Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-06-23
A Public Rebuke.

The late Judge II. L. White 0
Tennessee became CONSPICUOUS at +;
very early period Of l.ft, as jdris
and a statesman. lie fixed his per
I manent home near Knoxville, aniids
the scenes of his youthful sports and
the companies Of his boyish. days
Rarely has young man, continuing
in his own country and among hi:
own kindred, SO soon attained sucl
literary aud political preeminerce
From his youth, the Judge was char
acterized.by profound reverence fal
the ordinances Of the gospel. Hp was
a regular attendant at tie house o.
worship aud while he was Presb yte-
rian, that being the Church Of his
fathers al ID the Church Of his choice,
he was be 4neYolent and generous to,
wards OF her branches of the great
Christian family lie gave TO the
Methodist Church at Knoxville, the
ground on which their house was
bull; and occasionally he would ap,
pear in the congregation, and join
with them in their worship.
Now. in those days, was otable
presiding elder in that region, called
Father Axley, a pious, laborious, un-
comprq missing preacher Of the gospel,
who considered it bis duty to reb uke
sin wherever it should presume to
Eft up its deformed head within the
Limits of his civil district. And
willie Father Axley WAS a man of
respectable talents, undoubted l,iety
and great ministerial fidelity, he had,
moreov ver, spice of humor, oddity,
and dr9llery about him, that rarely
failed to impart a characteristic tinge
TO his perlorlnanec The consc-
qnence WAS tina t amusing anecdotes
Of the sayings md doings of Father
AAley abouuded throughout the
country.
On certain Day a number Of law
yers and liter rry men were together
in die town of Knoxville and the
convcrs; ;dion turned on the subject of
Ireaching and preachers. One and
another had expressed his option
Of the performances of this and hat
pulpit orator. At length Judge
White spoke up Well, gentlemen,
on This subject each man is, of
course, entitled TO bis own opinion,
hut | must confess, that Father Ak
ley Lropght me to a sense Of my evil
deeds = at lie east portion Of them =
more enectu:illy than any preacher
! have ever heard At this every
eve and earg was turned, for Judge
White was known never to speak
lightly npon religious subjects, and
WAS respectful in lis remarks con-
cerll ling religious men. The compa--
ny now expressed the most urgent
desire that the Judge would give the
particulars, and expectation stood Oh
tiptoe
4 went up,' said the Judge, cone
evening TO the Methodist Church.
A sermon was PREACHED by clergy
man with whom was not acquainted;
but Father Aaley Was in the pulpit
At the close df the sermon, he arose
ard said 20 the congregation, 4 am
not going to dctan you by delivering
an exhortation. l have risen simply
to administer Il rebuke for improper
conduct which ! have observed here
tonight. This of course. walked up
the entire assembly; and the stiffness
was most profound while Axley stood
and looked, for two or three seconds
over the congregation. Then, stretch
ing ont his large long aTm,-and point
ing With his finger st3adily in one
direction, Now, SAID be, Il calculate
that those two Young men who were
talking ard laughing in that corner
Of the house while the brother was
preaching think that I'm going TO
talk about them Well, it is true
that if looks very bad, when well
dressed yopng men, who you would
suppose, from their appearance, be-
longed to some genteel, respectable
f,miiy come TO the house Of God, |
and instead Of reverencins the maj
esty of Him that dwelleth therein,
or attending TO the message of His
everlasting love, get together in the |
corner Of the house, This finger all |
this time pointing straight and I
steady as tie aim Of rifleman) and
there, throagh The whole solemn ser
vices, keep talking, laughing, gigiing
thus annoying the minister, dis |