Newspaper Page Text
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Jfhmilir Seeing.
A Story in Two Parts.
PART I.
On the ninth of February, 1875, my
friend, P—, invited me visit a friend
of his who was dying of consumption.
He briefly stated what he knew of
the sick man. He had been for two
years in C —, engaged in the sales
stables on street, and had made his
acquaintance in the business transac
tions of the bank. He was a Ken
tuckian, and my friend said that his
acquaintance with him convinced him
he was a man of better precedents
than his surroundings. He had not
mentioned the subject of religion to
him ; but he felt greatly interested in
him, and thought I could so approach
him as to do him good. We both con
cluded that I, being a Tennesseean,
should be introduced to him as my
friend’s pastor, and like the sick man,
a comparative stranger in C—.
The next morning, my friend P—
and I called at 41 street, where Mr.
K—, the sick man, lived. Ho was
very warmly attached to P—. His
sensitive nature had formed quite a
fondness for him, in return for his
kindness shown him in his sickness ;
and when I was introduced as P.’s
pastor, I had at once a passport
to his confidence. I remained an hour
with him, conversing about his own
sickness, the political events, the cur
rent news of the day, and when 1
bade him good morning he cordially
invited me to visit him again and fre
quently.
I had found him hopeful of recov
ery ; pleasant and gentlemanly in his
bearing; and I was, when I left him,
deeply interested in his condition.
His brother, who had a few days be
fore arrived in C— to nurse him, told
me on the door step, as 1 was leaving,
that “ Brack ” was a very sick man,
and that his physician despaired of
his recovery. I asked him if I could
safely approach him on the subject of
religion. “ O yes,” he replied, “he
has been too well brought up not to
meet you properly on that subject;
but you must be cautious not to alarm
or repel him. He was raised a Pres
byterian. lam not a Christian, but
1 am very anxious about him. He
has asked you to come back, and you
must do so ; and 1 want you
an opportunity to talk with him about
religion.” I assured him I would.
The two days following so engaged
me at other pastoral work as to make
it the thirteenth of February before
1 visited him again. Having deter
mined to approach him in the interest
of his soul, 1 went under great op
pression of spirit, feeling how much
was at stake in that interview, and
knowing full well that nothing less
than the Holy Spirit could give suc
cess to the minister of Jesus on such
an embassy. How earnestly did I
implore God to help me, and give me
access to his heart! Greatly to my
delight, his brother said, as I shook
his hand at the street door, “ Brack
has been asking after you; he is very
much pleased with you, and has been
anxious to have you come again.”
I found him no worse, and very hope
ful of recovery. He was planning a
trip to Florida, and as he talked of
his anticipated journey and stay there,
his fine ej-o flashed and sparkled, his
pale, wan face glowed with the bow
of hope, and he looked like a man
soon to be well and engaged in the
activities of his manhood. As I lis
tened, I felt how hard for me now to
dash one pearl from that bow of prom
ise which gleams on his sky 1 Why
may 1 not defer this interview about
bis soul till to-morrow ? After a time
his brother left him in my care, while
he refreshed himself with a morning
walk. I succeeded in diverting his
mind from his anticipated trip to Flor
ida, introducing the news of the
morning, and the terrible ravages of
diphtheria, which was then epidemic ;
and I then ventured to present the
theme that hung upon my lips. I
told him he knew I was a minister,
and I should be false to my religion
and my friends, if I did not, at all
proper times, urge this matter of re
ligion upon men’s minds. I would be
i\. poor friend not to do so in his case.
If the subject was offensive, I would
visit him as a friend, and never men
tion it but at his request; but if it
was not, I would like very much to
discuss it in a social way. 1 told him
I had a contempt for religious cant,
foolish superstition ; but religion was
a manly thing, and to be met in a
manly way. Said I, “you are very
sick. While I hope to see you able
to go to Florida, yet you may not re
cover ; and the best, the wisest way is
to meet the danger, look it squarely
in the face, and prepare for it. If it
is not unpleasant, I propose we talk
of this matter as you do about other
interests affecting your well being.”
He listened to me, and then simply
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
said, “ I have no objections to talking
about it.” In reply to a few ques
tions he informed me he had been
raised by Presbyterian parents, and
believed in God and eternity. Before
leaving, I asked him if I might pray
with him. He told me he had no ob
jections, and I kneeled down and
prayed briefly for him and myself.
On Monday, the fifteenth, I saw Mr.
