ous nature has been touched and sanctified by divine grace, it is doubly prepared to fly to the relief of the wretched and to lift up the fallen. the fallen. His judgment in matters of charity was so well known and confided in that one wealthy man made him his almoner, as doubtless did others. In 1831 his church was visited by a deep revival work. A day of humiliation and prayer had been appointed by the session, which was solemnly observed. The next Sabbath the number attending divine service could not all be seated, and so for weeks the work went on, Dr. Steel being aided by Drs. Ely, Green, Junkin, McAuly, and others. In 1833 his congregation found their house of worship too strait for the adequate accommodation of the people, and an enlargement was accomplished at considerable cost, during which time he preached to the people in a grove near by. On the rise of the temperance reform in 1842 he espoused the cause, and was one of the early members of the first organization, called the Montgomery County Temperance Society, which met in different places from time to time, and which assembled at Abington Hall in November, 1843, under his patronage. Dr. Steel was the President of the Montgomery County Bible Society almost from its organization till a short time before his death, the annual convocations being generally held at Norristown in the early spring. In 1860 the Huntindon Valley Presbyterian Church was organized-an offshoot of his own, and founded with his assistance and favor, which doubtless has a promising and hopeful future. In 1863 the Abington congregation, that he had left so prosperous the previous year, replaced their church edifice with a new one up to the standard architecture of the times. Dr. Steel was held in high estimation by his clerical brethren, and wielded a large influence among them. This is shown by the official positions he held at their hands, permanent and occasional. He was for a considerable period a trustee of the General Assembly of the church and also of the Board of Domestic Missions, and of the government of Lafayette College. In all of these trusts he was so scrupulously true, and punctual in attendance upon church courts also, that his friend, Dr. Murphy, says: "Some months before his death he declared to a friend that never during all his long ministry had he been absent from one stated meeting of Synod." The honorary title of D. D. was conferred upon him by the Faculty of Lafay-ette College in 1846. Dr. Steel was blessed with a true helpmate in his wife, Mrs. Mary Steel, daughter of Dr. Reading Beatty, of Bucks county,. whom he married in October, 1820, and who survived him about fifteen years, passing away near the close of the Centennial year or beginning of 1877. While she lived she also was a constant alms-giver. The ladies of the church, after her death, in recounting her fidelity, add: "This season was completed the thirtieth box of clothing sent to gospel workers in the West, largely through her help.” As a preacher Dr. Steel was characterized by great earnestness and simplicity, never seeking to electrify his hearers with great conceptions or sensational rhetoric. The secret of his power is described by Rev. Dr. Gray, who preached his memorial sermon. He says: "Feeling deeply both his subject and his responsibility to God and man, and with a soul warm and affectionate even to the tenderness of tears, it is not strange that he often suffused the souls of others with a similar tenderness through the contagious influence of his own feelings." And again: "Another peculiarity of his moral constitution was the power he possessed of differing from others, if differ he must, in love and tenderness, not in wrath or denunciation. This was the more remarkable in a person of ardent feelings; for while no man was more decided in his judgment, nor more candid in declaring it, yet he did not quarrel with his adversary." In person Dr. Steel was rather under the common stature, stoutly built, of light florid complexion, inclining to baldness, with gray locks in his later years. His features were round and full, indicating the warm, sanguineous temperament. Dr. Steel and wife had four daughters and one son. The son and one daughter are deceased. One daughter, Elizabeth, is married to John J. C. Harvey, Esq., and Mary to Dr. Harvey, a brother of the former. GOVERNOR FRANCIS R. SHUNK. The wise man is always for some solid good, civil or moral; as to make his country more virtuous, preserve her peace and liberty, employ her poor, improve land, advance trade, suppress vice, encourage industry and all mechanical knowledge; and that they should be the care of the government and the blessing and praise of the people.