St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-07-25
A SOUTHERN PREACHER.
History of Sam Jones, Who is
Waking up the Georgia
Churches

pondent gives the following sketch
of the career of the new sensational
preacher:
1t is not an uncommon thing for a
man not worth a thousand dollars, who
lives in a small country town, in plain
house not fully paid for, to refuse the
gift of ten thousand dollar house IN a
large city, and yet that is what Sam
Jones did the other day in Nashville.
And who is Sam Jones? !.
Written on conference minutes it
reads: Samuel Parkes Jones, Agent
Orphans HOme," but nobody writes
him reverend, and everybody calls him
Sam. He is thirty six years old, was
brought up in Georgia. His father was
lawyer and his mother sensible, in
telligent and excellent woman. Sam
was precocious boy. He was always
ready for lively time, a dog fight, a
Isticuff, a fishing frolic or a speech.
When he was five years old he was
booked for a speech at school exhlbl-
ton. He ended his speech with the
prophecy:
Some day you'll hear in thunder tones
The famous name of Sammy Jones.
He went to the best schools and took
in what he learned by absorption. No
body saw him study, but he knew more
than any Of his fellows. The teachers
loved him, laughed at him and lathered
him. He was full of mischief and was
about 16 years old when he began to
fall into bad ways. He was no vaga-
bond, never gambler, thief or a cow
ard, but he would get on sprees, much
to the grief of his good mother and IA
ther.
His father took him into his Office,
and Sam soon was IS. P. Jones, Esq,
attorney -at-law." He had no practice
and no money, but he met a bright
Kentucky girl and married her. lie
ran an engine and drove a dray to
make living. One day, Sam, who was
employed in running an engine which
was connected with an ore crusher at a
furnace, was much annoyed by those
who fed the crusher putting pieces OF
rock into the hopper and throwing the
whole of the machinery out OF gear.
Sam declared very emphatlcally his
intention to knock the head off the next
man who did it. 1t was done directly,
and by burly Irishman. Sam seized a
hammer and knocked the Irishman
down. Next day Sam was coming from
his cabin and in an open space, some
distance from every one, stood his an
tagOnist of the preceding day.
"Ye struck me Yesterday" said Pat +;
"no mon ever strikes me onct who does
not strike me again"
"Now, Pat" said Sam, 1--WE are about
even. You did what told you not to
do, and I knocked you as | said |
would don't bear malice; let's drop
the matter"
But the Irishman declared his deter
mination to have fight then and there.
The Irishman had only ono eye. Sam
looked at him with perfect GOODNESS.
"Pat," he said, II don't want to fight
you, can't; you could whip me in a
minute. But | tell you what will do ;
you've got but one eye, and If you lay
your hand on me, sure as you're living
] will ,gouge your eye out, and You will
be as blind as bat"
That settled it. Pat knew his man,
and muttering "The mon that will
gouge is a coward left Sam alone.
One day Capt. Jones fell sick, and in
little while the prodigai Sam stood by
a dying father. He was broken with
remorse. The father died and great
change came over Sam. He gave up
his bad habits and in two weeks he was
getting ready to preach. That fall
saw him for the first time-a salloW,
in-faced, slouchy little fellow, with a
keen black eye; he came to the confer
ence for circuit. He got one. He
went to it. He difa not know much
about theology then in truth he doesn't
know much now, but he knew men and
he knew their needs, and he began to
preach what he knew. He made men
laugh and he made men cry and he
made men angry, and one day he lost
his temper and came very near whip
ping q blacksmith who angered him.
He was rather unmerciful to men
whose religion was all mouth or all
tears.
In two years we took Sam into the
conference, and settled it that he would
do. Since then he has won his way.
He can draw larger audience in At
lanta to- day than Cough could, or Ed
win Booth did. He went to Memphis,
to Huntsville, to Knoxville, to Brook
lyn and at last to Nashville. They
built him tent there. They abused
him, placarded him, threatened him and
rallied round him. The result of three
weeks meetings was 1000 new members
to the churches and 1000 conversions.
Sam Jones sayings lfave become COM
mon property. They are his own.
They are gathered from all sources, and
they always have a point. Brother
Jones'" said nervous brother, "What
makes You chew tobacco 2" To get
the mice out said Sam. Sam Jones is
like no one and no one is like him. He
is simply Sam Jones, who loves the
good, scorns the mean and helps the
weak.
n4,. ~ bun+ars IiIIaa Ave deer