The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-28

bridge" continued Mr.. White. was the
coming of a Presbyterian minister from
New York on horseback to stop the fanati-
cism of brothers whom he believed were
going insane. When he arrived he, too was
struck by the spiritual wave and joined the
mad audience i'm their religious appeals.
Probably the most interesting of all sto-
ries of the old days when men got re-
ligion' as they seldom do now. has. as far
as is known, never been printed. 1t was the
experience of Henry Clay. and happened
near his home in Kentucky. A son Of the
man who was present at the big meeting
related the story to Rev. Levi White.
HENRY CLAY'S EXPERIENCE.
In the vicinity of Henry Clay's home was
a small village which boasted of its wick
edness and prided itself on the fact that
no preacher had ever been able to break the
bar between it and the Christian world.
There were no churches in this community,
and the inhabitants were a wild and de-
cidedly reckless lot. One day while in the
village on business Clay asked permission
to bring a man to preach in the town hall
the following Sunday. The wise men, with
the smiles of those who scent future fun,
consented. Henry Clay secured the Rev.
H. B. Bascum, who was possibly the most
eloquent pulpit orator of the Methodist
Church. Clay and he were fast friends.
The appointed time for the meeting came,
and Clay and Bascum set out for the scene.
When the hall was reached it was packed,
and many were unable to even get to the
DOORS Mr.. Bascum arose after the pre-
liminary service, including hymns and
prayer. When he commenced to preach
there Immediately arose tumult of cough
ing, kissing, cat-calling, jeering and other
noises 1t was useless to continue in the
face of such odds and the speaker paused.
Just as the audience was leaving, victori-
Gus, Clay arose, and amid the conflicting
and discordant sounds shouted at the top
of his voice: 1.-THE Rev. H b. Bascum will
preach here next Sunday afternoon. know
he can preach
One week later Bascum and Clay again
sought the little hall which had seen their
crushing defeat the previous Sunday. Again
the place was packed, and in the atmos-
phere there was the same seeming assur-
ance that the incident of the week before
would be repeated. The preliminaries were
done away with this time, and the evangel-
list began at once to preach. You are a
set of rascals, and it is only by the mercy
of God that you are not in the peniten-
tiary. Even perdition is too good for you.'
were the words of the great speaker. He
was man equal to the demands of the mo-
ment. He stood six feet six inches high,
with broad shoulders. heavy jaw, high
cheekbone, piercing black eye, and jet black
| hair waving he denounced his hearers
! He was in truth modern John the Bap-
| tist The audience was nonplussed, and
when he had secured quiet the speaker pro-
ceeded to loudly proclaim the gospel as
these ignorant villagers had never dreamed
| 1t could be preached AT once a reaction
| occurred, and while the admonitions were
coming thick and fast from the platform
| the hearers began weeping and crying for
mercy. Women Historically called for help
and men wept. During this scene Henry
Clay arose, and. wildly waving his gold
headed cane, yelled loudly to Bascum:
| Give them hi, Bascum, give them h-l.'
The modern tent meeting made its ap-
pearance about twenty-five years ago, and
began In the large cities. DR.. Boole, of
New York. and ]. S. Inskip and j. A Nc
| Donald. both of Philadelphia, and f.. Ham,
mond, of Washington. D. c., were all prom
inent among the early evangelistic preach
ers who went about the country with their
tents. This revival was followed a few
years later by depression. as the variety
and newness wore off, and 1t was not until
some ten years ago that gospel meetings
again were in vogue. At the present time
they are popular, and are held all over the
country.