The Tupelo journal., 1906-04-06
TUpELo, MISSISSIPPI FRIDAY APRIL 6. 1906.
pEN-pITURES OF THE OLDEN TIME
BY COL w /. CLAYTON.

still linger on my hands, bu
II hope my readers will no
become weary of reading of them
You know, like priests, like
people,. is a saying of the Older
time. There is much truth ir
the saying. Ifthe preachers Of
a country are God fearing men
leading the people right by THEN
pious and Cody example, the
people are apt to follow in a large
measure in the same course; while
on the other hand, if the ministers
are looking out alone for self,
and profess to be following in
the way of righteousness because
of the loaves and fishes" which
they get, God save the people
| have now to speak of some
more ministers Of old Itawamba
who lived among us in the long
ago, and who made their living
largely by their own labor on the
farm or whose living was obtain
ed by work of their slaves. The
father of S. T. Harkey, president
of the First National Bank OF
Tupelo, was a minister of the
M. E. Church. | never knew
his christian name, but | remem-
Der hearing hlla preach in the
early fifties at old Andrews S
Chapel. He was a tall man,
well proportioned, black hair par
ted in the middle, havinga a bright
and flashing eye, and a very
pleasant manner.
He was a very enthusiastic
preacher, earnest in the presen-
tation of truth, strong in argu-
mentation, and convincing and
almost overpowering in his
peroration. Mr.. Harkey may
have been on the circuit in earlier
days, but of this | am not in
formed. When | knew him he
was living in a comfortable home
with his family in the country,
and known as a local preacher,
but he preached every opportun-
ity. | never had the pleasure
of meeting the Rev. Mr.. Harkey
in his home, and do not know
the exact place where he lived,
but | have an repression it was
not very far from Andrews Chap
ell. He was a man of character
and integrity, and was power
for good in his community. ]
myself never knew but two
members of his family, Mr.. S.
7. Harkey, and Mrs. Laney,
though I know there We're others
Another cid time preacher,
whom I knew in those early
times, was Mr.. John Burdine,
whose house | have visited, and
who lived near Andrews Chap.
ell in old Itawamba county. ]
do not think [ ever heard John
Burdne preach, but have heard
him conclude sermons for others,
which we used to call exhorting.
He was rather frail man from
the time | first knew him, and
did but little preaching after
| He was in comfortable circum-
stances financially, and did not
rely upon his preaching for a
living. He was rather a heavy
made man, sallow complexioned,
clean shaved, heavy eye brows
and a keen and piercing eye.
He was a Methodist Of the old
school, so to speak, by which !
mean, he was intensely methodist
He was a man of strong opinions
and strong feelings, making up
his judgment on any proposition
and never changing. Iremember
at the time [ came to the bar,
there was law suit pending in
the circuit court at Fulton, which
had been appealed from a Justice
court, in which Dave Traylor was
plaintiff and John Burdine was
defendant, and in which at the
final wind up. Traylor only claim
ed that he was entitled to have
| Judgment for two cents, in
order that he might not have te
paw the costs, which amounted
| to about one thousand dollars.
But Burdine was successful, ano
would have carried the case tc
supreme court, if he could have
| done so before he would have
paid it. He felt sure he was ir
the right, and the rule he madt
was to make no compromise wher
in the right. | am writing his
tory and not commencing this
trait in his. character, but those
who knew the Rev. John Bur.
dine never questioned his up
rightness. He raised large
family of children, the most Of
whom, if not all, still live, bu'
scattered in several different
states.
The Methodist had an Eldel
preaching in this country before
the war BY the name of Blackwell
who was a very powerful preach
er. / do not know what became
lof him after he left there, but
iwhile there he made a fine i'm,
lpressiori for good. ! have hearf
him preach at old Fulton unit