Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-08-16

OoD
Quiet being restored he con
tinued
"Well, my bretllcring, will now
try to say what [ allowed to about
the Presbyterians.
Gas | said before, they raise their
children heap better than we do.
They behave better in church, and
keep Sunday better, and read the
Bible and larn the Catechism better
than ours do. l declare, my breth.
ering, their children are larnt that
y estminIster Catcchism by the
time they can begin to talk plain
sit amt three weeks since | was
ont a cattle huntin', for two of my
yearlings had stayed off, aud |
stopped III at old Brother Harkey' s,
on Mill creek, and took dinner
He's deacon in the Presby terian
church over thar. Well, as true rs
| stand here, my brethcring, Sister
Harkey had her little gal standin'
right before her, with toes just even
with the crack O the floor, and her
hands were hanging down by her
side, and her mouth turned up Ike
a chicken when it drinks, and she
was aputtin' this question to her ont
O that Catechism
"What are the benefits which in
this life do either accompany or
flow from justification, adoption
and specification
"The question itself was enough
to break the child down; but when
she had to begin and say that qnes,
ton ali over Cor that's the way it
was in the book), and then hitch
the answer to it, which altogether
made this: "The benefits which in
this life do either accompany or
flow from justification, adoption,
and sanctification. are peace OF
conscience, JOY Of the Holy Ghost,
increase of grace, and perseverance,
therein to the cnd'-1 thought the
child was the greatest wonder Id
ever seen in all my life. She tuck
it through, too, without balkin' or
missin' the first word. And she
spoke so sweet, and she looked so
much like 2 little ngcl, that before
| knowed it the tears were run
ming down my checks as big as
buck shot. I've seen the day when
l could have mauled and split a
thousan' rails quicker and easier
than | could have !arnt that thing
and said it off like she dld.
"Now, my bretherins, that child
didn't understand or know the
neanin' of one word o that. 1t
put me up to all knew to take it
il myself. But jest let that Pres
bytcrian grow up, and every word
of that catechism will come back tp
her, and her character will stiffen
up under it, and she'll have the
backbone of the matter all hei life.
"Now, l can't put things into my
children that way. Nothin' cont
stay somehow. It's like drivin' a
nail into a rotten log"
81 tell you, my brethcring," he
continued, eff our children had a
little more catechis,n, and the
Prcsbyterians little less, it would
be better for both.
"Then, we don't pray in our
families like they do. | know their
prayers are mighty long-they
pray all over creation; but, after all
it's the right way. Its better than
prayin' 100 little"
"Now, my father and mother
we're good Baptists, and raised their
children 20 be honest and industri
Gus; but | never heard one of them
pray in my life, and / was most a
man before l ever prayed a prayer
myself, and it was in this wise:
"There was big meeting over
in Ebert county, and | know'd a
pretty gal over there that | wanted
to see. So [ borrowed little j er.
sey wagin, which was stylish
thing in them days, and went over
to her house and stayed all night
and engaged her to ride to meetin
with me next day, which was Sur,
day.
ave went, and had a gloriou;
time-and might as we'll say righ
here that she was afterwards my
witc-but a comm home Imct will
powerful accident that | nevel
got over TO this day. As | wal
comm down steep hill some par
of the gearin' give way and let IN,
out of the wagin on my cretur'
heels; and, bein' young and skeery
and not much used to wheels, sh,
wiggled, and kicked, and tore from
one side OF the road to the other
till | pitched head foremost as mucl
as ten feet into a deep gully, am
it's miracle of mercy that m
neck wasn't broke on the spot.
"Expectin' to be killed ever
mint, thought [ ought to ask tn
I Lord for mercy. But AS [ had neve