The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-23
Ten Years of Preac her Life Chapters
from an Autobiography Of William


The author of The Rifle, Aze and Saddle
bags has been induced to write his own biog-
raphy, or rather series of pictures taken
from the life of blind Methodist preacher.
The opening chapter, containing an affect.
ing account of the accident by which Mr..
MILBURN lost his sight, is followed by brief
narrative Of his early life and the cause which
induced him to enter the ministry. Then we
have the curious details of his itinerant life
as wandering Methodist clergyman, some
of which are highly amusing. Much of the
book is occupied by the writer's recollec-
tions OF the time he spent in Washington as
Chaplain of the House of Representatives,
and the entire narrative is replete with anec-
dotal "reminiscences, told in racy, graceful
style. We copy the following, as giving
good idea of the style of the book:
T. SERMON INTERRUPTED.
One of our beloved bishops, the Rev.
Thomas A. Morris, when young man, was
travelling somewhere in the West, and left
an appointment to preach in neighborhood
little frequented by the ministry. Due no.
tice was given, and large company assem-
bled. The service was to be held in double
log cabin with perch in front. The men
were gathered in one room, the women in
the other and the boys on the porch. The
preacher stood in the door. As he proceed
ed, couple ofmen in the congregation be-
gan to whisper and at length spoke so loud
that all the congregation could hear them
the theme of their discourse being horse
swap. The preacher paused and said that,
as it was bad manners for more than one to
speak at time, if it were necessary for
them to bring their trade to a conclusion
he would stop until they had finished. They
were silent, and he resumed, when an Off
cious old gentleman came bustling through
the crowd with a split bottomed chair
raised high above his head, and placing it in
front of the preacher, said: al forgot you
had no pulpit; here is one" The preacher
began again. but was soon interrupted by
the noise made by the boys in the porch
quarreling. This was promptly quelled by
the old gentlemans stridlng among the ur-
chins, cutting and boxing them soundly, and
shouting abe still you little savagcs, or I'll
knock your heads off," Order restored, the
preacher tried to 60 on again, but now there
came noise from the female side of the
house. A boy, four or five years old, who
was seated in his mothers lap, was engaged
in earnest whispering with her. He said,
"Mammy, nanny" and she said, +" Hush"
At length he seemed to think that endurance
had ceased to be virtue, and bawled out,
81 say, nanny, scratch my back" She, in
fiery indignation, boxed his ears soundly,
whereat he set up terrible yell. She rose,
and dragging her promising offspring after
her, forced her way among the auditors,
rushed by the preacher in the door, and at
once began the satisfactory operation of
trouncing, she shouting Hush ]" and he,
II won't-scratch my back" This last
attack was too much for the preachers
eouanimity, and the excited state of his ris-
ibles obliged him to close services on the
instant. 4
A JOURNEY WITH FANCY CREEK MINISTER'S
My itinerating life was yet fresh when the
two preachers from the Fancy Creek circuit
visited one of our quarterly meetings; at its
close they besought the presiding elder to lend
me to them for q weeks round, promising to
deliver me safe and sound at his appointment
the next Saturday. He assented, and away