Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-12
THE PULPIT AND THE KNIFE.
Hunted Preacher


ard county, Missouri, where thrown into a sta ate
OF extraordinary excitement by a cause that
seemed wholly inadequate to the production of
such effects, especially in a latitude situated so
lar towards the setting sun. The phenomenon
which attracted universal attention was neither
more nor less than the appearance of a new
Methodist preacher-a circuit-rider as the
name goes in the west, but one of a remark able
person, and of powers that the superstitious
deemed almost supernatural
lie was youth who had not seen moro than
twenty summers; of about the medium HEIGHT
although he looked much taller, from the
slghtness of his make. apparently feeble and
delicately moulded as the form of q woman.
But all his movements, even to the flash of his
eye or the wafture of his finger in gesticulation
were inefably quick. He was possessed of
many Of the graces which are usually supposed
to constitute feminine beauty. His slender
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 state
of repose, although, when aroused by any strong
emotion, 1t could assume a look Of sternness or
OF passion absolutely appalling. His ewes were
large. beaminS, and piercing, so that when on
fre with sudden wrath, not many of even the
braveSt would feel at ease while encounterino
their fierce flashes ofinexpressible defiance, for
they plainly dared all things, not leaving out
death itself One drawback must be made
from the exquisite character of this portrait:
its complexion 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 subdued hue of iI!-health,
but rather that transparent paleness so rare
and delicate. which indicates lofty thoughts.
such as = wander through eternity" perseyer-
ing and studiOus yigils 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
fafh RN1fa hfah L
never find.
l shall not forget, even should nv life be
protracted for ages the first time that 1 had an
an opportunity Of seeing and hearing this yes-
tern prodigy. 1t was at the town of Fayette,
in the county previously mentioned The large
court house was used as a place of temporary
worship, and long before the appointed hour it
had been crowded to its utmost capacity, while
hundreds, unable to gain admission, hung
around the doors and windows, determining to
get glimpse, or catch at least a tone of the
wonderful orator. whose fame was on every
body's tongue.
Several preachers were on the platform, and
among the dense throng arose the low murmur
made up of a thousand eager whispers
- Which is Ellis?'' - Which is the new Whit
feld9'' Which ishe2-which is he?' And
the general conclusion of those who had never
seen the object of their curiosity appeared TO
be that finely formed, middle aged person.
with ruddy complexion and shining bald head
was the man. This inference grew stronger
when the individual described arose, gave out
hymn. and, kneeling, uttered an extemporan-
eOus prayer of considerable fuency and unbouu-
ded ferYor. However, upon the whole. the
congregation felt a keen Disappointment The
effort did not in any degree correspond with the
grandeur of their precOnceived idea. Nor was
this at all strange, as the performer in this
case happened TO be only the elder in charge of
the district; and such clerical officers in the
Methodist denomination are commonly chosen
with reference to their steady aud solid talents
for government, and their unimpeachable or
thodoxy, more than from any manifestations of
logical acuteneSs or political genius.
The petition to heaven was ended Those
who had bowed TO the earth in real or simulated
alteration resumed their seats, and for five min
utes afterwards there prevailed a solemn ST.
Ience, the profound calm of expectation. Then
suddenly slender figure, that nobody had OBJ
served before, ascended the platform, and q
pale yet luminous face. shining with two earnest
starry eyes, glanced slowly around the vast as
semblage, as If silently measuring their capaci-
~ for the reception Of the truths about to be
enunciated.
lie did not open the Bible-he did not for
mally take any text; but ali at once he cried
out, in trumpet tones, which caused every
hearer to start ON his seat, Behold, make all
things newt And then he spread all the sails
OF Imagination. and launched boldly forth into
an illimitable ocean Of elOquence. The burden
Of his discourse, in its first division was the
susceptibility of the material molecules compo-
sing the visible and tangible universe for end
less transformations of utility and transcend
entail beauty thrOughOu the endless ages of
eternity. He demonstrated, from the latest
discoveries Of chemistry, and the best estab-
lshed truths Of all physical science, that matter
Is not that gross. disgusting thing which the
athelsJlc philosophers and some superstitiOus
theOlogians would have us to believe IT, but that
al IT. aspects of responsiveness, Of sweetness of
SublimIty and Of terror, depend upon the az
Tangement Of its atoms and the composition of
It, elements.
As the speaker went on advancing into the
heart Of his subject, the paleness gradually left
his face, which at last glOwed like fiery fur
mace; and the azure Of his eyes turned to red
and literally lightened around him and as he
closed the irst branch Of his subject, describing
the boattude to be enjoyed in the new heaven
and earth, the final home Of the "a nts in light
a general and irrepres.ible shout of enthusiasm
broke forth among the faithful.
He then commenced the second division of his
discourse with the singular remark that al
though II WAS declared that all things should
be made new. there was no intimation that all
ySTSOHS should be made new, but that an OppO-
cite inference might we'll be deduced from the
letter and spirit Of the text" And notwith-
standing as every intelligent reader will at
once perceive, that this construction was a fan
cIful and tar-fetched play upon mere words, the
orator male II foundation for the most appal-
Ing remuneration against sinners perhaps ever
heard from the pulpit He painted the differ
snt Offenders agains; the divine law in eOlors So
black as to justify, without n figure, the epithet
VI tnIerhai- Ana here all his elOquence proved
Iahure' or worse for instead OF wOOing sin
her1 ana heretlcs into the arms Of orthodoxy,
ms Ditter inVeeilyes filed their hearts with hos
tiIty anu revenge. He made that day at least
hVe hundred implacable enemies.
Aiter"srn-- travelling around his circuit he
t tusueu 'he same unwayering course throwing
the whole country into ferment. and creatine
with every sermon host Of friends and enc.
latter however. usually predominant
ing both in vehemence and numbers
Al length he gave mortal offence to one Jonas
nj wealthy Planter Of Howard county,
.u anu = man Oi great personal popularity, al
though it was well known that bis wrat6 was
dssa,. 5suIy as the poison Of the rattIesnake The