The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-28

they we're hard pushed for Bishop timber Sten
they got hold Of you"
He was gifted singer, possessing vcics Of
peculiar sweetness, melody and pathos. Once,
after riding hard all day in tho midst Of
driving snow-storm, he found a house about
nightfall, and asked to stay all night This was
refused. He knew not what to do. Ii he left,
there was nothing for him TO do but to remain in
the roads all night, without shelter, and it was
very cold. He asked permission to warm him
him self by the fire. which was surlily granted.
w lille sitting before the fire meditating where
he should pass the night, he began TO sing
OF those pialntive hymns so common then. AS
he sang the family We're melted to tears by the
pathos of his voice Without appearing to
notice the effort produced by his music he sang
on and on, one hymn following another in quick
succession, when finally the master of the house
called a servant and ordered him to take the
strangers horse to the barn and feed It we'll
The best room in the house was given to Mr..
Axley, and everything possible done for his
comfort. Truly Music hath charms, etc,
There were few preachers, in the early DAYS Of
Indiana, better known than Samuel Hamilton.
He was the first presiding elder of the IndimEapo-
lis district. He was the contemporary of Strange,
Bigelow, Wiley and other great names among
the pioneers of his church. At one time his cir
cult embraced good part of southern Indiana
and central Kentucky. At one of his appoint
ments in Kentucky he had among his regular
hearers an aristocratic member of the chivalry
of the State, who carried the title of Colonel"
One Sunday the Colonel took his seat in the
sanctuary, having by his side one of his neigh
bors, who was given to indulging pretty freely
in Kentucky's favorite beverage. On this par
tcular Sunday he had taken just enough to
make himself troublesome The preacher was
holding forth on the sins of the day. and finally
mentioned horse-racing as one of them. The
Colonel was lover of the turf, and as the d
vine struck at the sin, the neighbor nudged the
Colonel, and remarked in voice audible all
over the little church, Colonel, he means you"
Profane swearing was next touched upon, and
again the Colonel was nudged. with the remark,
Colonel, ne means YOU" So it went on, as sin
after sin was mentioned until the audience was
almost convulsed with laughter Finally, a
small dog entered at the open door and trotted
down the aisle until it reached the front of the
pulpit, when it set up furious barking at the
minister. The Coonel's tipsy neighbor, with
the utmost gravity, arose and walked steadily
down the aisle to where the dog was barking.
SEEING the animal by the neck, he held him up
before the congregation moment, and then
shaking him furiously, he broke out with.
Tree preacher will you, You bred pup"
This was too much for Mr.. Hamilton. He could
restrain his laughter no longer, and he took his
seat. not being able to dismiss his congregation.
Rev. Samuel Parker another of those
early preachers noted for eloquence and zeal
His elo1uence was of the persuasive order melt
ing his hearers one moment and then lifting
them up on the mountain top the next His
fame rs orator extended over Ohio, Ken
lucky. Tennessee. Indiana and Illinois, and
Wherever Nc went he was Sreeteu WIN LDrOnpS
of admiring listeners He was afflicted with q
sort of stoppage in his speech, which made
him slow of utterance in beginning his sermons.
This LEFT him as he got warmed up, and then his
words flowed as a torrent A pious old German
who had heard much of the eloauence of Mr..
Parker, once rode many miles to hear him. The
preacher began in his usual stammering manner
and the good old Germans head sunk down on his
breast, and he muttered out: "Dis is not Barker.
Dere is some mistake here" Directly the preach
er began to warm up and the German raised his
head, saying: Maybe am mistaken. and dis
is Barker" AS the preacher grew loftier in his
eloquence the German became more and more
excited, until he arose from his seat and uncon-
sciously walked down the aisle to point directly
in front of the preacher where he stood, the
tears streaming from his eyes during the re-
mainder of the sermon. When the preacher
closed his sermon with one of his highest fights
the German turned toward the congregation and
shouted GLORY to God! What come out
dere is in dot Barker"