Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-15

s,ejter, As Freshest, tend'rest green.
Muscular Christianity.
lIapi,r IN The H,roic Age Of MethodiSm-
Ih Pre1chr Who Whipped T'mo Enc
mes on q N4iJah Morning.
From The Circuit Rider a book b.
Edward E-gle~ton lust issued from the pres
.rJ Z. Ford Il Co, we clip the followin!
extract. as illustrative of muscular Christi
srity in the church militant before the tim,
.fCauon Kingsley,
Na-ruler had been 81 pleased with hi,
success in organizing class in the Hissa
Vl,lce settlement that he resolved to fayol
-bcm with a Sunday sermon on his next
round. lie was accustomed to preach twice
every weekday and three times on every
sunday. after the laborious manner of the
.ir-lIi-riier of his time And since he ex-
rrttl q, leave HiSSawachee a. soon a. meet
.n., should Dee over, for his next appointment,
me- determined 10 reach the settlement be
fore breakfast. that be might have time to
r.nfm the brethren and set things in
order
When tie Sunday set apart for the second
sermon drew near, Morton, with the enthu-
~i,,ic approval OF Capt. Lumsden, made
ready hi- tin horns to interrupt the preacher
with a eercnade But Lumsden had other
r!au> of which Morton had no knowledge.
John Wesley rule was, that a preacher
should rise at I O'Clock and spend an hour
until in reading. meditation and prayer.
Five O'Clock found Magruder in the saddle
on his way to llissawachee, rejecting upon
the sermon he intended To preach. When
hc had ridden more than an hour. keeping
himself company by a lusty singing Of
hymns. he came suddenly ont upon the brow
4 hin over looking the lli-~awachee val
lrr. The gray dawn was Streaking the
clouds the preacher checked his horse and
looked forth ou the valley lust disclosing its
salient feature, IN the twilight, a q general
l.ik- over battlefield before the engage
meut begins. Then he dismounted, and,
kuce.ng upon the leaves, prayed with
apostolic isryor for victory over 1.-THE hosts
Il sin and the devil" When at last he got
into che saddle again. the winter sun was
sending It's first horizontal beams into his
eyes. and al thr eastern >ky was ablaze.
Macruier had the habit Of turning the
whole universe O. spiritual account, and
Low, Is he descended the hill. he made the
woods ring with John Wesley hymn, which
nigh; have been composed in the presence
ot such a scene
o sun Of RI shteousness, arise
" th healing ln thy wing.
o. my diseased my "a nt.nE soul.
l'e aud salvation bring.
These clouds pride and Ia r.spel.
Ey thy Bll-p.ercIuE beam
sh'en my eyus with laith NY heart
VIII Aoly hopes ndIme
Ey the time De had finished the second
-ilun, the bridle-path that be was follow
ilg brought him into a dense forest Of beech
aud maple, and he saw walking toward him
two >tou men, none other than our old ac-
gulintance~ Bill MeConkey and Jake Snig-
"L'oky Yer. said Bill, catching the
Preachers horse by the bride, You git
down ni'
"Nlmt ur?" said Nagrudcr
We're going to lick you till you promise
To- 20 hack and never stick your head into
;he lli-Sawachee Bottom agin."
But ! won't promise
Then Wen put tinishment to ye
You are two to one. VIII you give me
time % draw oA my coat?'
Wal, ye~. | low We will"
The preacher diSmounted with quiet de-
liberation. tied hi- bride to a beech limb,
uhering % mental prayer to the God of Sam
son, and then laid his coat across the saddle.
Ny friends, he said. II don't want to
whip You. advise You now to let me alone
A> ln american citizen, have right to go
where please. Ny father was reyolu-
t0nary soldier, and mean To fight for my
rights"
'-Shet up your jaw - said Jake swearing,
aud approaching the preacher from one side,
while Bill came up on the other. Magruder
was one of those short, stOcky men who have
no end of muscular force and endurance. In
bis unregenerate days he had been celebrated
for his Victories in several rude encounters.
Never seeking a fight even then, he had
Lcvertheless, when any ambitious champion
came from aiar for the purpose Of testing
bis strength, felt himself bound to give
Linn what he came after lie had now
greatly the advantage Of the two bullieS in his
knowledge Of the art OF boxing.
Before Jake lad fairly finished his pre-
liminary swearing the preacher had surprised
him by delivering a blow thar knocked him
down. But Bill had taken advantage of
this to strike Magruder heavily on the cheek.
Jake, having felt the awful weight of Ma
gruder's fist, was little slow in coming to
time, and the preacher had a chance to give
Bill a most polemical blow on his nose then
turning Suddenly, he rushed like a mad bull
upon Singer, and dealt him one tremendous
hlow that fractured two of his ribs and fel-
Jed him to the earth But Bill struck Ma
cruder behind. knocked him over, and threw
himself upon him after the fashion of the
Western free fight. Nothing saved Mngruder
hnt his immense strength. lie rose right up
with Bill upon him. and then, by deft use
OF his leg-. tripped his antagonist and hurl-
ed to the ground. lie aid not dare take ad-
vantage Of his fall, however, for Jake had
regained his feet and was coming up on
him cautiously. Bat when Singer saw Ma
-ruder rushing at him again, he made u
speedy retreat into the bushes. leaving Ma
gTuder 10 fight it out with Bill, who, despite
hir sorry-looking nose, was again ready.
Bat he low fought shy" and kept retreat
my slowly backward, and calling out. Come
up on HIM behind, Jake Come up behind -
But the demoralized Jake had somehow got
a suVer>titious notion that the preacher
bristled with fists before and behind, having
As many arms as Hindoo deity. Bill kept
lacking until he tripped and fell over a bit
oi brush, and then picked himself up and
made off, muttering
81 ain'ta-goiu' to try 10 handle him alone
lie must have the very devil into him.
About 9 O'Clock on that same Sunday
morning, the Irish schoolmaster, who was
now boarding at Goodwin's, and who had
Just made an early visit to the Forks fol-
news, accosted Morton with "An' did ye
hear the nooze, Morton? Bill COnkey and
Jake Singer hey had bit of Sunday morn
ing ricreation. They throid to thrash the
prayeher as he was a-coming through North 5
Holler, this mornin'; but they did mt make
10 allowance for the 0irish blood Magruder' 5
got in him. lie larraped 'em both single
ye'd lawf to see Bills nose Captain must
a had some proiyate intherest in that muss
hey, Moirton?'
Its thunderin' mean" said Morton
two men on one, and him preacher and
all I've got to say is, | wish he'd killed 'em
both
And yer futur lather-in-law into the
bargain Hey, Morton? But fwat did
Ieii ye about Koike? The praycher's jaw is
iamed by lick Bill gave him, and Koike's
70 e1hort in his place. tould ye be had
'ne oOtherin' sperit Of prophecy in him."