The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-12-23
LETTER FROM sMYTH COUNTY.
Rev. DR.. Dunaway Assists in Protracted
Meetings sc.
Marion, Va Dec IS. 1899


To The Free Lance:
During the meeting Of the Baptist
General Association last month Mt
Richmond | met my kinsman, DE- 7
:. Dunaway. and asked him 10 return
home with me and preach In some
meetings which | had engaged to hold.
He accepted my invitation, and came
home with me for three weeks, leaving
me this morning He preached every
night during the three weeks except
Saturday, aud twice each Sunday. II
is about this visit | desire u write
thinking il might be OF interest 10
many Of your readers
DIR. Dunaway had never been IN TINS
part of Virginia before While here ne
was twenty.three hundred feet above
the ocean. aud many were the high
hills which we together climbed,
As to his preaching, he never preach
ed better Three years ago he helped
me in meeting at Accomac' aud
preached magnificent series Of ser
mons. But he preached better here /
have no hope Of ever being able to esti-
mate the great good he did here God only
knows and eternity alone con reveal 1t.
All who came under his preaching were
helped These great old mountain peo.
pie sat before him spell bound, and
many exclaimed, We never heard 1t
on this wise before. "
one day we were waiting at a rail-
road depot for the hack to take us out
to a brothers. where we were to spend
the night. Dr. Dunaway asked ma
tive how long it had been since the n
q W. ran its first coach over the road.
The native replied, " About sixty
years " DR.. Dunsway said he had no
idea the road was as old as that.
" Yes said the native. " 1t is about
that old | can Just remember it "
Then DR.. Dunaway said " Are you
sixty years oldf'
NO. indeed, said the native. " |
am just ffty.one "
This puzzled the DR. and he asked
the native how he could remember ten
years before he was born. Then we
went on to the house where we were to
spend the night TIE weather was cold.
but there was King Heater y in
our room. and with DR. Duuaway as
fireman. we had that room as hot as
love in August. " think at bed time
the thermometer registered eighteen
out doors. and 1t was about ninety.siG
in our room
The gentleman Of the house kept a
few groceries aud few other things IN
a small shed. He was store keeper
The next morning the DR.. conducted
family worship In his prayer he asked
God TO" bless the family in their basket
and in their store (Dcut. p % At
ter the breakfast the husband said to
me THAT is a mighty thoughtful old
brother; did you notice he asked God
10 bless me in my storel'
As an indication Of how Dr. Duna'
way preaching impressed the people
notice this After preaching a sermon
one Of the best educated men in all
Virginia came to me and said. Some
man has raised the question, Shall We
shoot our old preachers? II he had
heard Dr. Dunaway this morning lie
would have answered his own question
with: Let the old preachers alone
and shoot the young ones, uuless they
give promise Of doing better when they
get old. " That was not intended for
me, for I passed my spring chicken age
three years ago But one Of my mem
bers did say to me. after hearing DR..
Dunawsy. that be could we'll under
stand how DR.. d. remained pastor at
fredericksburg for thirty.two years,
and il he would say the word he would
engage him for thirty-two years here,
and | might 20. But enough
Very truly,
Manning DunawAV