The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-23
INCIDENTS IN REV,
DRURY LACY'S LIFE
A Strong Man Morally Men
tally, Physically.
VIRGINIA HIS MOTHER
HE LOVED NORTH CAROLINA
AS HIS WIFE.
THROWING A HORSE. A GOOD SPSINTER
Amusing Incidentin a Sermon on Prayer. IF
Had Lived There Until Now ! Would
Have Been Dead Five
Years Ago"

Years Ego.
To the Editor: At the request Ct Ivy
friend, Mr.. II. W. Jackson, ! vii Try
to edit Il number of anecdo-"s ana in
cidents said to be about my noble father,
the late Rev. Drury Lacy, ID. d. l
will not vouch for any OF them, simrl,
tell the tale as it was told 10 me-. and
leave the reader to believe them or not
as suits his own sweet will. Some Of
them are no doubt true, some are TO
mances founded on fact. while others
are fiction, pure and simple. Which IS
which, and which is not which ] do not
know. Why do | say at the request or
Mr.. Jackson: Because the only clam
I have to tracing ancestry IS III TIL"
traits of my character, and by the anN-
iety l always feel to lay all blamc On
someone else, or at least have SOME one
to help HE share it, proves beyond n
reasonable doubt that | am q 'ineal de-
scendant Of Adam, although | cannot
trace the line without some decided
breaks.
Now for my story. The Kcy. Druly
Lacy was born i'll Virginia in loG2. his
should not be held against him as ne
could not have possibly helped il. He
did the very best he coHld, he care 70
this State IN early manhood ard his
life work was done here. Once when
in q discussion in P~resbytery he was ac-
cused Of being q Virginian ne would
not deny it, but made an eloquent do
fence and carried his point whea he
said. 'NiFginia is my mother and | love
her as such, but | left her to set up
Observation-Disclosures 5a,. ,n,-rnlf md Ioyo
North Carolina as my Wife
When he was a young man lie WAS
almost perfect plysically-six fcct tai
in stocking feet. weighed neatly two
hundred pounds with not q pound or
superiuous flesh: he never met his
equal in strength until age and DIS
ease had softened and weakened has
muscles. When Il party of friends pass
ed him on the roau with Il pack Of fox
hounds in full cry, his horse became AZ
most Interchangeable trying to joNn the
chase. SpTinging to his feet he cauSh,
the horse by forelock and hose and
throw him to the ground and neii Eim
until the last echo OF the chas,. was
stillCu.
Once Wnen holding 4 series % meet
ings, IA Young man, member OF one of
the Oldest and most ariStocratlc families,
protested religion under his preaching.
He asked for reason for joining tic
Presbyterian church. said that als en-
tire family We're Episcopalians. DIR.
Lacy asked. rs your mother \ CbTls-
tian:" With Il good deal Of D. lie he
answered., Yes, sir, ii there ever was
one on earth" Then said DIR. Lacy,
II decline to discuss the subject with
you. l am not trying to make Preshy-
terians, but Christians, and her church
is good enough for You. You will dc
more good not to change When the
late DIR. Pritchard told that story he
said: Il can well believe it. BE was
the very best fisherman l ever knew
never try to string his fish. | would
rather follow Hmm through the Star.
than any man | ever knew because he
got people in the right frame Of mine
to join the Baptist church,
An old 1rishman friend, who has since
gone to his reward. told me that when
the capitol was being built IN 1850, one
day at dinner the Scotch and Irish stone
cutters were testing their strength by
lifting. when Il tall, handsome gentle
man i'll broadcloth and 4 spotless white
shirt came UP. and after each man had
shown his strength he asked PERMISSION
10 ITN. JulS lIONOktN Il LINZ ~
what was their amazement when he out
lifted the strongest. One young athlete
l%aughingly said, eff l cannot out-lift
you can out-run YOU" To e~verybody's
surprise the gentleman accepted the
challenge and the workmen ranged them
selves along Fayetteville street to the
intersection of Hargett. When the
word was given. with shouts and cheers
OF the men. the stranger easily showed
the stone-cutter his heels. When the
crowd again gathered where Washing
ton statue now stands, tho opinion CT
the men had undergone q great change
None knew who he was, but he TOLD
them that he was pastor OF the brlch
church on the corner and he wanted &c
get acquainted with them. After Benz
introduced to all the Presbytei1ans and
telling them hat he expected 10 sec
them at church. he then asked - II
introduced To the Catholics. There
were between fifteen anti twenty OF
| them: he told them that they had nc
| church in this part Of the State; thai
they should worship somewhere; thai
| they would never hear a word to hurt
| their feelings about their church and II
| wanted them TO attend, and my ols
friend said. I'VE did attend. l neye
was any more regular at my own church
but l had it to do; if one Of us was mss
ing he always came around on Monda,
morning to know what was the matter
A fellow might get a little tight on Sat
urday night, but he always managed
to get sober enough to 80 TO church OF
Sunday" l believe most of this, as
have heard my father say that thost
Catholics were regular attendants ant
the best listeners he ever had, especial
ly Mr.. John O'Houk. who always trlet
to take issue with him on Monday i
he preached anything that did not co
incide with his views. But imagine
the handsome pastor Of the prlnclpa
church in the town in bouts of strength
II running ii foot race on the prlnclpa
street to secure the respect and to bt
able to exert an influence over Il body