The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-08-29

fly; and so sudden would be the Jerking of the
head that their long loose hair would crack al
most as loud as wagoner's whip
From this 1t may be inferred that this ex-
FOUNDER of the "oldtime religion" didn't ap-
prove OF .'ladies Of fashion," This impression
Is strengthened by his statement that they
would faint II they had to walk 100 yards In
the sun without parasol. they were braced and
stayed to such an extent that they could not
step more than six eight inches at a time.
Should they by any accident happen to lose their
mornings and fall, they are imprisoned with so
many unmentlonables that they could not get up
again."
Just he dlsapproved OF such vainglorious
folk In the larger settlements of the Middle West,
SO did he have his own methods OF rebnking the
supercilious attitude of big city dwellers toward
country folk. On his first visit to New York
he went to the famed Aston House. A naughty
clerk regarding the roughly-clad frontiersman
us a regular hayseedn assigned him to a room
away up under the roof. In little while a bell
from That room summoned the servant who had
shown the circuit rider to his quarters.
No sooner Ind the servant returned from his
trip up several flights of stairs tfor there were
no elevators In those days) than he was called
back This repeated several times until
finally/the servant reported to the clerk that the
guest in that room must be crazy" Asked to
explain, he replied: 1.-THE first time he called me
up there he wanted to know how we were get
ting along down here The next time he was
bothered by the bell on the city hall and want
ed to knew where the fire was This last time
he said he wanted nm ax"
An ax?" asked the clerk ncredulously.
Eyes, sir an Ak"
what In creation does he want with an AK"
i don't know, sir, but he insisted that he must
have one"
So the clerk climbed up to the distant room
and demanded an explanation Of the unusual re-
quest
why. you see" said Cartwright cheerfuy,
hack In my state when a man has ii distance
to go In a strange country he blnzes his way
with ax, so that he may know how to get
back. | want to leave my room, and | want to
blaze my way so that can find 1t again"
who are you, anyway" asked the astonlshed
clerk
My name Is Peter Cartwright" replied the old
man humbly and Immediately he was given d
better room, for the fame Of the great circuit
rider had penetrated even to the benghed In
habitants of Manhattan.
Cartwright was not only one of the most noted
circuit riders this country has ever known but
he was also prominent figure in politics In the
period before the Civil war; When the Metho-
dist church divided on the slavery question In
1914 Ga schlsm which lasted for so years. Cart
wright stood firmly upon his principles decar-
Ing God will show my deluded brethren the
error OF their way and bring them back to the
way Of righteousness" However, he was not In
favor OF trying to solve the slavery problem by
force, for he said u believe the most successful
way to ameliorate the condition Of the slaves |
and Chrstianlze them and finally secure their
freedom Is to treat their owners kindly and not
NEEDLE politically with slavery
In 1886 Cartwright was the Democratic candi- |
date for congress from an Illinois district bur |
ne lost In the election to young lawyer named
Abraham Lincoln. Thirteen years later he was I
an ardent supporter of the candidacy of Lin
coins famous debate. opponent, Stephen A. Doug
las, for the Democratic nomination for President
and made impasscned speeches In Douglas be-
half.
by 1863, when the Civil war was at Its height /
Cartwrights views on slavery had undergone
change In that year q Methodist conference
was held at Springfield, ILL.,, and 1t was to be
opened with prayer meeting to ask for success
Tor the Union army and speedy peace The
venerable Uncle Peter" Cartwright was chosen
70 oner up tue nrst prayer. 20. Lord, If slavery
be the cause of this cruel war. remove IT, no
cried. loud chorus OF amens followed Then
Cartwright cried out 20 Lord remove IT anv
wayl' and louder chorus OF samenslr than
ever before went up from the fhrong gathered
there.
Cartwright lived to see his prayer answered
He died at his home near Pleasant Plains III.
on September Is, 1872, at the age OF lightweight.
leaving behind him a record which has few
equals In the annals OF the church In America
g We1teru Nsvan,n.r IJnior 81