-William Penn. As an eminent native of Montgomery county none is more worthy of a page in our galaxy of bright names than Francis Rahn Shunk, who was twice elected Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a "Pennsylvania German" in the highest sense of that title, for, to use a modernism, he never "went back on" the simplicity of his village education or his honest German ancestry. He was born at Trappe, Upper Providence township, August 7th, 1788, just before the existing United States government went into operation. His father, John Shunk, who was but a plain farmer, married Elizabeth Rahn, a name still common in that locality. He belonged to or was descended from the Protestant Germans who came in great numbers to America from the Palatinates about 1715 to 1717, and settled all over Pennsylvania. They were a religious people, who fled from persecution in the fatherland, and made the best citizens that came to our State. The parents of Francis R. Shunk, being poor, were not able to put him on a farm, but gave him instead a good common school education, which he improved so well, and so added to by private study, that some time before he attained his majority he was fitted to teach the country school in his native village. Hon. Jacob Fry, Hon. Joseph Royer, and other prominent citizens of the vicinity, were his pupils. He followed this calling for several years till his friend, General Andrew Porter, of our county, became Surveyor General of the State under Governor Snyder, in 1812, who employed young Shunk as his secretary. While filling this position he commenced the study of law with Thomas Elder, Esq., a profession, however, for which he never had much taste. In 1814 he was among those who, with the militia of the State, marched to the defence of Baltimore from the invasion of the British. Very soon after this he was elected assistant clerk of the House of Representatives of the State, and finally chief clerk, a post which he filled many years. He was so capable and faithful in a clerical capacity that in 1829 he was appointed clerk to the Canal Commissioners, a very important and influential office, for it brought its incumbent into contact with contractors and public men all over the Commonwealth. It was an office, too, that tried the integrity of the man ; for the immense sums then being disbursed by the State in internal improvements were a fearful temptation to the commissioners and >their clerk to play "Boss Tweed," as has been done in various parts of the country in late years. On the accession of David R. Porter, in 1838, Mr. Shunk was .appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth, and held the place till 1842. In 1844 he was nominated to succeed Governor Porter, and elected over Joseph Markle, Whig, by 4272 votes. He chose Jesse Miller to be Secretary of the Commonwealth, and filled the office of Governor during one of the most difficult periods in our history, arising from the prostration of the industry of the State and the doubtful credit of the Commonwealth, the debt having become very large. The State had extensive works going on requiring great financial skill in the Governor and the Canal Board, who derived their power from him. Notwithstanding the difficulties of his position, his administration was so popular that he was renominated as a matter of course, and at the next election; in 1847, even with the Free Soil influence against him, and with a Native-American and an Abolition candidate also in the field, was elected over James Irvin, Whig, by a plurality of 16,933, or an absolute majority over all of 4825 votes. Very soon after his inauguration to a second term, his health, which had never been very robust, gave way, and he concluded to resign the office. This made William F. Johnston, then Speaker of the Senate, Governor till the next election, when the then incumbent reached the office, at the polls, by 299 votes over Morris Longstreth, another Montgomery county man, who had been nominated by the Democracy. Thus ended, July 20th, 1848, when he died, the long and useful life of Francis R. Shunk, at the age of 60 years. According to his request his remains were brought to Trappe for interment, showing that his after-life distinction had not effaced the attachments of his youth. Over his body there was erected on July 4th, 1851, in Augustus Lutheran Church Cemetery, by subscription of citizens of the State, a marble shaft twenty-five feet high, bearing the following inscriptions: South side: A medallion likeness of Governor Shunk in basrelief above, and below, chiseled in German, East face reads: Zum Gedächtniss der hier ruhenden Gebeine FRANCIS R. SHUNK, Francis R. Shunk was not a brilliant but a sincerely honest man.. This reputation he maintained through a long political life. Like his predecessor, Simon Snyder, he was one of the old-time, honest Germans, of whom our State has produced so many. The text chosen for his monument shows that the halo of the Muhlenbergs, who used to breathe patriotism and piety combined in the old Trappe church, was not lost on young Frantz Shunk as he sat in that classic sanctuary. A Annually, while he lived at Harrisburg, he paid a visit to the scenes of his childhood, generally being the guest of his life-long friend, Hon. Jacob Fry, Jr. At such times he loved to visit among his old acquaintances, without any regard to rank or party. gentleman, who was a small boy then, relates the following incident, showing his utter lowliness of mind and enduring friendship for old acquaintances. He says: "I was but a mere lad at that time, but well remember his tall and noble form and pleasant face.. His child-like simplicity and goodness of heart were conspicuous. His delight was to visit the abodes of the older villagers of Trappe, no matter how humble their lot, and talk with them of 'ye olden |