Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-26
QQortester 4aiIp Spp.
Anecdotes of the Methodist Clergy


From the North American Review
Wherever the rifle and the ak of the hardy
pioneer were seen there were also sure to ap-
pear not long afterwards the saddle bags of
the Methodist minister. An anecdote which
we lind IN the sketch of Richmond Motley well
illustrates this. Mr.. Motley was one of a
small band Of missionaries sent out from the
South Carolina conference, about 1872, to la
Dor IN the wilds of Mississippi and Louisiana,
which were then very sparsely settled, and
occupied to some extent by tribes Of not
always friendly Indians. Mr.. Motley was a
man Of great energy, zeal, and courage. He
was exposed to many dangers in the prosecu-
ton of his work, both from the hostile savages
and the opposition Of white men. But he was
rigidly faithful, and omitted no opportunity of
doing good to persons of any color or condi-
ton, in whatever obscure corner he could find
them.
On one occasion, while travelling, he came
upon a fresh wagon track and following it, he
discovered an emigrant family, who had Just
reached the spot where they intended to make
their home. The man, who was putting out
his team, saw at once, by the costume and
bearing OF the stranger, what his calling was,
and exclaimed: ''Whatl another Methodist
preacher! | quit Virginia to get out of the
way Of them, and went into ii new settlement
in Georgia, where thought | should be quite
beyond their reach; but they got my wife
and daughter into the church. Then, in this
late purchase, Choctaw Corner, | found
piece Of good land, and was sure | should
have some peace of the preachers; but here is
one before my wagon is unloaded" ''My
friend" said Motley, ''if you go to heaven
you'll find Methodist preachers there; and if
you go to hell I'm afraid you'll find some
there; and you see how it is in this world So
you had better make terms with us, and be at
peace"
Hope Hull was one of the pioneers of the
denomination of Georgia, and his fame was
very extensive in that section. He was not at
all tacetious man, but his wonderful pene-
tration into character, and his honest direct
ness in dealing with souls, sometimes gave to
his language all the appositeness of genuine
wit. On one occasion, while circuit mis-
sionary, after preaching, he met the class, or
members OF the society, and spoke with them,
as is customary, respecting their religious ex-
perience. After going through with the mem
bers, he turned to an elderly man sitting
apart, and inquired after his spiritual state.
The old gentleman, after some hesitation, re-
piled: II am like old Paul-when | would do
good, evil is present with me-" (Which Mr.
Hull answered: 'I'm afraid you are like old
Nash, too,-get drunk sometimesl' He was
perfect stranger to him, but it was centre
shot; for the poor old man was a drunkard.
Billy Hibbard was one of the most eccen-
trio Of characters, but withal, a most agreea-
bic person, and a man of unbounded and uni
versal good will. OF large general informa-
ton, with an ease of manner which made him
equally at home in the highest and in the low
est circles, his remarkable powers of CONVEX
SatIOO and pSnbprnOt Nrpt ibln J,lna Sa,1trx
together with his enterprising religious zeal,
made him wonderfully popular and successful
in his calling. No man was ever heartier
Arminian than he, and the Give Points
of Calvlnism were almost always sure to
receive a blow somewhere in his sermon,
no matter what the theme or what the text.
let he was always on the most intimate
terms with the preachers of the antagonstc
theology. "Brother Hbbard," said good
Presbyterian friend, ''you hurt my feelings
yesterday" ''Why, how, brother, did | do
that?" He referred him to some doctrinal re-
mark in his discourse. co." said Hibbard, Il
am sorry you took that,-I meant that for the
devil, and You have stepped in and taken the
blow. Don't get between me and the devil,
brother, and then you won't get hurt"
On one occasion he had a newspaper con-
troversy on some theological topic with DIR.
ally strangers. Not long after while Journey
ing on horseback in Connecticut, the two met
MIR. Beecher suspected his companion of be-
ing preacher, but could not draw out the
fact by any indirect conversation, till he asked
him plumply, ''Are you not a minister of the
gospel?" Il am" said Hibbard. ''Do you
belong to the standing order?" mo, | be-
long to the kneeling order" SO characters
tic a reply Enthusiastically indicated Billy Hib-
bard to the shrewd mind of his interlocutor,
and he at once introduced himself. The ac-
quaintance thus begun was an amicable one.
His ready wit seldom failed him. Once,
when the roll call Of the conference gave his
name as William, he arose and objected to
answering to that name, insisting that his
name was Billy. ''Why, brother Hibbard,'
said Bishop Asbury, Chilly is little boys
name" Eyes, bishop" he replied land l
was a little boy when my father gave it to
me-"
This quality in these pioneer preachers was
by no means rare one, and it sometimes be-
came a most effective weapon whether in 81
lencing an antagonist, repulsing cavalier, or
giving zest to social intercourse. OF jesse
Lee, the early apostle of Methodism in New
England, it is related that one day. while trav-
cling on horseback, he fell in with two law
yers, who, taking place on each side of him,
began to quiz him They asked him if he
was a man of liberal education. Sufficient"
he said, ''to get about the country" They
inquired if he wrote his sermons. He replied
in the negative. ''But do you not sometimes
make mistakes, for instance, in quoting Scrip
ture" perhaps so, sometimes, but not Of
ten" ''When You find you have made a mis-
take, do you correct 1t y mot always; if it
involves nothing essential | let it pass. The
other day tried to repeat the passage where
it says the devil lis liar and the father of
them; got it, The devil is larger and the
father Of them; but hardly thought it nee
essary to rectify so unimportant an error"
BY this time one of the young sprgs was
prompted to remark to the other that he hard
ly knew whether the fellow was Il knave or a
fool. Lee glanced meaningly on either hand,
and replied, perhaps between the two" The
young gentlemen by this time concluded to
leave the itinerant to his own meditations.
DEATH OF French CENTNIERE.-The