Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-12-08
The Earthquake in 1872.
What the 3IethOdists Gained BY 1t
Curious Story of Tecmnseh.

Father Cartwright, IN his au.
photography, gives some facts to
show that this earthquake proved
an element of strength to the
Methodists. He says:
| In the winter of 1872 we had
very severe earthquake. 1t
seemed to stop the Mississippi,
broke hatboats loose from their
mornings, and opened large cracks,
or assures, in the earth. This
earthquake struck terror to thou
sands of people, and under the
mighty panic hundreds and thou.
sands crowded to and Joined the
different churches. There were
many very interesting incidents
connected with the shaking of
the earth at the time. Two will
name. / had preached in Nash
vile the night before the second
dreadful shock came, to large
congregation. Early the next
morning | arose and walked out
on the hill near the house where
| had preached when | saw a ne
gro woman coming down the hill
to the spring, with an empty pail
on her head. 1t is very com
mon for negroes to carry water
this way without touching the
pail with either band When she
got within few rods of where |
stood, the earth began to tremble
and jar ; chimaeyS were thrown
down, scaffolding around many
new buildings fell with loud
crash, hundreds of the citizens
suddenly awoke, and sprang to
the streets; loud screaming fol-
lowed. for many thought the day
Of judgment had come. The
young mistresses of the above
named negro woman came run
ming after her, and begging her to
pray for them. She raised the
shout and said to them, "My Je-
sus is coming in the clouds Of
heaven, and | can't wait to pray for
you now; | must go and meet him.
| told you SO, that he would come,
and you wonld not believe me.
Farewell. Hallelujah ! Jesus il
coming, AID am ready. Halle |
lujah Amen" And OIL she went, !
shouting and clapping her hands,
With the empty pail on her head
Near Russellville, Logan county, |
KY, lived old Brother Valentine
Cook, Of very precious memory, |
with his wife Tabitha. Brother
Cook wac graduate OF Cokesbury |
College, at an early day in the
history of Methodism in the Uni
ted States. He was very pious,
successful pioneer preacher, bat,
for the want of a sufficient support
for bis rising aud rapidly increas
ing family, he had located, and
was teaching school at the time
of the above named earthqua e.
He and his wife were in bed when
the earth began to shake and !
tremble. He sprang out of bed,
threw open the door, and began
to shout, and started with n thing
but his night clothes. He steered
his course East, shouting every
step, saying, "My Jesus is com.
ing!" His wife took after hiM, and
at the top OF her voice cried out,
20, Mr.. Cook, don't leave me"
20, Tabby," said he, "my Je,
sus is coming, and l cannot wait
for you," and OH he went, shout
ing at every jump, '"My Jesus is
coming; l can't wait for you,
Tabby."
In the years of excitement by
these earthquakes hundreds joined
the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and though many were sincere
and stood firm, yet there were
hundreds that no doubt had Joined
them from mere fright.
The earthquake gave Tecumseh,I
the Shawnee chieftain, The repu-
taion oil a prophet among the In
dians of Alabama. A lew months
previous to this event, he was on
his mission to the Southern Indi.
ans, to unite all the tribes Of the
South with those of the North inl
his grand scheme Of exterminat-
ing the whole white race from the
wide extent of the Mississippi Val
ley, from the Lakes of the North
to the Cult Of Mexico. Drake, in
his memoir of Tecumseb, gives
this anecdote: ;..,,r. sfa
On his return from Florida, Te-
cumseh went among the Creeks in
Alabama, urging them to unite
with the Seminoles. Arriving at
Tuckabatchee, a Greek town on
the Talapoosa river, he made his
way to the lodge of the chief,
calIod the Big Warrior. He ex,