Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-12-13
From the N. Y. Evangelist.
"The DrOll Ilymn-BOOk."
nj REV. JAMES eALLAHEn.

A certain class of our Western population
entertained, from an early day, very strong
preudices against learned ministers. On
account of her position in relation TO this
matter, the Presbyterian Church has received
many n sound drubbiug from preachers,
whose boast was, "thnt their backs had ney.
er been rubbed against the walls of n col
legc." These mcu claimed degree Of in.
spirnton, which in their own estimation and
in that also of their admirers, placed them
immcusurably above "mere book-lenrued
men, whose preaching came from the head,
aud not from the heart" The Presbyterian
Church, FROM the day in which she first set
up her standard in the great West, took this
ground that while learning alone is n poor
outfit for gospel minister, ignorance alone
is no better; that il is just as improper for one
man to preach from lis Ignorance, MS it is for
another to preach from his learning: that
those who preach the gospel should first be
imbued with the Holy Spirh of the gospel
aud that those who attempted to teach 9th
ers, should first he taught themselves. TO
the friends of an enlightened ministry, it is
now gratifying To observe, how, Mt the pres.
eMi day, every branch of the great Christian
family, is not only snncIioning, but each is
emulous to occupy The noble position tukeH
10y The Presby ytcrian Church, When the West
was hut wilderness; aud on account of
which, through n series of years, she was
everywhere spoken against" "Surely
there is no enchnntinent against Jacob, ne-
tlier is there any divinutiun against Israel"
The following narrative will show how
one family, at least, were cured of their
prejudices against an educated ministry.
T..
well known us Col. AcCann) near Rogers
vile, Tenn, hnd, by laudnllr excriions, pro.
cured family library. lie carefully culI.
waited u taste for reading, aud his family be-
ing small, lie was able from time to Time 20
add to the number Of his books. some of
the works which lac had collected were his.
tOrical, some related to religion, some to law,
and lic had moreover u few volumes of whnt
hc regarded as standard poetry. Among
these was n small edition of Burns poems.
This last book was near the size, and had
very much the external appearance of n
pocket Hymn Book; although, MS llle reader
must know, internally quite another malier.
The owner of the library aud his wife, were
professors of religion, aud were connected
with denomination, among whom there
was, at That time, great outrry against
hook-learned ministers, and loud professions
Of preference for those who preached from
inspiration.
Not far distant from there was q Young
man who had lately commenced preaching.
The capital OH which he had undertaken
business, was extremely limited. A partial
acquaintance with the Spelling-Book, the
Columbian Orator, and, peradvcnture, Rob-
inson Crusoe, had constituted about the en-
tire encyclopedia of his learning; but re-
Gently he had proiessed conversion, and had
begun TO preach, anh now he had formed
some acquaintance with the Bible and the
llymn-book
On n certain evening, the young preacher
came to spend the night with the family of
the library. When the hour for evening
worship had come, the preacher was invited
10 lead in their devoiiOns. The good lady
had put down the Bible on the table, aud, MS
she supposed, the LYNN Book; though, in
fact she had inadvertently laid down little
copy of Burns. The preacher read Gimp
ter niter his own fashion, and then took up
the llymn-Book TO select suitable hymn
Here was
"Greon grows the rushcs o.
Green grows the rushcs o
"Tho sweetest hours that e'er spent" sc.
This appeared quite odd. And two diff
cullies presented themselves. lst. He did
not know tune that would exactly suit the
measure. And 2nd, the hymn did not pro-
misc To promote in any high degree, the ed
ificaion of the family, in case il should be
sung. So lie resolved to look further, aud
turning over the leaves, lis eye was arrested
by
" a guild new year ! wish thee Maggie!
Hae, there's rip for thy auld b0ggleW
Perfectly bnwked again, the senli.inspircd
preacher closed the book, aud looked with
scruiini2ing care aud dcliheralion on the
outside. But il was evidently Hymn Book.
For what business had u book to have thnt
size and shape, unless it was Hymn Book A.?
So he resolved to try il again, aud next en-
countered
al am man of Mars. who have been in ma
ny wars,
And show my cuts and scars wherever 1
come"
This will not do. So he turned TO nnoth-
er place, and behold,
/" Ha where ye gaun, We crawlin fcric,
Your impudcncc protects you; sairly,
Gamma say but ye strunt rarely,
Owre gauze and lace!"
This was absolutely out of the question.
80 or preacher turned TO the lady of the
house, aud said,
"Why, this is droH Hymn Book. 1t is
the drolcst have ever seen"
The lady sprung TO her feet and went
and looked, and behold, the supposed Hymn
Book was the little copy of Burns. She in
slanily removed il, and handed lie genuine
Hymn Book TO the minister. After this.
their evening worship encountered 10 fur.
tller interruption.
This incident however produced lasting
revolution in the opinions of that family,
concerning the pretended inspiration of ig-
norant men. The matter was maturely con
sldered and discussed among them. II ap-
peared to them passing strange that The in
Sipraiion W l'ich superseded the necessity Of
all human learning, and qualified an gno-
rant man 10 teach the truths of the everlast-