Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-04-06
-FOUR YEARS OF METHODIST
MINISTRY


| ON~A~
During the World S Fair few names be-
came as suddenly famous both in this
country and Europe, as that Of Rev. John
T. James of Loudoun county, who smashed
the Irish Whiskey Exhibit with his cane
: sin the name of Jehovah;" a fame that
was later added to by his wrecking the
front of gorgeous saloon in Washington
| city in the same mighty NAME For some
months he has been patient at the Wes-
tern State Hospital here where Treatment
, and rest have restored him to mental self
late enjoyed his admirable sermons at the
Methodist church here, the pulpit of which
he again filled last Sunday In the absence
Of the pastor, DR.. Jas. II. Boyd.
This week, Messrs. Stoneburner & Prufer
have published a book of hundred
and thirty-two pages which Mr.. James has
written in his hours Of rest. 1t is entitled
''FOur Y ears of Methodist Ministry.
| 1S65-1S69. Baltimore Conference M. %.
| Church, South" Its dedication is in two
parts-1st. 'sTo the Members of the Balti-
more Conference and our Southern Metho-
dist People Generally and all friends in the
Lord wheresoever," and I'd. ITO the kind
and gentlemauly officers and attendants OF
the w. S. H.. Staunton, Virginia, among
whom found quiet and ease of mind to
write this little book 1t is a most inter
esting little work characterized by great
| cxuootpocc Of baart ap1 on ipfapca SnpC ion
tiousness. The author is fifty one years OF
age and native Of Loudoun county.
Ills AWAKENING
to spiritual matters took place in 1859, and
in describing the stages of its development
the author says: II had to return home
the next day to go down into Culpeper
County for our teacher, Mr.. James Way
man, who boarded in our family, a visit
which the Lord used to my further con-
viction and help. While there 1 visited
the Wa1renton Sulphur Springs. public
resort then in neglect. At the ten-pin
alley picked UP the balls and for few
minutes rolled them at the pins. Riding
| back with our teacher twin brothers, now
|
Staunton, the spirit Of the Lord reasoned
with me about thus: 'tDo you see how
easily your mind takes up vain and foolish
amusements as in those balls and pins? If
you do not seek something further you will
soon drop back into the old life.' I as
sented to this and resumed my seeking the
Lord for something more which I felt
needed though not knowing then what to
call it,
SOLDIERS LIFE.
In 1860 he joined the Methodist church
and with an exhorter's license, went to
Missouri where he followed the profession
Of teaching for seven months. When he
returned home war was declared, and he
gave up school he had been teaching in
Loudoun. and joined the Hillsboro Border
Guards, Go. A., Sth Va, Regiment, Pick
ett's division. and fought through to the
end of the war. His references to his SOL
der life are modest and infrequent, but he
was in all the great battles, and with his
division at the famous Gettysburg charge.
He says, 'As soon as an approaching bat
tie was announced, 1 would turn to the
91st Psalm and feed my faith on its
sweet promises, and go into the conflict
with it's sweet words in my mind" In his
last battle there were only eleven men in
Guiding two officers in the Company, and
at it's close only five of the Company were
left-of the so it begun the war with.
PREACHERS WORK.
In August following the surrender he
preached his first sermon and was given
local preacher license and went on Hills
boro Circuit as Junior preacher, Rev. J..
Hoffman Waugh being the preacher in
charge. At the first Baltimore Conference,
South, held in Alexandria, he was received
on trial On the recommendation of Presid-
ing Elder S. S. Rozell, and was appointed
Junior preacher for Warrenton circuit,
He was much embarrassed as to how he
would be received, for The had never been
nearer college than the porch of William
and Mary to get out OF the rain while
awaiting orders the morning of the battle
of williamsburg. He had few books for
study and one Of Ills possessions was a
bad case of dyspepsia which made my life
burden except as I was llghtened by the
spirit of God" In those days he studied
Greek while on horseback riding to his APP
pointments, my bride reins and umbrella
in one hand and Greek grammar in the
other.''
REV. J. 7. WILLIAMS A CONVERT.
When the church building at Warrenton
was finished protracted meeting was be-
gun. cat the close of the week our Elder
came for a quarterly meeting and preached
on Saturday morning. | obtained permits
sion to hold services that night while the
other two preachers had a social visit at my
home with Bro. Tavener. 1 exhorted the
people to turn out, and we had the best
meeting of the series. There We're three
J. T. Williams. now in the Conference-all
of them first cousins. l felt that it was a
good nights work and our preachers
thought SO too. [ afterwards took special
pains with young Williams and had him
down to my room with a view to encour-
age his mind towards the ministry"
REV. JAS. H. BOYD A CONVERT.
After serving at the Village Chapel at
Alexandria, MI. James returned to his
home in Loudoun where he conducted the
greatest revival Of his life. "There were
some 80 conversions and such conversions
as did not have to be told when they had
found the Lord. About 81 were added to
Beavers, afterwards a minister in the Mis-
souri, Conference of the Methodist Church,
| South,-now in Heaven. Here were con-
1 4 L.. 4 L.