Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-05-25
From the Washington Uninn
The Bow Preacher

Crammond Kennedy, the boy preacher, as he has been designated, discoursed on Sunday evening at the Baptist church, Christopher street, New York, (Rev.sJ. o. Adams pastor) to densely crowded audience. This remark able youth is but fifteen years old, and was born in Scotland. His mother is living, and resides in Canada. During the past two years he has lived in that city, and has been clerk in the house of Aikens & Miller, Broadway. It IS mistake that he Is convert of the late re- vlvaL. He says that he experienced religion when he was eight years old, but during the past winter he was brought out in the religious awakening then in progress in Mr. Adams church with more distinct developments of the workings of divine grace Neither has he been licensed to preach as was stated by the same correspondent. Nor does he preach every night. He has preached but twice before the occasion now noticed. About the first of Jan- uary last, he states that he experienced more vividly than at his original conversion the trans forming efficacy of the Spirit, and then became a member of Mir. Adams's church. His narra- tive of his religious experience was remarkable beyond precedent, and no less remarkable was his first effort at public prayer. The singular individuality distinguishing both the evidences of hls plety and the maturity of his intellect at once attracted towards him general attention.- He has never had regular education, having enjoyed but ordinary opportunities in this re- spect. Since his residence in N CIV York he has attended evening schools. Very lately he has commenced the study of Greek and mathemat ics, and, it is said, manfests powers of acauisi- ton truly astonishing. He acquires with great rapidty, nor is this ease of attainment confined to any one branch of learning; it is equally manifest in everything he attempts. Though he had never studied at any school of theology, he has already studied and mastered great deal Tn this department of ecclesiastical learning Since he first attracted the attention of the cnnrch at which he worshiped in January last, his immediate friends in New York have been anxious to avoid any special publicity or noto- riees~ of hls name. The boy himself shrnks rom anything like a blazonng notorety
 AS he rises before the audience to preach, his appearance, voice, and manner indicate him to be the mere boy that he is. His face wears the smooth, unfurrowed expression of extreme youth, and bis intonations are correspondingly chudlke. Yet he says what he has to say with the cool self-possesson of mature years There is no hurry in his utterance. He Is perfectly deliberate, calm, and sedate. His thoughts are remarkably well defined, and clothed with sin. gular precision of language. Not less remark
 able is the orderly arrangement that distin- gushes his discourse. Few men in middle life exhibit riper method in their public efforts He manifests no ambition for mere effect, and exhibits no special talent for rhetorical embell- ishment or flights of eloquence; yet his language is all sensible and strikingly appropriate. The most obvious feature of his mind IS ability for well-connected augmentation, intermingled with earnest and impressive exhprtation. Yet, with all the undisturbed confdenee he manifests before an audience not less apparent is his un- affected modestv and humility.