The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-30
About Sam Jones.

From the Gainesville Gal Courant
As we sat under the huge canvas last
Sunday and cast an eye over the thous-
ands who filled the entire space it
covered the thought occurred to US,
What brings this crowd hereT' The
question was as pertinent as when John
ate locusts and wild honey in the wilds
Of Judea.
We watched the eager. restless throng
and we began to investigate our own
mental inquiry. Rev. Sam Jones was a
poor boy, raised right here among US, a
wild, rafting chap that nearly every
body had ten hard words for to every
good one spoken in his behalf He was
the very synonym OF mischief and
audacity, with a modicum of sharp,
native wit, that has grown with his
growth IN succeeding years. He cared
precious little about his books, as our
experience viii testify in a short term
of pupilage in our school directly after
the surrender. To his credit we will
say he n yer forgot his respect or obedi-
ence to us, and an earnest request or a
calm statement of the case would cause
him to deslst from victimizing the
smaller boys with his tobacco juice or
from playing clown in the pantomine on
the sly, during school hours, which was
a never ceasing temptation to his keen
sense of the ridiculous. His good nature
always cropped out when suffering or
trouble were present.
The writer will never forget visit he
made to our house in the most rafting
period of his boyhood, to tell us he was
thankful and comforted to know we
were convalescing from a serious illness,
in which our life had been despaired of,
and even at the time mentioned we
were not fairly out of danger of an
early and untimely grave The weather
was severe, bitter, extremely cold, but
the young man brought his frank, bright
face into the sick room like yeritable
ray of sunshine, to tell us that cur
school boys were all so glad we were
still alive. There was in him the germ
of something noble and elevated, and
when he Joined the Church, within a
half mile of our own door, at little
country chapel, we felt that the germ
would expand into something that would
be peculiarly his own-ne would either
"make spoon or spoil horn" How
much "spoon" last Sundays crowd can
tell.
Eight years ago, when he was pegging
away on little poor circuit, he came
again to see US, to pay his respects to
the late Governor Stephens. We watched
the two, as Mr.. Stephens rolled 10 and
fro on the back verandah. in his invalid
chair, and listened to Sans description
of dog fight that had fallen under his
observation. There was a magnetism in
both that quickly found play, and after
the visitors retired Mr. Stephens was
very eulogistic. He inquired minutely
into his history and predicted future
from that rough, native wiz, which had
evoked hearty laughter, to the veteran
statesmau's great enjoyment.
The crowd on Sunday came partly to
laugh, but many tears came also with
the laughter, and it was both funny and
affecting to see laughter and tears mixed
up so rapidly and indiscriminately. If
we had to diagnose the attraction care
fully, we would say the secret of his
success lies in the fact that ne makes a
clean breast of it, "a sinner saved by
grace" If he can once convince you
that he is entirely earnest and honest
and true in fitting his religion to his
ONH iie anu Nhdl aver, lno citduOl VI
your unbelief will fall. His wit goes
far toward attracting the crowd, but he
holds them by confessing his own feel
ings so honestly and crying aloud,
Nothing in my hands | bring, simply
to Thy cross l cling" How God loves
honesty, in every shape and formp'
When the record is written on high,
that soul will receive the welcome plau
dit, "Well done," which bas kept its
way clear to Gods favor by strict hon
esty to both God and his fellow-man.