Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-11-20

Is endowed with FACULTY winch IS OF
the most remarkable order. He is gifted
with the peculiar power of preaching
while in an apparent state of somnam-
bulism. This word does not quite ex-
press the phenomenon, for he is semi
conscious before he delivers himself Of
his wonderful sermons. He has been in
the ministry over 20 years. being first a
Baptist, but his strange power dates
from the time when at a great camp
meeting held near Terre Haute some
years ago he became convert to Metho-
dism. He attended this meeting regu-
larly and toward its close became won
derfully impressed with that faith-so
much so that he decided to join the
Methodists. He did so, but before the
close Of the meeting his nervous system
gave way, and he was laid ON bed Of
sickness for several weeks.
When he arose from his bed, his
mental condition had undergone an en-
tire change He was transformed from
a lively, active, matter Of fact person
to a man Of dreamy, ethereal cast of
mentality. He would sit for hours
silently poring over the Bible without
paying the slightest attention to what
might be transpiring around him. Dur
ing these periods it was impossible to
engage him in conversation Pulling
him by the arm or pushing up lightly
against him would not draw his atten-
tion from his dreamy study.
During one of these reveries he re-
Gently astonished those about him by
launching forth in voice that was
strange to them. He repeated his text
and then poured forth a sermon Of great
power and beauty. His naturally rough
tones were changed to voice of the
purest tenor, musical and flexible, and
his words flowed with the ease of pol
ished orator.
This first sermon, preached to the
members Of his household, was broken
short by his falling forward as if shot
He was assisted to his bed and physi-
clan was summoned, who, upon making
an examination, found Mr. Kaufman in
deep sleep, with heart beating reg
ularly. Itwas impossible to awake him,
and he slept for several hours.
Since that time his Sunday morning
sermons have been delivered under these
strange circumstances A peculiar fea-
ture of his case is that this power is ex-
eroised only in the morning In the
evenings his sermons are delivered in
rather coarse voice, and neither his
manner nor matter is up to the average
He is well aware Of his amazing gift,
but talks of it only when forced to do
so. He speaks Of it with great reluc-
tance, as though it were something that
should not be discussed.
When he rises to speak, he stretches
forth his right arm and assumes rigid
position He remains thus with closed
eyes for few minutes without uttering
sound. His delivery at first is in
slow and distinct voice, but as he pro-
crosses his utterance is more rapid, and
his voice searches every Granny Of the
edifice like the notes of clarion. He
electrifies his congregation and brings
tears or smiles from his hearers at will.
At one moment he seems to draw the
screen which shut the divine mansion
from mortal sight and paints for his
hearers a glimpse of the home of eter-
nal happiness. At another he rolls
back the ponderous gates of hell and ex-
hibits with fearful distinctness the aw-
full abode Of the damned He is fervid
in his pleadings, forceful in his exhor-
taIions and terrible in his denunciations.
He claims not to know upon what sub
ject he will speak at given time.
The inspiration comes while he stands
before the congregation with outstretch-
ed ar1ns and he sometimes speaks upon
the same subject consecutively, but
never in the same terms. A note Of
warning runs all through his discourses,
and he claims to be able to see great
calamities ahead for America unless the
people turn more sincerely to God. He
is especially severe in his condemnation
of divorces. He likens the divorce laws
of America to great road smoothly
paved over which an ever increasing
throng is passing to destruction.
He claims to be able to see this road
in his inspired moments, guarded by
long lines of demons of horrible shape
and hideous aspect. He can hear their
satanic shrieks and view their mad Joy
as they leap around the mouth Of hell
where this smooth road lands it's vic
Tins, and when he paints this scene the
blood OF the bravest sinner curdles in
his veins. In fact, his pictures are some
times so terrible that many residents re-
fuse to hear him at all He has been
known to preach powerfully for three
hours at a stretch, but usually his SER
mons are from an hour to an hour and
a half in length.
When in this trancelike condition, he
is entirely insensible to the things
which take place about him. Nothing
can disturb him; nothing can wake him
from it. He GLAZING that the air is peo
pied with good and bad spirits, that he
can see them doing battle for the pos
session of human souls, and at times he
describes these battles as they take place
amid the congregation present. These
portrayals Of a superhuinan scene are SO
vividly brought out that their realism
is startling.
He claims to be able to tell the just
from the unjust, and he has been known
to expose the dark and evil intentions
Of members Of his congregation SO cor
rectly that they have made confession
of the facts to him. Above the just he
can see pillar Of beautiful light, which
reaches from heaven and rests on the
head Of the righteous. Above the unjust
he can see tower Of darkness, which
overshadows them in gloom.