Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-11-13
Ieliqious M(istellang.
LORENZO DOW.
From the Cristian Advocate, Oct 18th.


louse" or academy" which .he Metho'
dists used tor church. was too small fol
the congregation, and they adjourned to
the shude Of an enosmous vide spreading
elm tree that stood on the Green, as the
public common was popularly called. |
remember il was washing day, probably
Monday, and four o'clock in the afternoon
Dow sat in his wagon. and sat, With
younger brother, on stone, at The loot
of "A horse block OH the women's side oi
the congregation, iemembe: only one
thing he aid. A stout young man had
clambcrcd up the fork Of tree, ana got
to sleep over the preachers head, and
snoled so loudly ms to disturb the congre-
CATION Dow looked up in the midst OF
his sermon and said, Take care there,
Zaccheus. OF you will catch a fall"
The :ext time heard Linn was in the
"oll school house." and think on cjld
and windy SUNDAY, either in the spring or
fall of the year, cannot tell which. He
rcprovcd some young ladies IN the con-
grega,ion for tit,erins, one OF whom at.
telward said, "it Was TOO bad to make
people laug gh in church and then scold
them for it," There was no one to raise
tbs tune when he began: "Waal," says
Isrenzo, III we have no singta we'll have
no prayn' :" and he plunged at once into
his discourse. At the conclusion, without
singing, prIyer or bcnedctiou, he left the
desk, and hurried from the church. leav-
ing the congregation to follow at their
leisure, Jumped into his wagon and drove
off at furious rate. The high wind up
set his Quaker broadbrim, and it came
rolling bnck into the dispensing crowd,
with Dow after on full run. There are
few things in this world mpre ridiculous
than q man chasing his hat on windy
day, and Dows appearance on this oGca'
sion, with his long hair and beard stream
NJ in the breeze, provoked shoIts Of
laughter from the young men and boys.
Some years before this my father heard
him N Charleston, S. c., where he preach
ed in Prcsby telian pulpit, one of the
I'D fashioned tubs, twenty feet in the air.
lnsteSl of ascending the stairs, DOW clam,
bered up on the outside AMI shoCted, the
That entcreth not in tho door in the sheep
fold, but climbeth up some other way,
the same u thief and robbcr." Before
he begaa he pulled of the pulpit cushions,
Of which he had great adherence, and
threw them aside.
During one OF his long ncregrinations a
relative of his whom Ea exceedingly dis.
liked, died. Dow heard it from neigh
bor as he neared home, and said, 'To.l
the people there will be funeral sermon
in my mee ing house next Lords day, at
ten o'clock" Dows meeting. house was
a patch Of woods near his own dwelling.
Sundav came and the woods were full. -
bow took his stand, and announced as his
text, "And the Lord set a marx upon
Cam" Such handling az lie gave the
dubious character Of his dead relative was
something OF contrast to the eulogies
usually pronounced upon such occasions.
When Jackson made his presidential
tour through the Eastern States, in 1898,
Ne passed near Dow's house. They were
friends of old, and Dow was a rabil dem>
ocrat lie erected hickory pole by the
s.de Of the road, imbedded in clay, a no
less delicate compliment to the great
Kcr lucky orator than 20 the hero OF \.
Orleans
The last time he preached at Bear Hill
no took out lis big silver "tu:nip" and
held it up before the congrcgatiSn, crying
or::, Watch what say unto you say
unto all-wdtch /"
lie was prosecuted in the New London
county court in protracted suit. On one
occasion, while the court was sitting AT
Norwich Landinp,he was askc d to preach
in the Univel salist church at noon, while
the judges and attorneys took recess iol
dinner lie mounted bench and pro,
claimed his own appointment 81 will
preach Ave minutes hence 10 rs many n,
will follow ME, in lIell's Insurance Office
in this city," and off he went with crowt
of men and boys at his heels.
Dow engaged in the milling interest il
his latter days, and built his dam so higl
that il set the water back upon the mill
race of his next neighbor up the stream
and this impeded the velocity and force
of his water power. For this lie was pros
ecuted, and after n long trial the caus,
went against him. "Waal," says Loren.
20, "lf man is sinner, the sooner h
repents and reforms the better, and suit
ing tho action to the word, lie wen
home, assembled ali his hands and Gu
! II = ! 4,