Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-10-28
THE REV. MIR. ARTHUR.
How the Presidents Father Thumped
Man Who Interrupted the
Service.
New York News.

many years. He belonged to the
denomination known as Hard shell
Baptists." In personal appearance
he was of medium size and big bodied.
His walk was noticeable, because Of
the fact that he was club-footed. He
was very lively in disposition, and
was possessed of determined spirit.
Anecdotes to illustrate his character
are told by persons now living,
who were his neighbors when
he was living at Hoosick. On one
occasion he was the central figure of
an exciting wrangle between rival
Baptist organizations in the town Of
North Pownal, in Bennington Coun-
ty, Vt. For many years the town
had two sects of Baptists, one known
as the Hard shell and the other as
the Seventh-day Baptists or Saba
tarians. Neither sect prospered as
well as the elders, though they
ought, and it was finally agreed by
them that the two bodies should
unite and work in harmony in the
Baptist cause. A church was built
in common by the two sects, and
written articles were signed, whereby
each sect agreed to use the building
every alternate Sunday for religious
services. It was also stipulated that
if either sect failed to worship in the
church on the Sunday set apart for it
the church property could revert en-
tirely to the other side.
The arrangement continued to work
smoothly for considerable length OF
time, but at last dissensions arose
among the two denominations, which
eliminated in open quarrel. While
the quarrel was in progress the Hard
shell Baptists lost their minister, and
found themselves likely to be without
any one to preach for them on Ger
tain Sabbath. They were threat
ened by the Sabbatarians that if they
did not hold regular services on the
day named the church would be con-
fscated by their adversaries unde,
the terms of the contract, and that
they would be debarred from using
| it thereafter. In this dilemma the
Hard shell elders resolved to enlist
the services of the Rev. William Ar
thur. Hoosick, where he resided
was only about twelve miles from
North Pownal, across the State line
! They saw him, and he consented tt
preach for them on the Sabbath in
dicated.
He got a lay preacher to fill his
place in the pulpit of his church al
Hoosick, and started for North Pow
nal earl y in the morning of the Sun
day specified, taking with him thu
choir of his own church. One of tn,
singers was his favorite daughter
named Malvina. When he entered
the church at North Pownal he dis
covered the choir of the seventh da,
Baptists, in possession of the organ
loft. His choir was compelled tt
take position in another part of tn
church. He assembled the pulpi
and opened the services with PRAYER
There was no interruption until tn
opening hymn was sung. He an
nounced as the hymn to be sung
"Jusus, lover Of my soul" Stimuli
taneously with the singing Q
it by his choir, the Sew
enth-day Baptist choir san
the old doxology. The result wa
that there were two choirs singin
two tunes at the same time, whic
were not, of cours, in accord. Th
confusion was great. One Of til
choir of the Rev. Mr.. Arthur say
his choir almost shouted their words
in order to drown the voices of tn
disturbing choir. The next intel
ruption of the Seventh-day Baptist
was during the sermon of MIR. Al
thur.
The sermon was in accord wit
tenets of the Hard-shell Baptisti
Every little while, after Mr.. Arthu
had enunciated some sound Hare
shell Baptist doctrine,ta Seventh
day follower, who had been prime
for the occasion, would interiect til
q remark: "That's lie!"
tone of voice to
i heard all over the church. I'll
q remark was repeated several time,
3 the evident delight of the Seventh
: day Baptists who were present, b,
? to the CONSERVATION of the Har,
l she'll worshipers. Mr.. Arthur, hoy
ever, went on with his discours
without showing by his manner tn
he had heard the expression, or tn
he was in the least annoyed by j
Chagrined at his failure to have Il
preacher notice him, the disturb
- finally got up from his seat an
r walked in threatening attitude tt
q ward the pulpit Thereupon M
Arthur, selling a strong hicko,
i cane, with which he general
Y walked, fastened from the pulp
| and met the disturber
/ the aisle. He seized hold OF hir
! with the remark: "You scoundre
get out of here" and ran the fello
out of the church. He gave hi
three or four hearty thumps benin