The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-26
"bat j can assure you that I am per.

where, But oil course you don't know
where. And now with me, NIL back OF
low days ago was an unconscious o..
sence, an unidentified and unthinking
spirituality"
"l'll DO dingod II you amt too much
for mo-" said tho judge. Aud then, nd.
dressing a gaunt old fellow who had
said nothing. he added: "Do you want
10 take him. Brother llallum?'
well, | mint veryiikeen TO-" Brother
Hallum answered. "But, as tho boys
out In my neighborhood say, III Try
him low falls. Mr.. Bellwether-funny
name. too-you say you arc preuchor2"
From this time on, yea. air."
well. I'm preacher, also, and hayo
been for thirty odd years, and l can tell
you where have been ever sinco was
worry small.'
"Ah. but eau you tell me where you
whom tho earth was very small-uhen
this globe was q grain OF saud2
NO, OF course not"
nut, my doar cir. what 10, has always
boon in some form. The idea has
always existed. The photograph We
call new, but wo know that the princi.
plo is rs old as creation. But there Ia
no religion in euch discussion. do
not como to argue upon my sanity, but
to preach the gospel OF love. have
tho newest proof Of immortality. Listen
with close attention. Wise men have
brought up shrewd arguments agains.
the Immortality Of the soul, rather OF
man. They say, Bring mo fact. And
can give them something stronger
than d mere fact, We will turn 10
Shakespeare, aud in his book we find
thought that can never die. Shakes-
peare's mind. his soul created that
thought. Shakespeare died, but the
thought still lives. All, but must the
something that created that thought
perish, leaving the thing created i'm.
mortal? Can the created DO greater
than the creatosr But We will not
argue"
My friend" said Brother Hallum,
you may DO q strange man, and all
that. but am very anxious to hear you
peach. Tomorrow have an appoint
mont in this town, and you may take
my place"
Tho next day waI Sunday. and long
before Mr.. Bellwether had eaten break
fast the village was In an excitement
concerning him. In the BARRIERS shop,
on the corners OF the streets. every.
where, he was discussed. His strange
theories, with appropriate e1aggerations,
had been blown about and 1t vaa do.
elared that they were going to either
hear the rawlings Of mad man or u
most powerful aormon. Tho church was
crowded. And there was eagerness in
the throng whom the preacher enter.
ed. He requested the brethren to
sing a simple hymn, and whom this
had been done he clasped his hands
and pronounced the word Love"
Slowly he began to talk. and how pre-.
else and clear he was In his use OF
words. There was no rant, no broken
accents, but flow Of beautiful een.
fences, growing warmer and warmer.
Men looked at one another in astonish.
ment, and women, always lovers Of tho
beautiful. clssped their hands and
leaued toward tho speaker. And when
tho sermon was brought to close, and,
although it was done gracefully, tho
congregation was stunned. almost
stupefied, old men and old. women,
young women. girls pressed forward to
take the stranger by the hand. There
was no longer any doubt. lie was in
deed man inspired.
1t was a great revival. Several were
held every night There were three
liquor saloons In the town. and they
were closed. not by force. but by the
mon who had. kept them. A poker
room had been run over livery stable,
but soon it was deserted and tho cards
were scattered in the street. 1t was
now declared that the new preacher was
great evangelist who did not want his
real name to DO known, and that hay.
ing heard OF the wickedness OF that little
town had come to purge it, and fear
arose lest soon he might take his de.
parturc. But timo went by and he said
nothing OF leaving. Now he did not ap-
pear to be eccentric; he had ceased 10
speak in the language Of mysticism; his
serene. Preachers from distance
came to hear him and were loath to
leave. He was welcomed to evory pull
pit, urged to 20 into other communities,
but he said that his work lay in that
little town and that he must abide
there until he received orders 10 20
elsewhere. His money was gone; he had
given it to the poor, but ne would take
no pay for his work. "!All l want is a
place 10 cat and sleep" he was won. to
say.
Ono day n bishop called upon him.
They met in the parlor at tho hotel. 1t
was known that tho great man had
como and tho room was crowded.
II have come long distance to SEQ
you" snid tho bishop.
And thank you, brother, for your
interest. but wcro thero not othors that
needed looking after? Have you not
come to SEQ reed, shaken by the
wind?'
Tho bishop bowed his head in grace.
full acknowledgment of this rebukc, and
thus answered.: "But not out Of lido
curiosity have como, brother, but with
a hopo that may induce you to como
with mo to other communities. You
must remember that all fields arc tho
fields OF God"
True" Mr.. Bcllwethor answered,
but fields arc apportioned out for til.
lagc. And | havo been appointed to
till this field" 1t wis OF no use to
argue with him. and after hearing him
preach that night tho bishop took his
departure, marvoling ut his powor.
The strange preacher had buon in tho
town ak months. Ono night large
congregation was waiting for him, but
no did not come. Tho judge and Brother
llallum said thoy would 20 down to the
hotel and 500 II thoro worO anything
wrong. When thoy entered tho Office
OF tho hotel thoy found tho prenchor