The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-09-02
Ministerial Tactics.

highest Importance. 1t preserves
him from many mistakes, and sug-
gests many modes of usefulness, and
contributes alike to his happiness and
success. The following facts, one
only of which, in any form, has before
appeared in print, will tond to illus
trate our doctrine:
1t is we'll known that when tho late
Rev. Rowland Hill, Of London, CON-
menced his ministry some eighty
years ago, there vas in many parts
Of England q settled aversion to evan
gelical religion; 80 that, notwith.
standing his position in life, and his
eminent talents, he was not unrre-
quently the eobject Of persecution.
On one occasion he had intended to
preach at a large seaport on the
western coast but considerable
number of sailors, under the influence
Of the ecclesiastical leaders of the
district, assembled together, swearing
that he should not preach. In the
very height Of their threatcnings he
arrived on tho SPOT, and inquired,
with all the apparent indifference Of
an entire stranger, what was the
matter. lie was informed that no
preaching would be permitted, and
that any attempt to introduce it,
would only call into use the bludgeons
with which somo hundreds Of them
were armed. SWELL, well, gen.
tlcmcn,' said he, with the most pro.
found good temper, ''f YOU say there
shall be no preaching, Of course I
shall submit to your wishes. / did
not intend to say Any thing to offend
you, I only meant.,if l had preached,
to havc sai9 scmewha, from [nMnins.
a tex ) and theY guar to haze SC
ua,F i az .ir7n his cou-
3. t.nS II m- = 80.
1r,,sc-e. ahn voice ooml' IL I N:
and &Nfr. .h,t 81 id thcy1 INTO
silence, &rl s6r threc.q9 -r:crs Of On
noul, D. more 4U Nc,.t Uu to ell
them Wit; he alud AhYc sad Il e
had preached, till his whole audience
were in tears. We need only add
that their prcjudices were subducd;
he preached again and again, and
thus laid the foundation of very
large and prosperous Church. How
much better was this than either
scolding them, or appealing to the
arm of tho law for protection!
AT another time, whilo he was
visiting his father and family at
Hawkstone Hall, he was earnestly
cntrcatcd to visit nciyhboring town,
where the small Westinghouse had
boen closed by the hand Of violence,
and whose inhabitants wcrc entirely
without evangelical instruction. On
his arrival, tic house was crowded
chiefly with enemies to the Gospel,
and his friends entrcatcd him not to
preach, as among other plans the
opposing party had obtained the
presence of q most notorious prize.
fighter, on purpose to annoy him
personally. But Rowland Hill was
one Of the last men in the world
to finch from on encounter like this.
lie declared that he would preach,
even though he died in tho attempt,
and having obtained an exact dc.
scription Of the person and dress Of
the prizc-fghter, he made his way,
unguarded and alone, to the pulpit.
Looking around him FROM the pulpit,
as he never failed to do, his eye
caught tho pusilist, when he very re.
spectfully bcckoncd to him. The
man apparently full ofiury, asccadcd
the pulpit stairs, whom he told that his
name was Rowland Hill, that he was
tie son Of Sir Richard Hill, of
lIawkstono Park, and q clergyman,
and that he was come to the town to
preach, and had been told that some
bad men intended to disturb him;
that he had full confidence in his tai
ents as prize.hghtcr, and therefore
put himself under his protection as a
gentleman; that if any disturbance
should arise, he should rely upon him
to qucll it; and at the close of the
service he would be glad if he would
accompany him in his carriage
to dine at llawkstonc. The fury
of the man was entirely subducd;
he promised his best efforts
to maintain quictness, which he
actually did secure, and went away
at tho end Of the service apparently
ashamed that no had intended to
interrupt SO complete gentleman
in his wishes to do good. Did not
this conduct show that Mr., Hill un.
derstood human nature?
About thirty years ago, died the
Rev. John Palmer, for some thirty
or forty years the successful pastor
Of the First Baptist Church at