REV. GEO. L. HUNTER, a member of Mackinaw Presbytery, was born in Bond county, Illinois, Jan. 28th, 1854; died Oct. 29, 1882, aged 28 years, 9 months, 1 day. He died at his father's William Hunter, four miles northwest of Greenville, Bond county, Ill. For more than one year he had been gradually going down, and finally died of consumption. He did not complain of any great suffering at any time. He was in school at Lincoln, Ill., when taken, and remained there till last May, when he took a trip to Kansas, but returned immediately without any change for the better. Soon after his return from Kansas he moved with his family to Bond county, where he died. He leaves a wife and two children, a father and mother, a sister and several brothers, one of whom, Allison, is a licentiate in Vandalia Presbytery. These mourn his loss, but not as those who have no hope. The funeral was preached by the writer, at Mount Gilead church, on Monday, Oct. 30, at 2 o'clock, to a large an attentive audience. The text used was from Rev. XIV: "Blessed are the dead," etc. His remains were interred in the cemetery near the church.

Rev. G. L. Hunter embraced religion at the age of ten years, and in his nineteenth year he joined Vandalia Presbytery as a probationer for the ministry; he was licensed subsequently, and in his twenty-third year was ordained to the whole work of the ministry. On his twenty-third birth-day he was married to Miss Mary Hatfield. He would have graduated in the literary department of Lincoln University in another year. Brother Hunter was frequently heard to say he was "determined to complete his education," and for this he labored hard. He was of a studious turn of mind, and retained all he learned in his mind with his tenacious memory, and could call it up at any time. He was a man of God, with undying devotion to his cause, regarded by all who knew him as a Christian gentleman in every respect.

Brother Hunter was a good theologian for a man of his age and opportunities. He is said to have been a good preacher and speaker. It was never my privilege to hear him but one time. His first preaching and work was with Pleasant Mound, Shiloh, Mount Gilead, and Beaver Creek congregation, where he is still spoken of in the highest terms. His last work was with Hartsburg, Miners, and Lawndale, in Logan county, Ill., Mackinaw Presbytery. His life was short, but long enough to make a good record. Jesus lived just four years longer, and in that time he did all he was sent to do.

In the death of Rev. G. L. Hunter the Church has lost one of her brightest young ministers, the wife a good husband, the children a loving father, the father and mother a noble son, the brothers and sister a loving brother. May his memory ever be green in our minds. The bereaved family have our warmest sympathy. It is my prayer that the Lord may raise up one or both those little boys left to take the mantle of their father in the ministry, and carry it to another generation.
   POCAHONTAS, ILL.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, November 23, 1882, page 2]