# My Life Is an Open Book (Hancock)/Chapter 4

I had often expressed the wish that I could be situated so that I could support myself, and preach in destitute parts, for in boyhood I abhorred a hireling clergy, wanted to be a missionary, and had, I suppose, a feeling akin to that of Paul, when he spake of building on another's foundation. I continually, and earnestly, took all things to the Lord in prayer. My prayers, however, up to that time seemed to be answered by adversity.
The spring of 1869 was now opening. I was seated one night to look over my mail, and, as was usually the case, the A. C. Review was the first to examine. Under the head of "Correspondence" was a letter from the south-west, giving an account of the destitution there, spiritually, and praying that some one might come there and break to the perishing ones the bread of life. I said, "Mollie, here is a call for us. If we can sell our land here we can get us a good stock ranch there, and I can superintend it and preach to the benighted. We are needed there, here we are not needed."
After due consultation we decided to make the change. Providence seemed to favor the change, for in a few days all was in readiness to start. My sister had married and settled in that neighborhood, and was very much grieved over the idea of our being again separated. I told her that it was from a religious sense of duty that I purposed making the change. And while the change would be for the upbuilding of the cause of Christ it would evidently be beneficial to my wife; for, as she knew, my wife had overworked herself, her health had become poor, and a change would be beneficial. She had not only made a good hand in the tobacco crop, but also made the cloth for our winter ware. We now had four children- three girls and one boy.
Our trip to the south-west was without let or hindrance. Soon we were settled on the head waters of Yokum Creek, Carroll Co., Ark., and as nicely situated for raising cattle and hogs as heart could wish. Having settled the next thing was to look after the prospects for a church home. We learned that there were three or four families a few ​miles north and east of where we settled that were meeting the first day of the week to worship. We took a day to visit them. Learning that a Bro. Thompson was their speaker we went first to his home, but as he was busy in his young crop we did not tarry long, but having learned that Bro. John Parker was their recognized bishop we got directions to his house and reached there near noon. We asked if we could get our horse fed and get dinner. We were answered in the affirmative. Our horse being cared for we were soon seated in the house. We had talked freely of things in general, but saw that the old brother eyed us all the while with suspicion. Just before dinner was announced we told him who we were. He said he suspected something of that kind from first sight of us. He then called for the old sister, and as she entered the room he said, "Wife, the Lord has answered our prayers, this is Bro. Hancock, a preacher from Missouri, that has come to live among us."
The country had not recovered from the devastation wrought by the war. All were poor. Religiously the country was benighted, the preachers, as a rule, were of the more ignorant class. In a few days business called us to the town of Berryville, and as I wanted to get my horse shod I rode to a blacksmith shop. I concluded that while waiting for my work I would see if I could find any disciples of Christ there.
I asked the smith, who was an elderly man, if there were any members of the Church of Christ in Berryville? He gave no answer, only a sarcastic laugh; I repeated my question. He replied, "I claim to be a member of the church described in a Baptist." I replied, "I don't read anything about that kind of a church in the New Testament. I want to find members of the church I read about in that book. People that claim to be Christians, without any handle to their name." He said, "I suppose there are two in this town that are the kind you are enquiring for, one old man, and one old woman." He then went to the door of his shop and showed me where they lived.
I went to the old man's residence, but he was not at home. I then went to where the old lady lived. She was sitting on the porch fronting the street, and as I walked along the yard fence to the gate I thought she looked at me rather earnestly, and with marked surprise, and when I halted at the yard gate she said, "Come in." As I stepped on to the porch I said, "You know nothing about me, but I hope I do about you." She said, "Yes I do, Bettie Hancock was your mother. She and I were raised together, and your father held me in his lap many times when I was a little girl, for your father was getting up in years when he married. I recognized your mother's features as soon as I got my eyes on you as you approached the gate." I then told her of the conversation with the blacksmith, and that I had come to that country to teach the people the way of salvation. On receiving this information she fairly shouted, and when her excitement had subsided she told me of the destitute and benighted condition of that country, and asked me to set a time when I could preach in Berryville.
Our presence in that country had now created some excitement in ​religious circles. The two by four lights were bestirring themselves to corral their flocks and guard them against the wolf. Isaac Standlee lived in the northern part of Carrol county, and was justly considered the big preacher of that country. He began to conclude that it behooved him to look after his laurels. He began to challenge for debate, and the smaller lights in the Baptist ranks --------------- threaten us with "Uncle Ike."
