The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-28

An IIiiterate Tennessee Evangelist Who
Has Had Great Success.

has Great Succt-c-
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 n day in his life
This man has an interesting career--in
fact, IL Is remarkPh,e. He Is now just Az
years old, and dld0ag the coming winter
he is going TO take study course, and
some day he will doubtless be one OF the
leading evangelists Of the country. His
home is in Maryville, where he has wifo
and family of little ones
Few people who are natives Of Blount
county and who saw Tom Sexton grow up
to manhood ever dreamed that he would be
a minister of tho gospel He was born
near Clarksville, Ca, and Is the son of
John Sexton, who was veteran black
smith
In 1870 the Sexton family located in
Blount county, and the old man opened
small blacksmith shop alongside the Knox
willie and Augusta railroad track, about
three miles beyond Rockford. Here he re-
manned until few years before his death,
which occurred seven years ago. Sexton's
shop was known far and wide-in fact
1t was the only one in that neck of the
woods for several years. Tom grew up
around the shop and about all he learned
was the trade of his father When he be-
came of age, be married, and soon after
opened shop for himself at Maryyille.
but later moved to Rockford, where ho
spent at least ten years of his life. He was
known over the country as habitual
drunkard and was often In trouble, neg
lecting his business to q great extent.
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-
eusta junction he sat down upon n cross
tie, and when the train came along he re-
fused to get up and the consequence was
that he was knocked into ditch, but not
seriously hurt, and was picked up and
taken to his home, which then was In a
little frame hut Just beyond the Rockford
depot. Another time he was going home
late ono night, riding horseback, and rode
his horse off into ditch the animal fall
ing on him, and neither was able 10 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 "a better life He
concluded that he had been called TO preach,
and so at Morgantown, in Loudon county,
he preached his first sermon, and from that
day TO this he has kept constantly at It,
In Knoxville he has held'4 revivals and
had 800 conversions During all his life
of drunkenness be says his good wife pray
ed for him, and never did he doubt her re-
ligion. and since he became n preacher she
has taught him To read and write. Since
then he has had n strong desire TO attain
more knowledge, but has never had the
time nor the means. He Is noN preaching
throughout east Tennessee to get money
enough to support his family for three
months during the winter, while he puts
In that time in studying. Some of the coll
lege professors at Maryyille have agreed to
give him instructions and to hear him re-
cite. While in tho city one day last week
ne said that he was just going TO cast OF
all care and do nothing but study. Early
I'm the fall ho will open big revival in
Knoxville, and what money he can make
will go toward keeping his family while he
IS studying. knoxville Tribune.