The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1844-03-30
TIE BLIND PREACHER.
ny WIN. WRIT.

As travelled through me county OF
Orange, my eye was caught by cluster Of
horses tied near riinous ole wooden house,
in the forest not far from The road side.
Having frequently seen such objects before
in travelling through these States, had no
difficulty in understanding that this was
place of religious worship.
Devotion ahne should have stopped me I,
to Join in The duties Of the congregation;
but | must confess, tina, curiosity TO hear the
preacher of such wilderness, was not the
least of my motives. On entering, | was
struck with his preternatural appearance.
flo was tall and very spare old man; his
his head, which was covered with a white
linen cap, hi. shriveled hands and his voice,
were all shaking with The influence Of pal
~; and few moments asceitaIned 10 me
that he was perfectly blind.
The first emotions that touched INV breast
were those Of mingled pity AMI venera'ion.
Bu; how sona were all my feelings changed!
The lips OF Plato were never more worthy
Of a prusn nasic sxarr, of bees Than were the
lip. of his hn!y man! 1t was day Of the
administration Of the sacrament-and his
object WIS, Of course, me passion Il our Sa-
,ipur had beard he suhi,c, handled a
thousand times; ha1 thought il exhausted
long ago. Lrte did suppose thar in the
wild woods oi America was TO meet man |!
whose eioqncncc would give to his topic a
new and more sublime pa'hos, than | had
ever before Witnessed.
A. lie descended Gom he pulpit TO dis"
tribute TIC n.s'ic symbols, tfere was a pc.
Guitar, more Ihan human so!omnity in his
ali and manners ahich made my blood run
cold and lay whole frame shiver.
lie then drew picture Of The suffering
Of our Saviour; bis trial before Plate; his
ascent up Calvary; his crucfixion knew
the whole history but never until then, had
ever heard the circumstances SO selected, sc
arranged, so colored! |, was al new; ana
I.seene! To have heard it for the first time
in my life. His epunciat'on was so dellb-
crate, that his voice trembled on every syl'
liable, and every heart iE the assembly
trembled in unison.
Ills peculiar phrases had that force OF
description, that the original scene appeared
10 be at that moment acting before our eyes
fame Of Indignation; and my hands were
involunaarily aad convalsiveIy coached.
But when he came to touch on the pa
thence, the forgiving meekuess of Oh. Saw,
L.. al. I. l.. -
breathing 10 God soft and gentle PRAYER G
pnrdono on his enemies, Father, forgiveahem
for they know not whit they do'--,he voic,
Of the preacher, which had all along faher
ed, grew fainter and fainter, until his utter
ance being entirely INSTRUCTED by the fore,
Of his feelings, he raised his handkerchief t,
his eyes, and burst into loud and irrepre.
sible flood ofgrief -The effect is inconceiv
able. The whole house resounded will
the mingled groans, and sobs, and shrieks o
the congregation.
II was some time before the tumul, hnt
subsided 60 far as to permi, him 10 proceed
Indeed, judging by tae usual bu, falIaciou,
standard Of my own weakness, began Il
be very, uneasy for the situation Of tn.
preacher. For could not G. uceiye how he
would be able to let his audience down from
the height 10 which be wound them withou
'mpsr'ng the soiemnity and dignity Of the
SUBJECT Of perhaps shocking them by the
abruP'ness Of his isll Buf-no: the des-
cent was - beautiful and sublime a. the
elevation had been rapid and enthusiastic
The first sentence with which he broke
the awful ,shsncs, was a quotation from