The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-24
SOME OLD-TIME PREACHERS.
The Church Militant in Indiana, When
Parsons Fought a Good Fight.
Father Ravens and His Encounters with
ROughs-Elijah Written and the Black
smith-Preaching from Notes.
written forthe indianapolis journal.

Written for the indianapolis journal.
Among all the pioneer preachers none werl
more widely known, universally loved than
James Havens. He was a of undoubted
physical, as well as moral courage. Whatever
his conscience told him ii was right to do that
would he do, against any and all odds. Many
anecdotes are told of his courage, and of his
methods of overcoming difficulties. He was pos
sessed of muscular form, with the strength of
giant, and an eye that could look through and
fhrgugh an opponent Away back In the forties
he ami several other ministers were. descending
the Ohio on a steamer In those days the boats
were always infested with gamblers, who, as a
class, were dangerous men. At the time spoken
of the boat had its ''gang." One evening, as the
preachers were quietly sitting around table
reading, they we're approached, and in a rude
manner, requested to move, as the table was
wanted. The preachers being men of peace,
wereinolined to accede to the request, but old
father Ravens went quietly on with his reading,
as if he had not heard anything. At this one of
the gamblers, almost giant in size, stepped up
to him, aud. roughly tapping him on the shout
der, told him to move. ''Why should mover
quietly asked Havens and turning his eye full
upon the gambler, slowly said: II will not move
unless you are a better man than am, and / do
not think the Almighty ever made a better man
than ann This was said withiso much quiet
force, and such dangerous glitter Of the eye
that the gambler concluded it would not be safe
to attempt force.
At acampmeeting where he was officiating,
the people were very much annoyed by the
actions of desperate named McDaniels. This
man had long been a terror to the people and to
the officers of the law. During the meetings he
and his followers would keep up such a noise, as
to make it almost impossible to hear the
preacher This had gone on for two or three
days, when Mr.. Ravens concluded to end it,
peaeeably if possible, forcibly if necessary. Nc
Daniels was seen standing on the outskirts of
the congregation, as usual, surrounded by his
crowd of roughs. Ravens went toward him.
He pushed his way through the crowd until he
stood in front of the leader and then, fixing him
with his'eyes, proceeded to preach him a per-
sonal sermon in the most forcible languages He
told him that he was rufian and coward,
or he would not seek to annoy the people while
they were attempting to worship God. He said
helknew better, and ought to behave better, that
shehad respectable father and mother, and
ought to be ashamed of himself After pro
ceeiing in this strain for sometime, to the
astonissed and dumb founded ruffian, he told
himtha ne was tospreacir that morning. and did
notpropose to be disturbed, but that if Nc
Daniels would come into the congregation and
behave himself he would pray for him. The
desperado strange to say, accepted this in
vitation, and Father Ravens did pray for him.
There was more trouble at that camp meet
ing, and not long afterwards McDanels was
converted, joined the church and became re-
spectacle citizen.
Another characteristic story is told of him
wherein he overawed and mastered a band Of
roughs. He had been announced to preach IN
neighborhood notoriousy wicked. This threat
ened invasion of this peculiar bailiwick alarmed
and angered the followers of Satan, and they
determined that no preaching should be per
mitted. When the day arrived they assembled
in force around the house where the meeting was
to be held, and with jug of whisky to brace up
their courage, made ready to interfere if an at
tempt should be made to hold services When
Father Havens arrived on the ground, he found
the door of the house locked and this crowd in
front of it, The rowdies told him there should
be no preaching there that day or any other; but
he was not alarmed by their threats. He took a
pole and laid it upon the ground some distance
in front of fallen tree He then dared any one
of them at his peril to cross that pole until in
vited so to do by himself to make any inter
ruptions of the services. He mounted the log,
gave out hymn, sang it, and then prayed.
After the PRAYER he proceeded to preach ser.
mon, every word of which was aimed at the
rowdies in front of him. They could not stand
it long and one after another turned and fled
from the torrent of indignant eloquence the old
man poured upon them.
His encounter with the dstiers, however.
was one of the best illustrations of his courage
and GOODNESS. On removing to a new circuit he
was informed that one of his church members
was sick, but that her husband. who dis
tiller was a very wicked man and would not al
low minister to visit the house. He was
known a man of terrible passions, and when
aroused very dangerous. Mr.. Ravens thought
it was his duty to visit his church member and
dotarninad tn do He selected friend. t0 r.
company him. They so managed it as to arrive
at the house a little before dark. They went in
and introduced themselves to the sick lady.
She was glad to see them, but said she did no,
dare to ask them to stay all night, as her hus
band would not permit it, She told to
give herself no trouble, for they had come with
the intention of staying all night and intended
to do so. They went out and put the horses
long before the husband came in He was in
itroduced to them, and at once began a TRADE Of
abuse of preachers in general but Of Methods
preachers in particular Finally sup
tiller and his family repaired to the
supper room, but did not invite the preachers
Mr.. Ravens did not propose to have it that way
SO he quickly entered the room and seated him
than he began to ask blessing and had con
cuded it before the astonshed owner of the
house could frame an objection When supper
was over they again repaired to the room of the
SICK wife, When the HuSbdHu Salu: lou asked
blessing but you shall not pray in my house
The words were hardly ont of his mouth before
Ravens was upon his knees Offering one of thos,
prayers for which he was famous. The distillel
went over to his still, and after some converse
tion with the other members of the family. tn,
preachers were shown to q bedroom, where they
retired for the night About midnight they
were awakened by the barking of dogs and TIT
running of horses. They at once reached tn,
conclusion that the distiller had turned the
horses out and was trying to dog them off
Hastily dressing, they went out into the yart
and found their suspicious correct. Askin.
what he was doing that for, they We're told tina
as they had been too lazy to feed their horses
they had broken the stable door and got out
Mr. Ravens told him that could be relnedied il
a moment, and. catching the horses, they wer
again taken into the stable, but this time wer
literally supplied with corn and hay. The mex