The Democratic advocate., 1907-07-19

Old Sledge preach, you'll have to 90 ten
miles from the roads to do it.
Slowly and solemnly the preacher came.
As he drew near he narrowed down his tune
and looked kindly upon the crowd. lie
was massive man in frame, and had a
heavy suit of dark brown hair, but his face
was clean shaven, and showed nose and
lips and chin of tirmness and great deter
mination.
Look at him, boys, and mind your
eyes, said the horse thief.
"Where will I find my friend Bill
Jones p inquired tOld Sledge.
All round they pointed himto the man.
Riding up close he said "My friend
and brother, the good Lord has sent me
to you, and I ask your hospitality for my
self and my beast, and he slowly dsi-
mounted and faced his foe as though ex
pecting kind reply.
The crisis had come and Bill Jones met
it.
:'You internal old hypocrite; you cussed
old shaven- faced scoundrel; didn't you
know that had swored an oath that |
would make you sing and dance, and whip
you besides if you ever dared to pizen these
crossroads with your shoe tracks? Now
sing, d-n you, sing and dance as you
sing" and he emphasized his command
with ringing slap with his open hand
upon the parsons face.
"Old Sledge' recoiled with pain and
surprise.
Recovering in moment, he said
"Well, Brother Jones, | did not ex-
pect so warm welcome, but if this be
your crossroads manners l suppose | must
sing," and as Devil Bill gave him another
slap on his other jaw he began with
My soul, be on thy guard.
And with his long arm suddenly and
swiftly gave Devil Bill an open handler that
nearly knocked him off his feet, while the
parson continued to sing in splendid tenor
voice.
Ten thousand foes arise.
Never was lion more aroused to frenzy
than was Bill Jones. With his powerful
arm he made at Old Sledge as if to ami
hilate him with one blow, and many hor
rid oaths, but the parson Tended off the
stroke as easily as practiced boxer, aro
with his left hand dealt Bill settler or
his peppers as he continued to sing:
Oh, watch, and fight, and pray,
| The battle ne er give O er
But Jones was plucky to desperation, anc
thesettlers werewatching with bated breath
The crisis was at hand, and he squared
himself, and his clenched fists flew thick
and fast upon the parsons frame and fol
while disturbed his equilibrium and hi:
song. But he rallied quickly and begar
the offensive as he sang:
Ne er think the victory won,
Nor lay thine armor down
He backed his adversary squarely t'
the wall of his shop, and seized him by ths
throat and mauled him as he sang:
Fight on, my soul, till death
Well, the long and short of it was tina
"Old Sledge' whipped him and humblet
him to the ground and then lifted him vi
and helped to restore him, and begged /
thousand pardons.
When Devil Bill had retired to his hous'
and was being cared for by his wife. "Ol'
Sledge'' mounted box in front of tn
grocery and preached righteousness ant
temperance and judgment to come to tina
people.
He closed his solemn discourse with ;
brief history of his own sinful life before
his conversion and his humble work fo
the Lord ever since, and Stop
poor sinner, stop and think, he cried ii
alarming tones.
There were few men and many womel
in that crowd whose eyes, long unused tt
the melting mood, dropped tears of repen
tance at the preachers kind and tender
exhortation. Bill Jones wife, poor wo
man, had crept humbly into the outskirt
of the crowd, for she had long treasured
the memories of her childhood, when she
too, had gone with her good mother tt
hear preaching. In secret she had pinet
| and lamented her husbands battered to-
religion and for preachers.
After she had washed the blood from
his swollen face and dressed his wound
she asked him if she might go down ant
hear the preacher. For minute he wa
silent and seemed to be dumb with amaze
ment. He had never been whipped befor'
and had suddenly lost confidence in him
self and his infdelity.
"Go long, Sally he answered, ii
he can talk like he can fight and sing
maybe the Lord did send him. It's al
mighty strange to me" he groaned in an
guish. His animosity seemed to hav
changed into an anxious wondering curios
ity, and after Sally had gone he left hi
bed and drew near to the window wher
he could hear.
"Old Sledge' made an earnest, soul
reaching prayer, and his pleading with tn
Lord for Bill Jones' salvation and that
his wife and children reached the window
where Bill was sitting and he heard 1t
His wife returned in tears and took a sea
beside him, and sobbed her hearts dis
tress, but said nothing.
Bill bore it for while in thoughtfu
silence, and then putting his bruised ant
trembling hand in hers, said
"Sally, if the Lord sent 'Old Sledge
here, and may be he did reckon yo'
had better look after his horse AM
sure enough "Old Sledge'' stayed ther
that night and held family prayer, and tn
next day he preached from the piazza to
great multitude and sang his favorite hymn
Am I soldier of the Cross?
And when he got to the third verse hi
untutored but musical voice seemed to b
lifted little higher as he sang:
Sure I must fight if would reign,
Increase my courage, Lord.
Devil Bill was converted and became
1 A. oh,,~oh ~.