The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-10

IHE MOE
located. lis had died. many Of them
from exposure, thirty one had been sx-
PEELED. nineteen had Withdrawn. $50
were stu active. The whole number
of locations exceeded those then ef-
fective by seventy-efght. These great
souls learned by doing. but they learn
ed. Out OF countless blunders and fail
ures they came forth masters OF their
art.
Manyuaded Men.
The manysidedness Of their discip-
line IL but little appreciated. Tne'
tedious travelling on horseback, afoot,
exposed to all kinds of weather, the
multiplicity Of drafts on mind ana
body. required more than ordinary
physical endurance. Their Souls
springs must be kept flowing freely.
ample for all the thirsty. that come
to drink. Like their master. they
went about ali their days trying TO
give. themselves away. II the essence
of oratory be the actual moving OF the
human will, they were great orators.
For they could not be surpassed In
bringing men face to face with the
issues of life and cath and forcing
sinner "hairhung and breezeshaken
over the bottomless pit" till he would
fall paralysed with terror and cry
aloud for mercy or stink away trenb-
ling tos fight IL out alone. Nor were
they often happier than in a great doc
trinal debate. Dr. West tells us of one
of these. A gifted preacher of an
other denomination came to FRANKLIN,
Tenn, and so Impressed the people that
religious revolution" was imminent.
He finally challenged whom 1t might
concern to a public debate on the doc
trines which he emphasized In his
creed. Upon consultation the Metho-
dists selected as theirf champion the
Rev. Turner Saunders The debate was
agreed to, and the day was appointed
when the people might assemble to
witness the poiemics. A vast crowd
assembled. The debate continued three
days. Saunders demolished the here
sizes of his antagonist. AT the con-
clusion of the debate document con-
tanning subscriptions of new converts
as high as two hundred dollars apiece
toward securing the ministerial SER
vices of this man was torn up before
the crowd and the newcomer left 70
be seen no more"
And who could sing like these itine-'
rants?%I can see them now. as saw
them when was q boy. leading great
camp meeting crowds, singing ana
shouting alternately, and the contagion
spreading like wild-fire until vast
,, crowds would sway before them ike
forests before March winds. Then I'm
prayer, how they wrestled with God.
and won. They were never strangers
to Him. They met Him face to face
and talked to Him as friend to friend.
Nor was It. unimportant that they
should be practical psychologists
They knew men intuitively, could de-
tect hidden motives, hear smothered
heart-cries. find their way into iife's
holy OF holies, officiate there as the
high priest of mankind Nor were
they less sensitive to the movements
OF the social mind. They understood
the psychology of the crowd. And
they were good mixers. Genial and
| cornpanionabIe, tactfuI and easy, the
best of them were masters OF the art
| OF Conversation. AZ humorists they
were worthy successors of Wesley.
Their abundant supply OF good stories
| has helped to spread the gospel OF good
cheer around the world. But the
| humor that laughs with you might sud-
denly. upon provocation. turn to the
| wit that laughs at you. Nor were they
without physical courage. Many a
| bully. venturing too far, went away
wiser but sorer. They had on ac-
casion to play physician. veterinary
| surgeon. and practical man of affairs
sight into sociological principales. so
simple q matter as the loca-
| ton of q church in a growing town
required skill of high order. They
| had also to be practical school men, for
| the church and the school grew UP to-
| gether, and they combined largeness
| Of vision with mastery over almost
| infinite details. They could not be
strangers to the world OF the farmer.
the merchant, the trader, the lawyer,
the physician. the politician. the labor
| er, the rural housewife, the man OF
| the country and the man of the city,
the science of politics and government,
OF civil and social economy, of social
and national types,-in a word, the
| principles governing the growing of a
new society out OF diverse and alien
elements, all these would serve them
In mingling with the people.
| These children of nature and grace
| had q genius for friendship. Emerson
| says God never sends a great soul into
the world without imparting the Sec
ret to some other soul There were
| those who heard them, understood
| them, and became theirs forever.
To degree the old time circuit
rider was in self-abnegation a st.
| Francis of Assist, without his literal
/ ism, in daring religious enthusiasm q
i Savanarola without his learning, in
| debate g Webster without his provin-
cialism. in evangelistic power a White
/ field without his brilliancy. in genius
for organization a Rockefeller without
| his selfishness, in finance J. P. Nor
| gan without his money. in managing
men a Napoleon without his ambition.
in, courageous craftsmanship a Roose-
| welt without his reward.
| Do you object that the picture is
overdrawn? Do you call up in answer
| the gum log" the man that could
stay but year or two in one charge,
that could not fill acceptably circuit,
| ing eldership? Some of them have
| fallen below the standard In energy
| and efficiency, but some of these have
been natures .noblemen, friends of God
and helpers of men. Perhaps they were
more virile than tactful. Perhaps they
were self-distrustful, timfd, and were
| never discovered. Perhaps there was
| a skeleton in the closet. Perhaps there
were secret limitations. never COM
| planned of. But they did their work
| held their peace, and were not afraid
| to die. And out of their simple homes.
where pinching poverty was not "a
sstranger, have come some of the worlds
| greatest leaders in the highest things,
men and women who have wrought out
| the far-ofG dreams of the humble par
sonage Preside.
DivineIy Commissioned to Do One
| Work.
| Not withstanding all this versatility,
| the old-time circuit rider felt commits
stoned to do one work. Jesse Lee was
| three years chaplain of the United
States Congress and resigned Because