Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-05
THE DAILY REC0RD-UNION.
HOW PRESIDENT ARTHuR's FATHgR
THUMPgD ! NAa.

The late Rev. William Arthur, the father
of President Arthur, preached In the Bap.
tist church In Hoosich, Rensselaer, county.
in this State, for many years. He belonged
to the denomination known as Hard.
Shell Baptists.n 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 pos.
sessed OF determined spirit. Anecdotes
to illustrate bis character are told by per.
sons now living who were his peighbors
when he was living at Hoosick. On one
occasion he was the central figure of an
exciting wrangle between rival Baptist or
CARNATIONS in the town OF North Pownal,
In Bennington county, Vermont. For
many years the town had two sects OF
Baptist, one known as the Hard Shells and
the other as the Seventh Day Baptists or
Sabbatarians. Neither sect prospered as
well as the elders thought they ought, and
it was finally agreed by them that the two
bodies should unite and work IN harmony
with 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 al
ternate Sunday for religious services. 1t
was also stipulated that if either sect failed
to worship in the church on the Sunday
set apart for it, the church property should
revert entirely to the other sect.
The arrangement continued to work
smoothly for considerable time, but at
last discussions arose among the members
of the two denominations, which culmi-
mated in an open quarrel. While the
quarrel was in progress the Hard Shell
B2ptists lost their minister, and found
themselves likely to be without any ore to
preach for them on certain Sabbath.
They were threatened by the Sabbatarians
that if they did not hold regular services
on the day named the church would be
confscated by their adversaries under the
terms of the contract, and that they would
be debarred from using it thereafter. LIZ
this dilemma the Hard Shell elders resolved
to enlist the services of the Rev. William
Arthur Hoosick, where he resided, was
only about twelve miles from North Pow
nal, across the State line. They saw him,
and he consented to preach for them on
the Sabbath indicated.
He got lay preacher to fill his place in
the pul pit of his church at Hoosick, and
started for North Pownal early in the
morning of the Sunday specified, taking
with him the choir of his own church,
One of the singers was his fayorite daughter,
named Malvina. When he entered the
church at North Pownal he discovered the
choir of the Seventh-Day Baptist in pos
session of the organ-loft His choir was
compelled TO take position in another
part of the church. He ascended the pull
pit and opened the services with prayer
There was no interruption until the open
ing hymn was sung. He announced as the
hymn to be sang. "Jesus, lover of my
of it by his choir the Seventh Day Bap-
tist choir sang the old Doxology. The
result was that there were two choirs
singing two tunes at the same time, which
were not, of course, in accord. The con-
fusion vas great. One of the choir of the
Rev. Mr.. Arthur says his choir almost
shouted their words, in order to drown the
voices of the disturbing choir. The next
interruption of the Seventh-Day Baptists
was during the sermon of Mr.. Arthur.
The sermon was in accord with tenets of
the Hard-Shell Baptists. Every little
while, after Mr.. Arthur had enunciated
some sound Hard. Shell Baptist doctrine,
q Seventh Day follower, who had been
primed for the occasion, would interlect
the remark: "That's lie? in tone of
voice to be heard all over the church. The
remark was repeated several times, to the
evident delight of the Seventh-Day Bap-
tist who were present, but to the conster-
nation of the Hard-Shell worshipers. Mr..
Arthur, however, went on with his dis
course, without showing by his manner
that he had heard the expression, or that
he was in the least annoyed by 1t. Cha
grined at his failure TO have the preacher
notice him, the disturber finally got up
from his seat and walked in threatening
attitude toward the pulpit. Thereupon Mr..
Arthur, seiziDg a strong hickory cane, with
which he generally walked, FASTENED from
the pulpit and met the disturber in the
aisle. He seized hold of him with the
remark, " You scoundrel, get out of here"
and run the fellow out of the church. He
gave him three or four hearty thumps be-
hind with his cane when he got him on the
steps. Mr. Arthur then resumed his place
in the pulpit, and the services were con-
Quoted to the close without any further
demonstration on the part of the Seventh
Day Baptists.
It was in the basement of the same
church that President Arthur afterward
taught school. After he quit the school
the late President Garfield went there and
taught writing New York News.