The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-01
Bill Rrp'S Letter
Cwritten foe The Weekly Constitution.)

reading In a long time than the Lights
and Shadows of Itinerant Life" being the
autobiography of DR.. Simon Peter Rich
al dson For fifty years Re was on the go
from the Blue Ridge to Key West. from
Dalton to Brunswick and all the inter-
mediate country. He knew more people
and was known by more than any man
Of his day. He was original. unique, fear
less, honest I'm his convictions and ready
at all times to maintain them. He never
complained, never shrked duty, Travelled
thousands of miles on horseback and
son etimes on foot crossed swamps and
fCI ded streams at his peril, was fed and
sheltered by the poor. What faith. what
zeal, what diligence. and all for what-a
sense of duty and his love for the Master
and the Masters work. No earthly re-
ward was gained or expected for he and
his family often suffered the pinchings
of poverty and even the calamity of hav-
ing his house burned and all Its furniture
and mis- wife and children had to sleep
in the barn upon the cotton seed.
But he never faltered and was always
aggressive He fought a good fight and
kept the faith. He would have succeed
ed I'm any of the learned professions and
acquired both fame and fortune. for he
had great mental force, quick perceptions.
personal magnetism and was holy ter
ror to evil doors.
Mr. Lucien knight has reviewed the lit
tie book with charming and truthful
words. AS he says, there Is not a page
but shows the genius, the faith and the
humility of the man. He was not bound
through prejudice or early training to any
creed, hut made his own and even dared
10 impugn the inconsistencies of John
Wesley. His antipathy to Calvinism was
intense. The idea of mankind being re-
sponsible for Adams sin shocked him and
he would have stricken the words "orisi-
nal sim and total depravity' from every
creed ard prayer book. The doctrine of
lost infants provoked his bitterest sar-
ca&m.
But these things are not in the book to
any invidious ext mt and IT contains but
one sermon, and that is in the appendix.
The charm Of the book is the recital of
/ il experience as an it.nerant-the lights
and shadows of busy .ife and his ming
ling with the great men and ministers OF
the olden time, for he was side by SIDE
with such men as Judge LongStreet, Bish-
ops Pierce. Paine. Andrew, Capers. Soule
and Kavanaugh, with Drs. Boring, Means.
Parks, Evans. Anthony and Glenn. with
LCvick Pierce and Allan Turner and In
natural mental power and pulpit force
he was their peer. The book viii make
his first experience IN iSiG, when he left
Dublin for his circuit. he says: That
night | was sad as the grave. for hld
Just walked up to the realities of my stu
elton and felt conscious of my inability
10 met the expectation of the church.
After supper | went out In the dark to
pray. kneehng in the corner Of the fence.
The dogs found me and | was forced to
get on top Of tho fence. From there they
the potato banks. The barking of the
dogs aroused the boys and they came
running with a torch. shouting I'VE We
got him. We've got him. supposing that
| was the same negro who had been
stealing their potatoes. They soon es-
ccrted me to the house. amid convulsons
of laughter. and the young lady thought
| was intensely green.
He refused to administer the sacrament
to any one who sold or drank whisky
At a revival once a church member. who
was well off but very stingy. began to
shout with great vehemence. and Simon
Peter stopped his exhortation and per-
emptorily ordered him to stop or leave the
church for no man had any right TO shout
who had not paid his quarterage. During
rec obstruction days a federal captain for
bade him TO preach unless he would pray
for the president. "And so l prayed that
the Lord would take out of him and his
allies the hearts of beasts and put I'm them
the hearts of men or remove them from
office. The captain never asked me again
to pray for the president. / have never
been convinced that we did any wrong
in seceeding or fighting. and can see no
good reason now why we should not do II
again" Speaking of original sin. he says
MIR. Wesley declares that all the chill
dren are born un Ter the displeasure of
God and are subject to spiritual, natural
and eternal death. This to me is "A hor-
rifle doctrine" Speaking Of REVEALS. he
ssys: "A revival is a solemn farce that
does not produce radical reformation.
Faith without works is a low form of
Calvinism that has quietly stolen into
Methodism and paralyZed her power"
When the earthquake of 1885 came the
doctor was preaching at a camp meeting
and says: 1.-The people became much
alarmed and we had no trouble in get
ting mourners to flock to the altar"
A Campbellite preacher got into a doc
! trinaI controversy with Simon Peter, in
Augusta, and DR.. Landrum tool; 1t up.
Simon Peter says: Brother Landrum is
| a very lovable man and a very popular
| pr cher, but in his sermon he is like a
| pig in a china shop. He used invectives
| and personalities and took in Catholics,
Episcopaliars, Presbyterians and Jews
| and stirred up the town. He sent me a
| note and two of his sermons. I replied
| that was running fire down at st. James
| and had no time to look after his water
| works. but when my revival closed
| would take him in out Of the wet and
| hang him on the fence to dry. then set
| him afire and take him into the Meth
| o6ist church"
! But this is enough of the book. Those
/ who expect TO read 1t would not like for
me to anticipate too much.
We had the good doctor stationed here
for two years and 1t was always a pleas
ure to meet him and converse with him.
for he was great of heart and great OF
mind / never heard him say a foolish
| tfirg, and hardly ever make a common
place remark. He was a profound think
| err and his terse. vigorous expressions re-
| minded me of Boswells Johnson.
l see that DR.. Robins has edited the
be ok and that it is published at Nashville
by the Methodist house, but l do not
| know the price. 1t Is good reading from
| the preface tc the end.
Two Mississippi girls have challenged
those Alabama girls to answer the fol-
| lowing Bible enigma. 1t is a good one
and kept me bordering for day or two.
| l can't neglect the children and this
enigma will perplex the preachers. too.
| | have lost mislaid the verses sent to
me, but the following is in substance tine
| same:
| God made Adam out of dust,
| But I'm His wisdom made me first;
| He made nv body all complete,
| But gave ne neither hands nor feet.