True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-20
An Eccentric Preacher.

clergyman, with whom l entered into
conversation,
He proved a cheerful man, and the
discourse fell upon the eccentricilies Of
preachers. l owe the groundwork of the
following anecdote of the celebrated Lo-
renzo Dow to this rencontre.
Dow was very exact in the appoint.
ments he made, and sometimes arranged
them long way ahead. He once preach.
near one Of the small towns in upper
Georgia, aud told his congregation, "on
that day one year he would preach to thea
again p
| The mex! season, on Saturday afternoon
preceding The Sabbath of the appointed
time, the old man was jogging along the
road in the direction of his congregation.
He noticed before him stout little
negro boy, of peculiarly active step and
manner, who carried in his hand a small
tin horn, such as are used 10 call the peo-
pie 10 their meals.
The custom among many in the South
is to allow married men to go to their
wives houses, and children to visit their
parents, on Saturday evening, to stay
with them on Sundays, and as The negroes
are musically inclined, they carry fife,
Or horn, or banjo, to give notice Of
their approach, and 10 beguile the way.
In other cases they whistle, sing, OF
shout. A healthy, cheerful negro, OF
honest intentions, uses generally some
means of association, even if he is obliged
to talk to himself.
Dow, according 10 his usual manner,
entered into conversation with the boy,
and found he was about to visit the con-
gregation he had appointed 10 meet.
If the truth must be told, Lorenzo had
an idea, that the character Of his focE
was that of reckless, frolcksomo, kind
: careless people, upon whom il was neces
sary to'make very decided impression,
or his time would be thrown away upon
Them.
What is your name my lad 7" asked
Dow.
Gabriel, sir" replied the boy, lifting
new straw hat, and showing his ivory,
while he actively stepped along to keep
pace with the preachers horse.
"Can you blow upon that horn 7"
ooh. yes master, 1 can toot little."
"Well, let me hear you."
So the negro inflated his velvet cheeks,
and made the woods resound.
"Do you know a tall pine tree near
the stand at Sharon!" said Dow.
4" Yes, that does, veiy we'll master" p"
! Lorenzo then put his hand in his pOck.
ei, and pulling out silver dollar, showed
ii to the boy, told him if he would climb
up into the Tree before the people met at
the meeting, and keep quiet there until
the preacher called out his name, and then
blow on his horn as he had just done, he
would give him the silver dollar, if he did
not tell any body about it.
The negro expressed himself highly
delighted at such an offer, and promised
punctuallty, with SecreSy.
On the Sabbath, large meeting assem-.
bled at Sharon to hear the famous Loren.
20 Dow. Serious old men and their
wives, wild BOYS and their sweethearls,
almost all on horseback, sometimes by
twos or threes, besides negroes from q
great distance on foot, being readily cap.
tivated by the naturally eccentric, fol
they love ANYTHING that has laugh attach
ed 10 it, and they knew that Lorenzo was
good for a joke, even if it did hit hard.
Dow selected rather birthstone text
and made the application as strong as
! possible, but he forced his way slowly
} among the mercurial, healthful, honest
! hearted people, who were hard to frighten
He enumerated the enormity Of the wees
he thought to prevail, but they were Sc
, used 10 them that the words slid oveI
them like water over ducks back.
AT length he boldly described in The
, plainest kind Of language, the appearance
Of the "last great day." and what woult
be their condition when that day come
suppose" said the preacher, suddenly
and then paused" that this were IN,
day. p He saw that some Of the womer
became little fdge!y, and nudged tn,
fellows into silence. and attention. Sup
pose," repeated he, elevating his voice
"that this day Gabriel should blow hi
trump~
At this moment the little negro shove,
: he was airump," and from the top 0
the lofty pine, loud and clamorous tlas
t overwhelmed the audience. The womel
shrieked, and the men rose up in grea
surprise the horses tied round the camp
. neighed, reared aud plunged, while III
$ terrified negroes changed their complex
= ion to a dull purple color. Never wa
(. alarm, surprise, and astonishment, NOR
!, promptly exhibited.
d Lorenzo Dow looked with grave bu
$ pleased attention upon the successful re
y suit Of his experiment, until the first cls
6 NOR had subsided, and some began I
y estimate the character Of the artificial ar
d gel, and were about to apply little hicl
lOry after the pine But this suggestio