The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-30
PRAYER FOR THE DOGS
How an Embryo Methodist
Preacher Weds Girl

ooO Tcniahu was q w OnslcrFui Sill
ger and Exhorter and Il Power i'm
PrayG-Story of His Method OF
Holding a Revival.
Grey. j. G. Troy in Durham Herald.)
Bob Penland was a ruddy. rugged,
straight limbed, good natured boy liv-
ing in the mountains of North Car
DINA He was a hard worker but had
time to occasionally go hunting and
enjoy other sports characteristic OF
the section in which he lived He, with
a party of boys, one night went pos
sum hunting and rambled all night
h luck. The opossums were
either not out or the noses of the
dogs were no good. Near day light
the party halted and made a log fire
in the warmth and glow Of which they
sat down to rest and mourn over the
i'll success. The dogs were in the
circle sitting on their launches and
blinking their eyes in the light of the
fire. The entire bunch. young men
and dogs, sat very quietly nodding
and warming themselves, when, sud
denlv Bob opened his eyes and said:
Let us pray For what" answered
one of the party. why for these
durn dogs, of course replied the
jolly Bob and embryo preacher.
In after years at q prOtracted meet
ing he was converted and Joined the
Methodist church. becoming a very
active worker and subsequently en-
tering the ranks of the local minis
try. He never asked the conference
to give him admission into the regular
ranks but was used every year as q
sunp1y and in that relation became a
useful man and successful as a
preacher among the rugged people
with whom he had live all his life.
They had absolute confidence in his
religion and personal integrity
Penland was a wonderful singer and
exhorter and>as the people whom he
served said "A Power in Prayer"
At the season of revival meetings he
was at his best and nightly did he
she'll the sinners and sin; but his
heart was in the right spot. and tears
rolled down the cheeks as he pointed
the unsaved to the cross where the
burden Of sin could be rolled away. 1t
wasn't ''ditified preaching as the
folks used to say; out the simple,
! plain gospel Things were not going
smoothly enough to suit the preacher
on one occasion and from the pulpit
declared that Eben Jones was stand
inc in the way of the sinners and sit
ting in the seat of the scOrnful- There
could be no successful meeting until
he was moved in some manner, and
TO that eIO, III dIlIcu d1I III I'LL -
tians present to join with him in a
prayer to Almighty God to get Eben
away from the meeting or convert
him. The Christians all over the log
| meeting house knelt at their seats in
great humility. Then he gave all
sinners present an opportunity to be
specially remembered in hat prayer
to a throne of grace. All over the
house they unable until none re-
manned except Eben. Then brother
! Bob gave it to him with such center
shots thai he, too, went down, cry
ing for mercy.
That was Bob's style and he gath
| ered them in and always at ON
| ference reported many conversions
| Eben continued a penitent for many
| lays down at the mourner's bench.
But finally he came through an
expression for conversion in that sec
ton, after days of agony at the
mourners' bench. He was saved and
was the leader who brought others
into the fold, n Bob was happy.
He preached many years in that
| style and had souls for his hire. Never
did his salary amount to $500 in any
one year but none was h to
him. Not long ince the chariot
swun low and Bob went home: TO
that place he had so often spoken of
in sermon and song, the city OF God,
| where the wicked a from troub-
liz and the weary are at rest. He
was of the type still living In that
section. Honest. faithful, true men
who believe in am actual heaven and
ditto hell; and do not fear to preach
either side. Although he Was bu
sporting when the night Of the hunt
he advised a prayer for the logs that
had failed TO tree the 'possum- yet 1t
was but a forecast of the life he was
finally to lead, praying for those who
had not done well. When Bob had
| been called to pass on to his fathers
| it could be truly said of him, he had
served his generation Well and dehy-
| cred the goods at every station on the
road he travelled.