has become one of the most active and influential churches in Kentucky.

Brother Walk is full six feet high, has perfect health, great physical strength and powers of endurance, dark hair and eyes, and all the features of the face are strongly marked. As a speaker, he is logical, pointed, and forcible. He states his points well, and presents his arguments in a clear light. You can scarcely fail to understand him. He has had three public discussions, in which he is said to have been very successful.

Though not a graduate of any college, his scholarship is, nevertheless, quite respectable. His literary attainments are very considerable, and his appreciation of the beautiful in composition both active and discriminating. He has written some for the periodicals of the brotherhood, in which he has shown that he can wield a ready and forcible pen. Every thing that he says and writes clearly marks him as an original, vigorous thinker--one who is not satisfied with a view of the surface of things. He is a diligent student, and prepares his discourses with great care. He never goes into the pulpit without first having well matured the subject upon which he is to speak.

While he has been a successful evangelist, he has shown more fitness for pastoral work. He takes special delight in this kind of labor, and has certainly shown himself "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." As a pastor, his success is largely owing to his constant attention to the wants of the flock. He is industrious and vigilant, and to these necessary qualifications of a successful pastor, he adds good administrative talents; hence, if he does not win the affections of the people so readily as some men by heart-power, he compels respect by will-power and the force of an example of devotion to his work.