The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-04
A BIasphemer Struck Dumb.

ATHENS, GA, August ga re-
markable story comes from the little
town of High Shoals, located fourteen
miles from Athens, story that many
may not believe, but which is vouched
for by one of the leading members of
Oconee street Methodist Church, of
this city.
Mr.. II. T. Rogers, a steward in
O,onee Street Church and an old man
honorcd and respected by his fellow
men, returned to-day from High
Shoals, where he had been attending
a revival held at the Methodist Church
at that place. Mr.. Rogers tells the
following awe-inspiring story Of an
incident that happened at the Shoals
Sunday afternoon, and he says it has
created great deal of excitement
there.
The revival has been going on about
one week, Rev. j. T. Lowe, conse-
Grated Methodist minister, having
charge of it. A great deal Of interest
was manifested in it and large num-
bers of people attended the meetings.
Among other citizens Of High Shoals
is Mr.. William Haygood, an old gen.
tleman who moved there short while
ago from Princeton Factory. He was
marshal of the town Of Princeton.
Mr.. Haygood is an honest, hard-work-
ing old man, and for many years was
a member of the Methodist Church.
Lately he has taken up the doctrine
of unbelief, preaching against heaven
and hell, declaring that no such places
exist, and denying many of the claims
of Christians as set forth in the Tes-
lament. During the progress Of the
meeting at High Shoals last week,
Mr.. Haygood would go to the meetings
at the Church and then collect crowd
Of men together and attempt to answer
the arguments Of the preacher. He
declared that the preacher was talking
nonsense, that there was nothing in
it, and that they wasted their time in
going to the meetings. In such
vein he went on, throwing Geld water
on the revival whenever he got an op-
portunity.
Sunday afternoon the services had
been concluded, and crowd collected
around Mr.. Haygood at Mr.. Medlin's
| store, at the Shoals. Haygood was
| proceeding in his usual way to argue
| against the meeting, and the men
| were listening to what he had to say.
Suddenly silence fell upon the
crowd, as if rooted to the spot. The
old man had started a Sentence when
he suddenly stopped. He attempted
to complete it, but he could not utter
one syllable. The crowd was dumb
founded, but hoped the old man would
soon come around all right. But the
minutes slipped by and still that ton
que was silenced. On rolled the
hours, but no sound came from that
tongue. In the midst Of his argu-
ment against religion, his tongue had
refused to speak. Was it mere chance
paralysis, or was it the finger Of God
that had been laid upon that unruly
member to rebuke the utterances made
or to prevent the utterances to come !?
Those were the questions asked by the
crowd of themselves, and holy awe
spread through the crowd.
Mr.. Haygood went to his home, and
everything possible was done to restore
his speech, but the golden gift came
not back. The incident was heralded
throughout the town, and there were
more prayerful hearts there Sunday
night than ever before in the history
of High Shoals.
Monday morning came, and at the
appointed hour the meeting was open
ed at the Methodist Church. Mr..
Rogers, coming along the road, met
Mr.. Haygood and spoke to him cordi-
ally. He simply touched his lips, for
his tongue could not move. During
the progress of the meeting Mr.. Rog-
ers had to take charge in the place OF
Mr.. Lowe, the pastor, who had become
very much exhausted by reason of
preaching three sermons on Sunday
previous. Mr.. Rogers was leading the
meeting and was delivering a dis
course on infdelity, telling his ex-
perience in discussion with an unbe-
lever once, and he noticed Mr.. Hay
good, who sat in the audience in front
Of him. Mr.. Haygood began to trem-
BILE and his hands and body shook
perceptibly. Tears streamed from his
eyes and rolled down his cheek, but
the quivering lips could not fashion
words to express his thoughts: The
congregation noticed him, and looked
on with wonder.
He drew pencil and piece of
paper from his pocket and wrote ner.
vously few lines. Then he passed
the paper up to the pulpit to MIR.
Rogers, who read it aloud to the con-
gregation.
It was as follows:
"I am doomed to hell. There is
hell. Pray for me.
WILLIAM HAYGooD.
The effect upon that congregation
was electrical. It seemed as if they
were perfectly awe-stricken. The
services proceeded, and the religious
feeling manifested was very noticea-
BILE. In the presence of such strik-
ing incident, the hardest of sinners
quivered and became alarmed at his
state of mind.
The next service was Monday night,
and on that occasion Mr.. Haygood was
on hand, but still the power Of speech
was denied him. He could hear, he
could feel, he could see, he could
walk, but not one syllable could he
utter. When the mourners were called
for he went to the altar and fell upon
his knees in silent prayer. He arose
and went back to his seat in the con.
gregation, but he did not feel as if
pardon had yet come, and still he
spoke not.
Mr.. Rogers left High Shoals this
morning and Mr.. Haygood was still
spcechless. The people of High
Shoals have no explanation to make of
this wonderful occurrence.