The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-22

they can Degln 10 GdlA pidln.
ssIt amt three weeks since | was
out cattle huntin'-for two of my
yearlings had strayed of-and stop
ped in at old Brother Harkey's, on
Mud Greek, and took dinner. He's a
deacon in the Presbyterian church
over thar. Well, as true as | stand
here, my brethren, Sister Harkey had
had her little gal a-standin right be.
fore her, with toes just even with the
crack o the floor and her hands was
a-hanging down by her side and hel
mouth turned up like chicken when
it drinks, and she was a-puttin' this
question to her out o that Catechism,
what are the benefits which in this
life do either accompany or flow
from justification, adoption or sancti-
fcation?
'sNow. the question itself was
enough to break the child down. But
when she had to begin and say that
question all over (for that's the way
it was in the book and then hitch the
answer to it, and which all put togeth-
er made this: The benefits which in
this life do either accompany or flow
from justification, adoption and sane
ti6cation, are peace Of conscience, 10Y
in the Holy Ghost, increase in grace
and perseverance to the end, | thought
the child was the greatest wonder [ d
ever seen in all my life. She TUX it
right in, too, without balkin or miss
in the first word. And she spoke so
sweet and she looked so like little
angel that before I know d it the tears
was runnin down my cheeks as big
as buckshot. I've seen the day when
I could have mauled and split thou
san rails quicker and eaiser than |
could larn that thing and said it off
like she did.
ssNow, my brethren, that child
didn understand or know the mean.
ing of one word o that. 1t put me
m to oil know to take If in myself.
But just let that Presbyterian young
un grow up, and every word of the
Catechism will come to her, and her
character will stiffen up under her,
and she'll have the backbone of the
matter in her life.
"Now, I can't put things into my
children that way. Nothin don t
stay, somehow. It's like drivin a
nail into a rotten log. .
This last remark | never forgot.
For thirty years afterwards, as | would
stand at the blackboard trying to fix
rules and principles in the mind Of
dull pupil, this remark would
come back to me with its peculiar per-
tinency.
I tell you, my BRETHREN he con-
tinued, if our children had little
more catechism and the Presbyter-
ian little less, it would be better for
both.
ssThen We don't pray in our fami-
lies like they do. I know their pray
ers are mighty long, and they pray all
creation; but, after all, it's the right
way. It's better than prayin' too lit
tie.
Now, my father and mother was
good Baptists, and raised their chill
dren to be honest and Industrious;
but | never heard one Of them pray in
my life, aud I was most a grown man
before I ever prayed prayer myself,
and it was on this wise:
"There was to be big mcctin' over
in Elbert county, and / knowcd a
pretty gal over thar that I wanted to
go to see. Sol borrowed a little Jcr-
sey vagin: which was stylish thing
in them days, and went over to the
house and stayed all night, and en-
gagged her to ride to meetin with me
next day, which was Sabbath.
"We went and had glorious time
and I may as we'll say right here that
she was afterwards my wifc-but
comm home J. met with a powerful
accident, that I've never got over to
this day. As I was comm down a
steep hill. some part of. the gcarin'
gave way and let me and the wagin on
my cretur heels: and bein young
and skeery. and not much used tc
wheels, she wrigglcd and kicked and
tore from ono side Of the road to tho
other, till [ was pitch head foremost
as much as ten foot, into the dccl
gully, and II was a miracle of mercy
that my neck WIS not broken OH the
spot.
"Expcctin to be killed every min
ute. thought ! ought to ask the Lore
for mercy: but, as I#had never praycl