The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-05-04
From the Christian Intelligencer.
Extempore Preaching.
n ANECDOTE OF DR. JouN NJ MACON
By GRANT THoRBuRN.

If memory is correct, it was in 1902 or
8 that there lived in New Jcrsy pcrso,.
named VIM. Ballard. He had been reg
ular, though formal, attendant at thc
house ofprayef for thirty years; bu: now
the bs ssSsd asSa Iss Ssi$s it.. Hhs. q. hiss tRoh9
He went to every church and prayer
meeting In his district, yet no peace was
found. He sold off bis property and
removed to New York, hoping amog SO
many prechers to find physician who
might understand his case. His abode
was in Greenwich street, near the Battery.
One SABBATH afternoon, while the bells
were tolling he came up Rector street,
intending to enter the Middle Dutch
Church, between Broadway and Nassau
street, in Cedar street he saw people of
worship which he had never seen previ-
GUS to that day: He entered without
asking a question. DIR. Mason rose in
the pulpit and read four verses from the
S3 Psalm, Scottish version, the tunes and
the metre the same as were sung in the
days of Jno Knox, two hundred years
previous. A specimen:
The joyful sound that know;
In brightness of thy face, o Lord,
They ever on shall Co." &c.
At that time was Presenter las it is
termed in Scotland) for DR.. Mason. l set
the tune, and read off the psalm, line after
line. DIR. Mason was in his thirteth wear,
tall, thin and sickly. He wore cooked
hat, hair in curl and powdered -sitnilaf
to the portrait Of DIR. Livingston now id
the Dutch Consistory room, in Fulton
street lie looked more like a military of
ficer than preacher Of peace will give
Mr.. Ballard's impressions Iii his OWL
words. Say she:
"Being stranger, sat ii pew near
BY the door. In few minutes every
pew and passage Was filled by tho crowd
that were pressing in. When the preach
er, with a quick step, asended the high
stairs leading to the pulpit, / thought he
looked moro like play-actot than 4
minister, The reading Of the psalm, line;
the plain;solemn tureiin which it was sung,
all conspired to rivet my whole attention
When DIR. Mason. in strong, sonorohS
voice, addressed the throne Of grace, !
thought there was something so original
and so familiar in his manner and expfes-
siohs, that my whole soul was wfabt iii
astonishment. lie addressed his Maker
ms one talketh to tn Sarthly friend, face To
face: His text was from Rom. VII "a:
10 wretched man that am! who shall
deliver me fFom the body Of this deathi'
Mr.. Ballard remarked that he had
seen his wretched state many months
Previous, but never found delIyefance till
he heard that sermon. Sefyice being
ended and the assembly dismissed, he
stood on the pavement Opposite the bnil-
ding. lie fcad Oh Gre eapsstoDe, over
the door, sThe scotch Presbyterian
Church: Hitherto bath the Lord helped, >
and he went on his way rejoicing. Hs
became constant heatcf apd . deer b
1 the Word.
u At the next Gofiimu1ion IN our church
he applied TO Dr. Mason, prcpsrat5f,
70 becoming member. lie 8esoabcs
the scene as above narrated. Df. Masel
observed that 1t was very singular saw
he; @on that Sabbath, betM esE The i6r
and afternoon service. had a2ra1gc
my thoughts 10 speak lfon bcf tex
When l entered the pulpit, eould neilhe
q fscolIecs thetcss nor sI,s subject. Will
the eongsegas sioh was singing the secon
simeand IA two fnihmes | must ris