Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-19
:. OLD TINES,
Hs snn Dl.sour.s.n Of Inc Preacher.
OLD BROTHER DAVIDSON.

ing, ~ i am sorry I o acknowledge that
1 know so little Of his history. / simply
know that he had the name not only Of
being a good man, but an excellent
country preacher. He lives down in
the neighboFhood Of Shakerag, and 1
think comes TO town but seldom, at
least I have not met with him for twelve
months or more. I suppose that our
friend John W-n might have posted
me, as he was once old Toms right
hand man, occupied a prominent posi-
ton in the "amen corner" and "raised
the hymns l am sorry tosay that our
friend has slightly backslidden since
then, but l hope he will retrace his
hayward steps, and come out all right
yet.
BROTHER COFFEY.p
L must go back Of Davidson a little to
notice Rev. Elijah Coffey, a shoe
maker by trade, who came here in 1925.
| wish / could pass him unnOticed, as he
sank to very degrading depths; butwith
his private character [ shall have MOTH
ing to say further than that the wife he
had when he came here, and which /
understood was his second wife. was a
most estimable woman, and although
some bad tales were told of him in Hi
nois, where he came from, his deport-
ment here during her lifetime was not
materially Objectionable. [ will be un-
der the necessity Of taking, in cOnnec-
ton with a brief history Of Coffey, also
that of Rev. Silas T. Toncray. /
ought, in fact, to go still further back,
and give old Uncle Harry Lawrence a
passing notice, vino came here before
either Of the two last alluded 10. He
certainly cuta considerable figure among
his W color, and often preached to
mixed congregations. l might also
speak Of some struggling preachers and
others Of the class alluded to in the
early part Of my story, but Of most Of
these, the less said the better.
BROTHER TONCRAY AND PHILIP S.
WHITE.
ToncTay was a very good, and might
say a moral man. He certainly was a
very ingenious and useful man. He was
q silversmith, matchmaker, engraver,
sign-painter, druggist and dentist; also
a doctor and preacher. The last two
trades he had better never have under
taken. In the Others he was moderately
proficient. He and Coffey both belonged
to the Baptist Church, though Think
the former was Of the 'hard-shelln and
the latter of the "free-wilIu persuasion. ]
do not think they eve got along well
together. Coffey felt himself the SUI
periOr of ToncTay, and in fact could
preach a tOlerable fair sermon for the
times; held his left hand TO his ear and
siashed around with his right ina fright
full manner, taxing his lungs to their
fullest capacity, and going it throughout
on the principle that Branch kept tav-
ern. remember to have heard him
preach night in a large open house,
Illuminated by a solitary taIlow candle.
Among the audience was a huge Ken
lucky lawyer by the name of
Philip s. White, of whom l
have before spoken as being en-
gagged in a duel with Gus Young, also
as a great temperance-lecturer at a later
day. He was at that time, however, a
great rowdy, and 1 think the most won
deTful comedian 1 ever saw. White de-
voutly took his seat close in front Of
the pulpit, and no sooner did Coffey
commence vapOring than White set to
lodging as though every pass of the
hand was a blow aimed at his head. He
was loud and frequent with the
"Amen," but invariably put it in the
wrong place. He also took a prominent
part in the singing, but was wofully out
of tune, during all of which he main
tanned the utmost gravity, while most
others were ready to burst their sides
with laughter. Cotfey changed his re-
ligion frequently, and was alter
nately taken in and turned out
by the Baptists and MethOdists.
Finally all the churches c~Onspired
against him, except the Catholics, whom
he joined, but they would not allow him
to preach. He soon quit them, and, /
am sorry to say, the Methodists not only
reiI.stated him, but licensed him to
preach, but confined his ministrations to
a part of Arkansas where il was thought
good character in a minister was not re-
quired. TOncray was a very incOnsist-
ent man, ignorant in everything except
mechanism. and it was a pity he had
not confined himself exclusively to it.
He was slow and remarkably patient. l
have known him to devote weeks in the
construction of a miniature ship in the
inside Of a large show bottle, complete
in all its parts, and when finished was a
most remarkable pieeeO of work. But he
was not 50 patient in some other things.
He was petulant with those he cOnsid-
cred beneath him, and addicted to too
AAEAhCAN tx VI LIZ k0RAAAAN ~ MS bNA
He performed the service /
of baptism as though it were
an ordinary business transaction. His
voice was naturally weak, and he over
taxed il to such an extent that he some
times broke down in the middle of his
sermon, and but Cor the Old Harry that
was in him, would have made frequent
His congregation were mostly
rha vsraGnnaa of vvhffaa unaUnan !
to annoy him, owing, perhaps, to the
fact that his efforts at elOquence over
stepped tine sublime and provoked laugh
ter. He furnished the ground and built,
On the corner of Main and OvertOn
streets, wholly at his own expense, what
is now known as the African Church; /
but during his lifetime as Toucray's
Church. When finished, according to
his plans and supervision, with its we'll
proportiOned steeple and other parts, il
proved the best specimen Of architecture
on the bluff.
l am sorry to devote so much space to
men, but really, they cut a con-
siderable figure ia their time, and
the history not only of the
Church, but Of Memphis would be
very defective if their names were
omitted. Both served for several terms
as Aldermen, while Coffey, for a short
time, discharged the duties of Mayor,
but whether any old dumb clock "struck
One' at their demise, OF whether their
have ever been interviewed, l am
.unprepared to say.
ARARE ill MAN.
In 1926, Rev. Lorenzo Dow, one
Of the most noted and remarkable
men of the time, not only in this
country, but in Europe, preached here,
in fulfllment of an appointment made
two years before, which strange to say,
was generally remembered and drew
the largest congregations. He preached
several times on this bluff, was very
eccentric in his manners, and by some
considered deranged. He was below the
medium height, awkwardly built, with
a staggering walk and GESTURE which
added TO his natural drOllery and Pc
euliar mode Of expressing himself, pro-
1ueing laughter when least intended.
He was a thorough physiOgnOmist, |
could read every mans character
In his face, would point them out and
them for their vicious habits as
he had known them all their
lives, and rather seemed to court the i'll,
than the good will of the people gene
There was nothing peculiar in
his dress, except that he wore bis beard
full, which was then considered shock
indecent; and twice had he been
by the authorities OF towns
through which he passed and foTcibly
The only beard worn at that
line was a narrow strip or whisker ex-
lending from the temple, following the
IL - ..A 1-,aanoNsua -.