Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-05-04
A DAY TO BE REMEMBERED.
BISHOP TAYLOR WAS BORN sEvENTY-sEvEN
YEARS AGO MONDAY.

One Of the most marvellous men Of
recent times is Bi-hop William Taylor.
The story of his life is full of interest
from the time he was II years Of age
down to the present time. He was
born in Rockbridge county, Va, May
2, 1921. His boyhood years ere spent
among rough pioneer country scenes.
He was converted in his Goth year, and
through his talents wa soon called to
preach. His training was not that OF
colleges and seminaries. Instead he
was very early called to pass through,
experiences that might have daunted
the heart Of many an old, sturdy mis-
sionary. Among the rough mountain
GERS he speedily gaineda reputation.
His method OF securing their hearts is
illustrated by the following incident
When farmer desired 10 clear the
fallow from which he had iecently cut
the timber, the men for miles around
came by invitation to help roll the logs
together to be burned. These meet.
iugs were generally the occasion fol
great exploits.
When the days work was done the
whole crowd would have supper, and
The nearest fiddler would be brought
and preparations made for dance,
Whiskey was plenty and this, together
with the jol'ity Of the rosy-cheeked
country maids, soon produced gay
scene. But it was not all gaiety, for il
was rare thing for an evening of this
kind to pass without some Of the fell
lows getting into a fght,and frequently
the jealousy Of two br why sons OF
the forest developed into a general
melee in which several heads might be
badly bruised and an occasional skull
cracked.
One day. coming upon such gather.
ing, yo ing Taylor hitched his horse to
tree and went to work with hand
spike rolling logs. He was strong
and vigorous and knew the rolling
business quite as well a, any OF the
rest. At night he quit and told them
that the young preacher sent by the
bishop to that circuit would preach
that night in the chapel. They thought
to themselves that if he were as good
at preaching as he was at log.rolling
he would be worth going to hear.
The result would be that he would
have done more TO reach the hearts OF
the poor pc pie in that afternoon than
he could h I'VE done in weeks OF preach
ing Taylor was admitted to the Balti-
more Conference in 1916. In recon-
him his presiding elder said,
"Here is young man whom the sun
never finds in bed" He experienced
some very exciting incidents in the
early days of his frontier preaching.
He was a giant in strength and fire.
quently display OF his ply scial PROV
ess won for him the esteem and ad-
miration of the rongh frontiersmen
when every other effort would have
failed. His bishop sent him to Cali
fcrnia in 1S49, at the opening of the
great mining boom. He preached in
bathrooms and saloons, and in rough
mining camps where men thought only
Of gold and cared not by what means
they got it. But Taylor Always got a
hearing. He had the knack Of getting
INTO the good graces OF those fellows
md they loved and respected him, and
not few of them were converted I'M
der his ministry They would not at
tend church or meeting anywhere, 80
Taylor had to 60 to them. From Cali
fornia he went to India and Africa,
where he has done noble work in the
of Christianity. If ever there
was a successful missionary it was
Taylor He was able to adapt him
SELF to any condition in order that he
might accomplish his purpose He
was made bishop of Africa in 1884,and
since that time has added several hun
dred thousand to tn membership Of the
NJ. E. Church, He has written many
religious works bearing on missionary
subjects. Through the infrmities of
age he is now laid aside from active
duties, but his old.time fire and zeal
remain, and even now it would not
lake much persuasion to make him for
get hi, years and go again to the wilds
Of heathendom. Utica Saturday Globe.
THIRTY YEARS AGO.