Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-02
AliseeIlaneolls 8eaain9.
"OLD SLEDGE," THE PREACHER.

How He Beat Religion Into "Devtl Bill
JONES'"
Uncle Tom Barker was much of 8
man. He had been wild and reckless
and feared not God nor regarded man
But one day at a campmeeting, while
the presiding elder was shaking up
sinners, and scorching them over the
burning pit, Uncle Tom got alarmed
and before the meeting was over he
professed religion, and became zeal.
Gus, outspoken convert, and declared
his intention of going forth into the
world and preaching the gospel. He
was terribly in earnest; for he said he
had lost a power of time, and must
make it up. Uncle Tom was a rough
talker, but he was a good one, and
knew right smart of "Scripter," and
good many old-fashioned hymns by
heart. The conference thought he was
pretty good fellow to send out into
the border country among the settlers
so in due time Uncle Tom straddled
his old fea-bitten gray, and was cir
cult riding in North Mississippi. In
course of time, Uncle Tom acquired
notoriety, and from his stormy Ian
guage, stormy gestures and muscular
eloquence they called him "Old Sledge
Hammer" and after a while "Old
Sledge" for short. Away down in one
corner of the territory there was a
blacksmith shop, wagon shop and a
whiskey shop at Bill Jones's crossroads
and Bill kept them all ; and was known
far and wide as "Devil Bill JONES'" so
as to distinguish him from Squire Bill
the magistrate. Devil Bill had
sworn that no preacher should ever
toot horn or sing a chime" in that
settlement, and if one of them hypo-
critics ever dared to stop at the cross
roads he would make him dance a
hornpipe, sing q hime and whip him
besides. And Bill Jones meant what
he said, for be had mortal hate for
the man of God. 1t was reasonably
supposed that Bill would do what he
said, for his trade at the anvil had
made him strong, and everybody knew
that he had as much brute courage as
was necessary. And 80 Uncle Tom
was advised to take "roundance" and
never tackle the crossroads. He. ac-
cepted this for while, and left the
people to the bad influence of Devil
Bill. But it seemed to him he was
not doing the Lords will !; and when
ever he would think of the women and
children living in darkness and grow
ing up in infdelity, he would groan.
One night he prayed over it with great
earnestness, and vowed to do the Lords
will, if He would give him light; and
it seemed to him as he rose from his
knees that there was no longer any
doubt, he must 20. Uncle Tom never
dallied about anything when his mind
was made up. He went right at it,
like killing snakes! And so next
morning, as a "nabor" passed OH to
Bills shop, Uncle Tom said: "My
friend, will you please take a message
to Bill Jones for me2 Tell him, if the
Lord is willin' I will be at the cross
roads to preach next Saturday at II
o'clock, and will stay with him that
night and preach Sunday also, and
am shore the Lord is willin.' Tell him
to norate it in the settlement and ask
the women and children to come"
Bill got the message; he was annoyed,
astonished, and his indignation knew
no bounds! He raved and cursed at
the "onsul," as he called it, and swore
he would hunt him down and whip
him, for he knowed he would not dare
to come to the cross roads. But the
"nabor" whispered it around that Old
Sledge was comm; for he was never
known to make an appointment and
then break it. There was an old
horse thief there who used to run
with Murrell's gang, who said be
used to know Tom Baker when he
was a sinner, and had seen him fight,
and that he was much of a man. So
it spread like wild fire that DID, sSledge
was comm, and that Devil Bill was
"gwine" to whip him, make him dance,
sing chime" and treat to gallon
of peach brandy besides. They said
that "the devil would break loose Sat-
urday, and that Old Sledge or the devil
would have to 60 under!"