The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-03-23

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Heretofore in these Pen
Pictures,.' have said nothing
about the ministry, but / would
not have my readers suppose we
had no preachers in those olden
times, nor that | was then or am
now Indifferent to them or their
preaching. When we came to
Mississippi, or even up to 1856.
there were no pastorates in old
ItaWamba county, even in the
best towns. When we came in
184O / do not think there was a
church house in the county un-
less it was at Fulton, and | do
not think they had a church
building there. The Indians on
ly left here in 1886 and 1887, and
after they left and the white
people came in they had first to
build some kind of houses to live
in and then get enough people to-
gether to make at least a small
congregation before they could
build church houses. Previous
to this the people assembled for
worship at school houses or at
the residence of some settler. |
know my father used to have
preaching at his house in those
early days. The Methodists have
always pursued the policy Of
having preachers on the ground
as soon as the cabins were built
or tents erected. The general
rule with ministers though in
those early days was the preach
er worked in his farm or black
smith shop. or stood behind she
counter during the week and
preached every sabbath, receiv-
ing therefor but little if any pay.
The Methodists had many local
preachers who filed the pulpits
of the Methodist churches on
days not occupied by the regular
circuit riders, even Of charges
where there were regular minis
ters filing their appointments,
for they had preaching only once
a month by the regular ministers
in all this country in those days,
The first preacher / remember
seeing at my fathers house was
Lock E. Hankins, afterward cir
cult clerk of Itawamba county.
He was then on the circuit. /
remember but little Of his preach
ing that early, as | was SO young,
but / heard him later, and know
that he was a very earnest
preacher, but as old Uncle Burt
Moore put it, "a little scatter
ing." There was a very consid-
erable difference between the
preaching then and now. There
is doubtless more learning and
research thrown into a sermon
now than then; but the old-time
sermon was not wanting in zeal,
enthusiasm and spirituality. Men
have been trained in a different
line of thought Of late years, and
their opportunities for education
al advantages have increased
very materially. But it would
be a rather difficult problem to
undertake to make an old-timer
believe that the preaching of the
present day is more helpful to
the hearers than that which we
heard in the long ago. Among
the many preachers whom ! have
heard in the early days of the
country / will name some and
give my impression of them. Of
the Baptist preachers the most
profound whom ! now remember
was a Mr.. Moore, the father of
Judson and Harrison Moore, who
are themselves ministers in that
denomination. I do not remem-
Der Mr.. Moore's given name, but
used to enjoy his preaching at
old Richmond in 1856 and 1856
very much. He was not an ed
ucated man, but was a man of
much native ability and his SER
mons showed thought. He was
a man with ahead full of brains,
having a warm heart and an ell
ouuent tongue. He was rather
slow in moving off with his dis
courses, and sometimes rather
tedious in the first half Of his
sermon, but he who remained
with him to the close was well
paid for his patience. He was
logical, forceful and spiritual.
He wos a very retiring kind Of
man. used to country life and
ways, and never inclined
TO 90 into towns and cities. If
he had had the advantages of a.
fine education to go with his
thought, enthusiasm and spirit
uality, he would have been a
good in any country.
But every generation has its
men, and feel sure that Mr..
More served his generation faith
fullv and well. and doubtless ac-