Oat harvest being on hand we went to Bro. Parker's on Monday to assist him in his oat harvest. At noon Sister Parker told me of an elderly woman in that neighborhood that had been a mourner for several years, but had failed to get religion, and said she was at the mourner's bench the day before, that her people were all Baptists and that she was so prejudiced she would not listen to any of the disciples talk. I remarked, "I sympathize with such, and I will go there this evening and spend the night, if they will let me."
When I reached the house the woman kindly invited me in, informing me that the man of the house had gone on an errand but would return soon. I told her that I was tired and warm, so would take a chair and sit in the yard till her man returned. As soon as I was seated she brought a chair for herself and said, "I understand that you folks deny a change of heart. There is something strange in this to me, for I see so many get religion without much trouble, but I have been trying for several years to get it and have failed." I said, "You have been imposed upon, madam, and I sympathize with you, but you get your work done and I will talk a while on these matters." All being in readiness to listen I read the New Testament, and talked of the obedience of faith for about three hours. When I closed the old lady said, "I did not know that was in the Bible." She left the room with more amazement than delight. When I went to leave next morning I told them that I would preach the next Lord's day a week at Bro. Parkers, and had them promise to hear me.
The next Lord's day I went to Berryville to fill my first appointment there. As Sister Owens, my mother's associate, had predicted, everybody was on hand, with anxiety, to hear the new preacher and strange doctrine. Saturday night I took for my subject "The Kingdom of Christ." The effort was a failure, but fortunately, or rather, perhaps, unfortunately, the people did not know enough about the Bible to detect it. Lord's day at eleven o'clock the whole country gathered to hear me. I took as a foundation the question, "What is Man?" The attention was profound. My talk was not of an exciting nature, but I was at myself and deeply in earnest. When I closed and a song was commenced an elderly woman began to shout, and I concluded that she could equal any one at that business I ever heard. I went to Sister Owens' for dinner, and that woman was there. Sister Owens introduced us and said, "Sister Wood lives in the country. She had heard the gospel all her life, but has lived here ten years without the privilege of hearing a sermon, and when she heard the old time gospel again she shouted because she could not help it."
The next Lord's day we filled our appointment at Bro. Parker's.
​Our Baptist mourner and her husband were there, and listened with marked attention to what we had to say. By their request we spent that night with them, and gave them a lengthy talk on the elementary principles of Christianity. When we closed our talk the old woman was too much overcome to speak, and left the room, evidently, to weep in solitude. We, of course could not tell whether her tears were tears of joy, or otherwise. We saw her no more till called to breakfast next morning.
She was as pleasant and cheerful appearing as I ever saw any woman. While we were eating a neighbor called. The old man invited him to eat, remarking that they had some nice new honey. The woman said, very pleasantly, "I told the old man that after having such a good sermon as we had last night the preacher must have some nice honey for breakfast." Our next appointment in that vicinity was two weeks off, and we promised that wife and I would get to their house Saturday evening before. The Baptists became alarmed and sent for "Uncle Ike." He came and labored very hard to make her believe that she had religion, and was prepared to join the Baptist Church. They were, however, too late, for she had obtained too much light. At our next appointment she obeyed the gospel. This so stirred the Baptists that a challenge was submitted for debate. The challenge was accepted, but the debate was slow in maturing, for they evidently aimed to run a bluff. Additions to the one Body were now constant, and the war began in earnest. People talked religion everywhere, and many, wherever we went, expressed themselves delighted with the simplicity of the gospel of Christ.
Our second appointment had been filled at Berryville, and our first two discourses were delivered. It was now evident that Berryville was destined to become the seat of war. The place was noted for its educational enterprise. Clarke's Academy was located there and was well patronized. When we preached there, hence, we had the privilege of preaching to the young from many parts. The sects concluded to mass their forces there in a big union meeting. They had eight preachers engaged, Uncle Ike among the number. The meeting had been in progress a few days and we concluded to go and see how they were getting along. We reached town late and none of the preachers learned that we were in town. Just as they were ready to commence services we went to meeting and found a seat near the pulpit. An elderly man was in the pulpit and busily engaged with the Bible, turning down its leaves in various places, evidently arranging his discourse for that occasion. As soon as I was seated I saw a general whispering commence among the preachers, and soon one of them stepped to the old brother that was in the pulpit and whispered something. Immediately the old brother closed the Bible, laid it on the stand, left the pulpit and took a lower seat. There was a general whispering among them for some minutes, then Uncle Ike went into the pulpit, but his effort was a failure. Uncle Ike told Mr. Owen that when the preachers learned I was present they all backed out and he had to preach or there would have been no preaching that night.
