Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-10-16

early as lSU9 the name OF u DaSiu
Riddle was duly cataIogued as a
student, that of David HI. Riddle
in 1922, and of G. ID. Riddle liz 1857.
The last named is, / take 1t, son
OF David H., seeing he was credl-
ted in the catalogue to Martins
burg. He is the same Riddle, /
infer, that is now preaching to the
good people of Fairfax county Va,
at Falls Church and elsewhere. 1T
he is a son or David II. Riddle, and
has the indomitable energy and
anything like the ability of his ia
ther in the pulpit, or-what isquite
as important, If not more so-in
the duties of a pastor" in the
original sense, he may be expected
to become prominent in the church
as well as useful
While ] was attending Bruce's
Academy at Winchester, In 1882,
Mr.. Riddle appeared upon the re-
iigious field there. In the division
OF the church which followed the
excission" Of certairf Western
presbyteries for some alleged heri-
sy or neutrality-suspicious. con-
nected with the doings of the great
revivalist OF that day, John 6.
Finney, IL do not remember pre-
cisely what the difficulty was,l he
sympathized with the new school.
The consequence was that he be-
came very active as revivalist,
and very successful, as we shall
soon see. During the winter of
1872, as indicated in the chapter
headed "Wise and Otherwise
Winchester was very gay, as the
phrase runs in what is known as
society-very wicked as Mr.. Rid
die doubtless came to think. The
cholera was doing its fatal work at
Baltimore and was hourly expect
ed to break out in Winchester. A
few sporadic cases, coming like
swallows foretelling the advent Of
spring, had been reported. Fol-
lowing THE giddy whirls Of the
dances at BushrOd Taylor's these
afforded one of the choice condi-
tons regarded as favorable TO reli-
gious awakenings, turning the
thoughts, as choleras never fail to
do, upon death and the grave and
of the still more dreaded punish
ment believed to be in store for the
impenitent-the other condition
being the hard tines which follow
numerical panics, and which is
supposed to be favoring Moody and
Sankey now. Under the circum-
stances it was not difficult to inter-
est the feelings of the young and
especially of the young ladies who
had contributed SO largely 70 the
enjoyments of the ballroom. See
ing the moral aid furnished by the
cholera, and taking advantage of
the remorseful reflections Of time
misspent, viewing things from
the revivalist's standpoint,) Mr..
Riddle did not fail to avail
himself of it. Thereupon he re-
sorted 10 anxious seats and all the
other recognized appliances of the
old-fashioned Methodism of that
day, although new to the old
fashioned Presbyterianism with
its staid customs and quiet modes
of worship. These were arranged
at Barnhart's carriage shop, and
elsewhere outside as well as inside
the churches. He soon created an
intense excitement. Scores were
found nightly on the anxious
seats, and not a few confessed con-
version. For the larger portion of
the converts were females as usual
they have ever been the main
stay of the churches and probably
always will be), and many OF
them were such as had been the
life of society and the chief attrac-
tions of the ball room. Speedily
it presented as beggarly account of
empty side-benches and a still
emptier floor. To tell the tale OF
discomforture to the forces of Satan
and the triumphs of the gospel, in
sentence, our dancing arrange
ments were utterly broken up.
When we sought for partners in
the dance, they were not to be
found at Taylor's, and were report
ed as having joined the church.
In the spirit of bravado, and as If
to take revenge upon the revival
as 1t were, We got up what is
known as a stag dance. Thereat
there was just such carvings on
as are to be expected when the re-
straining influence of virtuous fe-
males are wanting. AS one who
shared in that, my last dance in
Winchester, / am free to confess
that there was nothing connected
with it TO be proud OF. To the
contrary, there was everything to
be heartily ashamed of, as / now
revert to the demoralizing scene
which 1t presented--for woman
being absent. vine, Of course, was