The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-06-19
".Hardshell Preaching"

l. ".Hardshell Preaching"
i, The following " sermons " appeared in
British Journal as specimens of America
preaching.
MORNING SERVICE.
, l may say to you, my brethering, that
am not an edecated man, an am not on
o them that bleeves edecation is necessar,
fur gospel minister. for bleers the Lor,
edecates his preachers Jest as he wants then
to be edecated, an, although say 1t tha
oughtn't to say it, yet in the State Of Indi
amy, whar live, that no man as gifts q big
ger congregation nor what gifts.
Thar may be some here to-day, my breeth'
ering, rs don't know what persuasion am
Nv. We'll, may say to you, my breether.
ing. that I'm Hardshcll Baptist. Thar's
some folks as don't like the Haddshell Bap.
lists, but I'd ruthor have q hard shell ns no
shell at all. You see mo hero to-day, my
breethering, drest up in fine close; you
mount think l was proud, but am no,
proud, my breethcring, and although I've
been preacher Nv the Gospel for twenty
years, and although captinS Of that fiat
boat that lies ut yurc landing, I'm not
proud, my brecthcring.
I'm not q gwinc ter tell yer edzacly whar
my text may be found suffice it to say, it's
in the leds Of the Bible, an you'll find it
somewhar tween tho first chapter of the
book of Generation and the last chapter Of
the book of Revolutions, an ef you'll 60 and
sarch the Scriptures, as have sarched the
scriptures, you'll not only find NY tex thar,
but great many uther rExEs Us will do you
good to read ; an my tex, when you shall
find it, you shall find it read thus
And he played on harp Nv a thousand
strings-sperits Of just men made perfeck.
My text, brccthering, leads me tu speak
Nv spcrit. Now thar's a great many kinds
of sperits in the world-in the fust place,
thar's the sperits as sum folks call ghosts,
then thar's the sperits Nv turpcnrIME, an
then thar's the sperts as sum call liquor,
an I've got as good an artikcl Nv them kind
Nv sperit on my fat boat as ever was fotchcd
down the Mississippi river, but thar's
great many other kind NV sperlts, for the
tex sez: "IIe played on harp Nv u THOU
sand strings-sperits oil just men made per.
feck."
But III tell you the kind Nv spcrits as is
ment in the tex, it's FIRE. That is tho kind
Nv spirits as is ment in the tex, my breether-
ing. Now, thar's great many kinds NV
fire in tho world. In the fust placs. thar's
the common sort Of fire You lite a scgar or
pipe with, and then thar, s cam fire, fire be.
fore yurc reddy, and fall back, and many
other kinds NV fire, for the tex sez: ale
played on harp Nv q TIIou-sand strings
spcrits NV just men made perfock."
But III tell you the kind NV FIRE as is
ment in the tex. my brcetherlng-it's HELL
FIRE an that's the kind of fro as great
many uvyou'll come to, cf you don't do bet.
ter nor what you have been do'-ior. "TIe
played on harp Nv TuOu.sand strings
sperits NV just men made perfeck."
Now, tho different sorts Nv fire in the
world may be likcned onto the dflercut per.
suasions of Christians in the world. In the
fust place we have the Piscapalions and
they are a high sailin' and high fnlu'in
set, and they may be likencd unto turkey
buzzard that flies up into the air and he goes
up and up till he looks no bigger nor your
finger nail, and tho fust you know he comes
down and down. and down and down, and
he is film himself on tho karkiss NV dead
hoss on the side Of the road-and " lie play.
ed on harp IVA rnou.sand strinss-sperits
of just men made pcrlcck."
And then thar's the Methods, and they
may be likened unto tho squirrel, runnin'
up into tree, for the Methods believes in
gwine on from one degree Nv grace to anoth.
er, an up, an he jumps from lin to lin,
an branch to branch, an the fret thing you
know he falls an down be Gums kcrhumux,
an that's like the Methods, for they is al.
lers fallin' from grace, ah /! AM" lie
played on harp Nv rnoUsand strings
sperits Nv just men made perfcck."
An then my brecthering, thar's tn,
Baptist, ah an they hev bin likenei untc
a possum on a 'simmon tree, an the thun
ders may roll, an the earth may quake, but
I at possum clinss thar still, ah ! An 80,
may shake all feet loose, an he laps his tail
around the lin, an he cings thar furcver
fur" lie played on harp Nv THOU
sand strinss-sperits NV jvst men made per
fcck"
(IIcrc the reporter could no longer contain
himself. and his note, became entirely unin
telligible)
ddrfnfIrc at n lfaslcd Rail- A letter