Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-11-25
SAM JONES AND HIS BROTHER.
HISTORY OF TWO NOTABLE AND POP
ULAR PREACHERS OF GEORGIA.
ONE METHODIST THE OTHER
BAPTIST.

ONE METHODIST THE OTHER
BAPTIST.
There are two preachers in Carriers.
vile, Ga, who are brothers. They baal
the name of Jones and are wisely
known. One is Sam Jones, the Metho.
dist evangelist and lecturer, and the
other is Joe j. Jones. the Baptist evan
gelst. Both of these men have tasted
the dregs of dissipation.
The Jones family came from Cham
bers county. Ala, the father of the
boys being Captain John j. Jones.
Major W. F. Slator was teaching
school over there, and was attracted
by the brightness of Sam, then young
ster of seven. Even at that early age
he was gifted with "gab," and loved
to stand up and speak before large
audiences. Major SIator wrote for Sam
a speech that be delighted to say, and
it always brough down the house. Sam
was always full of life and mischief,
and even in his boyhood despised dull
tune.
After bis father moved to Carriers
vile Sam secured possession of an old
mule and wagon. The animal bore the
name of Dave. and Sam, who had al
ways been attracted by things pertain
ing to the railroads, trained him to 60
on and stop and blow like locomo-
tive. One long blow meant stop; two
short blows. go on, and three to back
up. Old Dave was trained to perfec
tion, and sometimes, with a wagon
load of boys. Sam could be seen speed
ing through the town, old Sam on q
dead run. Suddenly Hoo oo.o'; would
sound out, and throwing himself on his
launches the mule would stop stock
still, and the boys would tumble head
long out of the wagon.
When he was IS years old Sam went
off to school, and on his return had con-
tracted the fatal habit of drink. There
could be no half way doing with such
a man as Sam Jones, and he went to
his very limit, and came near wreck
ing bis body, mind and soul, He went
from depth to depth. trampling the
hearts of his loved ones beneath bis
feet. They grieved over him and did
everything in their power to get him
to give up drink. but to no avail.
There came a day when the aged
father sickened and came down to bis
death bed. He sent for bis hayward
son, and with his failing breath beg
gedshim to reform. For GOD 3 sake,''
said he, "quit drinking and be man."
Falling on bis knees by the bed the
miserable young man promised his
father that he would give up whiskey,
and be did sober up.
On Sunday the father died. The
next week DR.. William H. FELTON,, the
preacher er-COngressman, the modern
edition of Patrick Henry, started an
old fashioned country meeting in lit
tie wooden building known as FELTON, g |
chapel, since the Doctor built it, and
there preached the Gospel. A part of |
the building is still standing. 1t is |
four miles from Gainesville, and is oc-
cupied as a residence.
Sam and his brother Joe went to the |
meeting. DR.. FELTON, preached from
the text. us there no balm in Gilead,
no physician there %
When mourners were called to the
altar Sam was the first to respond, and |
kneeling there in that little country
meeting house be gave his heart to |
God and became a Christian. DR.. Eel
ton pointed to him and said:
There's going to be preacher of |
the Gospel" The young man was i'm |
pressed with the thought, and the next |
week he preached his first sermon. He |
has been at it,even since, and bis name
is known in every State in the Union. |
During the time that So m was dissi- |
patlng Joe was sober man, with a !
wife and several children. But year |
after Sans conversion be began to
drink, just to chow that be was not
hidebonnd, of course. and that he was
man enough to quit whenever he want
ed to.
1t was the same old sad story. He
went from bad to worse in spite of the
pleading of bis loved ones. He lost
much of his self-respect, and would
often appear in town in state of in
toxication. One day friend, r. A.
Clayton, who is still lin Cartersville,
and who is better known as Dick
Clayton, met him on the street, as us
aal, under the influence of whiskeY.
Joe" said he. 81 am your friend,
but l am ashamed of you. You are
so low down you are no longer respect
able.''
1t was random shot, but it struck
the mark. 1t ranked in the heart of
the miserable man. He went home,
and during the next day, which was
Sunday, he tried to wash it out in
whiskey, but 1t would not wash out.
Joe then lived about a mile and
half north of Cartersville, on the West
1ern and Atlantic Railroad. Some time
Sunday night his whiskey gave out.
His money was also gone, and he was
| in misery. Before daylight he found
| gold breastpin belonging to bis wife,
| and with that in his pocket he hurried
| to town.
When the saloon opened be was there
| and he succeeded in trading off his
breastpin for two quarts of whiskey.
Before leaving town he emptied one of
them down his throat. He started
home just as the day was dawning.
His brain was in a wild tumult, and he
staggered along the track. The eraly
train for Atlanta came in sight. He
saw the cleaning eye and heard the