Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-01-28
The Harp Of Thousand Strings.

1t is time to reprint again this famous
Hardshel Baptist sermon The world will
never cease to read and laugh at IL:
SERMON.
81 may say to you, my brethering, that
am not an edecated man, an am not one
of them that believes edecation is necessary
for Gospel minister, fur blceve the Lord
edecates his preachers jest Us he wants EN-
to be edecated; and although | say it that
oughtnt to say it, yet in the State of Indian
ny, whar live, there's no man as gifts q big
ger congregation nor what gifts
Thar may be some here to-day, my breth-
ering, as don't know what persuasion am
NV. Well, may say to you, my brethering,
that am lIard-shell Baptist. Thars
some folks as don't like Hard-shell Baptists
but I'd rather hey hard -shell than no she'll
at all You see me here to-day, my breth-
ering, drest up in fine close; you mout think
| was proud, but am not proud, my breth-
ering; an though have been Il preacher NV
the Gospel for twenty years, an although
I'm capting nv II flat-boat that lies at your
landing, I'm not proud, my brethering.
I'm not going to tell you edzacky whar
my text may be found suffice it ter say it's
in the Bible, an you'll find it some whar be-
tween the first chapter Of the book of Gener-
ations an the last book of Revolutions an
If you'll go an search the Scriptures you'll
not only find my tex thar, but great many
other texes as will do you good to read an
my tex, when you shall find it, you will
find 1t TO read thus;
"And he played on harp Of thousand
strings-Sperits of just men made perfeck"
My tex, breathering, leads me to speak of
sperits. Now thar's great many kind of
sperits in the world. In the tust place, thars
the sperits Of turpingtine; and thar's the
sperits as some folks call ticker, an I've got
as good an article nv them kind NV sperits
on my flat-boat as ever was fetched down
this Mississippi River; but thar's great
many kind of sperits, for the tex says: "He
played upon u harp Of u thousand strings
sperits Of just men made perfeck."
But I'll tell you the kind of sperts as Is
meant in the tex, my brethering-its fire
Now, thar's great many kinds Nv fire in the
world In the first place thar's the common
sort Nv fire you light u pipe or cigar with
m then thar's camfre fire before you are
ready to fall back, an many other kinds NV
fire; for the tex says "IIe played ON
harp NV a thousand strings-sperits of just
men made perleck."
But I'll tell you the kind Nv fire as Is
meant in the tex, my brcthering--its hell
fire An that's the kind NV fire as great
many of you'll come to eff you don't do bet
ter nor what you've been doin'--for Gle
played on Il harp nv thousand strings
sperits nv just men made perieckp
Now the different sorts NV fire in the
world may be lisened unto the different
persau tons in the world. In the first place
we have the 'Piscopalians, an theirs high
sailin' an q high-falutin' set, and they may
be likened unto a turkey-buzzard that flies
up into the air an he goes up till he looks
no bigger nor your ilngcr-nail, an the first
thing you know he come an down, an Is
film hsself on the karkiss NV II ded boss by
the side nv the road--an' ale played ON a
harp NV II thousand strings-sperits of just
men made perfeck."
An thars the Methods, an they may be
likened unto the squirrel runnn' up u tree;
for the Methods bleeves in gwine on from
one degree Of grace 10 another an finally
on 10 perfection; an the squirrel goes up,
an jumps from limb to limb, an branch TO
branch, an the fust thing you know he falls,
and down he comes kerflummax, an that's
like the Methods for they Is alters fallin'
from grace--ah "An' he played on harp
NV a thousand strings-sperits nv just men
made perieck"
An then, my brethering, thars the Bap-
tst ali an they have been like unto pos
sum q simmin tree and the thunder8 may
roll, an the airth quake, but the postum
clings thar still--ah An you may shake
one foot loose but 'tother's thar; an you
may shake all his feet loose, but he laps his
tail around the limb, an he clings thar for
ever for ale played on harp Nv thou
sand strings-sperits Of just men made per.
feck"