Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-10-31
Harp of a Thousand Strings.

Harp of a Thousand Strings.
We find the following in New Orleans pa
par Where they picked it up we should like
to know 1t is one of the most unique 'sar-
mons We ever read, and it may be long before
our readers are treated with another such.'-
So dip in,' gentlemen. The scene is laid in
the town of Watcrproof:-
may say to you, my bretherng, that am
not an edecated man, an l am not one of 'em
as believes that edecation is necessary for
Gospel preacher, for believe the Lord ede-
Gates his preachers just as he wants 'em to be
edecated; an although / say it as oughtn't to
say it, yet in the State of Indianny, whar
live, thar's no man as gifts bigger congrega-
tion nor what gifts.
Thar may be some here to-day, my brother
ing, as don't know what persuasion | am NV.
Well, must say to you, my brethering, that
I'm Hard Shell Baptist. Thar's some folks
us don't like the Hard Shell Bsptists, but I'd
rather have a hard shell as no shell at all. You
see me here to-day, my brethering, dressed up
in fine clothes; you Inou't thinl, was prond,
but AM not proud my brethrring, and altho'
I've been preacher of the gospel for twenty
Years, an aItho' I'm capting of the Hathoat
that lies at your landing. Pm not proud my
brethering.
am not gwne 10 tell edzactiy whar nay tex
may be found; suffice it to say it's in the leds
of the Bible and you'll find it somcwllar be-
tween tho first chapter OF Generations, and the
last chapter of the book of Revolutions, and
.f yos'll go and sarch the Scriptures, you'll
not only fluid my tex thar, but great many
other texes as will do you good to read, and
my tex, when you shill find it, you shill find it
to read thus - ls7
.sAnd be played on a harp uv q thousand
str;ngs-sperits w just men made perieck. y
Ny tex, my brethering, leads me to speak
of sperits. Now thars great many kinds of
sperts in the world-n the fuss place, thar's
the sperits do some folks cali costs, and thar's S
the sperts uv turpcn-rISE, and tilar's the
sp.rits as sorne folks call liquor, an I've
got as good an artikle of them kind OF sferits
On IL, hatbost As ever was foteh down the Mis-
siss;ppi river; hSt thar's great many other
kinds of speri:s, for the tex says, ars =
sIIe played on harp nv t-ko-u-s-and
strings, spirits nv just men made perfek-''
mcnt in tho tex, is FIRE. That's the kind NV
sperits as is ment in the tex, my brc;hcring =
Now, thar's great many kinds of fire in the
world. In the fuss place there's the common
sort of fire YOU light your cigar or pipe with,
and then thar's foxfire, and campfire, fire be-
fore you're ready, and fire and fall back, and
many other kinds of fire, for the tex says,
ssHe played on harp of thousand strings,
sperits, NV just men made perfeck."
But I'll tell you the kind of fire as is ment
in the tex, my brethering-it's HE'LL FIRE an
that's the kind NV fire as a great many NV you
will come to, eff you don't do better nor what
you have been doin'-for
E.He played on harp Nv a thousand strings,
spcrits NV just men made perfcck."
Now, the different sorts NV fire in the world
may bc lk,ened unto the different persuasions
of Christians in the world. In the first place
we have the 'Piscapalions, an they are a high
sailin' and highfalutin' set, and they may be
Hkened unto turkey -buzzard, that flies up in
TO the air, and he goes up, and up, till he looks
no bigger than your finger nail, and the fus
thing you know, he comes down, and down
and down, and is film himself on the car
kiss Of dead hoss by the side of the road, and
ole played on the harp of thousand string:
sperits Wv just men made perfeck."
And then thar's the Methods, and they may
be likened unto the squirrel running up into q
tree, for the Methods believes in gwine or
from one degree of grace to another, and final
sy on to perfection, and the squirrel goes uI
and up, and he jumps from limb to limb, and
branch to branch, ard the first thing Won know
he Gums kerfiumix, and that's like the Metho
dis, for they is alters fallen from grace, ah and
s"Hc played on a harp NV a thousand strings
sperits NV just men made perfeok.''
And then, my brethring, thar's the Hard
Shell Baptists, ahl and they have been liken
ed unto pcssum on sinimon tree, and thun
dcrs may roll and the earth may quake, bu
that possum clings thar still, all and you ma,
shake one foot loose, and the others thar, ant
YOU may shake all feet loose an he haps his tai
around the limb, an he clings, an clings furev
rr, for 'sfIe played a harp NV a hoas-anC
strings, sperits NV just men made perfeek."