Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-03
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 tru-
II, more real than the objects of mere
sense. The training of some of these
men was favorable to this An illus
tratiOn was once given by an old man
with whom l used to chat in the neigh
bOrhoCd of BOscastIe. One evening,
as we sat by the lireside, | referred to
the old Minister Church not far of, in q
romantic valley, and spoke of the curl
Gus, CHASTITY legends that foated about
it. Yes, SIR" said he, ''queer things
have been said, and queer things have
been met with, say what we may.
There was one John Warden, sir-yes,
John Warden that afterwards got to be
4 preacher. John Warden, sir, was q
farmers boy-a labOrer, poor fellow.
The Lord touched his heart, sir. and
John Warden turned Methodist Well,
sir, his master and all about him turn
ed upon him, and the poor boy had to
bear all sorts of persecution. One
night, rs they were all sitting around
the fire in the kitchen, and many ways
had been tried to put poor John out of
temper, the master said ut last: 'Relie-
ion, ehn said he. What kind of relio-
ion hast thee got, John, Ell? Why,
Incest be afraid to 90 down to the
church tonight at - o clock Religion,
eh! This was a sort of challenge,
sir, to try whether John was good
enough TO be above fear Poor John,
sir, in the simplicity of his heart,
thought the credit Of his religion was
really ut stake, and screwing up his
courage, he said quietly: No, [ bean't
afraid to go to the church by night or
by day WIN thee go tonight, then,
and let's see what your religion is
made OPP Yes, | will They waited
till midnight, and John started, sir.
The farm was not far up from the val
ley. The question was now they should
know he had been TO the church. A
plan was hit upon. He was to take
large spike nail and u hammer and to
drive the nail into the church door.
John went off with his hammer, nail,
and \ lantern; and he told me after
ward, years afterward when he was a
preacher-yes, sir, he never forgot it
AS L WCHG gov IL iluOJI1 Tic trees, says
John, and the wind moaned, [ felt
little queer, but [ got to the church all
right, though just as [ was going into
the church the wind came whistling
round the church, and out went my
light. declare l then wished myself
away from the place. 1t was pitchy
dark. [ asked God TO help me. and /
then felt my way to the door, put my
nail to it and gave the first blow. [ felt
q tingling all over me as the echoes
went round inside the church. They
sounded hollow. But l picked up cour-
age and hammered away until 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 | had been there. They went
down early, and there was the nail.
But when they opened the door to see
whether it had went through, oh, how
they stared at one another! There was
the nail turned back, turned in and
cIenched to the door as if the cleverest
carpenter in the world had done it. F"
Sunday Magazine.