Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-04-16
The Pulpit and the Knife.
A TRUE STORY.


n were thrown into a state of extraor
dinary excitement by a cause tina
e seemed wholly inadequate to the pro
duction of such effects, especially il
e latitude situated SO fur toward
the setting sun. The phenomenon
which attracted universal attention
: was neither more nor less than tn.
appearance of a new Methods
preacher "a eircuit-rider, as The
name goes in the west, but one of &
remarkable person, and Of powers
that the superstitious deemed almost
supernatural.
4 He was ayouth who had not seen
more than twenty summers; Of about
the medium height, although he
looked much taller, from the slight
ness of bis make, apparently feeble
and delieately moulded as the form
Of a woman But all bis movements,
even TO the flash Of bis eye or the
wafture Of bin finger in ges-
ticulation, were ineffabiy quick He
WAS possessed of many Of the graces
which are usually supposed to con.
stitute feminine beauty. His slen-
der figure was a model for the arts
of sculpture and painting. His face
was an admirable oval, soft and sweet
in its expression while in a state Of
repose, although, when aroused by
any strong emotion, it could assume
a look of sternness OF Of passion alb
solutely appalling. His eyes were
large, beaming. and piercing, so that
when on fire with sudden wrath, not
many of even the brarest would feel
at ease while encountering their
fierce flashes of inexpressible defiance,
for they plainly dared all things, not
leaving out death itself. One draw
back must be made from the exquisite
character of this portrait: his COM
plexion altogether lacked color, when
not illuminated by some excitement
capable of pouring the blood from
the heart in boiling torrents. His
features, it is true, did not have the
unnatural and subdueG hue of i'll
health, but mther that transparent
paleness, so rare and delicate; which
indicates lofty thoughts, such as
wander through eternity persever-
ing and studious vigils over the rays
of the midnight lamp, and infinite
longings, such as no human language
can hope to express, for the ideal Of
all, the immense, the unknown, the
lathomless mystery which we seek
forever, but never fnd.
| | shall not forget, even should my
life be protracted for ages, the first
time that / had an opportunity Of
seeing and hearing this western
prodigy. 1t was at the town Of Fay
cite, in the county previously men,
toned. The large court house was
used as a place of temporary wor-
ship, and, long before the appointed
hour, it had been crowded to its ut
most capacity, while hundreds, un.
able to gain admission, hung around
the doors and windows, determining
to get aglimpse, or catch at lea st o
] tone of the wonderful orator, whose
fame was on everybody tongue. Z
Several preachers were on the
platform. and among the dense thropg
arose the low murmur, made up of 9
thousand eager whispers" (which
is Ellis2'' (which is the new Whit.
field?' (which is he : which is he?'
And the general conclusion of those
who had never seen the object O
their curiosity appeared to be, tina,
a finely Termed, middle-aged person
with a ruddy complexion and shining
bald head, was the man. This infer.
ence grew strongerWhcn the individ
ual described arose, gave out hymn
and, kneeling, uttered an extempo
raneous prayer Of considerable fuen
cy and unbounded fervor. Howev
er, upon the whole, the congregation
, felt keen disappointment. The ef
fort did not in any degree correspond
with the grandeur Of their precon
ceiyed idea. Nor was this at al
strange, as the performer in this cas-
happened to be only the elder il
charge of the district; and such cler
ical officers 10 the Methodist demon
ination are commonly chosen Will
] reference to their steady and solli
talents for government; and their ON
- se.a, $500