The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-10-20
The BOY PREAc% EE.
j ohm wesley Sh,sldr, FormarIy OF Anaer-
sor, s. C., aged Eight Yesrs,
Atlanta has produced prodigy

sor, s. C., aged Eight Iesrs,
Atlanta has produced a prodigy in
the person Of John Wesley Shields, an
eight year CID pupil at Fair street
school, who has developed worderfr:l
oratorical powers. Ghey call hin the
Young Sam Jones around st. PAul's
Methodist Church, OF Hunter Street,
where he preached Saturday afternoon
and Sunday, to large and attentive
congregations. johnnie is an intelli.
gent locking little bisck-eyed boy, and
has all the air and Gigoity Of bearing
Of grown up man. He is still in toe
second grade ST scaool, but is very
fond of Bible study and has leaned Els
fa7orite chapter, John 14th, almost by
heart. He has slight impeachment il
bis speech, natural in oDe so young,
| but when be gets under way his deiiT'
cry is splendid and he is g very inter
esliUg ta,ker.
If there ever was born preacher
in the world he is one" said MS
mother, who lives near the corner OF
Moore street on HUnter. his father be-
ing barber IL tae kImoall house
block. He has been preaching fer q
year and a half and anybody listening
at him might think that ne had been
taught what be knows, bnt this is q OF
so. He says th&! whatever he u.ters
God tells him to sag, an6 ne ueTer re
peats the same sermon, but talks in s
different wsy every time sna his de-
livery IS as free as that OF trained
minister. We came from Virginia
abou: a year and a halt age. Ny h.:
band is Rev. ]. W. Shields, 3 local
preacher connected with ST. Pauls
Church, and eight months ago John
Wesley became a member OF the
Church. This sumner we vent uo to
Anderson, S. c., on visit, and while
there he preached twice in the Yves.
leyan Cnurcn. Saturday afternoon
he preached at the children's meeting
at St. PAuls, and again Sunday after
noon. He preached in nearly every
grade OF tie school and seems 10 born
orator and preacher "
R.v. Mr.. Diamond, pastor OF St.
PauIs, has been conducting a chill,
dren's meeting on Saturday and Sun,
day afternoons, and On Saturday after
noon he called on Jonn Wesley
! Shields. The little fellow responded
| and preached very strong sermon OF
fifteen minutes length. from the text
BE Sure Your Sin VIII Find You
Out" ''Re told the children" said
Mr.. Diamond, in speaking OF the ser,
mon, that they, might SOW their
wild oats and do evil deeds while they
were young, but that they might rest
assured that their sins would find them
out. He cited the cases of Tom Delk,
Arthur Haney and young Spinks.
See aid he, what drink Of free
whiskey cost Arthur 8aney. It cost
him his life. b sure your sin will
find you out. It found those boys out
and they were made to suffer. 1t will
find you out likewise if you continue
in your sinful course Ris sermon
was a surprise to sll who heard him
Sunday afternoon I called on him
again, and at frst be told me that
he had promised to preach for the
holiness people up town, but
he changed his mind, and at toe
children's meeting he appeared with
his Bible in hand. called him in
side the chancel and he opened bis
Bible and read lesson, announcing
his text, Behold I Island at the door
and knock. II any man will open
unto me I will enter in and sup with
him and he shall sup WITH ne. The
sermon that followed was a mastery
effort for one so young, and would
have done credit to grown.uI
preacher. He is a wonderful littls
fellow and is natural orator and as
fervent in his delivery asif he had
been trained for the ministry. About
a year and half ago he was in our
infant class, and he seemed to develop
the idea of preaching from talks thai
he had with my wife. He first began
preaching to the children in his moth
er's yard, aod from that he began
preaching at school, and now ne is
| developing INTO regular MetnpQlS
preacher"
The parents OF the child are both
deeply religious people, MS father be
log local Methodist preacher, and
John Wesley has bsen brought up in
a ministerial atmosphere. He seem:
to absorb scriptural knowledge, and
every night before his father comes
hcne, john Wesley summons the resi-
Of the family to family prayer just as
ifhe were man grown. His mother
says there is not the slightest levity
in his makeup and that he is ia earn
est in everything that he does. H
is very bright IL every way and talk;
with much seriousness and gravity
about his calling, and appears TO have
made up his mind as to his future
vocation as a minister OF the gospel
Atlanta Journal.