Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-04-24
AUTO BIOGRAPHY OF ELDER KNAPP


Orc object for which this volume
WAS writton and published manifcs,ly |
was, to furnish evidence that tho sys !
tcm Of evangelism which tho author
claims to havo inaugura!cd and sue
ccssfui.y introduced among the c:n'-
chcs, has achieved results that cnt!tle !
it to bo regarded as an cmincEt!y |
6cnel;ciynt agency; il other words,
fruits have been Of such nature aid |
extent rs to prove that his mission
WAS divine. lie probably does roI
! mistaii- il assuming 10 l:vc been cs-
sont;ally the originator Of tl:at sya-
tom for willie Nctt!cton, Firncy, and
Burchard preceded him in tho en-
: pioymont Of extraordinary meaii5 iur
! tho promotion Of revivals, their ncth-
ods differed go much from his as TO
exempt him from the charge of being
their imitator. Neither they nor
! their friends, VIC believe, ever CON-
paincd that hc had appropriated their
thunder, or av.:iod himself CT their
prestige to facilitate his own POPULAR
;ty and effectiveness. Uo believed
limscIf to have u mission in = rar.ic
uIar direction, and ho cutc:ed uron it
honestly, and through much obluqny
and opposition, prosecuted it with an
ardor and Il pereiatency which cannot
be accounted: io3 on the s,irrosition
that nc was actuatcd by Selfish i'm
pulses. Bound to jid.o every mans
motives as favorably AS the patent
facts will allow, wo sec not how any
E,ir-mindcl man can question the
sincerity Of Elder Knapp: OF suspect
that he abandoned the lastoratc ahd
struck OF upon . new lihc Of action
under any influence less crcditab!e !e
than q felt conviction of duty. lie
regard cd himself, and others socn re
; gardcd him, as cai!cd to that fern OF
/, service. Ills plan OF operat:ons, in
/ complete at first, was the growth OF
Z Years, and cf Il succession OF expert
I ,;.c;ta, :."d gradually Gssrmcd that
!, iorm which is sufficiently uniqnc and
$ charac; cria.ic to justify the dcsisna
: ton of "Knapwsm"-a namo BY
which it viii bc known in tho history
Z Of the American Baptists OF tho Elid
i dc third Of the nineteenth century
- lie now demands credit not only iu
" himself hut also for his evangelism u
is having largely contributed to tn
IT brin ling up OF his denomination TO
rs higher standard Of efficiency in over.
y department Of Christian activity
I'd Tho inference lie would 1raniicstl
" have drawn from Lis narrative is, tha
ID apart from him and his methods
! service, the Baptists would not no
s. occupy the advanced position whic
d they have attained.
th That great progress has been mad
ho in the period of his service is undcn
u able; hut there arc not few VIZ
to would bc slow to admit that the in
Id provcmcnt SO observable and so gra
,or flying, arc traccable TO him and h
nc work. All bearing upon this poi
lie which we find proved, is that ccrta
q changes on tie general field were co
ry Icmporancous with his efforts in ps
,o ticular districts. Wo do not find tn
md ho makes apparent beyond Gncstio
INT the relations Of antcccdcnt and CO
,ad scquent. There arc the two clas:
ay. Of facts. How they stand related
,h- the great complex mechanism of nj
al cause and effect is q matter of leg
, innate inquiry open TO al! who m
be disposed to the investigation.
g q is, however, quite evident that if
"a I claims which he has now informa
ant preferred, and which his editor,
nv Rov. DR.. jeffrey, has plainly end
}. I sed, are valid, then tho dcnominat
said is largely his debtor, and all
;f remuneration he has thus far rccie,
So is q mcagre return for such al @mo'
as of service. 1Ie acknowledges the
TO ce;pt in thirty six years, of s2l ),
,re and it is we'll known that he has b.
tho the subject of more abuse than c.
own mcndation. How, in justice, sta
T tho account?
9th. For many reasons VIC arc indispo
,oke TO call in question the general corr
L, of moss of his narrative as to matter
| az fact, or to deny the legitimacy of
much inferences which he seems desirou
leas have dcduced from his statements
un- rcasonings. We would not encour
the first person 10 suspect his ve1
in I ty; we are willing he should have
ming the benefit he can derive from
ming logic. As to rights, he stands OF
nd l same platform as ali others, and
used see not that he has forfeited any cl
be- to al charitable construction of
.ppa- aims and motives. He is not an
en- T ceptional case in the arrangemer
COLL human responsibility. He is not