Smyrna times., 1881-01-26
BY ONE WHO LIVED THERE.

(CoNTINUED.)
peerless flowers, which in the rudest wind
never grow sere-
Being rooted in the garden of the mind,
Because they are the earliest of the year."
have many flowers of rscolections Of
the Rev. Solomon Sharp and his ministry
in Smyrna. When he was appointed to
that circuit, on the day of his arrival, he
drove to the house of Piner Mansfield and
before being seated, was told by Mr., Mans.
field that Mrs. widow lady (pre-
viously known to Father Sharp) was dying.
He replied, come let US go to see her at
once. They did so the sick chamber was
filed with the friends, the two attending
physicians having said the patient could
not live out that day. Mr.. Sharp on enter
ing the room walked to the bed of the
dying and without speaking to any one
personally, said, Let us pray" Those
who remember him know how emphatically
his prayers were talks and pleadings with
God. On this occasion he told God how
useful tho lady was to the church, how
necessary TO her young fatherless children,
how important to the community, and
then said 1.-THE church, her children, and
the community can't spare her. Her life
must be prolonged. She must be raised up.
God the Father, God the Son, God the
Holy Ghost, rebuke her disease now, and
restore her speedily to health. When he
| arose from his knees, he took her hand
and said, "Sister you won't die this time"
and without another word he left the room.
She did conValesce almost Immediately
and lived for years after. At week night
prayer meeting during the opening prayer
Mr.. Sharp and the audience were much
blessed. When they arose from theiI
knees, Mr.. Sharp said, ave have got what
we came for and now we will 60 home
He then pronounced the bensdiction
That was a model prayer meeting, short Gnt
street, Many of your readers remember I
declaration Mr.. Sharp once made in thu
pulpit in Smyrna, viz: "That he knew
there was devil for he had seen him com
out of tcomon." He was much criticise,
and censured for that remark. Possibl,
but few Of yeur readers know to what cir
cumstance Mr.. Sharp referred. The hos
tility of the P, E. Church and the M. I
Church, in some sections was quite intense
in the early days of those denomination
On the peninsula quite number of person
who had been baptized and married by tn
Methodist preachers, became SO shaken il
the faith of their ordination that the
became rebaptized and remarked by tn
t P. E. Clergy, To counterfeit this inAuenc
Mr.. Sharp was invited to attend a cam
meeting, and preached especially on thi
subject. He accepted and preached eac
morning for seven consecutive days. o
Sunday morning, such was the power q
tending his sermon that the people fell I
the ground by scores and hundreds, Man
: became so affrighted that they fled from tn
: camp. Mr.. Sharp, himself fell prostrat
: in the preachers atand and cried aloud
: God to stay His hand, that he and th
people might not die. In the afternoon I
" that day, Mr.. Sharp was sent for to visit
lady Of wealth and family position, VIII
had attended the meeting in the mornir
o and rendered herself conspicuous by scoi
. ing at the religious exercises. She VI
y writhing in agony, her body convulssd an
q her face distorted, and in her paroxisn
T. would throw herself of the bed on Il
" floor, seemingly possessed with supernatur
strength. Mr.. Sharp on his arrival four
her in one Of those spasms. He locked
her and then said, "she is possessed Of
- Devil Let us pray" After he had praye
he stood for SEINE minutes looking at II
lady, whose countenance was still distort'
and her body convulsed and she giving We
to language frightfully prefans, Mr., Sha
then said, "Thop Internal Spirit I col
nand thee ip tho name Of Jesus Christ 4
Son OF God, to come cut Of this woman
Very speedily the lady became quite b
features relaxed and were compossd al
her countenance Afterwards med wi
joy. The seven s~r- to VI