Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-27
THE BOY PREACHER OF LOUISIANA.

Mark Boatner Chapman is now ia his fourteenth year,
He born in Clinton, louisiana where his parents
still reside About two years ago he was received in the
Church; very after this he commenced instructng
his fathers servants on the afternoon OF every Sabbath
His custom TO read chapter aud comment upon it,
having first CLOSELY studied the chapter consulting Ben
sou, Clark and Wesley on every passage.
He at length began, says a writer to the Memphis Adj
vocate TO speak in the love feass and cassmeetings
then TO pray in the public congregation. His appear
ance is that of mere boy and he wholly uncon-
scious Of any superior gifts or attainmens. He now
breaches regularly every Sabbath at his fathers place
town. His parents have refused TO allow him to
enter the pulpit and supply the place of the regular
lister the Sabbath. He does nothing without permits
sion of his parents He attends school aud joins in all
the amusements of the boys OF mis- own age be is
child everywhere when preaching. On last Sabbath
sat under his ministry and have seldom been more ed
lied and delighted With sermon. His style Is chase,
his words fifty and happily chosen. The incest critic
would not detect a grammatical error; his is
earnest and his pathetic appeals reach all hearts. Occa
sonally his feelings overwhem him, and be gives way
floods OF tears.
The most gifted lawyers and doctors and diynes have
heard him with establishment and delight confess that
il is most wonderful and to me ncomprehensble. When
heard him, he preached from the text slow long halt
We between two opinions 2" He preached from notes,
sometimes seeming to forget that bis notes were before
him His subject arranged with perfect system, and
most logically treated When through with his sermon
he closed the Book and gave brief and touching exhor
tatiou under which could with Others but weep His
public addresses published have attracted much attention,
and should he live he must in hJ onward course leave
broad wake the tide OF morals. Such is the charac
ter of the boy Preacher" whose wonderful precocty IL
without paralleL-Ner Orleans Crescent
DUEL NEAR DASvILE--0ur readers will remember
the statement in last ISSUE that Messrs A. j. Clark
and Edmund Fitzgerald had been bound over in bonds
of 50 900 EACH by Alderman Rson TO keep the peace,
because Of some cards which they had pubhed deroga
tory Of each other. Bat the difficulty not being adjust
ed, the parties left Danvie Monday evening last, with
their seconds and surgeons settle the affair at the last
resort mortal combat Mr. r. d. Wade acted as second
and Dr. L. d. Wthers as surgeon for Fitzgerald, and
Clark accompanied by Mr. Stebbins as second, and
Dr. H. W. Cole surgeon The weapons used we're rifles
distance forty PAGES The meeting took pacenear the
Yanceyyille Plank road, about half mile beyond the
State line and some three miles from D1nvie. At sun
rise Tuesday morning, the affair came OIL One shot was
exchanged. Clark was untouched. Fitzgerald received
but not dangerous wound Just above ths sto-
mach. The combatants were standing with their LETT
shoulders fronting each oher and Carks ball struck
Fzgerads breasoone very nearly at vital point but
glanced from the breastbone aud lodged near the sur
face, two inches from the point where it entered
Both Of the principals reside in Pitsyvana county, few
miles from Danve and both arc engaged in the quiet