The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-09-15
A BRAVE PREACHER
Has Remarkable Experience With 3
HIghwsym An.

When I was in Texas few months
ago l heard we'll authenticated case
OF this kind which happened in that
community. \ local Methodist
preachsr-a plain, unassumlng man
was riding Into town on horseback.
Passing one of his neighbor's homes
on the way the neighbor stepped out
Of bis gate and asked the preacher if
he would take check to town and
bring back $1,000 in cash for him
that he had bought a piece OF land
and the man was there with the deed
to deliver and he wanted to pay him
the money. The preacher replied be
would Certainly do him the kindness
! to ar; - him the money. He rode
! o. into toEn and when through with
his business went to the bank, got
the money, put it IN his pocket, got
on his horse and s4srted home. He
hadn't ridden more than three or four
miles from town before man stepped
out from behind some bushes with a
drawn pistol. sayiag: Give me that
Ave thousand dollars"
Tae local preacher replied:
I won't do it, sir.
We'll, il you don't will kill y Gu, !"
reglied the highwayman.
AL right" said the preasher, "you
can get the money after l am
dead, but not while am alive"
What do you meau?' said the
highwayman, don't you knoE that l
will kill you fot that money if I must
xii. you to get it"
Yes" said the preacher, 81 think
you will, but you Will have to kill nee
to eetit"
The highwaymau then said to the
preacher: What do you mean by
this2 Do you think more OF that
mans FIVE thousand dollars than you
thipk Of your life2'
No, p" replied tae preacher, but l
dc think more Of my character than
do OF my life. l have wife and
several boys and girls st home Their
husband aud father is known as an
honest, upright man. II l give you
this moaey AID then go to the man
whose money ii is and tell him that |
vas robbed on the highway, he would
never bslieve me. My character
| would be gone and my children dis
graced. So afficm to you sir, that |
think more Of my character than
do OF my life. II you will
have the money, whack away with
your gun.
The high9ayman looked at him and
said:
L haven't it in ny heart to shoot a
man like you. Go on with your Life
and money too.
\ few months afIerward this high
wayman did kill a maa, vas convict
ed and sentenced to be hanged. 10 a
visiting preacher he confessed, among
other Things. thss9 facts in reference,
to the local preacher. Tae visiting
pastor went to the local preacher and
asked HIN ii It was true. Yes, said
he, 1t occared jaSt as the highHay-
maa has related It to you
Why" said the visiting pastor.
you never said anything about ii.
No. said the local preacher. i
never nave said anything aboU: It. l
never told my Wit about It. >
"Wbyl.'
''Decsase didr't lhink i: was any
thing to talk about. Some people
might nave thought that was telling
a faIsahood or trying to give an Illus
tration OF my bravery or something OF
tha! kind; bat the thing occurred jus:
as related. p"
"O2, !; We lad cjt:zensaip like
this, where every mAnand bog thought
| more Of his c1arac:er than he did OF
his lie, ard would die before he'd
oriIg rePrcaca upon himself or his
! family. Then We would have a world
worth living in. Bat chattles are put
above charac!ec nov and men ruin
their Characters, XII his conscience
and damn their souls ior dollars ard
cents. And in tee end they real:ze
that thsy made o bargain taet back-
rugted them hsre and ruined Them
hereafter. Let every man be true TO
his own charSc.er ard honest with ell
those with whom he has dealings.