The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-08-11
Correspondence Of u Contributor.

S "H
A few Sundays past, in travelling
through the county Of Franklin, I was
forcibly struck with a scene similar to
the one described by Wit, Of til,
Z" Blind Preachers Sermon" in Orange
county, Virginia.
The church, the horses tied around,
the building, called to my recollection
the beauties portrayed in describing
Waddle, the Virginia preacher. I in
voluntarily stopped and entered the
church, The congregation vas large
the preacher was a man Of many win
tiers; his head had grown gray; his
hands trembled with feeblencss. Link
ing the old past with the present now
His face bore the impress of his holy
calling. The deep stiffness that pre-
vailed; the suppressed breathing all
Indicated the influence of one pure
mind, moved by the mystical spirit of
divinity, and admitted the power of
that "still small voice. that worked to
will and to do through that venerable
minister Of the Most High God. He
slowly ascendcd the pulpit, and though
trembling with age, his voice was clear,
distinct and m%usical--his subject: the
Revelations and the Prophets their
fullillment US promised in the word of
the living God. lie announced that he
came not as a prophet, or the son of
a Prophet" but to present the words
OF eternal truth. He traced with clear
ness unsurpassed the history of Gods
will--the sure tulfllmcnt of his word.
Link by link, he connected the words of
Daniel with the inspila alton of John ;
the poetic powers of old Aaah with the
flowing songs Of Davia, making each
point to the sure destruction of sin
the triumph oftruth, holyness and the
church, over error, superstition, hate,
wrong, and inidclity, until conviction
had riveted the attention of his hearers.
But when he came to discuss the
coming of Mesiah-the glory of that
coming-announcing that the time was
at hand, the effect was beyond descrip-
ton, Every eye was rivcted on the
speaker; not q sound was heard, save
the silvery voice of that feeble old man,
pointing his long, bony finger, tremb.
ling with age. towards Heaven, he said
IL saw Heaven open, and beheld a
white horse, and he that sat upon him
was called faithful and true; and in
righteousness he doth judge and make
war; and he has on his vesture and on
his thigh, a name written Of: king Of
Lord Of Lords"
The effect was beyond description.
member Of the congregation
forward, and in oppression ex-
claimed, "When! when shall this time
thought then, like the wri-
ter in the Spy" how can be bring
them back how let them down from
the sublime hight to which he had
wound t'rmI The sublime express
sion Of the Virginia preacher crossed
mind. Socrates died like a philos-
opher, hut Jesus Christ like God" In
hat sc"ne this was complete, exact,
)crfect--the orators triumph. Then,
oh Then exclaimed this old man clo-
iuent: ''Tie wolf shall dwell with the
amb; the leopard shall lie down with
he kid, and the young lion and the
atling together, and a little child shall
cad them" Raising himself to his
nd hight, he exclaimed: BEAT your
words into plow shares, and your
pears into pruning hooks" for such
re the promises Of oar god.
left, fully impressed with the terri
lie power Of eloquence, coupled with
'uc picty and religion.
OBSERVER.