The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-06-12
Bill Arp Reviews Some HumCr of
Long Ago.
A FLATBOAT PREACHERS TALK
"And He Played on Harp Of a Thou
sand Strings - Spirits Of Just Men
Made Perfect"
(Bill Arp in Atlanta Constitution,


sermon that went round of the south
ern press some fifty years ago and was
known as the Harp OF q Thousand
Strings" Not long ago quoted a para
graph from it and friend writes ne
from East FelicianS. La, anj says that
the author Of that quaint old sermon
lived and died in that parish and his
daughters and grandchildren live there
now and are his near nelgnDorS.
Strange to say, the author was a min
lister Of the gospel serious, solemn and
devoted to his calling and for long
time it was not known chat the humof-
Gus writings over the signature OF
"Zedekiah the Scribe" came from his
giften pen. But some preachers cant
help seeing and enjoying the lndlcrous
side of human nature. Sidney smith,
the famous English divine, was as SOL
emn as the grave on solemn occasions,
but he inhaled a great deal of merri-
ment without a smile. He PROVOKED
others to the most Gonvulsive laughter,
but gave no sign save in the twinkle OF
his eyes. Judge Longstreet, the emil
nent iurist, the learned preacher, tfS
dignifed president of two colleges and
a university and the author OF "Geor-
gia Scenes" was similar type. | met
him often during my youth, and 90 not
recall that he INDUCED in humorous
anecdote The last time l met him was
during the war in the office or the 20
lumbus Enquirer, when he INDUCED IN
bitter sarcasm against some Gecrg!ans
whom he called traitors abstructionlsts.
| could hardiy imagine that he It was
who nodded the inimitable characters
Of Ned Brace and Ramsey Smile.
Johns Hooper was not preacher, but
always a sedate and very dignlaed gen.
tleman. He was secretary OF the en-
bryo confederacy that assembled IN
Montgomery and there was no sign o.
Simon Suggs" or Taking the Census
in his solemn department. My oDSer-
vation has been that the best story
telIers and CONVEX. 'tionalists have the
least inclination to write or publish
their own scintiilation. 1t was common
to say of my old partner, On! rare
Judge Underwood" but | could never
induce him to put pen to paper in that
line. He said that good story o. flash
of wit and humor lost its relish DJ
writing it, for the tone Of voice, the ac-
cent, the piquancy, the facial express
sions could not be recorded.
When the Rev. ]. T. Lewis wrote this
sermon it was not uncommon Tor anna
teur preachers to perform up and down
the western rivers and thus advertise
their business, which was principally
fiat boating and peddling their produce.
Lorenzo Dow took continental jour-
news from Maine to Texas, but he was
a pretty good orthodox preacher. These
fat boat preachers were a rough ana
tumble set and tangled up the scrip
lures awfully, but they could draw the
crowds and their whiskey was good
card. It was, an orthodox product then
and preachers and the people were as
fond of it as old Father Noah, who was
a preacher of righteousness. ReV. MT.
Lewis does not give this preachers
name. but his sermon has been sent me
by my friend and l give 1t to your
readers as it was given to me. When II
first came forth we thought 1t mex
.pressibly funny. 1t is not so funny no"
to the old people, but the younger gen.
Grafton are more easily amused tnan
the veterans and for their sake ap-
pend it. A pretty school girl recited II
last week at the commencement eXer-
cises of our public school and she dlo
il we'll and brought down the house.
This sermon was said to have been
preached at Port Hudson, where the
amateur divine had "tied up for the
double purpose Of observing the SAD
bath and selling whiskey.
may say to you, my bretherlng,
that | am an edicated man, an l am
not one of them as believes that edica-
ton is necessary for gospel minister,
for believe the Lord edicates his
preachers jest as He wants 'em to be
edicated; an although l say 1t tnat
ouehtn't to say it, yet in the state OF
Indianny, where live, thar's no man
as gets bigger congregations nor Wnat
| gifts.
Thar may be some here today, my
brethering, as don't know what persua-
sion | am Nv. Well, must say to you,
nv brethering, that L a Hare. Sheli
Baptist. That's some folks as don't IKE
the Hard Shell Baptists, but had
rather have hard shell as no she'll at
all. You see he here today, my breth-
ring. dressed up in good clothes; you
mont think l was proud, but | am nof
proud, my brethering, and although l
have been a preacher Of the gospel 1or
twenty years, an although I'm captln
of the fiat boat that lies at your land
ing, I'm not proud, my brethring, ah.
am not gwine to tell edzactly Whar
nv text may be found; suffice 1t to say
il is in the leds Of the Bible, and youll
find it somewhere between the hrst
oh q nter of the book of Generations, and