Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-01-09
CLERICAL AM ENTITIES.
hha'p speeches III Two D!i Time Virginia
Preachers to Ear. other.

sharp speeches II Two Oii Time Virginia
Preachers Ia Each O'hrr.
The amity and fellowship between
Methodirts and B; lists nowadays
are in striking contrast with the
feeling displayed IN the beginning
of the century IL manifested then
by tho leading opponents Of those
churches. Then there were Very
few churches in this section of the
country and ihelrclchcrS rolc long
distances and held services on Sat
urdays and Sundays, rarely getting
to any one church oftcuer than once
month. TIL" old men of today re-
call this period with great pleasure
and never tire of relating their rec
elections of those good old times.
The most noted cNpoundcr| of the
gospel in northern Virginia then
were the Rcvs. Ru.Zcll of the Meth.
odist church and Gilmore of the
Baptist. They We're rigid and I'M
yielding believers, each III the tenet,
and doctrines of III own faith, and
advocates of the church militant,
considering it their duty to "hew to
the line, let the chips fall where
they may" In unfolding their doc
trincs they not Only attacked the
opposing principles of the other
church; but, these two being almost
the only preachers OF their respec-
tive denomination III Louioim and
t'auquicr, t.,ey frequently INDUCED
III sharp ana Wis pTou| personalities
in the pulpit and elsewhere which
at this day would be apt to bcget an
unending animosity.
On one occaainn they roth had aI-
pointmonti in LcesbllrH OH the same
Sunday, and, as was the custom III
those days, they II c"ived new mem-
bers into the church ii the close of
each series of meetings. Returning
to their homcsaftor church. the two
congregation met on opposite sides
of the Same street.
The Methodist divine, thinking to
deliver IL smarting thrust in the
hearing Of aimo't t." whole OF both
tlorks, called ;"io- the street 10 the
shepherd OF the Baptist ioll:
How 'yr do, B.utI"r Gilmore.
One of your .nnulhr1's joined our
church tou;,y.
All, hu!Ihnt sail right, repliel
the placid jnimet;'ioni"t, "lurlS@lid-
ing BaptiS,i make very cool MethO.
di.ts.
Constant themes of difference be
tween them, u!al " hirh an oppol'-
tunity to cross !N."rdH wa@ never
suffered TO l'>a ullltotirel, We're
close cOlnmuni@u non tlNCnr side and
tho ino,iii"iC,lr'J Of infant baptism
on the other. Ono communion day
in tho Baptis't church the Rev. Mr..
ROszcll made ia point 60 he present,
having no service ut l,iiOwu church
on that day. He had seat on one
of the front brncheS Mr.. Gilmore
spread the c"rllnllnion table with
great care just in fl ont OF where the
Methodist divine was sitting. and
when all WAS ready he cleared his
thro2t and with yrrdtrulemnity said
in his powerful and impressive
voice:
Brother Poszell, if this were my
table | should invite you 10 partake,
but being my Fathers, dare not"
Instead OF sinking through the
floor, Nh. Roszcll calmly replicd:
"Brother Gilmore, if this were
your table, ] should await your invi-
tation, but ioeing my Father shall
help myself and, suiting the ac-
ton to the word. reached over and
with great seriousness and solemn
ty took the bread and wine without
molestatioll, to the intense amuse-
ment of the congregation.
They were both great lights In
their churches, dearly beloved by
their people and possessed of Il Wig
OrOuS Christian fcrvor that made it.
self felt and resulted il great good
wherever yhcir INVESTIGATIONS were
carried on. Marshall (Va.) Cor.
Washington Star.