Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-06-18
MUSCULAR CHRIS rIANlTI

Where no iTouDouS 1901 mas uou
where is impressed on the sod gr
Only Hand and Heart OF God, ca
10
MUSCULAR CHRIS rlANlTI. in
The following extract, Illustrative OF muscular III
Christianity in the olden time, Is taken from
"The Circuit Rider" a new book by Edward y
Eggleston ,.. ~. a, n
cess in organizing class in the Hissawatchee L
q ,ttlement that he determined to favor them a
with q Sunday sermon ON his next round. lie
was accustomed TO preach twice every week
day and three times on Sunday, after tine labor =
inns manner of the circuit-rider Of his time
AMI since he expected to leave Hissawatchee
as soon as meeting should be over, for his next
appointment lie determined to reach the settle
ment before breakfast, that he might have time
10 confirm the brethren and set things in order.
When the Sunday set apart for the second
sermon drew near, Morton, with the enthusiast
tic approval OF Captain Lumsden, made ready
his lin horns to interrupt the preacher with
sereuade But Lumsden had other plans of
which Nor ton had no knowledge.
John Wesley's rule was that preacher should
rise at four O'Clock and spend an hour until i've
II reading, meditation and prayer. Five O'Clock
found MagrIller in the saddle, on Lis way to |
Hissawachee, rejecting upon the sermon he IN |
tended To preach. When lac had ridden more |
than an hour, keeping himself company by
usty singing of hS mus, he came suddenly out
on the brow OF a hill over looking the Hissa-
wachee Valley. The gray dawn was stIeaking
the clouds the preacher checked his horse and
looked forth on the valley Just disclosing It's
salient features in the twilight, as general looks
over the battlefield before the engagement be-
gins, Then he dismounted, and kneehng upon
the leaves PRAYED with apostolic thrvor Tor We
tory over "the hosts of sin and the devll. =
When at last he got into the saddle AGAIN the
winter sun was sending its first horizontal beams
Into his eyes and all the eastern sky was abiaAc'
.lyl.al al,i nf ~ "a
universe TO spiritual account, and now, rs he
descended the HILL he made the woods ring
with John Wesley's hymn, which might have
been composed in the presence OF such scene
o, sun of righteousness, arise
With healing in thy wing
Tony diseased, my taintng soul
Life and salvation bring.
These clouds of pride and sin dispel
by thy all-piercing beam
Tighten my eyes with faith my heart
With holy hopes iRilame
BY the time he had finished the second stanz.
the bride path that he WAS following brouSl
him into dense forest of beech and maple, AN
he saw walking toward him two me u, non
other than our old acluaintaEces, Bhl Meteor
key and Jake Singer.
sI4ookyer," said Bill, catching the preacher
horse by the bride, 'you git down V"
.What for ?" said Masluder.
''We're going TO lick you I'LL You promise
90 back and never stick your head into II
Hissawachec Bottom agln.h
"But won promise"
"rhen Wen put a inishmeut 10 lc.
"You are two to one. VIII YOU giyc me IN
TO drew oil my coat
oval, yes, low We wil'
The preacher dismountcd with quc. dellbc
alton, tied his bride 10 Il beech limb, oler
up a mental prayer to the Cod OF sampson, Al
then laid his coat across the saddle
tMy friends he said, al don't want to vi
you. | advise you now TO let me alone.
an American citizen have right To 50 whC
please. My father was Revolutionary sold
and mean to fight for my rights"
"Shet up your jaw :" said Jake, swealil
aud approaching the preacher from one 81,
while Bill came up on the other. Magnl.
was one of those short, stocky men who la
no end Of muscular force and endurance.
his unregenerate days he had been celebrI
for his victories i'll several rude encounters
Never seeking a fight, even then he had, ne,
theless, when any ambitious champion Ga
from afat for the purpose Of testing his siren
felt himself bound to give hun what he ca
after" lie had now greatly the advantage
the two DULLES in his knowledge OF the All
boxing.
Before Jake had fairly finished his picli
nary swearing the preacher had surprised
by delivering blow that knocked him do
But Bill had taken advantage Of this to SIT
Magruder heavily on The check. Jake, haN
felt the awful weight of Magrudcr's list, W,
little slow i'll coming TO time, and the preai
had chance to give Bill a most poemical b
on his nose; then turning suddenly, he rus
like a mad bull upon SINGER and dealt him
tremendous blow that fractured two Of his
and tglled him to THE earth But BIZ ST.
Magruder behind, knocked him over,
threw himselfupon him after the fishio
western free fight. Nothn. saved Magr
but his immense strength. He rose right
with Bill upon him, and then, by Il def us
ha lauS trimmed his aulaupuist and luilpl
10 the ground. lie did not dare 10 take
vantage of his fall however, for Jake had
gained his feet and was coming upon him
tlously. But when Singer Magruder
ing at him again he III tdc speedy retreat
the bushes, leaving Masflidcr to fight it
with Bill, who, despite his surry-ln0lng
WAS again ready But he now "t1ughl .
aud kept rrtreating slowly backward, and
ling ont, "Conle up on him behind, jake
up behindH But the demolalized Jake
somehow got superstitious uotion tina
preacher bristled with fists before and he
having rs many arms llindOu deity.
kept backing until he trippcd and ir oy
bit ofbrush, and then picked himself N,
made oil, mutterng:
81 amt a-goin to try tn handle hin aluu
must have the very devil in him
About nine O'Clock on that same 81
morning the Irish schoolmaster, who WAS
boarding at Goodwin's and who lad inst
an early visit to the Forks for news, acc
Morton with Gan, did yc hear the !
Moiren? Bill Cronkey aud Jake Singer
had bit OF Sunday morning recreation.
throid TO thrash the praycher as Ire was a
ing through North's Ioller, tins morning
they didn't make no allowance for the
blood Magruders got in him lie larlape
both singehanded, and Jaie's ribs were
ed, and yed lawfto see Bits nose {.
must "a had some proiyate interest in
muss; hey, Moirton?'
"lt's thundern' mean, said Morton;
men on one, and him a preacher; and ali
got TO say is, | wish he'd killed 'em both
-"And yer futur father-in-law into the |
Hey, Morton? But wat did tell yc
koike? The praycher jaw is famed by
Bill gave him, ami koike's 10 eXhor
place. toud ye had the bothcrin' sp
prophecy in him."
Cahill, the vile murderer, has been
ced at st. John, n. D., to two years inn
IL l....a l. Ii