Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-11-19
sMlTHY AND PREACHER.
An uliterate Tennessee Evangelist VIII
Has Had Great Success.

Has lad Orcat SUCCESS.
The Rev. Tom Sexton, the blacksmith
preacher who is known to thousands Of
people throughout east Tennessee, has
been preaching the gospel for eight years
and never went to school day in his life.
This man has an interesting career-in
fact, 1t Is remarkable. He is now just 40
years old, and during the coming winter
he is going to take study course, and
lome day he will doubtless be one of the
leading evangelists of the country. His
homo is in Maryville, where he has wife
and family of little ones.
Few people who arc natives Of Dlount
county and who saw Tom Sexton grow up
to manhood ever dreamed that howould be
q minister Of the gospel. He was born
near Clarksville, Ga, and is tho son Of
| John Sexton, who was u veteran BLACK
smith.
In 1870 the Sexton family located in
Blount county, and the old man opened q
small blacksmith shop alongside the Knox
willie and Augusta railroad track, about
| three miles beyond Rockford. Here he re-
mained until few years before his death,
which occurred seven years ago. Sexton's
shop was known far and wide-in fact,
it was the only one in that neck Of tho
woods for several years. Tom grew up
around the shop, and about all ho learned
was the trade of his father. When he be-
came of age, he was married. and soon aft
er opened shop for himself at Maryville,
but later moved to Rockford, where he
Spcnt at least ten years of his life. He
was known over tho country as habitual
drunkard and was often in trouble, neg
| Ii 90,
One day he had been to Knoxville booz-
ing pretty heavily and thought the train
had left him, SO he attempted to walk
home. Out near the Knoxville and Au-
gusta junction he sat down upon crosstie
and when the train came along he refused
to get up, and the consequence was that
he was knocked into ditch, but not seri-
ously hurt, and was picked up and taken
to his home, which then was in q little
frame hut just beyond the Rockford depot.
Another time he was going home late one
night riding horseback, and rode his
horse off into ditch, the animal falling
on him, and neither was able to get up
until man came along and took the ami
NAL off the man. Another time he drove
blind mule into the river, having in the
buggy his wife and children, but it hap
pened none of them was killed.
Eight years ago Tom professed religion
and determined to lead better life. He
concluded that he had been called To
preach, and SO at Morgantown, in Loudoun
county, he preached his first sermon, and
from that day to this he has kept CON-
stantly at it. In Knoxville he has held
four reviyals and had 800 conversions.
During all his life of drunkenness be says
his good wife prayed for him, and never
did he doubt her religion, and since he be-
came q preacher she has taught him to
read and write. Since then he has had a
strong desire to attain more knowledge,
but has never had the time nor the means.
He is now preaching throughout east Ten.
nessee to get money enough to support his
family for three months during the win.
ter, while he puts in that time in study.
ing. Some of the college professors q,
Maryville have agreed to give him in
structions and to hear him recite. While
in the city one day last week, he said that
he was just going to cast off all care and
do nothing but study. EARLY in the fall
he will open a big revival in Knoxville
and what money he can make will go to-
ward keeping his family while he is study
inR-Knoxyille Tribune.