Our field of labor was continually widening. We were in a missionary field indeed, the war was an incessant one, lies flew like rockets in the sky. I could, I now thought, understand the providential interference with ​my plans in the past. I look back over that period, I see a mere boy pano-plied with the armour of heaven, standing against the Midianites and the Philistian hosts combined, and with the sword of the Spirit putting these allied powers to flight. I asked no quarters, I gave none.
By the close of 1870 we had traveled over Carroll and Boone Counties. A little congregation had been planted in Berryville. The sects had united their efforts to prevent this. Dr. Ellis, dear man, had proposed that he could stop it, that if they would furnish him two or three men that would stand by him he would put a stop to my work there. When, however, it came to the test they concluded that the reckoning before the civil courts might be more than they cared about having on hand. So, you see, the civil law kept me from bearing in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus, and, perhaps, from being numbered with the martyrs of Jesus. I kept near the Savior, and his guardian care was with me. (My young brother, be true to God's eternal truth, and he will never leave you nor forsake you. It has been my rule, from the first to the present, never to enter the pulpit without, before doing so, seeking some secreted spot, and there pour out my soul in earnest prayer to God. I have never, as I have seen some do, on entering the pulpit, bowed in silent prayer. Such always seemed to me too much like the ancient custom of praying at the corners of the streets, to be seen of men. I never offer a secret prayer in a public place, nor a public prayer in a secret place.) Dr. Ellis was born of Methodist parents, christened in his infancy and had been educated for the ministry.
Up to that time he had, as memory now serves us, received by way of remuneration, one side of bacon, two bushels of wheat, one pig, one colony of bees, and one dollar in money. I could give no thought to dealing in stock, the work demanded it and called for all our thought. It did not take a prophet to see the inevitable. Mrs. H. and I consulted carefully, and talked of the propriety of moving to more favored regions. That, however, under existing circumstances, would seem like beating a cowardly retreat, and our sin in doing so would be more heinous than that of Jonah. Wife told me to get her an outfit for making cloth and she would furnish wearing apparel for the family, and we could raise some grain and hogs and we could live as those among whom we lived. We wrote a letter to the A. C. Review, and gave the condition of affairs in that country. Some wrote to us and sent words of condolence, expressions of sympathy, and told us how thankful they were that the good work was going on; but not one, so far as we ever learned, were thankful for the opportunity of having fellowship in an apostolic mission. Bro. J. W. McGarvey did send us the Apostolic Times, which was then being edited by himself, Lard, Hopson and Graham, gratuitous for one year.
The sects at Berryville, having failed to check our work there on the Dr. Ellis plan, held a counsel of war. The decision was to get Uncle Ike to deal a death blow to heresy there. It was announced that Isaac Standlee would expose Campbellism in the town of Berryville upon a certain fifth Lord's day. We had an appointment in a different part for that day, but we decided to hear Uncle Ike. We entered the hall just as the speaker was ready to commence. Preachers and people were present, and evidently ready ​to rejoice over the demolishing that we were to get. We got a seat in front of the pulpit, and there was a fluttering in camp when our presence was discovered. The old veteran's face showed the disappointment and embarrassment he felt. A few minutes' meditation seemed to bring relief. He started off calmly, but soon warmed up and turned his batteries upon the pedos and gave them as severe a castigation as we ever heard. They were now in a similar condition to the hosts of Midian when Gideon made his attack. This, however, did not excuse him with us. I told him, soon as he dismissed, that I had been informed of the purpose of his appointment for that occasion, that I did not propose to defend Campbellism, but knew enough of these matters to know that the pure and unadulterated gospel of Christ was nicknamed Campbellism in order to poison the minds of the people. And I was ready to defend that gospel under any and all circumstances. He seemed a little disappointed in that the whipping he gave the pedos did not excuse him with us.