Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-05-29
THE TRIALS OF A PlONEER
PREACHER. go
Nashville and JaeksOnian ReHsfn.
fseenees of Peter CartwrIght.f

From a lecture delivered on Monday
last at Chicago, by this famous add veteran
itinerant, we extract the following. In re-
gard to the statement that he was present
at the deathbed Of General Jackson, we
may be permitted 10 express doubt :. =
In 1862, himself, with party of.SiheTs,
took their rifles and formed an escort for
Bishop Asbnry, across the mountaiasl to
the West In 1903, he received an appoint
ment 500 miles from his fathers cabin.
He begged the Bishop not TO send him, Tor
he feared he should fail. The Bishop urged
him TO 60, and he went. Some Of his CIR
chHs for three years were 400 to 600 miles
in length, and il required six weeks to go
the rounds. In these three years his total
salary was 500. His clothes were 80 worn
and patched that the original cloth could
not Ne detected. People did not dress then
a. they do now, and he cOntrlved TO get
along. on the third year, he had an APP
pointment 30 poor that even his presiding
elder advised him to give it up. On gong
there again, he found two young ladies,
we'll dressed in homespun, in his congrega-
ton. whom he had never seen before. They
seemed affected by his preaching, and he
inquired where they lived, with view
10 calling there. He was told that
the mother of the girl was a fear
fuI woman. and WOnld curse him TO
the teeth. lie replied that his mission
was 10 save sinners, and he should 60,
though she had seven deYlis' He
went into the cabin, but the woman never
spoke to him. The man Of the house was
one of those women-pecked persons who
have no moral courage However, he
asked about the girls, and was told to let
them alone, the old woman evidently
thinking he had come counting. He de
clared his Purpose to pray, and she ordered
him ont, for she didn't want any of his
prayers, she said. She walked up, put her
list under his nose, and told him to take
the door" He thought best TO frighten
her a little, and 80 told her she had better
not do it again, for, if she did, God pity
her. Whether she was frightened or not,
she seemed little composed. He ordered
her to sit down on a stool while he prayed,
bat she retoTted by threatening TO kick
him out of doors. However, he got through
with singing hymn, the old woman mean
while making terrible racket with her
tongue and the stools and kettles When
he got through singing, he knelt down to
pray, and If he ever watched and prayed
at the same time he did then, keeping one
eye on the old woman. She made no de-
monstration, however, and he prayed that
the Lord would "convert her if it was pos
sible, and, il not, to let her die and so TO
the devil at once, where she belonged
He then went away on his circuit, and, on
his return, four weeks after, he found that
she had experienced religion, as had also
her husband and daughters. This might
be novel way to bring about revival,
but there are some people who have to be
whipped into religion.
At the expiration of three years which
he was absent from home, he was out OF
money and had no clothes. He heard
there was a letter from his mother in the
mail for him, but, under the old postage
laws, it required % cents TO get the letter.
A lawyer whom he importuned to lend
him the 25 cents, to his surprise, gave him
dollar. With the remaining IS cents
he started for home, 800 miles away, on a
blind horse. Fortunately for him he met
one of his fathers neighbors, on his way
to buy a tract of land, of whom he pro
cured loan of So and bill by which he
got his meals gratis, at certain places
This was atlength exhausted, and one nigh
he drew up at tavern without n cent il
his pocket, and told the landlord he had nc
money, but had few little books and al
old silver watch. He was subjected to {
rigid cross examination as to how
he came TO be reduced to sucf
straits, and he was reluctantly
forced TO confess that, he was preacher
The landlord told him he had heard any
one preach for Is years, and allowed hin
to stay. He told the landlord he generally
prayed before he retired, whereupon h
was shown into vacant room and told t
pray "A much as he pleased, and then tn
host left the room. lie thought this cd,
treatment, but concluded to pray. ATE
having lifted up his voice, he heard til,
mans wife in the next room say: F.
ooh Lord, husband, the mans dis
tracted, and will kill us all before morn
ing"
After he got through praying, he assure,
the landlord and his wife that he was no
dangerous, and then prayed with them
When he went away, they would take n
| pay for his lodging; and, on calling ther
some time after, he found that the Who'll
family had been converted.
When the population, of the country ha,
increased, the ministry had multiplied, am
the annual conference sat in Nashville
then a good sized village. A preaehe
named Mcmahon had stylish congregs
ton, while a preacher named Ashley, whe
he preached, always had three devils /
contend with-whisky, slavery, and fin
clothes. Ashley was appointed to preac
in McMahon's church, and if ever fashio
got a thrashing il did then. The speake
was appointed to preach in DIR. Blackman
church, Presbyterian, and was warne
by the pastor not 10 preach controversy
He told him he should preach to snit him
self, and so frightened the doctor that
revoked the appointment aud he preache
in Methodist church. He had got fairl
to preaching when be saw Gen. Jackso
come into the church. Just then Mem,
hon tugged at bis elbow, saying 4" Gel
| Jackson's herep 10 loud voice, he spOb
| out: who's Gen. Jackson? Ii he is o,
converted, he'll be damned az soon az II
lowest niger" The next day he met Ge
Jackson in the street, and he told him thi
McMahoa had been to him, to apologize {,
what he Cartwright had said and, adde
the General, felt disposed to kick him
He told the General that, poor as he wa
he would give him s. il he would kiC
Mcmahon for an hour. Jackson lsughe
and said he approved of has manner
saying just what he thought, and revers,
the proposition by presenting him with
So gold piece, which he aiterward shove
TO Mcmahon with considerable triumph.
At the time Of the last British war, ia
before General Jackson fought his succes
ful battle Of New Orleans, a regiment
infantry camped near his residence
Christian county, Ky. The chaplain "
! sick, and he was induced to take his plaC
! aud marched on the way TO New OrieaI
General jackson told the chaplains Tia
must 60 in the front rank Of the battle;
; their demonstrating, the General relente
but told them be wanted them TO preach
his soldiers; that no man would die till
time had come, and that they were as "a
/ at the cannon's mouth "a any one else. !
I refused to preach anything Of the kind, |
I cause, as he stated, il was lie but
I promised to preach TO them that the v
: was Unsuitable one, and that they We
z | engaged in = righteous cause. Genei