The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-08
EARLY CIRCUIT-RIDING In PENN
SYLVANIA.
BY REV. SAMUEL ASHTON.

WhlSh WhS q AdCuOI, Wudb ludy say,
must, of very necessity smack of the
egotistical. However unconsciously at
the time, / was with others actually
engaged in laying the foundation of
the great Universalist church of to-
day. 1t is not reasonable that we
could have entertained the least idea
of what we were doing. We builded
greater than we knew.
And because it was work requiring
disregard of personal considerations,
exacting an abnegation of self, work
to be done without much attention to
money or price, fee or reward, it en-
gagged our very souls in the effort, and
our lives became 50 blended with it
that we cannot give all the facts I'M
connected with those of our own
personal history. With the considera-
tion of these circumstances no criticism
will be unduly severe, and we proceed
to tell what We know of the early cir
cuit-riding in Pennsylvania subject
of thought that but seldom occurs to
those who are in the full enjoyment of
| it's fruits.
In the spring Of 1884, more than fifty
four years ago, l received the fellowship
of the Pennsylvania Convention Of Uni
versalists as preacher of the Ever
lasting Gospel Shortly afterwaId 1
joined Br. Geo. Rogers at a conference
at Branchville, N. j., and thence
journeyed with him to his home in
Susq johanna county, Pa. Here L
tarried quite "a while, preaching in
Brooklyn and Hartford, and learning by
his example the duties of a missionary,
how to live without money and
preach without notes, and how to trust
in the Providence that evidently sus-
tanned us. 1t certainly did seem that
il our call to preach were genuine, the
Lord would take care of his own, and
provide the ways and means. And
this he certainly does, as the experience
of every missionary will abundantly
testify. His life was devoted to the
cause he loved, and it was full of such
providential incidents as those here
related.
On one occasion he thought he was
called to go to Pittsburg, and although
the distance was four hundred miles,
he started on the journey on horseback
with but thirty-one cents. 1t was a
small sum for SO great distance, but
to him it was enough. He was to go
without purse or scrip Stopping
from night to night when and where
his unseen protector would direct, his
mission was at length accomplished.
He once told me that were he to tell of
One-half the instances in which the
Divine protection was clearly manifest
ed in his behalf, his reputation for
varacity would certainly suffer. And
similar to this was my own experience.
On a STORMY night eighty miles
from home, / was on horseback on a
strange road, en- route to an associa-
tion. So dark that could see nothing
but the lights in the farmhouses on the
way, without so much as cent in
money about me, yet for very safety
L resolved to ask for shelter at the next
house. Accordingly, dismounted
and CROPPED my way to the door and
was agreeably surprised amazed to
find that the people were Universalists,
and that they had an excellent supper
of fresh fish prepared for me, just as
though the entertainment had been
programmed and rehearsed for the &C.
caslon. And such has been my very
general experience. Certainly, certain
ly, the Lord will provide!
Having been long enough in North
ern Pennsylvania to view the land"
of my future itineracy, returned to
Philadelphia to be ordained. This rite
was conferred by Rev, Menzies r aynor,
who having been ordained by an
Episcopal bishop as an Episcopal min
lister, conveyed to me all that he had
received, with all and singular the
Apostolic Succession and all it was
worth.
My preparation having been thus
completed, in 1885, settled at Hoopers'
Valley, N. Y, near the line of Penn
sylvania, in which latter State nearly
all my circuit-ridiDg was done. My
record of those days, however, as to
when and where, upon what subj act
and under what circumstances l preach
ed, was burned with my other traps at
the great fire in Chicago, so that l
! quote from memory.
My program of operations was to
cave my home early on Sunday morn
ing and preach in turn at Athens,
Sheshequin, Monrocton, Kellogs, Chap
ills, Troy, Columbia, Daggett's Hollow,
South Creek and Elmira, ten stations
in all, occupying my time nearly every
night. AT each place it was my GUS
tom to invite and encounter opposition.
This gave me full houses and made the
meetings lively. Once at Appalachian
l encountered and opponent with an
array of three hundred passages of
Sprinfura md of ofhar fiuao loco