Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-23
SACRED
SACRED
To The memory Qf
REV. JAMES ARMSTRONG,
Who died Septem5er 70, 1884.
AGED II YEARS.
To TIE Hlemoy,,g q

He was a minister Of the Gospel in the
Me;hodist Episcopal Church; lab0red
thirteen Years ii the State of Indiana :;
founded the first meeting house in North
egn Indiana at Door Village. III 1888.
He rests from his labors and his works
do follow him.
Mr.. Armstrong was frequently at my
fathers house, on the VI a0ash while /
was vet 4 little boy, and before coming to
the North. He was a man Of peculiar
and varied talents, and OF decided mark,
whether in the pulpit or Ut the hleside,
so that he LETT his impress upon me in
such a way as that | shall never lUrget
him.
was not much of a theologian, and
can not, of course, speak OF the orthodoxy
of his sermons, only that every body
praised them, and when il was known he
was to preach, it was HE signal for all
( who could to go. The disappointment oi
drunken tailor, in not geteing to church
in time, on sunday morning, on a Q4arter
iymeeling occasion, IS in point Ar
rivi3g Just rs the benedicliOn was about
TO be pronounced, he called out, (clelr
and i0Hd) Il say Ar Armstrong
won't you preach some for Us, this alter
neon? i could not get here in time, FOR
Betsey had bread to Ua6e for breakfast
/ Plucking his coat, numoer 0f the neigh
bors near The man said: sit down, Mur-
Iphy," sit down, hush, exc Ger
tainly," said Mr.. A., certainly; we wifi
accommodate yoG-there will be preach
ing At ) o clock this afternoon
The conversational powers Of Mr.. 4
We're equal 10 his pulpit eloQIence. He
was an Irishmn by birth and possessed
IN large measure the vivacity and ready
wit v Aieh are aScgiDed TO that national
ity.
l remember the following, related Is
himself Early il his ministry he wenl
qulte p distance, one very incleAeni Sts,
bath niarMlg, 10 preach . a col0Icd con
gregaiion. Finishing his seraon, he
called on the class leader 10 close and sat
down, rather cangratulating himself, in
/ his own mind, on the good sermon he had
! preached. he colored brother, aiteFpray-
ing for many things, said: 20, Lod,
/ hress bruddef Armstrong; he come so
/ iah thro' the 'ciemnency OF Ge Weatha.
and make such poor out; dat which has
/ been sown III weakness raise in power-it
4 dcre be any raise to IL.
/ An inndel doctor, one day, thought to
have some sport together with some
friends whom he had gathered about him
/ fortha purpose, at Armstrong; expense,
whom he saw coming along the sidewalk
Approaching, and the common sauta-
! tons passed, the Doctor said "Well. Alr
1 Armstrong. you labor for the good OF
souls?' Yes ''WeN, is it certain that
men have souls? Did you ever see one -
mo" Did you ever hear ones" NO"
Did you ever taste one?" No" Did
You ever smell oney" No" Did YOU
ever feel one? = les." "W ell, four out
OF the five sens es are against you; rather
narrow ground to stand on, said the Doc
tor, with a knowing wink to his friends,
and a significant toss Of the head.
'YOu are doctor, believer" said A.
Yes" "Your business is to relieve
pain: = Eyes. Did you ever see a
pain?' No" Did you ever smell
one?" "No." The doctors friends saw
his dilemma, burst out in hearty laugh.
while the preacher started on saying, Il
have obeyed Solomon, and answered you
according to your folly"
" lille holding a camp-meeting in the
Wabash country, and swaying every thing
by his eloquence, logic, and pathos, his
horse escaped from the pasture OF one OF
the brethren. Some friends VOLUNTEERED
to hunt the horse and leave the man Of
God 10 do the work for which he seemed
SO fitted. They found the horse taken ur
by Baptist man, some four or five miles
Iaway, who refused steTnly to give him up
though assured it was elder Armstrong
horse, and no legal steps having yet been
taken. They returned to the camp ground
and reported the facts. ''Come on, boys
said brother A., "Ill go back with you
Arriving at the place, Il understand
said Mr. A, you have my horse here.
Il have horse of some one ifheis yours
and you can prove property, you can take
him away Where is he:" I'm the
stable" We'll, let's go and see him.
reaching the barnyard gate Mr.. A. said
Go, let him out, and if he is mine | /
prove him" The horse was let out of the
stable Come here, Levi" said he
come here You are a pretty fellow
Come right up here:' and the horst
marched up, and laying his head over hi,
masters shoulder, he, patting him ON tht
neck, in sight and hearing of his friend!
and the Baptist farmer, he said: Levi
you ought to be ashamed of yourself
You have been in the ltineracy with mt
: now eight or ten years, and now have 10
: Gated And what seems more strange, yol
have joined the Bapustsl" ''If he i
your horse" said the man, "take hin
along"
Holding meeting at Rob Roy, Foun
: tain county, Ind, hired girl in the fami
ly of an intidel joined the Church on pro
: baton, which greatly incensed Mr. c.
who sent word to the preacher TO know
he would take his big dog on probation
III he has more sense and pieiy than hi