Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-10-09
A Muscular Christian.
Old Peter Cartyv right Gathered TO
His FathcrS,,

from the World
Ohc of the oldest and most widely
known Methodist preachers in Amer
lea die on Wednesday, at his nome.
near Pleasant Plains, Sangamon
county. Ill. Peter Cartwright was
clShiy-scvcn years old. lie was Il
native Of Amherst county, Va. and
was borI.im 1885, two wears after the
"i' 81 of the Revolutionary war.
lille he was still n child his par
'"ts removed with him TO Kentucky.
Ills early Years were spent in thai
wild frontier land, where the war
whoop Of the savage often aroused
his father and his ucighbors to TIE
defense OF their lives aud homes. Pc
ter was scarcely sixteen wears old
wilcn he WAS converted 10y an timer
ant preacher, and became a member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
he event determined the career OF
MS wlro!" life. lie conceived the
idea that he had been called 10 preach
;hc gospel in Tie ildcrncs>. and al
most Immediately he entered upon
that duty. In his autobiography.
published about fifteen Years a"o, he
related many iniCrCstiu. and often
Amusing incidents of his early labor
III the backwoud>. Like nlanv of
the men of his time and section. he
had an iron constitution and strong
~ marked individuality. and WAS a
polI. courageous, and Jealous work
a.. lie feared neither man nor devil.
and fox his causr wa, read 1T ANY
time TO fight both if they stood in his
way. His speech was honlcly, but it
was earnest. and went straight to the
hearts of his rough audiences. He
was heard To say Il few year, 20 that
he LAD received into the church no
fewer than loco persons. and that in
his long career lie had preached 10
ono sermons.
In ~tllr"aIly pioneer da,s he mlfrl-
nai'y met some hard characters. who.
in>t.gatci by the adversary. would
~rnt!ruvui (" bring disgrace upon him.
He tells in his autobiography that
ono" brutal fellow threatened TO
"whip* him. Peter said. We'll. sir.
| like 10 live in dread. If Won
intend to whip me, come and
do it now" The man continued 10
bl,Utcr. %whcrcupon the fighting
preacher, diSmounting from his
horse. walked UP to linn and SAID
"Now. sir, yon have to whip me. or
| will put You in the river and bap-
tie YOU i'll the name OF the devil. for
surely you belong to him." This
cowcd the bully. Ananccdotc is also
related which illustrates his singular
holdncss and independence. He WIS
preaching before the Nashville Con-
when the t~inc->erviur cIcr-
gyman whose pulpit he occupicd.scc-
ing General .lsckSon standing in the
tI>!", leaned over and said in loud
whisper. "Gcucral jackson has come
II. General Jackson has come in"
VI lIo i General DICKSON =" cric,i
in Il voice OF il,undcr. IF
IL don't get his soul carTrrtrd God
will damn lin As quick - lie would
/ Guinea nrgro.' Til ia no: con-
Old Hickory AT the time. bat it
his respect for his mon:-
and lie treated him with the
greatest consideration rvcr after
ward-.
Mr.. Cartwright wa, appointed a
presiding elder in lo;3. H." spout
years in the Old Western Con-
ference, and over i"::y-tiyr wears in
the Illinois Conference. He held nj
'ifcrcmt times many Of H." most i'm
p"rtant offices III The church. and was
delegate 10 General Conference thir-
teen times. In 1888 and 1873. in the
of the Bishop, lie was Ircsi-
lent of the Conference. 1t is re-
,ordcd Of Linn that in all the wears
his ministry he WAS never di>con-
.inncd, located. or sI.ncranuatcd. and
was never dismissed for Il time for
niadcmcanOrS of any kind. In l-36.
ne published the story Of his life in i
entitled Autobiography Of
'etcr Cartwright, the Ba"kwood,
'reachcr.' The book lad 4 wide
il uiatioi,, and made the old man
'ctter known in the East. where hr
cldOm had visited. During the last
years the fccblcuc,s of AL
years Frustrated him, and it
only few months ago that his
!catl was prcma:'lrcly announced.