The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-13
A BELOVED PHYSICIAN AND
HIS HANDSOME BLACK HORSE
Dr. Edwards and Henry Clay. How Churches Used
to Fight Each Other Case of Fagg
Getting Tagged.

rev company without a dissenting voice
was let in on the ground floor and
certificate of stock, to the amount OF
thousand dollars, was made to me, when
the organization was effected. / have
that certificate now, printed on Contcd-
crate paper, and signed by Tho. Bragg"
as president. What good did it do me :?
Being a stockholder it brought me prom
inently to the front when the staff was
being made up, and was given the posi-
ton of proof reader and mailing clerk
etc, and no man had better bomb
proof than l. during the war. Was it
not lucky for me that that thousand dol
lars had not been secured by note? Had
1t been, of course l would have gone to
the war and probably got left on some
battle field. On the other hand.
might have distinguished myself, become
a general and gone to Congress after the
war; and, instead of writing "reminiscences
II might now be in the nations eye and
in the peoples hearts; if not as great as
Lee or Stonewall Jackson, big enough at
least to entitle me to a first class military
funeral when the time comes. There's
no telling what might have been. Ever
since gentleman, at a hotel in Column
DON I've had suspicion that perhaps,
after all, l might have distinguished my
self had | gone to the war; But l didn't;
and so, here l am, trying to make myself
10th useful and agreeable to the readers
OF the News and Observer. On the sub
jeut of war, I'm right smart of Quaker,
and having come thus far without shoot
ing anybody. or being shot by anybody,
how fitl Iyr do INV ind tn cNn N
the remnant of my days in peace.
Just now it occurs to my mind that
Rev. John E. Edwards was stationed at
Edenton Street M. e. Church, when Henry
| Clay visited Raleigh In 1874, and that Mr..
| Clay heard him preach. It was said, for
l was not present, that Mr.. Clay looked
like one dazed as the words flew from
the preachers lips, red hot with fervor
and with a rapidity that made 1t almost
impossible for man to catch his breath.
sS he hung upon an oratory that flashed
kand sparkled, and painted rainbows in
the heavens, and pictures of matchless
| beauty taken from Natures most en-
| rapturing scenes; that tore through the
| forest like a whirlwind, uprooting trees
i and even tearing from their beds OF
moss and ivy, the old rocks which fol
ages had slept on mountain crags: that
on the wings of love and peace, translated
| a soul from the sorrows and afflictions
of a turbulent life to that fair home O
eternal happiness and blessedness where
the Son OF God will say, as each enraptur
ed soul catches first glimpse of the
Celestial City. Come We blessed of my
Father. inherit the kingdom prepared fol
you from the foundation of the world"
l say Mr.. Clay was dazed at the preach
el~s rapidity of speech, and most of al
at the beauty of his imagery and the
Eeloquence Of his diction; for no mar
had better use of language than he.
have heard it said that Mr.. Clay pro
nounced him to be a great preacher. But
he told some one, while here, he did not
enjoy the preaching of old Peter Cart
wright so we'll, b. for the reason that one
could smell birthstone while lie was
preaching.
Some of our Baptist friends will remem
Der that Rev. J. r. Graves, distinguish
ed Baptist preacher, wrote and publish
ed book, in the early ffties, entitled
The from Wheel" 1t was a caricaturt
of the Methodist church, representing the
church by a big wheel tina
turned all the little wheels and mad,
the point as / remember, that the Metho
dist church had no independence, but HAD
to run as the big wheel turned it, etc
l didn't like that book, for ii raised
bad blood, and complicated things yer,
much, in the circle In which l was ther
having good time. There were, in those
days, some as pretty Baptist girls il
Raleigh as any town could boast OF, and
had already formed, if not expressed
the opinion, that | was liking some Of
them we'll enough to have serious in
tentions, and things were looking hope
ful. until Graves wrote thai 'Iror
Wheel" | had not exactly moved my
membership to the Baptist church, but
had Joined the choir, and attended all the
choir practices, and prayer meetings
and so forth. But when the Iron Wheel
lroiled in 1T produced CONSERVATION in the
franks, and was very much set back. My
lvcice, which. aforetime, had blended SC
nicely, tremendously and sweerIy. as
/ thought, with some other voices that
was so fond of hearing, got out of tune
and | came very near to leaving the
! choir. But few weeks sufficed to rol
that Wheel out of sight, and appear
aEces were getting better, and the sky
was clearing, considerably; and l die
not see why the whole matter might not
soon be forgotten And it would have
been had not William G. Brownlow writ
ten a reply to the Iron Wheel and
stirred up things worse than ever.
never read either book, but I did lool
at the pictures, and judging the book
by the pictures 1 expect both Of then
were full of hot stuff" not very wei
calculated to increase piety.
How the denominations did bite AM
kick each other, in the olden time,
| have listened to sermons two hours lonl
that, from beginning to ending, abused
other denominations, and made them out
worse than thieves and murderers. Blu
q better day has dawned on the Chris
rian world, and unless you know what
church you are going to, you can't tell
while the preacher is telling the story
| OF the Cross, whether he is disciple Of
| Wesley, Calvin, Knox or Roger Williams
| OF belongs TO the church that claims
| Apostolic Succession. 1t makes but lit
| tie difference where enc goes to church
| he Will be sure TO hear a gospel sermon
am glad that it is so, for have lone
since come TO the conclusion that all the