Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-08-23
A REMARKABLE MAN.
The Manner in Which a CoIored Preacher
 Leauz,aed to Read the Bible.

The Manner in Which a CoIored Preacher
 LesIzaed to Read the Bible.
 Rev. Nathan Smith, a primitive Baptist preacher, is sal and slim, and at the first glance would not be taken for any more than an average asgro; but, says the Macon (Ga) Telegraph, TEv. Nathan Smith is in some re- spects very remarkable man. He claims to be fifty-tvvo years old, though he does not look 1t, and enjoys in his declining years the reputation oT being an honest as well as sensible ma-,
 The manrsr in which he first learned to read, how hs was struck with the ''sperit," and how he Segan preaching, seems like chapter frors hoodooism, and yet the story is told in the most straig ght-forward manner, in all earnestneSs and in manner that de- fes denial.
 At an early age, while blowing as a slave in Mississippi cotton field, he says he was suddenly feued to the ground by something like a dull Ghud, that changed the whole course of his life. It was the "sperit" that struck him, he says, and immediately he saw scenes erighter than the sun had ever shone on before; there was all brightness above him and below an awful gulf. The trees around in the woods bowed to him as he looked at tEem, and every thing was greatly changed. For several weeks he remained under the spell and during that time his master thought he had lost his mind.
 "So I had,n said Smith, "so far as tenn poral things were concerned." Finally he came out from under the spell, and one night he had dream, or rather vision. He saw something like pot boiling over, and out of tho steam came little man with an open book ir his hand. Placing it before the dreamer, the little man pointed to the book Of John and told him to read Smith was conscious of the fact that he did not know one letter from another and in an instant remembered how he had bored over the lit tie black Testament given him by his uncle, and which he kept locked up in his trunk.
 But he could not resist, as much as he tried, looking at the book, and then, to his great amaZement, he read the book of John as readily as any body could have done. He read the book through to the end and then read other books. They were as easily read as the first Thus, in a single night, he had learned to read. The little man then van ished as he had appeared, and the balance of the night was spent in finding himself preaching to crowds of people, of Walkin 2 up and down among the congregation and saving souls.
 The next morning when he awoke he went to his trunk, and, taking out the little black Testament, opened it, and the first word to meet his eye was John. He tried to read, and he found that he could read as well as he did the night before when told to do so by the little man. Then he went to an old negro on the place, who was preaching around and told him that he could read the Bible. The old man told him that he did not know word in the book. Smith opened his Testament and read aloud. The old negro was astonlshed, and told him he must be 8 preacher, that he had been ordained to preach. That was thirty-hve years ago, and in that time he had read the Bible, news papers or any thing in the shape of read ing. and yet was never taught letter.
 When his master refuged from Missis- sippi and settled in Americus, Smith was one of the party. In 1867, when the Federal Government had work done in Anderson vile, Smith was one of the hands, and it was while there that he was induced to att tend general meeting of Primitive Bap- lists. The text for the morning was verso Smith had read when the little man showed him the way to read. This im- pressed him very much and that night he was taken into the church. In short while afterward he went to preaching and has kept it up. He had a church in Laur- ems County, sixty-fve miles from Macon, and one in Houston County. When he has no money he walks the distance, believing that he must not incur debt.
 Smith has memorized the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. He can tell the verse, chapter and book of any extract asked of him, and without the least hesita- tion. Not only can he repeat any passage, but he can g i've his idea of the meaning ot it. He visits the store of Davis 6 Balkcom occasionally, and often some one tries to trip him with his Bible knowledge, but it is always failure.