Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-07-03


own back to them. He heared them turning
back to hear the lining Of the next stanza'
Still he kept his back towards them. 'Do
you think this looks we'll ?" He at length
asked. is this good manners? And yet
my back looks as we'll as yours From that
day to the present, that congregation never
again turned their backs to the preacher dur
ing the singing.
Atauother General Conference, fierce, l
might say, hot discussion, arose upon some
point of discipline. At the chose of the
season the Bishop requested Father Haxley,
who had taken no part in the discussion, to
lead their devotions, which he proceeded to
do as follows:
sNow, O'Lord, thou knowest what time
we have had, discussing and arguing about
this question of Elders. Thou knowest what
our feelings are-that we do not care what
becomes ofthe team: It is only who shall
drive the oxen
He preached among the people who were
all ,sharp-shooters, and he had learned how
to hit the nail on the head, when be had ac-
casion to administer rebuke.
Those old preachers had the pluck to ex'
press their sentiments where any evil existed.
I honor them for it, said Mr.. NJ. Thus did
a famous old Tennessee preacher, Father
Craven, preaching once in the heart of Vlr'
ginia, rebuke what he deemed the sins Of
the people:
Here said he, 'are great many profes'
sors of religion, sleek and good looking
Yet you are not the thing you ought to be-
You know bushel of wheat ought to weigh
sixty or sixty-four pounds; but you some
times see wheat with round plump kernels,
and when you come to weigh it, its only for
ty-fve pounds. You know there is something
the matter with the wheat You take grain
of it between your thumb and finger, and
squeeze it-and out pops weevil. Now
some of you good-looking Christians only
weigh forty-fve to the bushel, instead Of
sixty-four as you ought. Squeeze you be-
tween the thumb of the law and the finger
of Gospel, and out will pop whiskey-bot'
tie
And now said the lecturer, there is an old
friend of mine, now living in Illinois, my
first Presiding Elder Peter Cartwright, ol
whom l must relate an anecdote which illus
trates several peculiarities Of the class tc
which he belonged, and Of some Of their ex
periences among the rude border people.
When the State of Illinois was admitted
into the Union, it was as free State. Cart
wright, who then resided in Tennessee, de.
termiued to remove to Illinois. So he was
appointed Presiding Elder over district
about as large as England He kept his ap'
pointments, and after preaching on Sunday
was wont to announce on Monday that he
would deliver stump speech. He's be-
came regarded as a politician, and no little
anger was excited against him. One day
coming to ferry across the river, where he
was not personally known, he heard the fer
ryman holding forth to crowd in bittel
terms against that old renegade, prefxine
sundry epithetic expletives to that fatterine
term-Pete Cartwright, declaring that he
would drown him if he ever came that way
After awhile Peter engaged the ferryman tc
put him over. They were alone in the boat
and when they had reached the centre of the
stream, in full sight Of theshore, the preach
er throwing the bride of his horse over the
post, ordered the ferryman to put down hi
pole.
What is the matter p asked the ferryman
You have just been making free with m.
name, and threatening to drown me in tht
river. I want to give you chance to do so
You are Pete Cartwright are you ?
My name is Peter Cartwright replieC
the preacher.
The ferryman nothing, lothc, laid dow
his pole, and the contest began. The preach
or proved the better man, and scizing hi
antagonist by the nape of his neck and tn
seat of the neither garments, plunged hin
three times under the water with the words
i baptize thee in the name of the Devil
whose child thou art Then holding hi
head ont of the water, he asked:
Did you ever pray?'
No. was the reply.
Then it is time you should. 1 will lteac
you. Do you repeat after me, Our Fathe
who art in Heaven
The ferryman refused; and down went hi
head under water, and there it was held lon
enough, as Peter thought to conquer his ri
luctance. He raised him up and repeate
his demand.
sLet me BREATHE gasped the ferryman.-
Give HE few minutes to think about it.
Not a moment And under went h
head again.
The inquiry was again put, when the fe
ryman's head was next raised. will yc
pray now?
yes, I'll do anything, and the fellow Oh
diently repeated the Lords Prayer, after Il
dictation of Cartwright. Now let ME up
he added.
No, not yet,' replied the inexorable P
ter. 'You must make three promises befo
l let you up: First, you must promise
pray every night and morning as long as yc
live; then you must promise to put eve1
methodist preacher who comes along ov'
the river for nothing; and, lastly, you mu
promise hereafter to attend every meetir
of the Methodist held within four miles
E you