The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-04-27
-uI r.arsrK PREACHER.

sSas near him. ] found taAs pc mao seen
esryice and done service IN The cause o.
Christ. had hesrd IS much before. Al
length / started him % the sdpJscs Of siis
sionary life on the Western Frames. Here
found him quite a. bone. ! drew from
him the following narrative Of one OF his
sours. He said
meeting in Indiaaa, where ! made the sc
au,in.ance Of Methodist preacher. He
Vas man Of a catholic spirit, and lored By
ali Who loved Christ. He told ne Of 40 aged
PRESBYTERIAN isdy, living oser IN tie State
Of lilineis, vhsre be frequently preached,
and proposed that ], . Presbyterian, saould
eli bis next appointment there. ! gladly
accepted this fsaieEnal cEer, espseiaI'y N
the hope OF seeing s9fns OF tas dispersed
people Of God, aaJ paEt!csL2riy tEis mother
IN Israel.
Ia shsu. thrse weeks reached tie house
of the brother who 80 ki dIy invited me-
Prom his resi- enes - the abode 81 the old
lady HON specially desired 10 visit, was,
il should follow tie river, txenty miles.
bu, in a Straight line across the prairie n
va. bu: fourteen miles. determined 70 90
the shortest way could, directly across the
untrokeD prairie, guided the whole way by
iBktES EIni4U VI lFCt@y st-sDAE sISai ttS9N
erninence on the line. Bat there were three
slaaghs on the way. | was assured that
l need not fear them, however. The 6Fst
one was easily passed. The second was
near the middle Of the prairie. | did not
Ike its looks. My want Of experience il
such matters increased my fears and left me
withou. confidence. When | got to the
channel Of the sisugh, found il from four
- IA. Ia 1 nal IN
tending to make bridge Of him, 50 that
could reach the other side. At first be sank
pretty deep; but when my weight was adj
ded, he was nearly covered in mud and wa
ter. sprang over his head, reached the
other SIDE. exclaimed ..What shall do -
II / should 20 for help | knew he would
either be drowned or out AMI gone before
| could return. | took the best position
could 70 help him. | gave him the word,
he make spring or :wo and was again on
dry ground. felt my gratitude warm. |
kne,t down and gave thanks 10 God.
By this time the weather was foul. IL was
cold and wet. The third slough passed
without difficulty. Isoon reached the settle
ment on that side Of the river. Here ! met
reception s.as cold as charity" On &C.
ing 10 the house which had been directed
to, | found the proprietor absent, and
young doctor a, the house knew of 30 chris
tians near At hand. At another house l
learned that the old lady, whom | specially
desired to visit; ; was just across the river.
In fording, my horse fell and plunged me
into tho water. As waded out | remcm-
Der | laughed heartily ut my plight. Ere
long, however, | came in sight of an Sim
proyemeni;" as the people called it. There
was on it neat little cabin, whi,ewashed
and inviting. Passing through the gate
Knocked, and very pleasant old lady, be-
tween sixty and seventy years Of age,
plainly but tidy attired, came to the door.
| extended my hand, saying: 81 am Pres
byterian minister | have come to find you
out aud 10 preach the Gospel to you" In
life by no means eventual, | have seldom, if
ever, seen such tokens Of eladness. A
mother could mot have been more overioy at
the return of long absent son. True love
il ingenious. IL was so mt this house. The
old lady, with maiden daughter, had come
to the wilderness to make glad the home of
sons and brothers. Almost the hrSt qaes-
ton was: "iIave you been to dinner r.
Iauswered in the negative, and away wen'
the daughter to make ready the best tsa'
could be had. But | was wet and s'uddy,
and had no change of clothing eAceP' unusf
garments. The old lady pre"ASea my con-
dition, said:
..yop are abeut ~ iarge as my son-
us has sunda- suit, put them on that. l
nf ,,,rss agreed, and at once withdrew
:, a small shed room, and soon appeared in
the said sunday suit. My father was gen
,I,mra Of the old school. He wore ruffed
.trts, and fair topped boots.
My mother, too, had taught me TO be nice.
very nice. Here was, for the first time in
my life, in a dress of Kentucky jeans of tho
emuently clerical color made by an infusion
of black walnut bark. The pantaloons had
been cut when the fashion had required
great width just below the waisthand, and
exceedingly plated so as to get in all the
cloth but at the ankle, my figure was in
my own eyes grotesque. But what Of all
thatp The good woman was renovating my
own suit. a sumptous dinner was at hand.
] was in the bosom Of kind intelligent,
Christian family. We blessed God for the
meeting. We talked about other times and
scenes and places. | was happy man.
Soon | was asked If would preach the next
day Saturday. on this side of tho river.
NJ answer was:-"of course, nevcr re-
fuse" The neigbhors were summoned, and
preached according to appointment. On
the Lords Day. ! went across the river to
fill the appointments there. Two or three
hundred people were present. Al! could not
get into the large room.
The news had spread abroad that Pres.
byterian was 10 preach, and the people flock
ed in from all quarters. Indeed. LADY told
ms the people would be as e'ad to bear a
Presbyterian "a to hear an elephant. |
preached in tho enjoyment of what the
Methodist brethren frequently call '.heTty.'
A man has NJ saul who cannot preach under
such circumstances. The crowd was dense.
All ewes ard ears waro open. closed the
drss exercise by saying. III the people wish
% hear another srmon and will wait fer 20
minutes, Will preach again. Mt soul
left the premises. In fsw minutes began
10 sing Coronation, With whas artistic skill
you may judge, when tell YOU that during
my connection w'sh the Seminary. was able
tn sing no tane has Winiham. Be. | preach
ed again. and God vas with us af a truth.
| then rode nine miles ard preached third
time. IIers met a sister Of the beloved
Joseph Barr. who died suddenly at Rich
moad. Virginia. just as he was ready TO en-
bark a a missionary 10 Africa. She kindly
pressed ms 10 60 h6ms with her, four miles
south ~ the river.
Iva. received a. her hospissble home
with all klaiaess. Soon neighhor after
nsishsor called in. About nine o'clock in !
the evening my hostess said, "Are you too .
tired 10 give us another sermon :.
nv answer was. sob, not I'm always
ready: never refuse So. after nine :.
s'eleck, preached my fearsh sermon. Ny
Sabbath work being done, | lay down and
SLEPT svessiy Ard soundly. A happier Sab
bath shall probably never spend on earth.
Iuieri. r.s MhnLn TIN has m adj a lasting