BLANTON.--Rev. J. C. Blanton died at his home in Nettleton, Miss., Oct. 10, 1908, aged 70 years. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Marshall of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church just before the beginning of the Civil War. After hostilities began, he entered the cavalry service in the Confederate Army, enlisting in Forrest's Regiment as a private. He rose by gallant conduct to the rank of captain and was recommended by the commanding general to the rank of major just before the surrender. The colonel of his regiment has written this of him: "Stonewall Jackson never rode with more seeming coolness into the thickest of the battle than did Blanton. We knew always when the tug of war became hardest, and an officer reliable for a desperate enterprise was in demand, that Blanton was a man to plan and execute the most difficult feat." In 1865 soon after the close of the war, he joined the Presbytery of McGready as a licentiate by letter from the Presbytery of Marshall. He was ordained to the full work of the ministry in 1867. Twenty-two years of his ministerial life were spent in Alabama, two years in Texas, and sixteen years in Mississippi. His last two years were years of great suffering as a helpless invalid on the honorably retired roll. His active ministerial life covered a period of forty-two years, most of which were filled with faithful service in which he "endured hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." As one who knew him intimately for twenty years I am pleased to bear testimony to his merit as a preacher of the gospel. He was a plain, unpretentious man without any semblance of vanity. He was true as a friend and faithful to his trust as a minister. He was unselfish and self-sacrificing. He did much gratuitous preaching among the destitute churches in school houses and in the homes of the afflicted. He was gratefully appreciative of any kindness shown him. His last public talk was in a Thanksgiving service in which he had been kindly remembered by his friends. With a heart overflowing with gratitude he thanked them for their kindness and he thanked the Lord that his last days were to be spent among a people who were so kind and thoughtful. The Board of Ministerial Relief contributed generously to his support during the last two years, thereby relieving him of all care relative to material want for which he was profoundly grateful. His long and useful ministry has closed. He found a good fight. He kept the faith. Henceforth he will wear the crown laid up for him. We thank God for such a life.--J. E. McShan.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, October 29, 1908, page 575]