Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-01-24
A Old TiIlG Sermon.

a lduy yCOIItSpOuuchIO VI Iho III
dependent" gives a sketch of
sermon she heard in Georgia near.y
half a century ago, from which we
give an extract.
The preacher was apparently
about fifty years Of age, large, mus
cular, and well prOportloned. On
entering the pulpit he took oft his
coat and hung 1t on a nail behind
him then he opened his collar aud
Wristbands, and wiped the perspl.
ration from bis face, neck and
hands. He was clad in striped
cotton hOmespun, and his shirt was
of the same material. lie had
travelled several miles that morn.
lug and seemed overcome by the
heat.
But the brethren sang a couple
of hymns while he was flaming
and cooling off, and wheu he arose
he looked comfortable and good
natured.
He had preached there several
times before but to most of the au.
dience he was a stranger hence he
thought it necessary TO announce
himself which he did as "Old CLUB
AK DAvis' from SAnven County, a
"Half Hard aud Halt SJft Shell
Baptist | have given myself that
name said he because | believe the
Lord elected me from eternity to go
ahead in the back woods and grub
out a path and blaze the way for
the other men 10 follow, Alter the
thickest OF it is cut away a good
warm Methodist brother will come
along and take my trail and make
thugs little smother, and good
deal nOlSer. After all the under.
brush is cleared out and the owls
aud wolves are 'Skecred' back and
rattlesnakes Is killed of Presby.
terlan brother in black broad cloth
and white cravat will come along
and cry for deceucy and order and
they'll both do good in their sphere.
| don't despise a larnt man even
when he don't dress and think as
I do. You couldn't pay me enough
to wear brCadc,Otn summer or
winter and you couldn't pay a
Presby brother enough TO 60
with out it in dog days. God
didn't make Us all alike my breth.
ern but every man has his own
sphere. When God has a place to
fill he makes a man aud puts him
in II. When he wanted General
Jackson he made him and set him
to fighting lngurs and the Eng
lsh, when he wanted George
Whitfield he made him to blow the
Gospel trumpet as no other man
ever blowed 1t and " hen he wanted
"Old Club AK Davis he made
him to grub IN the back woods.
But my shell ish't so haId but |
can see good pints in every body
and as for the PresbyteriaDs, they
are a long way ahead OF US Baptist
and MethOdiSts IN something's. They
raise there children better than
any people on the face of the earth.
OIly a few days ago Methodist
class leader said to me "BrOther
Club AK DAyis | was born d
Methodist, | was raised a MethO
dist and 10y the grace of God |
hope 10 die a Methodist, but THANK
God Pve got Prcsby terlan wife
to raise my children" and l believe
my brethren if the Lord should
open the way for me to mArry
again pd try my best to find a
Presbyterian wife and run my
chances of breaking her INTO the
saving doctrine Of feet waShin and
immersion afterwards.
Just at this point be was inter.
rupted by two spotted hoauds that
had been rOnUiDg up and down
the pulpit steps. OLe of them
Jumped upon the scat and began
to gnaw his coat tail IN which was
something lie brought along for
lunch. III : turned slO WY around and
took hiu by the ears aud tail aud
threw him out OF the window
behind lin as easily as If it had
been a young kitten; the other took
warOing nd.got out as quickly as
possible thougb not without
yelling as if it had been half
killed. II then turned to the andi.
ence and said smiling, st. Paul
exhorted the brethren to "BeSare
of dogs" | wonder what he would
have said II he were here in my
place this morning. 1t appears To
me like | AN composed aboat
with dogs as David says he was. H.
had scarcely commenced preaching
again before there was a terrible
sqaeaIing and kicking among the