The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-03-05
VOLUME Is.

He was naturally an Abolitionalist,
and, therefore, he determined to leave
his native state and go to the free state
of Ohio. His wife's father, Mr.. Adam
Lowry, furnished him with a horse
and a twO-wheeled carriage and seven
ty-hve dollars to bear expenses. Mr..
Lowry also intended to go to Ohio at
some future time. His other friends
were opposed to his leaving the state.
They deemed It unwise in him to 90
out in that way, not knowing where
he could find a place In which to set
tie; but he intended to find some place
in which he could preach the gospel,
for to that purpose he had consecrated
himself without regard to any support
that might be given. He could work
with his hands, as Paul sometimes did,
or lac could teach q high school and
yet preach every Sabbath, and then
his wife could, with her needle, sup
port both herself and him. Hence.
with ordinary health they were amply
able to support themselves. Conse-
quently they were not acting so I'M
wisely as they were believed to he do
ing.
They put on their carriage all they
possessed, and started, carrying with
them their first baby over a year old,
on journey of which they knew no
end. AS they passed through Gren-
vile friend, Mr.. Holt, gave them five
dollars and also an umbrella worth
that amount. They stopped a few
days Mt Dir. Rankin's fathers. Here
they received from Mr.. Rankin's faith
er twelve dollars, and was offered
more than hundred dollars worth of
property, which they did not accept.
At their departure Mr.. Rankin's par
ents were deeply affected. They did
not hope to see him again as he did not
intend ever to return to Tennessee.
His father, during the morning on
which he left, did not qppear In the
family nor come to breakfast. 1t was
to him a morning of sorrow and weep
ing. When they left he took his horse
and went with them until they had
gone quite beyond the neighbOrhood,
and continued going until Mr.. Rankin
entreated his father to return home.
None but parents know how mach
parents love their children. Deep
was the sorrow of that parting hour,
when father and son expected to meet
no more. He left them, and with
deep sadness they passed on their way,
fording rivers and climbing hills and
mountains. In the wilderness TIE
aXietree of their carriage broke in two,
and they were far from any house,
and Mrs. Rankin had to sit by the
roadside with her baby in her arms.
While she was sitting there, drovers OF
swine and horses passed by her. The
drovers passed by civllly. Soon they
were all right, and on the road again.
On Saturday afternoon they called at
a hOuse and inquired of the owner of
it if there was any house at which
they could stay over the Sabbath and
have preaching. He replied that they
could stay with him. They accepted
his invitation. Mr.. Rankin soon dis
covered that the landlord was an inf
del. He gave no notice of preaching,
and of course there was no audience.
He avowed his infidelity. He could
not believe in the miracles of the
loaves and fishes, beer use he could not
hnyU 90 nnnnIn nnRnl6 he fol
on so small quantity of food. Mr..
Rankin replied that it was a miracle
and did not transcend the power of
God. But the landlord affirmed that
he could not believe in anything that
he could not understand. Afterwards
he told Mr.. Rankin that he once had
the tooth ache very badly, and that a
Dutchman took him to a tree and per-
formed some ceremony by which lie
cured his tooth. Mr.. Rankin replied !:
'sDo you really believe that he did
cure your tooth ?" He said that he
did believe it. "And how did he do
it ?" said Mr.. Rankin. He replied
that he did not know how he did it..
Mr.. Rankin then replied, "Why not
believe the miracle of the loaves and
fishes 20 He made no reply. This
proves that infidels can believe things
quite MYSTERIOUS in case they are not in
the bible. Infidelity results from de-
pravity of heart, and not from want of
evidence of the truth of the scriptures.
He treated Mr.. Rankin very kindly.
and made moderate bill.
Mr.. and Mrs. Rankin passed on
through q most beautiful section of
country to Lexington, and spent Sat-
urday and Sabbath with DR.. Blythe.
Mr.. Rankin preached on Saturday at
the Presbyterian church. It was q
communion season. On Monday the
church gave nim twenty dollars, and
he, with his wife and child, passed on
to Paris, and spent some days with
Rev. John Lyle. He preached on q
week night at Paris, and the church
gave him twelve dollars.
Mr.. Lyle was firmly opposed to the
HopkinsOn doctrines, and, therefore,
he carefully examined Mr.. Rankin
with respect to them, and having as
certained that he was not a Hopkinsi-
an he earnestly urged him to settle at
Concord church, sixteen miles distant
from Paris, and on the way to Ohio.
Mr.. Rankin replied that he did not
wish TO settle in n slave state, and that
he was going to Ohio because it was
free state. Mr.. Lyle said there were
no slaves in the Concord church, and
that he might as we'll settle there as in
Ohio. Mr.. Rankin did not intend to
settle in a slavehOlding state, and,
therefore, he did not promise to settle
at that church; but he promised to see
the people of Concord, as they were on
his way to Ohio. When he arrived at
that church his horses back was so
sore that he was obliged to stop. He
agreed to stay with that people until
spring, rs winter was then approach
ing, intending In the spring to go to
Ohio. Before spring came Mr. Ran
kin became strongly attached to the
Concord people, and they to him, and
he consented to be their pastor. A