The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-21
INCIDENTS IN REV,
DRURY LACY'S LIFE
A Strong Man Morally Men,
tally, Physically.
MlQHlMIA lIC MOTHER
VIRGINIA HIS MOTHER
HE LOVED NORTH CAROLINA
AS HIS WIFE,
THROWING A HORSE. A GOOD SPSINTER
Amusing Incident in Sermon on Prayer. II
Had Lived There Until Now Would
Have Been Dead Five
Years Ago"

10 the EttltOf: Al lne icp'NH- " "
friend, Mr.. II. w Jackson, Nil ty
to edit a number of anecd0:"S ana IN
clients said TO be about my noble father.
the late Rev Drury Lacy, d. ~ l
will not vouch for any of them, SIMPLY
tell the tale as it was told TO ne. ana
leave the reader to believe them or rot
as suits his own sweet will SOM "l
them are no doubt true, some are fos
mances founded on fact, while others
are fiction pure and simple. " hicE Is
which, and which is not which ] do not
know. Why do | say at the request or
Mr.. jackson? Because the only clam
have to tracing ancestry IS III the
traits of my character and by the anX-
iety | always feel to lay all blame On
someone else, or at least have some one
TO help me share it, proves beyond Il
reasonable doubt that | am iineal de-
scepdant of Adam, although | cannot
trace the line without some decided
breaks.
Now for my story The Rev. Druly
Lacy was born III Virginia i'll lSl2. Ihls
should not be held against him as nc
could not have possibly helped i. He
did the very best he cC~ld, he came To
this State in early manhood ard his
life work was done here. Once When
in a discussion in Presbytery he was ac-
cused of being Virginian he would
not deny it, but made an eloquent d.
fence and carried his point whca he
said. Virginia is my mother aid love
her as such. but l left her To- set Up
housekeeping for myself, and love
North Carolina as my wife.
When he was II young man b. was
almost perfect physically-s feet TAI
in stocking feet, weighed neatly tWo
hundred pounds with not Il pound q;
suLerfuous flesh; he never met E's
equal in strength until age and Cis-
ease had softened and weaNenrd his
muscles When a party of friends pass
ed him on the road with pack Of fox
hounds in full cry his horse became a.
most unmanageable trying to ioin tho
chase. Sprineing to his feet he caught
the horse by forelock and hose and
threw him to the ground and held him
until the last echo of the chase was
stilled.
Once when holding series Of meet
ings, Il young man, member Of one OF
the GluPSI anu I1pSl dliStcNiutAN Atiih''f' =.
Drofessed religion under his preaching.
He asked for reason for joining the
PRESBYTERIAN church, said that hls Ell
tire family were Episcopalians. DR..
Lacy asked. us your mother Chris
tian?" With good deal of p.ic he
answered. yes, sir, if there ever was
one on earth" Then" said DR. Lacy.
Il decline to discuss the subject with
YOU. | am not trying to make Presby-
tcrians, but Christians, and her church
is good enough for you. You will do
more good not to change. When the
late DR. Pritchard told that story he
said: II can we'll believe it. He was
the very hest fisherman | ever knew
never try to string his fish. | would
rather follow him through the Stair
than any man | ever knew because he
got people i'll the right frame of mind
to join the Baptist church
An old Irishman friend, who has since
gone to his reward. told me that when
the capitol was being built in 1880, one
day at dinner the Scotch and Irish stone
cutters were testing their strength by
lifting. when tall, handsome gentle
man in broadcloth and spOtless white
Shirt came up. and after each man had
shown his strength he asked permission
to try. This provoked smile but
what was their amazement when he out
lifted the strongest. One young athlete
laughingly said, IF | cannot ou-litt
YOU | can out-run you. To everybody 5
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, the opinion CT
the men had undergone u great change.
None knew who he was, but he told
them that he was pastor OF the brick
church ON the corner and he wanted &c
Get acquainted with them. After lei.
introduced TO all the Presbyte;Tans and
telling them that he expected 10 see
them 1T church, he then asked - rc
introduced to the Catholics. There
were between fifteen AMI twenty OF
them: he told them that they had ne
church i'll this part of the State; tha
they should worship somewhere: thai
they would never hear a word TO hurt
their feelings about their church and ire
wanted them to attend, and my old
friend said, I'VE did attend. | never
was any more regular at my own church.
but l had it TO do: if one of us was miss
ing he always came around on Monday
morning to know what was the matter
\ fellow might get a little tight on Sat
urday night, but he always managed
10 get sober enough to 90 to church on
Sunday" / believe most of this. as |
have heard my father say that those
Catholics were regular attendants and
the best listeners he ever had. especial
IL Mr.. John O'Rouk. who always tried
TO take issue with him on Monday if
he preached anything that did not CO
incide with his views. But imagine
the handsome pastor of the principal
church in the town in bouts of strength,
and running "a foot race on the principal
street to secure the respect and to be
able to exert an influence over a body
Of workmen. most, if not all, foreigners.