The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-28
THE OLD-TIME PREACHERS.
More of the Wit, Wisdom and Work of
the Early Ministers Of the Gospel.
Bishop Morris and Brother Axtell-The Power
ofMusic-A Preacher freed by a Kentucky
Dog-Samuel Parker's Eloquence.


lives of the early preachers is almost inexhausti-
ble They met dangers and hardships, but
never were known to shrink from the one or
falter at meeting the other. But few of the
streams were bridged, and it was not an un
common thing for them to be compelled to swim
their horses in going to and from their various
appointments. They did not escape from cold
and almost inhuman repulses when they sought
shelter from the cold and darkness of night at
the farm-houses, although such repulses were
not common. / call to mind the story of one
such repulse, as related by the preacher, that
shows how great were tho hardships they en-
dured. In those early days, as o rule, every
farm-hou was opened to entertain travellers.
One of the pioneer preachers of the Methodist
Church was sent, one year, to the Martinsvlle
circuit He started, with his family, to move to
his new circuit He arrived within the bounds
of his circuit at nightfal of one of the coolest
days OF early winter HIS wife and two little
children were in the wagon with the household
goods, and were almost persisted with the cold
A large farm house was reached. The house
was owned by one of the members of his church,
and the tired preacher thought surely that shell
was refused, and the tired and almost frozen
family were compelled to drive five miles further
before the next house was reached.
Among the eccentric preachers in southern
Indiana was one by the name of Harden.
Having frequent occasion to pass up and down
the Ohio river on the steamers he became well
known to all the steamboat officers. One day,
in attempting to step on the wharf, at Louisville,
he missed and fell into the river. One of the
clerks of the boat, who happened to be standing
by, reached and grasped him by the hand, and
helped him back upon the wharf He attempted
to thank his preserver, when the clerk laugh
ingly interrupted him by saying "Oh, Mr..
Harden, you don't owe me anything. If you
think you do, you can pay it by praying for
me-" Down on your knees, down on your
kn ees," was the quick response. "By the grace
of God, will be in debt to no man. Down on
Your knees, and will pray for you, now, and
forcing the ocular clerk down upon his knees,
the preacher poured ont his soul in fervent
prayer, in the presence OF the boat crew, and
passengers, and wharf loungers
In those good old days" the fees received by
the clergy for performing the marriage ceremony
were not Of the most munifcent kind. James
S. Mathes one of the leading ministers of the
Christian denomination, once rode ten miles in
the depth of winter. over most execrable roads,
given 37a cents.
Rev. Hugh Gull is still we'll remembered in
Wayne county, where he lived for more than
half a century, and died at the advanced age of
104 years. During the last four years of his
life he was afflicted with sort of hypochondria
and every once in awhile imagined that he
dying. On one such occasion he mounted his
adopted daughter on a horse, and sent her to
notify the members of his family who lived at
some distance, that his end was near, and if
they desired to see him die, they must come at
once. While she was gone on this Grand he
happened to think there wood cut, and
that his children would be cold when they got
to his bedside as it was in the middle of winter
So, forgetting about his near approach to DEATH
he got up and went out to the wood pile and his
children, when they arrivedin haste, in obedience
to his summons. found him cutting wood to keep
them warm while they watched him die.
Chaplain Lozier did not belong to the pioneer
preachers, but the following anecdote of him is
too good to be lost, and is good enough to put in
this place. He was preaching, on one occasion,
to hard congregation. He tried every way to
move them to come to the altar He sang and
prayed, exhorted and preached, but all in van
they would not listen to him. At last he made
arrangements to close the meeting but, before
closing. said to them: Il have done what
could. The responsibility is now with you.
You must take the risk. l cannot force saliva
ton you; neither can l save you. In this
matter, as st. Paul said, every tub must stand
on its own BOTTOM" This was too much for his
congregation, and broad smile was seen on
every face.
Bishop Peck did not belong to Indiana, but he
was so we'll known in the State that this story of
him will not be out of place. Those who knew
him will remember his ponderous frame and
more than aldermanic proportions While at
Evanston, ILL.,. once. he was stopping at the
house of friend who was extremely long and
thin. Among the habitual visitors to this house
was woman who had lost her mind. She was
a kind of protege of the host and his good wife.
and was frequent in her visits to solicit aid The
morning after the Bishops arrival she made one
of these visits, and as she entered the doorway
the Bishop came into the hall. She gazed in
CONSERVATION at his immense size, and then with,
look Of terror threw herself on her knees in
front of him. and, with clasped hands, ex-
claimed: ooh. sir are you the Trinity"
That the ruling passion strong in death
was exemplihed in a case wherein Rev. w. FL.
Raper party. He called upon to at
tend man by the name of Washburne who was
condemned to death in Cincinnati While the
preacher was upon his knees in the cell praying
just before the execution, Washburne stole his
watch from his pocket. When the body
turned over to the doctors the stolen watch was
found and returned to it's owner.
Butler X. Smith was man well known
throughout the State as one of the apostles of
the Christian or Campbellite Church. He was
one of the haf-dozen or more who organized
the church in indianapolis. The meeting was
held, believe, at private house in the south
part of the city There was no preacher pres
ent, nor in fact any one who had been liz the
habit of leading in religious meetings After
waiting quite while, Mr.. Smith went forward
to the table, gave ont hymn, and, as was the
custom in those days, 'lined" it. The little
company engaged in singing it, but by the time
He couldn't pray, so he sat down. Another
weary wait followed. when another good brother
tried it, and when it came to the praying time
he also failed. This scene was repeated until
four or five hymns were sung, when the meeting
adjourned without prayer.
The first Protestant sermon ever preached in
Vincennes was by the Rev. William Winans
who afterwards became distinguished member
Of the Methodist Church South. The congre-