Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1921-06-23
Fifty Years in the Ministry
No. 81.


There are many things coming
across a minister's life which are
some times very embarrassing and
some times quite inspiring. Early in
life there lived a young Cumberland
preacher at Commerce near where
was reared. There grew up a kind of
jealousy between US as to which was
the greater hero. Generally young
preachers are possessed with feel
ing they are the it of the whole COM
munity. They gradually get over it
as they learn more and more how
little they do know. The most pitt
able man in the world is the man who
thinks he knows it all and the people
know he knows next to nothing at
all. The young preacher L refer to
was Howell Lanham. He and | were
great giants in intellects and spell
binders in our early ministries. It
was little grating on my nerves to
see him advancing and the same with
him when | seemed to be on the up
grade. The people were divided as
to which of the two were the smart
er. To test the matter a debate was
suggested for US and we accepted the
proposition. The subject selected was
Resolved that Columbus deserved
more credit for discovering America
than Washington for defending it.
Lanham took the Columbus side and
l the Washington side. Each chose
an assistant. He selected Joe Faust
of Lebanon and / selected my oldest
brother, James B. Oakley. The time
came with packed house. Judges
were chosen and the battle was open
ed by young Lanham. He made a fine
speech, covering Columbus with glory
for discovering our great country. l
followed with the best | could, eulo-
giving the immortal Washington for
saving it. Mr.. Faust of Lebanon fol-
lowed and painted the skies with the
glory Columbus deserved for discov-
ering these western wiles. He simply
swept the deck and for the time being
all hope of victory for my side had
vanished. Brother Jim, whom I had
chosen with the hope of winning the !
day, rose against tremendous odds
and unsurmountable arguments which /
had just fallen from the oratorical !
lips of Mr.. Faust. Brother jim took |.
in the situation and addressed the !
audience thus: Honorable Judges, /
Ladies and Gentlemen. | have listen |.
ed with great delight and profit to /
the speeches euolgizing Christopher
Columbus, who braved the storms of
continent of North America and rap
ture swept over my soul as the fame
of Washington, the defender of our
native land was so truthfully por-
trayed, but, with all these glowing
tributes to these worthy immortals l
am here to differ with the distin- !
guished speakers just heard All hon
or to both Columbus and Washington /
but there is man in my humble /
judgment deserving more honor than /
either and that man is the immortal /
Lafayette. And the speech that fol- I
lowed caught the crowd and lifted the
judges high in the air and all began 4
cheering and Jim mounted higher and I
higher until Columbus and Washing +
ton faded from sight and Lafayette T
stood before judges and audience the /
greatest hero of all time. The judges
retired and in two minutes returned !
with the following verdict: Ladies'
and Gentlemen: cit is the candid opin- |
ion and unanimous verdict of the I
judges that Lafayette deserves more (
honor than either Columbus or Wash
ington" and the crowd went wild. II
confess l didn't like it much and Ian
ham was worse disappointed than /
for he had had the battle won. When
the tumult died down / asked Brother |
Jim why he took such a route in the .
debate. He replied: "John, have you
lost all the sense you had? Don't I
you know the battle was lost and
some thing had to be done? l took
the only route out of almost certain
defeat" And he was correct about
it. Personally l was glad he took the
turn he did. Neither Lanham or my
self got any sort of advantage in that !!
discussion.
A very important lesson may be
suggested by this incident of the long
ago. There are problems and per-
plexities and defeats threatening US
all along the way and happy the man
or woman who can fall on some plan
to lead on to victory or get by the
threatening difficulties My brother
didn't want to see his brother defeat
ed and he, himself, side tracked the
subject for discussion for my benefit
and this without injury to himself.
The truth is he got more honor and