The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1859-12-10
a Haunted Preacher.


A Haunted Preacher.
In the volume of DR.. Sprague on the
Baptist pulpit, Gov. Briggs communicates
a very interesting letter on John Leland,
which contains fuller account of his per-
sonai habits and manner of preaching than
we have before seen.
He was a little inclined to superstition,
says Gov. Briggs. Indeed, his practical
sagacity and startling common sense, kept
him from any tendency in that direction,
but he had some peculiar experiences of the
titles: 1>
him about remarkable noise which 1 had,
had been annoyed by, when they lived in
Virginia. He gave this account of it:
His family, at that time, consisted of him
self, wife, and four children. One even
ing, all the family being together, their at
tention was attracted by noise, which very
much resembled the faint groans of per-
son in pain. 1t was distinct, and repeated
at intervals of a few seconds. 1t seemed to
be under the sill of the window, and be-
tween the clap boards and the ceiling
It's
short time it ceased. But, afterwards, it
returned in the same way-sometimes every
night, and sometimes not so frequently, and
always in the same place, and of the same
character. 1t continued for some months.
He said it excited their curiosity aud annoy
ed them, but they were not alarmed by it.
During its continuance they had the siding
and casing removed from the place where it
ha b1,E
count for it, and the sound continued the
same.
He consulted his friends, especially some
of his ministerial brethren, about it. I
think ke said it was never heard by any ex-
cept himself and his family, but it was
heard by them when he was absent from
home. Mrs. Leland said that often, when
she was alone with the children, and while
they were playing about the room, and
nothing being said, it would come, and they
would leave their play and gather about her
person. They had place fifty or sixty
rods from the house, by the side of brook,
where the family did their washing. One
day while she was at that place, it met her
there precisely as it had done in the house
After the noise had been heard at brief
intervals for, think six or eight months,
posite and distant part of the house !; but it
locality One night after they had retired,
they observed, by the sound, that il had
left the spot from which it had previously
proceeded, and seemed to be advancing, in
direct line, towards their bed, and was
becoming constantly louder and more dis
tinct.
At each interval it advanced towards
them, and gathered strength and fullness,
until it entered the room where they were,
and approached the bed, when the groan
became deep and appalling. "Then,'' said
he, "for the first time since it began, felt
the emotion of fear, 1 turned upon my face,
and if ever prayed in my life, prayed
then. asked the Lord to deliver me and
my family from that annoyance, and that,
if it were a<message from Heaven, it might
be explained to US, and depart that if it
were an evil spirit, permitted to disturb and
disquiet me and my family, it might be re-
buked and sent away; or if there was any,
thing for me to do, to make it depart, I !
might be instructed what it was, so that I
could do it, This exercise restored his
of mind. and he resumed his |
usual position in the bed. Then, he said, |
it uttered groan too loud and startling to
be initiated by the human voice. The next
groan was not so loud, and it receded step
or two from the front of the bed, near his |
face. 1t continued TO recede in the direc-
ton from which it came, and grew less aud
less, until IT reached Its old station, when il |
died away to the faintest sound, and entire
ly and forever ceased.
No explanation was ever found. 81 have
given you," said he, ga simple and true
history of the facts. and you can form your
own opinion. I give nome" His wife
confirmed all he said. I think l can say
that never knew person less given to the I
marvellous than Elder Leland