The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-19

said, the house was full ana tnoS'
sporting gentlemen were all there
When Mr.. Tillett began, he skirmish
ed awhile, firing into his own ranks
and he made it extremely warm fOl
back-sliders, those who were dolns
nothing, paying nothing and were eX
pecting to get to heaven because they
had been baptized and had joined the
church. While that skirmish was 60
ing on those sporting gentlemen
seemed greatly amused at the dis
comfiture of the backsliders whose
heads We're all hanging down FIRE.
quently when the preacher made 9
good hit, those sporting gentlemen
| would look at each other and smile
| tanned in the hit.
But, after awhile, said the gentle
man. the preacher struck that cruel
7 God-for- saken class of men who die
/ not have any nobler ambition
than to stand and see one rooster
peck out the eyes of another rooster
and bet on which rooster would lose
his eyes first There they stand,
said the preacher. filled to the GOOGLE
with brandy, their pocket books III
| their hands, curses rolling out OF
their mouths and they acting as il
crazy, while two poor, innocent chick
/ ems that have no better sense, are
| killing each other"
| By this time the back-sliders had
raised their heads but the cock
fighters, looking like criminals, had
/ dropped their chins upon their breasts
and seemed to be intently gazing upon
! the floor. IF those cock-fighters
! We're poor people, didn't have a cent
J of money, nor anything to eat, there
! might be some excuse" said the
! preacher, "for them to resort to ex-
! traordinary methods to get a morsel
/ of bread to appease their hunger; but
! they are all well-to-do; corn in the
| crib; meat in the smoke-house, and
/ money in the bank; SO they don't
4 need to engage in such q low-down
! business to get bread. Why, then do
/ they do it?'' (Their heads dropped
/ an inch or two lower). III tell you
| why? It's downright wickedness and
/ the lack of better sense"
! While the cock-fighters were catch
ing it. some noted horse-racers, who
We're scattered here and there in the
church, We're greatly amused, one of
! them actually laughing out.
About that time. the preacher,
changing the direction of his gun, let
fly as follows: How much better IS
a horse-racer than a cock-fighter
Better, did | ask? He's no better.
| y
knows that horse-racing is gambling,
and it draws in all sorts Of gamblers.
the poor as well as the rich, tempt
ing men to risk their last dollar, that
dollar which ought TO be kept sacred
for other purposes, demoralizeS even
the boys and not unfrequently draws
into its whirlpool of excitement and
temptation the weaker sex. One horse
race in a community. with all its
demoralizing attendants, will do more
to start the youth of that community
on the downward road to ruin than
any mortal can possibly imagine"
BY that time, my informant told
me. the cock-fighters had raised
their heads, and the horse-racers
We're bent down as saplings loaded
with ice. And SO the preacher con-
tinued to shell the woods, the gen.
tleman said, until he had run the
last rascal from hsi covert; and,
strange to say, he offended no one.
yidual but the sin. The object of all
preaching should be to make sin SO
mean looking as to make the sinner
ashamed of it, That, | have heard,
was what the Rev. John Tillett could
most effectually DO.
-
/ heard a good story the other day,
Of which the Rev. G.. w Ivey, the
father of DR.. T. n. Ivey, was the
hero. The old gentleman was at u
house one night where they had quite
a number Of dogs. | suppose it must
have been III the summer. as those
dogs were around and in the hou~e.
They were about having prayers;
the chapter had been read, the hymn
sung. and they had all knelt to pray
when a bench-legged flee, alarmed at
the strange proceedings, jumped upon
the chair the preacher was kneeling
beside, and set up d most ferocious
barking at him. That started the
other dogs, and for Il moment there
was a terrible racket. The preacher
reached out his hand and caught the
flee by the throat. choking him into
silence, aud the other dogs, hearing
the flee no longer, also ceased bark
ing. With Il firm grip OH the fees
throat, the preacher went OH with his
prayer. When he said amen, and let
go his hold. the flee lost no time in
getting out of the house and had no
further remarks to make.
The only comment I have to make
is. that while some people allow any
thing to interrupt their devotions.
there are others who control circum-
stances and allow nothing, not even
the barking of dogs. to hinder them.
Paul belonged to that class. He had
TO contend with dogs-barking dogs
--fices, ours and hounds, l expect
! hence he said to the Philippians:
Beware of dogs" But, with all their
snarling. swapping. whining and bark
ing. | hear him saying; II press to-
ward the mark for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus"
Paul couldn't afford to allow dogs to
keep him from his high purpose. Nor
could Father IVey allow a flee dog
10 hinder his evening devotions in
that home where more prayers and
fewer dogs were needed.
am indebted TO several persons
who have written to me lately ex-
pressing the pleasure they derive
from reading these "reminiscences. 7
am sure they get no more pleasure
out OF the reading than | do from the
writing. Thanks to all Of them for
their kind words.