Smyrna times., 1874-04-08
ms eIIUH e o n s.
Father Hersey.
A METHODIST MISSIONARY OF THE OTnEN Tr,,v
ONE OF THE lTlNERANT LIGHTS OF
MARYLAND.


ONE OF THE lTINERANT LIGHTS OF
MARYLAND.
A communication in the Washington Star
gives the following interesting sketch
NO DOCKS possess more value to the student
OF local and neighboring history than the
better classes OF religious biographies. In the
Library OF Congress one Of the most useful
DOCKS on Delaware State history is Foote' ;
history OF Drawer ) Church and congregation
In like manner the best books on the Eastern
Shore of Maryland are Foote's History of the
Presbyterian Church, Freeborn Garretson' .
Lille by Dr. Bangs, Asbury's Journals, and tho
Biography OF IhOmas, the parson of the
islands. These men and others have left their
record upon the history and growth of Wash.
ingtOn city; other itncrants who found no
slographers, could have supplied sterling
books on our topography aud character
Amongst the pilgrims who were we'll known in
their day as visitors and preachers in Wash
lngton none was morc ethclGnt than Father
Hersey.
This man was born on the Delaware boup.
Diary line between New Castle and Elkton. He
was OF positive character and strong tetnpera
ment, and although comparatively uueducated,
he had native mind which never failed to
put weaker, If more cultured, men in suf,iec
ton to his will. He was tall, gaunt, with n
keen eye, long nose and away of MOUNTING
men, as an eagle might fasten on a sheen
overcoming the reason and holding the victim
in subsection until like the Ancient Mariner he
had satisfied his forte and told his story. His
sterling confidence, never at fault, made him
equally efficient over large, miscellaneous au.
diences, and as pulpit orator. he approached
Whiteh9ld. When he leaned over the pulpit.
he looked down as if into the boiling furnace
Of hell, and his auditor could feel the heat of
the place., as well as hear the groans ascending
therefrOm, which Hersey could initiate with a
shrill dictiOn that brought old and young to
their feet, and made all nature uneasy
This man, according to tradition, had been
in early life sort OF Jim Fsk-a travelling
peddler with SNOWY team, gildsd wagon,
and that kind of personal bounce which attrac-
ted crowd, or bore down merchant to whom
he desired to make sale. He was proud
man, as well as a confident one, and held his
peregrinatlng reputation and success at a high
standard. There are persons who remember
him riding into Washington city on the box.
as lean and keen as John Randolph, a perfect
republican, adm ttlng no man to be his supe.
rior, and the boys and negroes, the dogs and
babies, looked at his caravan as if it were some
sort of national property. The President NAV
have ehvied him {; showmen always did.
At a certain time in Hersey's life, extrava-
him in debt. He suddenly found himself
mortgaged for many years, and the iron Of
obligation entered into his flesh. The natural
effect of such grief upon bold, yet sensi-
tive and provincial man, was to make him
serious, and then religious. Conversion affected
him with the whole force of fanatcism. He
was converted from the crown of his head TO
the sole of his feet Every fibre of his being
appeared to cry out 10 praise and fear to God.
He conceived himself to be the most awful
sinner His past life arose in hideous outlines
and the slightest error of thought and conduct
seemed to approach the unforgiven sin. He
resolved that henceforth, until he paid his
debts and cleared up his character, he would
accept no comforts and punish himself as he
thought heaven might have punished him.
| He became Methodist, of course, because
that denomination was at the head of spiritual
life in the region of country which he had
traversed yet with his native boldness Of
character he refused to accept some leading
tenets of the Methodist church as to orEaniza
ton and discipline. He believed that laymsn
ought to be admitted to church government ;
he doubted tho episcopacy as proper thing
in christian sect; all license, such as wearing
jcwelry, eating rich food, and love of creature
comfort. he esch0wed. Since the day OF
George Whitfield, no revivast entered upon
work with such terrible earnestness. He -four
ished at his best between 1880 and 1850.
His system Of paying off his debts was the
same which ParsOn Weems the bioRrapher OF
Washington, pursued, viz: the writing OF
books, issuing them himself and being their
colporteurer. Like Freeborn Garretson and
John Wesley, he addressed one of the earliest
of these books to the slavery question, and il
was called, il | remember correctly, Thoughts
on Slavery" HerSsy's books were always tC