The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-09-15
A BRAVE PREACHER
Hes q Remarkable Experience With a
Highwpymsn.

Highwoymsn.
Rev. Sam Jones. tells the following
story in the Atlanta Journal:
When was in Texas few months
ago I heard a well authenticated case
of this kind which happened in that
community. A local Methodist
preacher-a plain, unassuming man
was riding into town on horseback.
Passing one Of his neighbor's hor1es
on the way the nei ghbor stepped out
of his gate and asked the preacher II
he would take a check to town and
bring back $1,000 in cash for him;
that he had bought q piece OF land
and the man was there with the deed
to deliver and he wanted to pay him
the money. The preacher replied he
would certainly do him the kindness
to bring him the money. lie rode
on into town and when through with
his business went to the bank, got
the money, put it in his pocket, got
on his horse and started 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, saJiug: "GiVe me that
five thousand dollars"
The local preacher replied:
I won't do it, SIR"
well, if you don't will kill y ou, /"
reglied the highwayman.
''Au right" said the preasher, 'you
can get the money after am
dead, but not while I am alive"
What do you mean2' said the
.highwayman, ''don't you know that l
will kill you for that money if l must
kill you to get ita"
YES" said the preacher, 81 think
you will; but you will have to kill me
togetit."
The highwayman then said to the
preacher: 'What do you mean by
this2 Do you think more of that
mans five thousand dollars than you
think of your life2"
"No," replied the preacher, "but 1
do think more of my character than
I do OF my life. I have wife and
several boys and girls at home. Their
husband and father is known as an
honest, upright man. II l give you
this money and then 60 to the man
whose money it is and tell him that l
was robbed on the highway, he would
never believe me. Ny character
would be gone and my children dis
grsced. So I affirm to you sir, that I
think more of my character thsn
1 do of my lie. II you will
have the money, whack away with
your gum"
The highwayman looked at him and
said:
II haven't it in my heart to shoot a
man like you. Go on with your life
and money too"
A few months afterward this high
wayman did kill a man, was convict T.
ed and sentenced to be hanged. To a
visiting preacher he confessed, among
other things. these facts in reference,
to the local preacher. Tne visiting
pastor went to the local preacher and
asked him if it was true. YES" said
he, 1T occurred just as the highway.
man has related it to you"
why" said the visiting pastor,
"you never said anything about it,"
"No," said the local preacher. u
never have said anything about it. l
never told my wife about it"
"Why"
because 7 didn't think it was any
thing to talk about. Some people
might have thought that I was telling
a fa]sehood or trying to give an illus
tration of my bravery or something Of
that kind ;jbut the.thing occurred just
as related"
"Oh, if we had G citizenship like
this, where every man and boy thought
more of his character than he did of
his life, and would die before he'd
bring reproach upon himself or his
family. Then we would have world
worth living in. But chatlles are put
above character now and men ruin
their characters, kill his conscience
and damn their souls for dollars and
cents. And ia the end they realize
that they made g bargain that bauk-
rupted tham here and ruined them
hereafter. Let every man be true to
his own character and honest with al
those with whom he has dealings.