The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-09-03
81 Don't Mean Him.

The following anecdote of Rev. James
Axley, familiarity known as "Old Jimmy"
a renowned and redoubtable preacher of
East Tennessee, was related to Hugh L.
White, for many years distinguished
Judge in that State, and afterward con-
spicuous member of the Federal Senate !:
1t was snoised through the town of Jones'
borough that Mr.. Axley would hold forth
on the morning of the ensuing Sabbath.
The famous divine was great favorite-
with none more than with Judge White.
At the appointed hour, the Judge, in
company with a large congregation, was
in attendance at the house of prayer. All
was hushed in expectation. Mr.. Axley
entered, but with him clerical brother
wko was "put up to preach. The con-
gregation was composed of a border popu-
lation; they were disappointed; this was
not the man they had come to hear; con-
sequently, there was a good deal of misbe.
havior. The discourse was ended, and
Mr.. Axley rose. 1t is a custom in the new
country when two or more preachers are
present, for each of them to have some
thing to say. The people opine that it is
great waste of time to come q long dis
tance, and be put off with a short service.
/ have gone into church ut s o'clock in the
morning, and have not come out again
until 5 O'clock in the afternoon. Short ad-
ministrations are the growth of thicker
settlements.
Mr.. Axley stood silently surveying the
congregation, until every eye was riveted.
He then began:
at may be very painful duty, but it
is a very solemn one, for a minister to re-
buke misconduct and sin, whenever and
wherever he sees it. But especially is this
his duty on Sunday and at church. This
is duty am now about to attend to.
"And now," continued the reverend
speaker, pointing with his long finger in
the direction indicated, "that man sitting
out yonder, behind the door, who got up
and went out while the brother was
preaching, stayed out as long as he wanted
to, got his boots full of mud, came back
and stamped the mud off at the door,
making all the noise he could, on purpose
to disturb the attention of the congrega-
ton, and then took his seat that man
thinks / mean him. No wonder he does. |
1t doesn't look as if he had been raised in
the white settlements, does it, to behave |
that way at meeting? Now, my friend,
I'd advise you to learn better manners be |
fore you come to church next time. But |
don't mean him."
"And now," again pointing at his mark,
" that little girl sitting there, about half |
way of the Aouse-I should judge her to |
De about sixteen years old-that's her with |
the artificial flowers on the outside of her !
bonnet and the inside of her bonnet she |
has breastpin on, too, (they were very
severe on all superfluities of dress,) she |
that was giggling and chattering all the !
time the brother was preaching, so that |
even the older sisters in the neighborhOod |
couldn't hear what he was saying, though |
they tried to. She thinks l mean her. I'm |
sorry from the bottom of my heart for |
any parents who have raised a girl to her |
time of day, and haven't taught her how |
to behave when she comes to church. |
Little girl, you have disgraced your pa
rents, as well as yourself. Behave better
next time, won't you? But L dent mean
her,"
Directing his finger to another aim, he
said:
"That man sitting there, that looks as |
bright and pert as if he never was asleep |
in his life; and never expected to be, but |
that Just as soon as the brother took his |
text, laid his head down on the back of
the seat in front of him, went sound |
asleep, slept the whole time and snored |
that man thinks / mean him. My friend,
don't you know the church amt the place |
to sleep? Ifyou needed rest, why didn't |
you stay at home, take off your clothes, |
and go to bed? That's the place to sleep,
not at church. The next time you have q |
chance to hear a sermon, / advise you to
keep awake But L Idont mean y0u.
Thus did he proceed, pointing out every |
man, woman and child, who had in the /
slightest deviated from befitting line of
conduct; characterizing the misdemeanor,
and reading sharp lessons of rebuke.
Judge White was all this time sitting at |
the end of the front seat, just under the |
speaker, enjoying the old gentleman's dis
QUESTION to the last degree; twisting his |
neck around to note if the audience rel |
ished the "down-comings as much as he
did; rubbing his hands, smiling, chuck
ling inwardly. Between his teeth and !
cheek was monstrOus guid of tobacco, |
which, the better he was pleased the more |
he chewed; the more he chewed the more |
he spat, and, behold, the floor bore wit
ness to the results. At length, the old |
gentleman, Strengthening himself up to his |
height, continued, with great gravity:
"And now, reckon you want to know |
whom do L mean. mean that dirty, |
nasty, filthy tobacco chewer, sitting on the |
end of that front seat his finger mean
while pointing as true as the needle to the |
pole-"see what he has been about
Look at those puddles on the floor; a frog |
wouldn't get into them. Think of the |
tails of the sisters dresses being dragged |
through the mucki" The crest fallen |
Judge averred that he never chewed any |
more tOhacnO in church -Ror w w MI |
burn.