The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-06-19
-, .r..., ! A,,,ar,yi preacher.

An
wc find the following interesting ske .,,a
Of one of the old kind of preachers ~ 'n'
"Many Of our citizens remember the o, ula,
so,,are, block.like church, WIN i.s ss rail.
sides, dusty and faded appearance, vi .he nela.
road track up few rods nortI ILL.,, VI s with y
van Horse, called the Albany De.. :', ,ro1,,J
rlaring sign announcing when sclsiss , mH
he leid. and that strange "ei -, io.at;on
invited TO attend The b'lhd!hs, ns iu. ,,,ors
;ntnrinr. and surroundings, were hot ,.,;o
,.acul;ar and eccentric than Inc pusnisa::l.d
Inokine pastor, the Rev. John bllies. VINO aleu
a wear or two ago near schenectady. Inc la',
TOR was a reformed gambler, VINO hau SUI
all the low lands Of infamy ana san, anu re-
formed, or, as he quantity eNprssaeo -,
.about.ship. and stood square up 10 Newell;
lie was a man of great natural power, WIN
a fcyerish, burning energy, o inrsn, sia:sn
voice. and Wild. Startling iHaeiha.'uh,
handling the most stupendous themes WIN
reckless familiarity that alternately snoehe =,
and fascinated the listener. Inc suDJecos y,
his discoulses were always preahhoui n;, y
through. the papers like the following III
Eleventh Hour, and Last Tram ieas W, +
ward:' sThc Storm Of Hell begun M
world on Fire. &C.; all of ieartul'y,sensa,
tional character. Many prominent eit.zens
would drop in as occasional listeners 10 tnese
sermons although they were lntendeo pal
ticuIarly for boatmen). There was re-
markable genius Of fire abollt lhls lous"
unculIiyatcd man. About the year -
a young English nobleman, "lld, reckless
and dissipated, but man OF some a,e,i1
paid visit to Albany, and was 'nfiten ..
| the late John Van Burcn (whose guest hs
w;,s) to 90 down TO the 'Betlei auu mean
John Miles on 'Salyation's Express ram
| Through without Change IL was stoiih.
| afternoon, and few were out. Inc pastor
| was in particularly gloomy mooa. Sialeihs
hands all round, as was his custom, fTihc,
John thought 1t would be Sood loketo TEL
the pastor who his distinguished auditors
were. Accordingly, in a majestic way (Whici
| he could assume with such case as 10 aihos
| bcwildcr common man), he announcer Ina
he was John Van Buren,, son OF Inc Iiesi
dent, and that his companion was an heir o
one of the noblest families: i'll England
| With a sclfposscSsion fully eqlal I.
Prince Johns dignity, the pastor shoot
them both by the hand and hoped thcy
would all.,ncet Oh the other shore, beyond
NIL distinction of earth and SINE; lDcl
walked into the pulpit, sang hymn, prayed
f,rycnt!y for them, and commenced his ser
mon. With more than wonted Velemehct
his imagination painted murkey pictures o.
earth 'as a great dingy railroad statioh
dump, cold. uncomfortable, and cneefiess
every one waiting for the train; trains com
Ing and going at I'LL times, but few getting
on; hardly any one inquiring where The
trans 20, and great many taking oW
trains, wood trains, construction trains, elni
grant and way trims, &C., which are less at
fractivc' Then he compared salvation to III
| express through train without change, ano
applied it i'll wild. startling manner to eacl
| hr:lrrr 'Tlc sermon ended, the pastor
rushed down from The pulpit, and sraspine
his two distinguished hearers by the hand,
lervcntly urged them to get aboard that
train at once Prince John and his Lord
shin were both serious, and left I'D
a thoughtful mood. Aud now comes
the sequel, not particularly startling
or strange, but it exhibits the power
not often seen Of single thoughts turning the
entire destiny of life. A prominent citizen
of Albany was travelling in England last sum-
Iner, and spent Il Sunday in Manchester. AT
tending church, he was so much pleased by
the clear. eloquent sermon OF the pastor that
he went forward and thanked him for il
after service In the conversation that fol.
lowed, the name Of Alban! was mentioned.
&lid the pastor: .All my religious training
and preparation for the ministry date from Il
sermon heard there by an eccentric sailor
preacher He then detailed the facts men,
TONED above, saying very imprcssireIy:
think Mr.. Van Buren, was more seriously
affected than WAS, and il he could only have
heard another sermon from that man, he
might have been Il preacher, lis am, This
Clergyman was no other than the nebleinan
who had thrown away all hoIors and titles to
become minister OF the gospel. He had
probably heard the most eloquent diyines OF
the age, but not one Of them touched his
heut like the obscure pastor Of the Albany
RethclN .----