Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-09-28

The other clergyman was the Rev. DR.. !
Witherspoon. He was venerable with
age, well to do AZ to this worlds goods,
was native of South Carolina, had been
president of Pennsylvania university at
Lexington. Kentucky, when 1t was
State INSTITUTION and before it was trans
ferred to The Kentucky conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal church. He had
been n leading MUD in the southern Pres
byterian church, aud somewhat celebr9-
ted HIS a coutroversalist. He had IN his
possession remarkable copy OF the Btbie,
the whole Old aud New Testament writ
ten with pen, written on chnent,
the initial letter of every chapter written
in red ink and profu~ely fl punished over
the wide margin of the page. While
president OF the university he had II re-
mArkable theological controversy, which
rs he gave an account OF 1t, greatly inter
ested me- The Bible wtS several centu.
res old, and had been in the bottom of the
sea, the vessel transporting it across the
Atlantic having been sunk and recovered
off Charleston, 5. G. several years alter
my return to the North saw Hu elabOr.
ate description of TINS book by u cores
pondent of the Home journal of New
York then edited 10y General Morris aid
n. f. Willis. Its examination was an
event of my life not easily forgotten.
'Che doctor WAS very proud OF 1t, aud said
it was an heirloom in the family, from
which it could never be lawfully trans
ferred.
Two or three clergymen Of Greensboro
| ought to mention, perhaps, Rev. Mr..
BestOr, Baptist, and Rev. Mr.. ID Jaws,
Episcopal. the last named having fallen
from grace and now turned lawyer and
poll tlclan. Bestor still occupied the PM
pit on Sundays, but attended to politics
on week days, As was the custom of so
many clergymen at the South. Both Di-
Wis and Bestor were candidates for the
Legislature. Davis was witty and Bestor
polished orator. They took the stump,
addressing public meetings almost daily.
Davis was originally from NJ Massachusetts,,
and so when | was introduced to him rs
| from Vermont, he remarked, prom Yer
mont that's the State wnere the hills
are so steep, isn't it, where they tie the
! pumpkins to the slump5 to keen them
from rolling down hill ~ Exactly So"
| responded. "AId what State are You
! from asked, From Massachusetts"
he replied That's the State" remark
ed, isn't it where the Cape Cod girls roll
down the sand banks, without being tied
10 stumps because there are no stumps to
tie them to-" Hh answered. in the atIirma
tive and turned to another subject. There
| we're several other candidates on the
stump all for the same office and all work
ing tor themselves. | mentiOn tins local
canvass, uulmportant rs it il, to illustrate
Il phase in southern political life. Anoth-
er Clergyman, whom | occasionally met
IN Greensboro, was Rev. Mr.. Levert.
Many years ago, aud long after had re-
turned to the North, northern city papers
had much to say about Il noted belle OF
Mobile, Ala, the wife of DR.. Levert, Il
prominent physician Of that city, a lady
of superior beauty and accom- pills hmeuts.
The evrrend gentleman was the doctors
brOth her, and was Y presiding elder i'll the
Methodist church. OF French descent, a
handsome gentleman, with bGshy black
hair, he was fine orator, and full of
M at a. Ia al Il f,1i
houses when he preached, and yOnng,
ambitious men were especially attrHcte d
to him. Nothing fires the heart of II young
s)utherner, like oratoly, especially when
the ora or is inspired by poetic lmaginS-
ton Ole Sunday morning, while listen
Ing 20 the poetic4l and eloquent Levert, Il
young lawyer, VINO sat by my side, " his
pertd TO me- II woali give $500 If | could
talk as he does" Before closing this pa.
per, permit me to refer to a unique, it
not eccentric clergyman OF Sou h Carroll
IA, whom l never met, but of whom
heard much from persons who knew him
personally, and had often heard him.
FATHER DAYLEY.
There lived in South Carolina, 50 years
ago, Il clergyman, Familiarity known as
Father Dayley." He was a regular ltiu.
eraut of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and belonged to the South Carolina con
ference. He was man of wealth and
owned cotton plantation adjJiuinc that
of Governor McDnffie, well Known at the
time of which write, as a leading states.
man and politician OF the Palmetto State
and next to Calhoun, the ahleSr man of he
State. Father Day ley and Gov McDutfe
were Intimate friends. Although Father
DHy!ey was an owner of many slaves, he did
not hesitate TO rebuke In the severest Ian
guage, the abuses of slavery 10 which the
system was liable. As an example of his
,ltaa lsl, Il
rebuking sin of any kind, give the fol-
lowing Incident Ill his ministerial life As
related to me by one who heard it. He
, had been stationed over one of the
churches in Charleston. Occupying the
; pulpit on the first Sunday, after the pre-
lmlnary services and before beginning
: his morning sermon, he spoke to his con
l gregatlon as follows
81 have been kindly told that Charles
} ton is great city, a refined city and that
. | must not preach the gospel here as
have been in the habit of preaching it tc
{ the people in the country. That the plair
: manner Of speech | have employed else
= where will not be agreeable to the redued
t ears of Charleston" *h* Eyes" he coutn
: ued, II know that Charleston is great,
e refined city, and" pointing to a CALLER!
A filed with mulatto people, 'yonder gal
s lery, suppose, is specimen of Charles
e tor'S refinement"
Governor McDufie was a believer il
5 the theory of "A growing assimilation, tina
e people by living together continuous
/, for u long period, would grow into per
a sonal resemblance to each other. On
e day, while going to McDutIie's to din
:. with him, and while walking throug
# the front yard of his mansion, Fathe
h Dayey observed children of differen
/ shades Of color playing together. som
l. black and some white and some of We
e lowish color. AS McDut1ie met him Will
: approaching him Father Dayley said
IS "Ah Mack, shall have to come to you
theory. | notice u remarkable resent
lance growing up here among your chile
rem !" A native OF he South, with wealt
4 and talents, he could utter with impunit
/ what from the lips of strangers, wuul
- invoke lynch law. Gov. McDuflie may Il
&c remembered by many as member OF ii
Il United States Senate, where he was anon
+ the ablest debaters.
n That O,OOO Already Regretted.
o From the Chicago Journal
w The President-Dan
III Dan-Pm here, sire.
IL Tue President-Maine goes even wor
than Vermont.