The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-04-17
An Answer to Prayer.

OF the volcanic symptoms IN balu NOUN
tain had been in answer 10 the fervent
prayers of the five score mountaineers
who live upon its rugged sides, and had
been converted from their wicked ways
through the instrumentality of color
ed Methodist and white Baptist preach
er But it seems, from later advices of
the Raleigh Ne1cs, that the reverse of
this is true. The earthquake or volcanic
shock was sent in answer TO the PRAYER
of the Rev. Posey Owensby, a Baptist
preacher. who, after three days Of vain
labor to get up revival among the Bald
Mountaineers, and with beggarly ac
count of empty boxes or pews, thus ad-
dressed the Deity:
80 Lord, for three days and nights
hath Thy servant endeavored in vain to
move the stony hearts of this wicked
people. Now, we beseech Thee that
Thou wouldst, in Thy great and omnip
otent power, cause the mountain to shake
and tremble beneath their feet, that they
may be brought to a consciousness of
Thy power and wrath.
Precisely at 10 o'clock the next day,
the mountain did shake and tremble," "
in exactly the manner that Parson Ow
ensby had petitioned; and the veracious
chronicler Of the event says the effect of
this unanticipated answer to prayer on
the parson was such that he got him up
on his horse, and after warning the old
woman whose hospitality he had shared,
to make all possible speed and evacuate
the mountain, he spurred down the
steep volcanoes side and put a safe dis
tance between himself and the mountain
that had been set in motion in answer to
his fervent petition.
We are persuaded, however, that this
is slander upon the parson. 1t is true,
he may not have anticipated so material
response to his address, because since
apostolic days answers to prayer have
rarely been SO explicit and satisfactory
as not TO require much meditation to
determine their pertinency TO the petit
ton offered. Parson Owensby had not,
probably heard Of the explicit answer
1 the revivalist Hammond had received
when he prayed that the tongue of a
/ UniversalIst hereto might be paralyZed,
nor of the still later signal vindication
of the efficacy of prayer in the case of
the bummers who recently visited Mid
dletown to scoff at the praying women
( four of whom, it is reported to us, have
since died, and for aught we know have
been eaten, like Herod, by worms.
Had the parson run away, as the re-
porter of the Raleigh Ne,rs asserts he
did, he could not have possessed the faith
that removes mountains, or moves them
as in the case of Bald Mountain. If he
felt the mountain rocking, we venture to
assert that he remained and warned the
] people, as did Jonah the wicked people
of Nineveh, of the wrath IN store for
them lest they repented. And repent
they did. The school house in which
he had labored in vain for three days
was Immediately filled with affrighted
people, who with tears and groanings, re-
pented of their sins and were straight
way converted, and added to the elect
few who will be saved in the last day.
The attention of Prof Tyndall and
other soothing scientists ought to be call
ed this fresh instance of answer to
prayer 1t is beyond doubt more con-
elusive than his prayer-gauge could be.
He would be forced to admit that there
is God in Israel yet, and that He hears
and answers prayer just as promptly as
He did when Elijah called upon Him,
and the fire came down from heaven and
devoured the offering upon his altar,
while the priests of Baal called in vain
upon their god.
We have hitherto enlarged upon the
value of volcanic eruptions in turning
men from the error of their ways. In
North Cs rolina the result has been that
every inhabitant of the region around
distilling whisky, and will pay the reve-
nue. tax hereafter upon every gallon Of
spirits he evokes from his portable cop
per worm. The Bald Mountaineers
have all joined the church, and the vol.
canic symptoms having accomplished
their purposes have been as promptly
suppressed in answer to prayer as
they were suddenly incited by the same
agency.
There can be no doubt but the belle
which existed among the Apostles anf
the primitive Christians generally, tha
the end of all things was near at hand
had much to do with the fervency o
their discourse and their earnst devotion
to spiritual things. Like the BalC
Mountaineers, they cast their worldl,
= goods into common pool, and shared
| equally the things of this world. 1t wa
= not till they began to see that there haC
| been some misapprehension ofthe word
\ of the Master that worldliness appeare'
n among them, and selfshncss of posses
e sion developed itself.
r Nothing is SO we'll calculated to shak
/, a mans confidence in the stability G
: this world as an earthquake or volcani
r shock, and an apprehension that it is tn
e forerunner of final dissolution. 1t
2. wonderful what loosening effect it ha
II upon his worldliness, and how ready h
IS is to listen to the preached Gospel.
IS We should say. considering the uniforI
n result of the rattling Of the dry bone
= that no better agency could be invoke
- to turn the world from the path of wicl
g edness than a wholesome earthquake {
ID an imminent volcanic eruption.
1T And since they are so easily invoke
k it is a matter of surprise that the Gle
lie gy, who have implicit faith in prayer al
p the directness of answer to it, do n
We initiate the example of Parson Owensb
st They have hard tussle with stiff-nec
+ ed and rebellious people, and groan
'n spirit because Ephraim is so joined
gS his idols. Yet, they have only to pei