The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-10


for Parson FEEDERS sick baby boy. in
the presence OF the rich>Jerry Larkum,
how Larkum said II was easy enough.
as the boat left next day. and asked
Brother Fielder II he needed any funds :
how the timid man of God admitted
that he had spent nearly the last cent
that day for medicine. how Larkum got
on his horse and rode away. how the
boat left the next day without the
baby. how a week later the preacher
laid the little one away in the grave
yard. confessing with a broken heart
that he had been too proud to ask for
help to take his child to the seashore,
and how the community woke up to its
neglect too late. Some Of these elect
OF God. after years of labor and suf-
fering, fell at last alone by the way
or in the painless forests and were
found. some prone on the earth. some
still on Bonded knees and were borne to
their resting places by the hands of
strangers. There is many a forgotten
grave dug in our American soil by the
thoughtless Indifference Of an unappre-
ciative people. But there ts another
side to the picture. There was many
q royal spirit then as now working out
the poets ideal:
Let me live In a house by the side of
Where the race Of men go by.
The men who are good and the men
who are bad,
AS good or as bad az !.
would not sit in the scorner's seat
Or hurl the cynic's ban,l
Let me live n = house By the side of
And be a friend to man.
see from my house by the side of the
road,
BY the side Of the highway OF life,
The men who press on with the ardor
The men who are faint with the
strife. s
But turn not away from their smiles
or their tears.
Both parts of an INFINITE plan.
Let me live in house by the side Of
And be friend to man.
There was high fellowship when the
itinerant met such soul. These be-
came the men behind" and out from
their successors comes the great Lay
mems Movement destined to create a
new era in world history. Backed by
such heroes, Methodist preachers, Moth
ing daunted at apparent failures. have
made paths across seas and over con-
tinents and sung and preached the glad
tidings round the world until the sun
never sets on Methodist territory and
by tomorrow will never rise on a be-
nighted land. Sturdevant reported no
church and not single member at the
end of the first year. But the second
two men instead OF one were sent to
the Tombigbee.
The coming of the great camp meet
ing is an example of their ability to
make q way to the largest service.
Originally Presbyterian, and then dis
carded by that church. IL was taken
over by the Methodists. Hundreds. Of
ten thousands, would come in wagons,
carts, on horseback, afoot, a hundred,
perhaps two hundred miles to hear the
gospel. Along with these would come
the photographer with his big tent, the
horse Jockey. vendors of whiskey, of
confectlonaries, the gambler with his
outfit, the sport, the bully and the
rowdy. On mischief bent, and cos
mopolitan village would spring up In
day In the woods. The presiding
would organize town council, police
tthe grounds. extemporize guard house
and Wednesday the meeting would be-
gin. The horn. conch or long tin
bugle, would blow at 6, 8, II, 8 o'clock,
and "early candle-light" for the people
to assembleNin the tabernacle built In
the middle of hollow square or circle
of temporary tents or shanties. The
whole square would be lighted by pine
knot fires in front OF every tent and on
small stands arranged at regular in
tervals around the grounds. Entertain
ment was free to all Corners. These
people were here on one business. And
such preachingi None that ever saw
Gang forget those powerful meetings.
And at the close Of every service moan
ings and groanings Of penitents pros
trated around the altar were mingled
with the singing and shouting and ex-
horting and pleading with the impeni-
tent and with God by preachers and
workers. And this would go on far
into the night. When the camp meet
ing ended wide areas of the country
would be dotted with new converts, to
become in time new centers of evan
gelism.
The heroic courage OF these men of
God and their successors is nowhe ere
more apparent than in an annual con-
ference. Who can describe the feel
ings that surge through their hearts as
they come up out of suffering. strug-
gle, incessant labors and apparent fall
ures, some leaving. it may be, lonely
grave among strangers, others with a
life-sorrow clutching at their hearts.
and all sing together the hymn with
which every conference opens:
And are wet yet alive,
And see each others face,
Glory and praise to Jesus give,
For HIS redeemina grace