Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-26
For the SPECTATOR.
The Late Rev. John G. Lyon.

MIR. EDITOR,:-I do not know that
this eminent and most worthy minister
of the Methodist Episcopal church yet
lives. 1t is many, very many, years,
and how long some of them were, since
he ministered in the Methodist church
of your town. There are few, very,
very few of the congregation that is
wont to assemble there, who will re-
member him.
1t was some time after his service in
Staunton, that he was sent to the Rock
ingham circuit, and preached to small
Methodist congregation near to the resi-
dence Of the writer, and, notwithstand-
ing his was Presbyterian family, he
was often a welcome guest, and there is
no one connected with that church,
minister or private member, that he
held in higher estimation than this &c
centric and talented divine. After he
left Virginia and went to New York,
there was some correspondence between
us. [ would very much like to learn
anything pertaining to his history or
that of his family, after his removal
there. Should this article arrest the at
tention of the editor of the Christian
ADVOCATE and Journal in N. Y. City, he
will confer pleasure on those in this
part of Virginia, who knew DIR. Lyon,
by publishing anything he will be able
to command of the latter part of his
life. E .ata gs.sll4sl sss#4
The incident we intended to mention
illustrates the bold and fearless char.
acter of the man, and at the same
time gives expression to the latent hui
NOR and drollery that on proper occa-
sions he so much enjoyed. The date of
the circumstances goes back to the time
when the Rev. John S. Martin, D. D.,
so acceptably connected with your
church, was young preacher, and if
it was not his first years service, it WIS
soon after he began to preach, that he
and Rev. J. G. Lyon were in the Rock
bridge circuit, with Fairfield, Midway,
and a point on the road from Midway,
across Tye River Gap, into Nelson, and
up in the mountains, some eight or ten
miles from Midway, with others, con-
stituted the places they served. sxs
, The population in this mountain re
gion was plain. some rough, and at that
day many rude in the extreme There
was a family by the name of Grow, that
in point of numbers constituted no in,
considerable part of the congregation of
this mountain church. One of them,
great Philistine in size and a bully in
disp position, from some cause, real or inn
aginary, took offence at Rev. John G.
Lyon, and made the threat that the first
time he came to that church he not only
should not preach, but that he would
infiict upon him personal chastise-
ment. The last time Mr.. Martin Off
ciated he, perhaps, took especial pains
to make this fact known. The day in
course for Mr.. Lyon to preach came,
and some of his friends, knowing the
character of Crow, attempted to dis
suade him from going. They did not
know or properly appreciate the man.
He was of the style and spirit of Luther
on q certain memorable occasion. When
he arrived at the mountain church, sure
enough Crow was to the fore, and showed
to intimidate. Mr.. Lyon
met him in mild and pleasant manner,
and attempted to reason with him, but
the more he did in this direction, the
more the other clustered, when the
doughty parson, deliberately taking off
his over-coat, and addressing it in his
broken English, 'sYou Methodist. do you
lay. dere. /" then turning to Grow, said,
8 has heard dat Grow might frighten
al Martin, but who cher heard dat a
Grow would undertake to frighten a
Lyon 2" TITS needless to say the plucky
parsons argument was conclusive-the|
Crows feathers were laid-he tucked
his wings and skunk away, and spirit
ed and animated sermon was listened to
by an exceedingly interested and atten-
tive audience. M.