The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-05

are Marcus -. IllOlIldS anu
d. Belts. All the others, so far as
know, have crossed the river; and
should we, who remain, go to the
court house in which the Conferene
vas held in 1857. and call the roll or
the Conference and spectators how
few would be the responses. The
house was packed that day; but, l
ooubt if there are enough living to
ill "a dozen pews.
Bishop Pierce presided over seven
Conferences in this State: at Pitts
boro, 1854; Goldsboro. 1857; Green's
boro, 1868; Fayetteville, 1866; Green's.
boro, 1870; Charlotte, 1878; Durham,
1881. For tWenty-seVen years his
name was a household word in ever,
Methodist home.
| had the privilege of listening to
two very fine sermons, preached by
Bishop Duncan, at Louisburg, few
weeks ago. l had not heard him be-
fore in ten years and had almost for
gotten his voice; but the first word
he spoke brought to memory many
things / had heard him say. 1t is a
strange thing. yet nevertheless true,
that we may almost forget one, but
no sooner do we hear his voice, than
here come troops of recollections that
would never have been resurrected
had not we heard that voice again.
Bishop Duncan has a fine voice and
knows we'll how to command it. He
articulates perfectly, so that every
word he utters is distinctly heard He
has a benevolent face and in the pull
pit he is the perfect ideal of minis
ter of Christ, in appearance.
/ have mentioned his name for the
purpose of saying, that he presided
over a Conference in Goldsboro in
1892, and, an incident, that / shall
never forget, occurred which Will al
ways make me feel kindly toward
him. When the Rev. j. Il. Abernethy
was required to stand at the bar Of
the Conference and 20 be reproved for
what the committee of trial said was
Imprudent conduct, the Conference
and spectators held their breath In
expectation OF some severe words from
the Bishop. But how pleasant was
the surprise when Bishop Duncan ad-
dressing him as brother, said in tone
Cf voice so in harmony with the first
verse of the sixth chapter of Gala
tons: Brother, you have suffered
greatly. Let this be q lesson to you
to be more prudent in the future" 1t
was so tenderly and so feelingly done.
| could but say in my heart, how no
BILE! how Christiy!" Some mouthy
Bishops Cif there be such) would have
kept him standing there a half hour
repeating platitudes to him, quoting
Scriptures and heaving deep-drawn
signs. Jesus never more plainly show
ed his tender, loving heart to the
world than when he said: Neither do
l condemn thee; go and sin no more"
Some people are so pious they rear
away back. L takes the genuine kind
of religion to make q man walk up
rightly. If a man lean at all let it be
toward mercy Remembering thy
self lest thou be also tempted" was
most timely admonition of the great
Apostle to the Galatians. For if
man thinketh himself to be something
when he is nothing he deceiveth him.
self Nothing truer than that.
Bishop Duncan Che was not then {,
bishop and Rev. j. c. Hiden, ID. D.,
delivered temperance addresses here
in Raleigh in the early seventies and
both of them illustrated their speeches
with fine anecdotes. / remember
those anecdotes and thought at the
time they were very funny and aptly
applied. DR.. Hiden. portraying the
DANGER of moderate drinking told
about college mate who, in his school
days, kept a bottle in his room and oc-
casionally, he would drink almost to
intoxication. II warned him. Tins
and again." said the Doctor. telling
him each time of the danger he was
in-how a habit formed would grow
and finally become master of the
man." &c. But, he secuted the idea
OF becoming a drunkard and gave me
to understand that he could and would
take care of himself After gradual
ton we separated. l became a Bap-
fist preacher and he studied law For
years we did not meet; but | had
heard that he was a sot, and hoped
that | might never see him in a drunk
EN- condition. On one occasion / had
to preach at a country church in the
community near where my old friend
was raised, but I had no idea of see
ing him; in fact, l had not thought
of him for many a day. The weather
was cold, but a sheet iron stove had
been made red hot, and the church
was warming up, when who should
open the door and stagger in but my
old college mate. There was a vacant
seat close to the hot stove, and stag
gering to that he sat down and drop
ping his read down on his breast, be-
gan to slip and slip until he fell from
the seat right near the stove. In
moment he turned sick and began to
Nomit That seemed to relieve and So
Der him, and he turned his eyes upon
me as If d2zed. "Ah John" / said "if
you had only taken my advice when
we. Were in college together you would
never nave come to SUCH disgrace.
He hiccoughed a time or two and
said: "S-h-ch preaching, (hic) ash
you're doing ish huff to make emmy
baby s-h-ick," and he vomited worse
than ever. evidently thinking that it
was the bad preaching and not the
bad whiskey that was upsetting his
stomach.
While / am telling jokes / guess |
had as we'll tell one that Rev. CT. +.
Smith tells on himself. While he was
preaching in Greenville he missed a
gentleman one Sunday, from his con-
gregation. He met him the next day
and in answer to the question:
Where were you, yesterday" the
gentleman remarked, " | went to the
Presbyterian church, and strange to
say, l forgot to throw out my quid of
tobacco before going in"
How did you manager" asked
brother Smith.
swallowed it," said the gentle
man.
Didn't it make you sick ?" asked
brother Smith.
Sick indeed" replied the gentle
man. "A man WHO has heard you
preach for three years without being
mace SICK can't be made sick by one