Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-30
PARsON BROwNLOyv.

As the name of this eccentric editor,
preacher has been much before the pub
lie of late, and as comparatively little IS
known of him, we publish the following
description of him, and an anecdote which
gives very good idea of the individual;
Rrewnlow is man of medium height
and rather slim, with round, " bullet
head. quiet, pleasing countenance, and
good address; is an excellent, logical,
and persuasive speaker, and is as little in
personal bearing and appearance like
blackguard. which he sometimes makes
himself, az one can well imagine.
A characteristic story is told Of him
that is worth recording. Upon the bor-
ders of Virginia there was a set of rough
shard SHELF Baptists. The Methodists
had long essayed to effect Judgment in
this quarter. but were snmmarily defeat
ed 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 Chris
tian treatment. With such vigor did the
Baptists hold this tower of the Lord that
the Methodists, with all their zeal for
propogatng the gospel. and their resolute
devotion to the great duty, paused before
this Babtist Gibraltar. The task seemed
hopeless one, and not one of the faith
ful could be found to encounter the inev-
liable risk of personal violence-especially
as coat of tar and feathers had been
designated as the fate of any new war
rior of the cross who should appear in
that region in Methodist garb. At last
however, Parson Brownlow was appoint
ed to the duty of converting these heath
en- from toe error of their ways.
Parson Brownlow was much Younger
and less celebrated than he is now, but
the same fiery and reckless spirit animal
ed him that has since extended bis repu-
tation widely. He knew the risk be was
chosen to encounter, and rather relished
the novelty and excitement of this new
field. Accordingly, mounted upon his
horse, with the inevitable saddlebags of
the Southern horseback traveller, he en-
tered the enemy's camp one Saturday
morning, and announced his purpose to
give the baibarians of that locality "
creed of the true doctrine on the holy
day to follow" The result was that his
horse and saddle bags were taken as
spoils, bis person roughly maItreated. and
be was turned loose in the outskirts of
the place and ordered, at his peril, never
20 study daylight in that quarter again.
The parson footed it home as best as he
might but soon after reappeared at the
scene Of contest, with another horse and
pair of saddle bags, to commence his
labors. His treatment was commensu-
rate with the hearty and increased in
dignations of his foes, and again the
parson footed it home, sore and horseless
A third time the irrepressible Brown
low appeared upon the field, and was
served about as before, only his pertinac-
ity and courage had worked upon the
curiosity as well as the fancy of portion
Of the good people of the region. Some
were for hearing "what the cuss was
arter," bnt he was finally again endorsed
and unsaddle-bagged, and he started
home atoot; but he bad effected a lodg-
ment among these rude people, who
loved pluck and grit if they did not love
Metbodism. Of course he was expelled
again. And sure enough the fourth
time, with the fourth horse and fourth
pair of saddle bags, appeared the perse-
vering Parson 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 in tastes and impulses to the rude
congregation before him, he soon won
their confidence, and closed = decidedly
popular man. A dozen Invitations were
pressed upou him to dinner-a universal
request that be would come again as
soon as he could and full restoration of
the value of the lost horses and saddle
bags proved the final triumph of the dir
repressible Methodist" The ultimate
result was that the place become the
most invincibIe Of Methodist Stl on b I'D,
and Parson Brownlow one of the most
popular preachers among them.