Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-05-28
A Methodist Ghost Story.


One secret of the power which at
tends the simple ministrations of the
Methodist preachers of the primitive
type was that spiritual and unseen
things were to them what they are
truly, more real than the objects of
mere sense. The training of some of
these men was favorable to this. An
illustration was once given by an old
man with whom used to chat in the
neighborhood of Boscastle. One
evening, as we sat by the fireside, re-
ferred to the old Minister Church not
far of, in romantic valley, and spoke
of the curious, ghostly legends that
hoated around it. "Yes, SIR" said he,
queer things have been said, aud
queer things have been met with, say
what we will. I can tell you one thing
that I know to be true. There was one
John Warden, tir-yes, John Warden
that afterwards got to be a preacher.
John Warden, sir, was farmers boy
a laborer, poor fellow. The Lord
touched his heart, sir, and John War
den turned Methodist. Well, sir, his
master and all about him turned upon
him, and the poor boy had to bear all
sorts of persecution. One night as
they were sitting around the fire in the
kitchen, and many ways had been tried
to put poor John out of temper, the
master said at last: Religion, ehp
says he. what sort of religion hast
thee got, John, Ell? Why Incest be
afraid to go down to the church to-
night at IL o'clock. Religion, ehp
This was sort of challenge, sir, to try
whether John was good enough to be
above fear. Poor John, in his sim
plicity, sir, thought the credit of his re-
igion was really at stake, and screw
ing up his courage he said quietly, No,
1 bean't afeard to go to the church by
night or by day. Willthee go tonight
then, and let's see what your religion
is made Off Yes, will They wait
ed till midnight, and John started, sir.
The farm was not far up from the val
ley. The question was how they
should know that he had been to
the church. A plan was hit upon. He
was to take large spike nail and a
hammer, and to drive the nail into the
church door. John went off, sir, with
his hammer, nail and lantern; and as
he told me afterwards, years afterwards
when he was preacher-yes, sir, he
never forgot it-'As I went down
among the trees says John, 'and the
wind moaned, felt little queer. But
I got to the church all right, though
just as I was going into the porch the
wind came whistling round the church
and out went my candle. I declare I
then wished myself away from the
place. Il was pitch dark. asked God
to help me; and then felt my way to
the door, put my nail to it, and gave
the first blow. I felt tingling all
over me as the echoes went round in
side of the church. They sounded
hollow. But I picked up courage and
hammered away till the nail was long
way in. Then turned and CROPPED my
way back to the farm. They laughed
at me and said they would go down in
the morning to be sure before they
would believe I had been there. They
went down early and there was the
nail. But when they opened the door
to see whether the nail had went
through, oh, how they stared at one
another! There was the nail turned
back, turned in and clenched in the
door as if the cleverest carpenter in
the world had done It'll"