THE LADIES' REPOSITORY. JUNE, 1860. FOR NOR some months past the pages of the Ladies' Repository have been graced with well-written biographical and characteristic sketches of leading personages in our own religious denomination. Members of our Episcopal bench have sat for their portraits. Giants in our ministry have been displayed in this literary picture gallery. Laymen of intellectual ability, of capacious purses, of large hearts, and of liberal hands have been shown forth in this grand constellation. And though last, not least, "elect ladies" are found grouped in this interesting collection of choice spirits. world! What are literary trappings compared with the immortal laurel that wreathes the brow of this veteran minister of our Lord Jesus? It might be gratifying to the readers of the Repository to gaze upon a miniature profileportrait large as life we have not space for-of the personnel of this war-worn chieftain. In the meridian of life, ere the pressure of years had somewhat bent his manly form, Mr. Webb could have been but little, if any thing, short of six feet in hight, and if we except a slight inclination of the head to one side, the form was of such erectness as would have borne favorable comparison with that of the handsomest member of the body-guard of some great European potentate. He was never a corpulent man, but has always carried a comfortable medium between excessive redundancy of flesh and pitiable leanThe countenance is of a mild, benevolent aspect, the reflective mirror of one of the most kindly hearts ever implanted in a human body, and sanctified by divine grace. The features, with the exception of a slight drawing on one side of the mouth, are of a regular and rather Romanish cast. This defect about the lips is hardly seen except in speaking, when it is the cause of a slight cutting of the words. The countenance is one of more than common intel ness. proportionate breadth. Silken, silvery locks, white as the snow, cover near the whole head, even at his present advanced age. The attire is strictly clerical, and always scrupulously neat. The general appearance is both patriarchal and ministerial to such a degree as can not fail to inspire respect and reverence in the breast of every beholder. The subject of the present sketch, though he has enjoyed personal acquaintance and intercourse with a greater number of Methodist bish-ligence, the brow being of good hight and of ops than, perhaps, any man now living, yet never aspired to a seat on the ecclesiastical bench. Literary honors were never found appended to the name of Daniel Webb, though by the way-we hesitate not to aver that such honors would have been worthily bestowed. But in the absence of official position and dignity, and of high-sounding degrees, we may claim for our subject an honor which can not be put forth in behalf of any man now living on the face of the whole earth. Rev. Daniel Webb wears the signal, the grand, the glorious distinction of being the oldest effective Methodist minister in the VOL. XX.-21 Persons unacquainted with Daniel Webb have thought him cold and unsociable. It would hardly be possible to get farther astray from a correct estimate of any one trait in this good man's character than to entertain such opinion. |