The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-03-26
EMPORIA NEWS.
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FRIDAY, MARCH &c, 1875.
RIOGRAPBV OFF REV. JOHN
1xANkGN.
Flr-r Two YenrS aG Ripley
aad AGraIG Creek, and
Various Occurrences.
CHAPTER XI.

was quite spacious. At first the at
tendance was small. Mr.. Rankin
visited all the families within its
bounds, the wicked and profane as
well as tho pious and moral. lie
prayed with and for them, and with
much earnestness urged them to at.
tend to their eternal interests. The
attendance at church increased, IN
I'll their large house was filled. Aud
durlng some years there seemed to
be continued revival, and large
additions were made to the COM
munion.
The church Of Ripley at first was
small, and the village was not large,
and 1t was very immoral. In1dels
and uniVersalists were in it, and
drinking saloons wero numerous.
Presbyterianism was cusred In the
streets. Mr.. Rankin reproyed their
Vices with faithful earnestness. aud
that added nothing to his populari-
ty. The church was built Of brick /;
was forty-dve feet square; was de-
signed for a gallery, but was too
low. There were windows above
and below, but they were too small
tor q church building. The walls
were not plastered, and the seats
were ruff benches. A few people
met In one side of 1t, and some of
them were not very we'll behaved.
Mr.. Rankin having been accustom-
ed to preach to large congregations
when in Kentucky, was very much
discouraged. While the church of
Strait Greek was very prosperous,
the church of Ripley seemed to
make no advance. The young peo-
pie became more immoral. They
frolicked and danced, and some of
them drank to excess. The fret
year passed away with no apparent
Improvement in the church, and
with increased immortality in the
village.
Mr.. Buffers note became due,
and Mr.. Rankin had just paid his
last Kentucky debt and had not a
dollar with which to procure mate
rial for 30 large a building as
twelve hundred dollars would put
mp. He borrowed one hundre d
dollars with which to buy shingles
and planks. Mr.. William Hunph-
res furnished him goods on credit
with which to pay work hands.
Near to town q large number of
beech trees had been cut down to
get the limbs for wood. The bod
les were given to Mr.. Rankin to
make joice and rafters. There was
a sawmill ct the place, and he en-
plOyed o man TO cut and haul logs
to the mill for that purpose, and
thus he procured all the timbers for
his house 81 small expense. He be-
gan to make The brick in April. In
his brick kiln he burnt lime enough
to complete his brick work. He
bought lot on credit for two hum
dred dollars, and on It he put up q
house thirty feet by sixty, two stO-
ries high, and let one third Oft to q
family before winter, and a little
later put his own family into anOth-
or third. The house was built of
better and handsomer brick than
any other house in the place. And
such was the economy used in
building that he was much less in
debt than might have been expect
ed ia erecting so large q house.
The twelve hundred dollars nearly
completed the brick and carpenter
work. 1t was an unhappiness 70 be
In debt again, but It worked well.
The house was worth much more
than it cost. All his gains thus far
were made by going In debt, buy
ing lots and building houses. His
salary tdid but barely supply his
family with food aud clothing.
During the time in which Mr..
Rankin was building his house
there was q drinking saloon and q
bali alley at which men drank and
played ball day after day incessant-
ly, and often he had to pass by
them while procuring materials for
building, and insults were offered
him by the drinking rabble while
he was passing by. He passed by
as though he did not hear them.
When matters were fully ripe,
aud the people began to complain
of thefts being committed, and
when some had sold their wives
clothing for whiskey, he, on y Ger
tain Sabbath, took text to suit the
times: "Go to the ant, thou slug
gard; consider her ways ana be
wise." He portrayed their idle
ness, drinking and ball playing,
their starving their wives and child
children, and selling their wives
clothes for whisky. He affirmed
that they who were always drink
Ing and playing ball and working
none, must live Off of honest peo-
pie, and that stealing had heen
done In the place could rot be de-
MED. That ended tie ball play ing,
but how far it prevented drinking
nj the saloon is unknown. Tho
young people continued their dauc-
Ing and night revelIng, aud fewer
of them q. attended church, and in the
church members there seemed TO be
but little spiritual life. Mr.. RAN
kin became extremely discouraged.
A communion was held, 1t which
fewer than usual attended, and
such was the Encouragement that
the service. then usually on Mon
day after communion, was omitted.
But II was believed that ReY. w.
L. McCAIIs, OF Auguita, Kentucky,
would DO In town Monday night,
aud An appointments was made foE
him % preach in the evening; bal
he did not o3me a. expected, and
Ar. Rankin had himself % M che