Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-05-16
GREELEY THREATENED TO PRAY.
An Incident of the First Meeting of the
Free Soil Party In Saratoga.

An lnctuent OF the FIRST meeting OF the
Free Soil Party In Saratoga.
To those who have come to Saratoga for
a number Of years it has become full of
"reminiscences and of memories freshly
awakened by the old haunts. We looked
at spot on the piazza of one of the large
hotels at which group of men were won't
to gather in the evening long years ago.
The writer was the youngest of the COM
pany, and, though not the Oldest, the
chiefest of them was DIR. Horace Bushnell,
Of Hartford, then in his splendid prime.
The Free Soil party was starting into ex-
istence, and to consolidate and enlarge the
party in the state Of New York conven-
tion was held in Saratoga, followed by
mass meeting In the woods adjacent to
Congress spring. Horace Greeley was the
animating spirit of the movement, and on
the platform of the mass meeting the white
coat and the white face of the famous
editor were conspicuous. The managers
OF the infant party, which was setting up
It's banner as party of high moral
ideas," sought for it the benefit of clergy,
and asked DR.. Bushnell to open the meet
ing In the woods with prayer. He declined
and advised the gentleman who brought
the request to secure the services of Rev.
and who, he thought. had taken up a posi-
tion on the growing antislavery contro-
versy In advance Of his own, and therefore
could more earnestly pray in their behalf.
Both diyines were, however, on the plat
form at the mass meeting, as the people
gathered about It. For some reason not
explained, Dr. Cheever slipped away from
the platform into the surrounding woods.
Dr. Bushnell saw the movement, and
went into the woods In another direction
Meanwhile all preliminaries were attended
to, president and secretary elected and
installed In their places, ard when the
president stepped forward and said, "The
meeting will be opened with prayer by the
Rev. Dr. Cheever, of New York." and
turned to where, as he supposed, DR..
Cheever was sitting. Dr. Cheever was not
there. To relieve his embarrassment some
one near, who was ignorant of the situa-
tion, spoke few words in his ear, and, ac-
cept1ng the information as correct he
turned again to the audience and said:
"Dr. Cheever is not present, but have
the pleasure of saying that prayer will be
made by the Rev. DIR. Bushnell, of Hart
ford"
He looked on the rank of men behind
him, but DIR. Bushnell was not to be seen.
The chairman recovered from the double
embarrassment sufficiently to say:
AS our friends of the clergy seem re-
luctant to favor US with their services we
will have to proceed without prayer"
In the evening of the same day the usual
group assembled in corner of the piazza
of Congress Hall. DIR. Bushnell was there,
but said nothing of the afternoons meet
ing or of his quiet disappearance from the
scene. Suddenly some one came bustling
along, and in quick, emphatic tones said:
DR. Bushnell, do you know what Hor-
ace Greeley says of your"
NO" said DR.. Bushnell, land care lit
tle"
"Well," said the man, "he says that the
next time you and Others refuse to pray
for their Free Soil meetings there vigor-
GUS oath of the wrathful editor was in
serted he will pray himself"
II hope he will, said DR.. Bushnell, "and
for himself too. o.'-Presbyterian.