Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-02
DIR. BRECKENRIDGE.
Some of the Funny Sayings of the Eminent
Divine.
Southern Blouac.

Some of the Funny Sayings of the Eminent
Divine.
Southern BIZ ouac
So many excellent stories have been
current about Rev. r. j. Breckenridge,
and 4he doctor said so many good things
which were widely repeated, and in giving
| publication to many of them we can new
er know whether we are producing some
thing previously in print or not.
1t is related that when he was president
of the college at Jefferson, Pa, his atten-
ton was constantly called to the non at
tendance of a majority of the students
at church. He persistently inquired ia
to the cause Of this ana was regularly in
| formed that it was due to the illness of
the absentees. On one occasion, how
ever, he was fortunate as to have nearly
all of the students before him, and pro-
| ceeded to improve it.
young gentlemen he said, Il under
stand quite well that, in common with
the rest of mankind, you are not inclined
| to listen cheerfully to religious exhorta-
ton when an attempt is made to give 1t
practical application, yet there is one
manifestation of an overruling Z row.
dence of which I feel that I should es-
pecially remind you, as one in which you
are especially concerned. There is not
one of you perhaps, who has not been
prevented from attending church nearly
| every Sabbath of this year by sickness of
some sort. Now, how grateful you should
be for that kind, although inscrutable
dispensation of divine mercy which pro-
vides that while everybody is sick no one
shall die"
L Of hon
logical seminary at Danville, KY, he had
neighbor, certain Mr.. Tomkins, whom
he held in high este EN- Mr.. Tomkins was
a Methodist and he never met DR.. Brock
inridge that a humorous polemical pas
sage of arms did not follow. Once tn e
doctor felt sure that he had him on the
hip.
''Tomkins, that last load of hay you
sold me was short of weight. Now,
while [ can't of course, expect as much
of a Methodist as of a Presbyterian, still
[ looked for better treatment than that
from you"
'Wen, DOCTOR" replied Mr.. Tomkins,
that sort of thing must happen occasion
ally. You know that we Methodists be-
lieve in such a thing as falling from
grace"
DIR. Breckinridge, "that [ complain of.
1t isn't what you claim, but it's the way
you have of living up to your privi-
leges."
The Presbyterians of Kentucky, just
before and during the war, were divided
in allegiance, according to their political
sympathies, between DR.. Breckinridge
and DR.. Stuart Robinson. Those two
eminent divines, both so justly celebrat-
ed for intellectual superiority and learn
ing, were no less distinguished by ardent
and unyielding convictions and aggres-
siye, positive tempers, which inclined
them to show no quarter in controversy,
and to regard with very little favor either
opinions or character. DR.. Breckenridge
was an uncompromising union man and
fierce contemner of everything connect
ed with secession and the south.
Once during the war he was indulgirg
before a mixed auditory of mixed poll
tics in bitter diatribe against Morgan's
command. A lady nearer of fervent
southern sympathies, having listened for
some time in silence, but with much i'm
| patience, at length exclaimed:
Il am astonished to hear you speak in
that way, DR.. Breckinridge, of Morgan's
| command, when you have two sons who
are officers in it,"
''Well really, madam" said the doctor
blandly, II hadn't forgotten that
fact. But can't say that 1 have heard
| that they bring up the average of that
crowd to any considerable extent
"Then what have you to say about Tom
Bullitt?" queried his fair enemy, tri-
umphantly. "You have always declared
him to be the very best young man you
knew. He has been your favorite and
mode yet he has been with Morgan all
the time"
'That," said the doctor, after a mo-
ment of apparently profound reflection,
'was long matter of sore distress to me
as well as of great wonder and perplex-
ity. I couM not understand how the
Lord could permit it. But the thought
finally came to me like a revelation that
if Tom Bullitt hadn't run off and Joined
Morgan his mother would have made
him study theology with Stuart Robin
inson, and I humbly recognized that the
ways of Providence are BEST