The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-02

nessee, 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. it is re-
markable. He is now just forty years
old, and during the coming winter he is
going to take . study course, and some
day he will doubtless be one of the
leading evangelsts of the country.
His home is in Maryville, where he has
a wife and family of little ones
Few people who are natives Of
Blount county and who saw Tom Sex
ton grow up to manhood ever dreamed
that he would be minister of the
Gospel. He was born near Clarksville,
Ca, and is the son Of John Sexton,
who was a veteran blacksmith.
In 1870 the Sexton family located in
Blount county, and the old man opened
a small blacksmith shop alongside the
Knoxville and Augusta railroad track,
about three miles beyond Rockford.
Here he remained until few years be-
fore his death. which occurred seven
years ago. Sections shop" was
known far and wide; in fact, it 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 he was married, and soon
after opened shop for himself at Ma
ryville, but later moved to Rockford,
where he spent at, least ten years of his
life. He was known over the country
as an habitual drunkard, and was Of
ten in trouble, neglectlng his business
to a great extent.
One day he had been to Knoxville,
boozing pretty heavily, and thought
the train had left him, so he attempted
to walk home Out near the Knoxville
and Augusta junction he sat down
upon a crosstie and when the train
came along he refused to get up, and
the consequence was that he was
knocked into a 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 one night, riding horseback,
and rode his horse off into a ditch, the
animal falling on him, and neither was
and took the animal off the man. An
other time he drove blind mule into
the river, having in the buggy his wife
and children, but it happened none of
them was killed.
Eight years ago Tom protested reli-
gion and determined to lead better
life. He concluded that he had been
called to preach and so at Morgan
town, in London county, he preached
his first sermon, and from that day to
this he has kept constantly at 1t. In
Knoxville he has held four revivals
and had three hundred and ninety con-
versions. During all his life of drunk
enness he says his good wife prayed
for him, and never did he doubt her re-
ligon, and since he became q preacher
she has taught him tc 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
winter. while he puts in that time in
studying. Some of the college profess
sors at Maryville have agreed to give
him instructions and to hear him re-
cite 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 toward
keeping his family while he is study
g.-Knoxville Tribune.