Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1884-04-17
THE PRAYER FOR TIE RIGHT
EOUS.
HOW A LONG PRAYER SAVED SIX MI
GROES.

GRoES
The Hon Ezra T. Stevens, noted as
one of the conductors of the under
ground railroad and now chief clerk
of the lpdian bureau here, is my au-
thority for the following rcmiuiscence
y. hen the underground railroad was
in full operation and the slave hold
ing detectives were most active in
their efforts TO convict ana drag back
to slavery every negro thev could find, g,
one of the most travelled lines of es-
cape was through Ohio and and one
OF the chief stations was at Mansfield.
in the central part Of the state. The
negroes would be run across the river
frorl Kentucky into Ohio and nortII
TO Canada. The confidential agent of
the road at Mansfield was an OLD far
mer of the United Prrsbyterian school
know him well. and he lives in the
countr} near Maasield, where lie il
noted for his long prayers even unto
this day. They are not objected to,
for the people remember how one c1
these long prayers saved six negroes
from slayeri and perhaps death. Ont
time in those days II party of neg D
drivers came TO Mansfield in search of
a number OF escaped slaves. They
were dire tcted to go ont to Uncle John
Fiuney's, and as tliev had track d the
negroes TO Mansfield. they were pretty
sure they would find them there. But
wien they appeared at the farm house
Mr.. Finney told them he new nothing
about their negroes and that they
could search the place. Breakfast
was, lio"ever smoking on the table
and he asked them TO come in and
take something To eat before they did
so. The ilneys OF Richland county
have long been noted for their geo /.
cooking, and the meal looked 30 APP
petizing as it smoked on the table
that the negrO-driyers could not resist.
They sat down to the table and Uncle
John said n long grace both before
and after the meal When at last the
buck kwheats, covered with country but
ter and maple molass. ;. had been de
Voured and their stomaches were flied
with home made sausage. as they were
rising from the table Uncle john said /:
Now friends. il is oGr custom to have
falAily prayers after breakfast, and
hope YOU will join with me this morn
mg. The kidnapers could hardly re-
fuse this invitation after the bseaI fast
th;y had Just ea;ea, and with tlie Old
man adjourned to the sitting ROOM
where Uncle John took n seat before
| the only window looking toward the
barn. completely shutting out the
| view in that direction. and the family
Bisle was brought him. All this tisue
the very negroes these men were look
! ing for were in the barn The mo.
ment Uncle John had gotten their
purSuefi TO sit down at the table he
! had given sint TO his servant, who
/ was in his confidence. to gst the ne
groes off. and lac had succeeded i'm Civ.
. nag them Il start at the time Uncle
| Johl bro ,4it the f@mily to PRAYER. Ii
was all import Int thar the negroes got
a good start and Uncle John, whef
he took the Bible. opened it at the
18th paslni, which has l16 verses
| A
sclennly, and then closing the ole
leather covered Bible H. said
Friends let VIZ pray" All knelt
Uncle Johns face was TUNED so thai
he alone could look ont of the win
dow A. he PRAYED he kept his eyel
open, and he could see the neg op'
fleeing across the fields away in til,
distance, Al he went ON praying h'
saw them grow smaller and smaller
and he kept on praying until the!
were completely out OF sight, and Were
as he knew in a Eew and safe hiding
place. During all tins time the unsus
pecting Shareholders were kept on thei
knees. and when at the clo.- Ola ful
half hour they rose, Uncle John cordi
ally showed them over his whole farm
through every building OF course anC
they found soothing and whether the.
ever discovered how badly they wer
hoaXcd history fails To say.-Cleve
land Leader