The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-30
music he feared they might introduce new doc


bitterness among themselves, yet if an outsider
had difficulty with any, they all took the part
OF their brother To fight with one was to fight
with the whole society, and as they had bad
tongues In their heads, it was dangerous to
NEEDLE with them. Hans Boggs was grand
father, when he chased man for remarking
that the Covenanters would commit a SIM stand
up and profess repentance, and then 90 and
commit it again. He probably knew that it
was nothing but the naked truth, but he be-
leved, with the old English law, that the greater
was the truth the greater the libel.
William Moffet, very sedate elder, was re-
turning from paying his rent, and passed the
course as they were preparing for horse race
Here's Joost as good place as yell get,
Billy" called out neighbor woman, who
thought she would secure good company, and
oblige friend at the same time "Oh, think
I'll get better place ner that, Jenny" was his
answer, as he pushed on home There was
often such a crowd around the course that
spectators to get a good sight, would often
climb up on stacks, roots, &C., to the danger of
the thatch When Sam Tufts came, one time, to
chase the boys off his peat stack, he fonnd two
Cameronian boys among the rest. ooh, let us
stay here, says one of them, for we dare not
be seen down on the course" oh We for
Mountain-men," says Tufts "stay there see
you like fun as well as other sinners, but keep
the rest AFT" He gave them couple of sticks
and they kept the stack to themselves.
Their preachers We're considered eloquent
and indeed they had every stimulus to call out
their talents, if they possessed any, They
labored in a small community, where it was
easy rising to notoriety. Julius Caesar would
rather be the first man in Cannae, than the sec
ond man in Rome. Their members, making
great sacrifices to maintain preacher of their
own restricted views, would prize him all the
more highly on that account. They attended
through wet and dry, and sat the coolest day in
a church without any fire, listening to a sermon
which closed with departing day. If it were
dry and dull, they ascribed it to their own list
essness; if it were lively and interesting they
drank it in with pleasure. A man who would
not prepare well TO address such an audience,
whether large or small, must indeed be drone.
Small as their congregations might be, they
often addressed great assemblies, for on sacra-
mental occasions they had meeting Of four or
hive days, which was largely attended by
strangers AT such times they held their meet
ings in the open air, partly from necessity, and
partly out Of respect for the remembrance of
the old cOnvenicles. In some places, the
Westinghouse green was prepared for the pur-
pose by having seats dug in the face of the hill
and sOwn with grass seed, so that the people
could enjoy the convenience Of seats and the
luxury of green grass at the same time. The
exercises often continued ten hours, with but
little lnermisSlOn. Great rs was the crowd,
the best order generally prevailed for the
strangers present We're ordinarily the most
sober and orderly of other denominations and
the few rOwdies who attended had "a wholesome
regard for man, if they did forget the fear OF
tnnu I'm tins thay a,iaI fha nj nf
torthe Covenanters were sometimes stout oflimb,
and by no means Quakers i'm their sentiments
Even their preachers were more disposed to
throw themselves OH their personal valor than
their official dignity. When Rev. Mr.. Boggs
was told that If 1T were not for his coat he
would be trounced, his reply was, Never mind
my coat, for | can lay it off and put it on
again" Nor was the hint misimproved. And
when Rev. William Stavely saw a man stand
ing up with his hat on, while his son was
preaching, he went aud knocked it off, Hnd
then stepped back to the tent.
There was an odd genius among them, by the
name of White. He called himself the Cos
pei hack" for he would never accept call,
but carried the gospel round TO vacant congre-
cations. tie was a little man, with singing
tone Of voice, and awkward gestures. Still
there was eloquence i'll his strong emphasis his
pauoc, anu Mo ca pItSSlNc eye lie
mind was a full cask, which only needed to be
opened to procure stream without Impending.
Few heard him without getting "a new idea from
him; and he had happy tact of fastening his
thoughts in the memory of the nearer. Accord
ing to the old custom, he always opened the
services with the erOrdium remOtum. | give a
specimen.
Rising and surveying his large audience with
cool look, he began "Whom seek We
Whom seek We? Whom seek ye? The en-
phasis of the first question seemed to say, dear
brethren, you have an object in coming here
to night; the second, friends, look sharp and
see what your motive is in your approach the
third, what the ID are goa here for2 Per
haps," he continued, "you will answer me in
the words of the ancient Greeks, We would
see Jesus That is well enough-but what do
you want to see him for? Tell me that. Christ
had hardly come into the world, III! Herod
wanted to see him. He sent and searched care
fully through the whole town for him, but what
dia he want with him? In fact, he wanted to
kill him. He was the first of the political
seekers, and may be there are some of his chill
dren here tonight, who come here to hear the
gospel, and make fun of it. If there be any
such here, they may go away, and leave their
room for honest men, We hear of another
time when great multitude followed Christ in
boats and on foot But what were they want
ing? They came for the sake of the loaves
anl fishes. These were the hypOcritcal seek
ers Perhaps there are some of them here to-
night, who come to see sights and show them
selves and hear something new, but when they
know their duty they will not do it. If there be
any Of that kind here to night, they may as well
go away, for it is little good they'll get. We
hear of Others however, but they were few in
nu(nber, who said to Christ, Lord, to whom
skdl we go but to thee. Thou hast the words
of eternal life.' These were the evangelical
ekers; and II there be any such here tonight,
wish them to stay, for have a word to say to
them" After decent pause to allow any Of
the first two classes to withdraw if they wished,
he Engaged in prayer.
lanes Gibson, wealthy miller in county
Monaghan, was educating his only son for the
ministry, and was provoked beyond endurance
to find that Thomas was falling in with the
Covenanters. Reasoning the matter with him
one day rear the mill-race, he took the Irish
way of arguing, and, taking hold of him, plunged
him into the water; then, raising his head
above the surface, he inquired "Will We recant
the McMillenites moor" He answered in the
negative and was plunged down again. This
was REPEATED several times, till somebody com
ing to the mill relieved dim. He then left his
fathers house, and sought an education, sus-
tanned by his own exertiens. He had his
fathers temper, and this, joined to the Covenant
ers principles, made his character a solid, not
to say hard one. He left home with decent
suit of clothes, and he wore them to church and
elsewhere, TIL the patches took the place OF the
original material When he taught school, he
would not dismiss it during the Christmas hol.
idays, lest it might be acknowledging the
Church of Rome. When the scholars barred
him out, instead of making virtue of neces-
sity, and going home, he got as mad as bear,
and went down the chimney. The scholars