The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-09-05

A Blasphemsr struck Dumb while Rid
euling Religious Worship.

A Blasphemsr struck Dumb while Rid |
euIing Religious Worship.
Atlantis Constitution
Athens, Ga, August 27.-(Special.)
"A remarkable story comes from
the little town Of High Shoals, 10
Gated fourteen miles from Athens.
A revival has been going on
about one week, Rev. j. r. Lowe, a
consocrated Methodist minister, bav-
ing charge of it.
Among other citizens of High
Shoals is Mr.. William Haygood, an
old gentleman who moved there &
short while ago from Princeton
Factory. He was marshal Of the
town of Princeton. Mr.. HaygoOd
Is an honest, Woodworking old man,
and for many years was member of
the Methodist church. Lately be
has taken up the doctriue of unbe-
lief, preaching against heaven and
hell, declaring that no such places
exist, and denying many of the
claims of Christians as set forth IN
the Testament. During the prog
ress 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.
Sunday afternoon the services had
been concluded, and crowd collect
ed around Mr.. IIaygood at Mr.. Med
Inns store, at the shoals. Haygood
was proceeding in his usual way tc
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 at
: tempted to complete 1t, but he could
not utter one syllable. The crowd
, was dumfounded, but hoped the ole
man would SOON come around al
, right. But the minutes slipped by
and still that tongue was silenced
, On rolled the hours, but no sounc
, came from that tongue. In tt>
midst of his argument against re
/, ligion, his tongue had refused tt
/ speak. Was it mere chance paraly
Y sis, or was it the finger of God tina
had been laid upon that unrul,
member to rebuke the utterance
made or to prevent the utterances tt
come? Those were the question:
asked by the crowd of themselves
Q and holy awe spread through tn
= crowd.
f Monday morning came, and at tn
appointed hour the meeting wa
! opened at the Methodist church
I Mr.. Rogers, coming along the road
met Mr.. Haygood and spoke to hin
cordially. He simply touched hi
q lips, for his tongue could not move
q During the progress of the meet
ing Mr.. Rogers had to take charg
> in the place of Mr.. Lowe, the pas
d tor, who had become very much ex
a hausted by reason of preaching thre
z sermons on Sunday previous. Mr.
- Rogers was leading the meeting ant
was delivering discourse OH inf
v deity, telling his experience in dis
R cussion with an unbeliever once, ant
D he noticed Mr.. Haygood, who sat il
Q the audience in front of him. MI
Haygood began to tremble and hi
d hands and body shook preceptibly
6 Tears streamed from his eyes AM
4 rolled down his cheek, but the quiz
= ering lips could not fashion word
d to express his thoughts. The con
gregation noticed him, and locke,
J. on with wonder.
VI He drew pencil and piece o
r paper from his pocket and wrot
r nervously few lines. Then b
passed the paper up to the pulpit t.
= Mr.. Rogers, who read it aloud to tn
congregation.
4 1t was as follows:
a 81 am doomed to hell. There is
3, hell. Pray for me.
: WILLIAM HAYGOOD.
81 The effect upon that congregation
: was electrical. 1t seemed as if the
: were perfectly awe-stricken. Tn
= services proceeded, and the religion
r feeling manifested was very notice
able. In the presence Of such
Q striking incident, the hardest of sin
l. ners quivered and became alarme,
r at his state of mind.