Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-11
SAM MAYS CONVERSION.

Rrought About Through the powerful
Ministrttions of a Circuit Preacher.
The circuit rider is the chief glory OF
.be old South. and in the hill counties OF
tennessee the preachers are all OF TINS
primitive class. The most unique and
impressive Of these Inherent ministers
is Rev. Obadiah Sper<er, of Henderson
county, whose personal appearance Is
reminder of the old patriarchs. The
Rev. Obadiah Spencer is Baptist
preacher, and has met and vanqulsheu
everything in the shape Of man VINO
dared to dispute the going down into
the water
Tae peculiar method employed by
Spencer in his rev!vals has drawn him
into many fights, and the preacher has
the proud distinction not only OF whip
ping the toughest man in each neigh
borhood, but he has thrashed whole
families for daring to rail upon him. He
supplies six churches at various points,
and at every postoffice is a tough
gang" They are the young fellows who
remain ou.s.dethe melting house, lying
about under trees, swapping horses, ana
talking crops. Sometimes one OF them
will go inside, but manages to show his
disgust of the preacher by srid.ng
heavily down the aisle just as the en-
thuslastic divine is in the midst OF his
rousing sermon. This way of disturb
ing Spencer had gone on for several
months after he took charge OF Mount
Nebo church. and ne decided that
sound thrashing would stop the DULLES
from their evil way Of !nterrupting the
flow of gospel sam Mays noted
horse snapper, tried it on Spencer one
Sunday.
Spencer was preaching a terrifying
sermon on the text. He that hardeneth
his heart and stiffeneth his neck, the
same shall be cut off and that without
remedy" Spencer remarked, firstly,
that there were some sinners present
whose necks were as stiff as boiler
boards and their hearts were as hard
knots as the devil could twist. Mays
arose from his seat and started out at
this juncture The preacher shouted:
There goes a big, strapping buck
straight TO hell and destruction"
Mays half turned and, continuing
down the aisle. answered:
You're a liar. parson. I'm going out
here to trade my spotted face to Jim
Nelson. But if you'll come outside the
the door of this church I'll jerk them
horsetail whiskers clean out of your
head"
Spencer's eyes blazed as the bully
stood outside the door leering at him.
Turning to his congregation, he said:
Brethren, as the messenger of my
Lord | warned this sinner that his steps
were bent hellward. The saving Of one
soul is worth more than this sermon,
and my duty is to bring Sam Mays to
his senses, so that he will respect the
servants of the living God and incline
himself 10 spiritual blessings. The con-
eregation will remain seated while
tend to Samuel" and he made for the
door before the brethren could realize
what he meant.
Mays was standing at the door, one
hand resting against the knob, and was
more surprised than any one else at the
boldness of Parson Spencer. Spencer
shouted to him:
Get ready, Sam Mays! The devil
cannot insult the most high God in his
church. ] an going TO wallop the devil
out of you, and may the Lord have mer-
cy on your soul when / get through with
YOU. For the good of this community
and the welfare of your immortal soul
I smite.'
Before the open-mouthed, staring and
amazed Mays could gather himself to-
gether for defense the giant circuit rider
had him by the throat and was shaking
him furiously. Then he grasped Sam
bv the belt Of his trousers, and with his
left hand under his coat shook him up
and down. Turning to the congrega-
ton. most Of whom were standing up
looking terror stricken at the struggle,
he shouted:
Brethren, look upon this sigh;, The
Lords servant has met the servant of
the devil and yanquis1ed him. His neck
is stiff no longer and he wants TO turn