Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-07-08
An Old-Time Sermon.
A Baptist BROTHER ON METHoDIsTs AND
PREsBYTERIANs.

A lady correspondent of the New York
"Independent' gives sketch of sermon
she heard in Georgia nearly half a century
ago, from which we give an abstract:
The preacher was apparently about fifty
years of age, large, muscular and we'll
proportioned. On entering the pulpit he
took off his coat and hung it on nail be-
hind him, then he opened his collar
and wristbands, and wiped the perspiration
clad in striped cotton homespun. and his
shirt was of the same material. He had
travelled several miles that morning, and
seemed almost overcome by the heat. But
the brethren sung couple Of hymns while
he was flaming and cooling of, and when
he rose he looked comfortable and good
natured.
He had preached there once or twice be-
fore, but to most Of the audience he was
a stranger. Hence he thought it necessa-
ry to announce himself, which he did as
cold Club-Ax Davis, from Scriven Coun-
ty, Half-Hard and Half-Soft Shell Bap-
tist.''
IL have given myself that name,' said
he, ''because I believe the Lord elected
me, from eternity, to 60 ahead in the back
woods and grub out path aud blaze the
way for other men to follow. After the
thickest of it is cut away, a good, warm
Methodist brother will come along and
take up my trail, and make things little
smoother and great deal noisier. After
all the underbush Is cleared out, and the
owls and wolves are skeered back, and
rattlesnakes is killed off; Presbyterian
brother, in black broad cloth and white
cravat, will come along and cry for decen-
cy and order. And they both do good in
their sphere. I don't despise larnt man,
even when he don't dress and think as I
do. You couldn't pay me enough to wear
broadcloth, summer nor winter, and you
couldn't pay a Presbyterian brother
enough to 60 without it in dogdays:
"God didn't make US all alike. my breth-
rem; but every man has his own sphere.
When God has place to I'll he makes
man and puts him in it. When he wanted
General Jackson, he made him. set him to
fightin' Injuns and the English; when he
wanted George Whitfield, he made him for
to blow the gospel trumpet as no other
man ever hlowed it; and when he wanted
Old Club-Ax Davis, he made him, and set
him to grubbing in the backwoods.
s'But my shell isn't 80 hard but can
see good pints in every body; and as for the
Presbyterians; they are long way ahead
of us Baptists and Methodists in some
things. They raise their children better
than any people on the face of the earth.
Only few days ago Methodist class.
leader said to me: Brother Club-Ax,
was born Methodist, was raised
Methodist, and by the grace of God 1 hope
to die Methodist; but thank God, I've
Presbyterian wife to raise my children
And believe my brethren, If the Lord
should open the way for me to marry
again. I'd try my best to find Presbyteri-
an woman. and run my chances of break
ing her into che saving doctrines of feet |
washin' and immersion afterwards
just at this point he was interrupted by
two spotted hounds that had been contin-
ually running up and down the pulpit
stairs. One of them jumped up on the
seat and began to gnaw his coat tail. in
which was something he had brought
along for lunch. He turned slowly around
and took him by the ears and tail and
threw him out of the window behind him
as easily as if it had been a kitten. The
other took warning and got out as rapidly
as possible, though not without bowling
and yelling as If he had been half killed.
He then turned to the audience and said,
smiling; ''St. Paul exhorted the brethren
to Beware of dogs wonder what he
would do if he were in my place this morn.
ing. It appears like ana scompassed