Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-08-22

trine by "apostolic Knocks" and puts his
faith into the heartiest possible practice
One of his quaint sententious paragraphs
was that he fought the Democrats six days
in the week and the Devil on Sunday"
A bitter and "irrepressible" feud existed
between him and brother parson OF the
same persuasion, named Haynes, for years,
but inomitable Brownlow always came on
''the top of the heap" Their wrangle kept
their conferences in hot water-and Billings
gate had full reign in all their controversies,
but the Fighting parson" triumphed and
Haynes was turned out of the church.
A characteristic story is related of him
which is worth reading. Upon the borders
of Virginia, there was settlement of rough
"hard shelp' Baptists. The Methodists had
long essayed to effect Judgement in this
quarter, but were summari!y defeated by the
decisive mode Of turning their missionaries
neck and heels out of the place and this is
no very tender or " do as you would be done
by" style of christian treatment. With such
vigor did these Baptists hold this tower of
the Lord, that the Metbodists with all their
zeal for propagating the gospel, and their
resolute devotion to the great duty, paused
before this Baptist Gibraltar. The task ap-
pearei to be hopeless one, and no one of
the faithful seemed anxious to encounter the
risk of personal viooLce- especially as a
coat of tar and feathers had been designated
as the fate Of the next warrior of the cross
who sh ould appear in that region in Metho-
dist garb.
AT last, however, Parson Brownlow was
appointed to the duty of converting these
heathens frcm the error of their ways.
The Parson was much younger and less
celebrated than he is now, but the same fiery
and reckless spirit animated him that has
since extended his reputation so widely
lie knew the risks he was chosen to encoun>
ter. and rather relished the novelty and ex-
element of this new field. Accordingly, he
mounted upon his horse, with the inevitable
saddle bags of the Southern horseback trav'
eler, be entered the enemys camp, and an
nounced his purpose to give the barbarians
Of that locality ''a creed of the true doctrine
on the holy day to follow" The result was
that his horse and saddlebags were taken as
spoils. bis person roughly maitreated, and
be was turned loose in the "outskirtb" of the
place, and ordered, at his peril, never to
study daylight in that quarter again. The
Parson footed it home as best he might, but
soon after re-appeared at the seence of con-
test and conflict, with another horse and an.
other pair of saddle bags, to commence his
labors. His treatment was commensurate
with the hearty and religious Indignation of
his foes, aud once more the parson footed it
home sore and horseless.
A third time the irrepressible Brownlow
appeared upon the field, to be served about
as before only his pertinacity and courage
had worked upon The curiosity as we'll as
the fancy of a portion of the good people of
that section. Some were for hearing what
''the cuss was arter" but be was finally again
unhorsed and unsaddle-bsgged, and started
home afoot; but be had effected Judgement
among those rude people, who loved pluck
and grit if they did not love Methodism. Of
course he was expelled again. And sure
enough the fourth time, with the fourth horse
and fourth pair Of saddle bags appeared the
perseveribg Brownlow. By this time there
had arisen decided curiosity to hear what
the "cuss had to say and the parson was
allowed to preach. Well suited to the rude
congregation before him, he soon won their
confidence, and closed decidedly popular
man. A dozen invitations pressed him to
dinner-a universal request that ne would
come again as soon as be could, and full res
toration of the value of the lost horses and
saddle Bags proved the final triumph of the
"irrepressible Methodist" The final result
was, the place became the most invincible
of Methodist strongholds, and Parson Brown
low one of the most popular preachers among
them.