The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-08-17
PLaIN LYING ANp Hlea T1INnNa.
On H0w Mueh OF How Little n1iaistsrs
Lived $50 Years Are.

Lived I5o Tears Are.
We have heard q great deal about
plain living and high thinking. with
illustrations from men who had
hardly the wherewithal TO keep soul
and body together, but who, in spite
of that, have written books that have
left their impress not only upon
thcir own time, but upon after gen
erations. We are "A little suspicious
of such stories, lest they should be
quoted 10 justify the niggardliness
of those who receive of the gospel
in providing for the wants of those
who preach the gospel. But the fol-
lowing instance is too remarkable 20
be overlooked. and we give il TO OR
readers, since we can vouoh for its
accuraov, having examined the REQ
ord -ly Saturday last
Jonathan Edwards Is the greatest
theologian that this country has ev-
er produced. Robert Hall, the ia
nous English preacher, used TO de-
YOUR his books with such amaze
ment at the power of reasoning they
showed that he exclaimed. I'd
wards is the greatest t"-perhaps he
meant solely in the field of philo-
sophical and theological speculation
-"of the sons of men" Yet this
great man was settled in country
parish in Northampton, where the
people, who could not appreciate his
greatness, fairly drove him away,
after which, as If he would find
lodge in some vast wilderness, be
went over the mountains and took
refuge at Stockbridge. ON the banks
of the Housatonic, where there was
n mission 20 the Indians, with n few
settlers from eastern Massachusetts,
and the records tell US that n meet
ing Of the town (not of the church,
for n those days there was but one
church, which was established by
law, and the town was to provide
for its supportl held on Feb. -, l750
Cwhen, perhaps, down in old Nir-
ginia, George Washington was cclo-
brating his eighteenth birthday. il
was voted that ''in case Rev. Junn-
than Edwards should settle with
them in tho work of tho ministry
he should receive tho sum Of sc lbs
Id. per year-about S35. IL Is CON-
forting to know that no was assured
in tho contract that it should be
lawful money. "
When read this. confess could
hardly believe il; yet no rubbing of
eyes or OF spectaCle- could change
the figures. There they stand as
they have stood for 146 years. for
the benefit of whosocver may have
curiosity 70 rend them. Tho
amount seems indeed incredibly
small. and perhaps was supplement
ell by n contribution from tine Eng
lish Society For tho Propagation Cf
the Gospel In Foreign Parts. But %
far rs the record goes that was the
salary, and tho whole salary. so far
as il was paid in money. But with
this there was also n provision for
keeping the minister warm. II the
people could not supply much 20
stimulate him inwardly, they would
at least keep the blood from freey-
ing in his veins by keeping tho fire
burning on his hearthstone. And ac-
cordingly, with this munifcent saln-
ny, it was voted also that ho should
have 100 sleighloads of firewood. of
which the Indians were to furnish
so and the white settlers 20, which
they were TO chop in the woods and
draw on sleds to his dwelling house.
With this very modest supply Of
that which could buy food and cloth
ing, yet with the fire burning bright
ly on his hearth. Jonathan Edwards
wrote books that will be immortal
in the history of his country. Plain
living and high thinking indeed
Henry NJ Field in New York Evan
I gelist-