The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-12-30
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The Harp of a Thousand Strings.
A HARD SHELL SERMON.


Imay say to you my bretBring that
| am not an edicated man, an ] am not
one of them as believes that edication is
necessary for Gospel minister. for /
believe the Lord edicates his preachers
just as he wants 'em to be edicsted and
yet in the State of Indianny, whar l live
thar's no man as gifts bigger congrega-
tons nor what gifts.
Thar may be some here to-day, my
brethring, as don't know what persua
sion am Nv. Well. must say to you,
my brethring, that / am Hard Shell
Baptist. Thar's some folks ss don't
like Hsrd She'll Baptists, hut I'd rather
have ashard shell as no shell at all. You
see me here to-day, nv brethring, dress
led up In my fiue clothes; you mout thinl
Twas proud, but | am not proud, my
brethring; and although I've been 1
preacher of the gospel for twenty years
an although I'm captiug of the flatboa
at your landing, I'm not proud, ny
brethring.
I'm not gwine to tell edzactly wha
nv tex may be found soffice to say, IT,
in the leds of the Bible, an you'll find
somewhar between the first chapter o
Generations and the last chapter Of Rev
olutions, an of you'll 60 and search th
Scriptures, you'll not only find my te,
thar, but great many other texes a
will do you good to read, an my tex
when you shall find it, you shiil find
to read thus:
San he played on harp of thou
sand s'rings-sperils Nv jest men mad
perfeck."
Ny tex, my brethring, leads me t
speak of sperits. Now, thar's gres
many kinds OF sperits in the world
the fust place, thar's the sperits as som
folks call ghosts, an thar's the sperit
as soma folks call liquor, and I've a
good an article of them kind Nv sperit
on nv fatboat as was ever fotch dow
the Mississippi River but thar's gres
many other kind Nv speIits, for the te:
says,
"He PLAYED on harp NV tn o-u
s-a n d strings, speiits of just men mad
perfeck "
Bat III tell you the kind Nv sperits a
is meant by the tex, is FIRE That's th
kind Nv sper!ts as is meant in the tex
nv brethring. Now, tbar's great N an,
kinds Nv Ere in the world. In the fus
place thar's the common sort Nv fir
you light your cigar or pipe with, an'
thar's fox6re, an campfire, Gre befor,
yon're ready, an fire an fall back, an
many other kinds Nv Gre, for the te,
SAYS,
He played on harp of q thcxs1nc
strings, sperits Nv just men made per
feck"
Bat I'll tell you the kind Nv fire as i,
meant in the tex. nv brethring-il's hell
FIRE! an that's the kind Nv FIRE as &
great my NV yoall cometo, eff you dom
do better nor what you have baen doin
for =
"He PLAYED on harp Nv a hoasant
strings, sperils Nv just men made per.
feck."
Now the different sorts NV fire in tht
world may be lIkened unto the different
persuasions Nv Christians in the world
In the fust place we have the 'Piscopall.
ans, an they are high sailin' an high
fautin' set, and they are likened unto 8
turkey buzzard, that flies up into the air
an he goes up, an up, til be looks nc
bigger than your finger nail, an the fust
thing you know, he comes down, an is
a e I'm himself on the csrkiss Nv dead
boss by the eide Nv the road, an
she played on harp Nv thousand
strings, sperits Nv just men made per.
feet"
An then thar's the Methods, an they
may be likened unto the squirrel runnin'
up into tree, for the Methods believes
IN gwine from one degree Nv grace tr
another. an finally on to perfection an
the squirrel goes up, an up. an he jumps
from limb to limb, an branch to branch
an the fust thing you know he falls, an
down he comes kerfimix, an that's like
the Methods. for they is alters fallin'
from grace, ah! an
"He PLAYED on harp nv thous,nd
strings, sperts of jest men made per-
feck."
And then, my brethring, tbar's the
Baptist, ah! and they've been likened
unto a ossum on q 'simmun tree. and
thunders NAV roll, and the earth may
quake, but that possum cIings thar still
ah and you may shake one foo'. loose,
and the others thar, and you may shake
all feet loose, and he laps his tail around
the limb, and he clings furever, fur
"He played on harp Nv thoaslnd
strings, sperits of jest men made per.
feck F"