The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-04-12
Old Cluh-Ax Davis.
Alb .ckwoods Sermon Preached Fifty
Years Ago.
Associate Reformed Presbyterian.

ping ny du clueiiJ 1ooJ oH
phia. She says she has preserved it
for about twenty gears, and that a
number OF people have requested its
republication. 1t is an account OF a
sermon said to have been heard in
Georgia nearly half century ago.
The preacher was apparently about
fifty years of age, large. muscular
and we'll proportioned. On entering
the pulpit he took off his coat and
hung it on nail behird him, then
opened his collar and wristbands
and wiped the perspiration from his
face, neck and hands. He was clad
in striped cotton homespun and his
shirt was of the same material. He
had travelled several miles that morr-
ing, and seemed almost overcome by
the heat. But the brethren sung
couple of hymus while he Was cool
ing off, and when he rose he looked
comfortable and good natured.
He had preached there once or
twice before, but to most of the audi
ence he was a stranger. Hence he
thought it necessary to announce
himslf, which he did as "Old Club
Ak Davis, from Scriven county, a
Half-Hard and Half f-Soft Shell Bap-
tist."
II have given myself that name,"
he said, ''because I>believe the Lord
elected me, from eternity, to go ahead
in the backwoods and grub out
path and blaze the way for oth;r
men to follow. After the thickest of
it is cut away, a good, warm Metho-
dist brother will make things little
smoother and good deal noisier.
After all the underbrush is cleaned
out, and the owls and wolves are
skeered back, and the rattlesnskes is
killed off, Presbyterian brother, in
black broadcloth and white cravat,
will come along and cry for decency
and order. And they'll both do
good in their sphere. I don't de-
spise larnt man, even when he
doesn't dress and think as I do You
couldn't pay me enough to wear
broadcloth, summer nor winter, and
you coldn't pay Presbyterian broth
er enough to 60 without it in dog
days.
''God didn't make US all alike, my
breshereu, but every man has his
own sphere. When God has a place
to fill he makes man and puts him
in it. When he wanted General
Jackson, he made him and sets him
to fightin' Injuns and English; when
he wanted George Whitfield, he
made him for to blow the Gospel
trumpet as NO other man has ever
blowed it; and when he wanted Old
Club-Ax Davis, he made him, and
set him to grubbin' in the backwoods.
.But my shell isn't SO hard but [
can see pints in everybody; and as
for the Presbyterian, they are long
way ahead of US Baptist and Metho-
dist in some things. They raise their
children better than any other peo-
pie on the face of the earth. Only a
few days ago a Methodist class-leader
said to me: "Brother Club-Ax, I
was born Methodist, and by the
grace of God I hope to die Metho
dist; but, thank God, I've got a
Presbyterian wife to raise my chill
dren.' And I believe, my brethren,
if the Lord should open the way for
me to marry again, I'd try my best
to find a Presbyterian woman, and
run my chances of breakin' her into
the saving doctrines of feet washin'
and immersion afterwards"
Just at this moment he was inter-
rupted by two spotted hounds that
had been continually running up and
down the pulpit stairs. One ofthem
jumped up on his seat and began to
anaw his coat tail, in which was
something he hsd brought along for
lunch. He turned slowly around
and took him by the ears and tail
and threw him out of the window
behind him as easily as if he had
been a young kitten. The other
took warning and got out as rapidly
as possible, though not without howl
ing as if be had been half killed. He
then turned to the audience and said,
smilingly: st Paul e1horted the
brethren to Beware of dogs 1
wonder what be would do if he were
in my place this morning. 1t ap-
pears as if I am composed about
with dogs, as DAvid said he was"
He had scarcely commenced preach
ing again before there was terrible
squealing and kicking among the