K. again. After a few minutes of gen
eral conversation, he said to me, “I
have been thinking of the matter you
mentioned the other daj T ANARUS, and you are
right.” He then entered into a free,
full discussion of the whole question
of personal religion. In the course
of those hours of conversation, I tried
to explain to him that “religion,” as
we called it, was “ repentance towards
God,” and trust in Jesus Christ. That
if he would have religion, he must
earnestly repent of sin—be sorry for
it and give it up —and accept of
Christ as his Saviour. He said, “ Re
ligion, then, is confessing one’s sins,
humbling one’s self before Christ, and
trusting in him.” “That is the sum
of it,” I said. “ Now,” said he, “ how
is one to know when he has religion ?
It seems to me one ought to know
when he has a thing so important.”
I told him there was scripture proof
of conversion, which all might have.
The Bible said, “ Whosoever belioveth
that Jesus is the Christ, is born of
God.” “ Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” If
he did believe in Christ, his own con
sciousness would assure him of it, and
then God assured him of acceptance.
The word said, “We know that we
have passed from death unto life, be
cause we love the brethren;” and
“ love is of God; and every one that
loveth is born of God, and knoweth
God.” His own consciousness would
tell him if he loved God, and his
people. If he did, he was a Chris
tian. After this conversation, as he
grew weary under such excitement,
he said, “ Will you not now pray for
me? I have determined to be a
Christian, with God’s help.” With
great joy, I kneeled by his bed, and
implored Divine wisdom upon teacher
and learner. I felt, indeed, God was
answering prayer. Those five days
had been eventful ones in his history.
His whole being had been turned into
the narrow way that, no doubt, led
him to Christ and heaven.
November, 1878. G. H Wells..
Items for Young Methodists.
BISHOP GEORGE F. PIERCE.
It is sometimes said that Methodists
are too fond of praising their leading
men. \Y r hen you are older you can
judge for yourselves about the truth
of this charge, which certainly ought
not to be true. The object of this col
umn is not to praise one of our high
officers. It is intended only to give
our young readers some information
about the Bishop who is appointed to
preside over the South Carolina Con
ference, at its session in Newberry,
December 11th.
George Foster Pierce, oldest son of
Dr. Lovick Pierce, was born in Geor
gia, in the year 1811. When he was
old enough to enter college, there
being no Methodist college in Geor
gia, or in the United States, he was
sent to Athens, in his native State.
During a revival which blessed the
churches of the town, soon after, he
was converted in his sixteenth year.
He had been serious and anxious for
several weeks. He went to the altar
with other young men for prayer one
night. His father, then the pastor of
the Methodist church in Athens, came
to him, and laying his hand on his
head, said to him, “ George, my son,
you must put your trust in your Saviour."
Lifting up his head the young man
quietly said, “ I do, pa." The father
led him to his happy mother at her
seat. Many years of consistent living
and active service have proved the
sincerity and power of that “ trust.”
Soon after graduation, he began to
study law, with the natural and laud
able wish to prepare himself that he
might help his father in the education
of the younger children. In January,
1830, the South Carolina Conference
was to meet in Columbia, Up to this
time, Georgia was included in our
Conference, but at that session the
Georgia Conference was to be organ
ized. Dr. Lovick Pierce came to Co
lumbia, bringing his son with him,
hoping the associations and exercises
of the Conference might be educating
and edifying to the young Christian.
Even a father’s dreams did not dare
to picture that young law-student as
coming to Columbia twenty-four years
after to preside as Bishop over the old
mother Conference.
Soon after his return to Georgia, the
mind of the young man was turned
toward the ministry, and Blaekstone
gave way to the Bible. An incident
connected with his application for
license to preach is given in “ Smith’s
History of Methodism in Georgia,”
as follows :
“ One Sunday morning, brother
Collingsworth, preacher in charge,
(Apalachee circuit) requested the so
ciety to remain, and young Pierce
remained with them. He was dressed
in his graduating suit. It was of blue
broadcloth, a swallow-tailed coat, with
brass buttons, and vest and pants to
match. The old preacher arose and
requested George to retire. After
some time he called him back, and
met him outside of the house. “ Well,
George,” he said, “in spite of all I
can do, these people have recommend
ed you to the Quarterly Conference
for license, but George, this coat must
come off. You can never be licensed
to preach dressed in such a worldly
way as this.” “ But,” said the future
Bishop, “ Uncle Collingsworth, 1 have
no other nice coat, and I don’t think
I ought to take this off, for father is
not able to buy me another outfit. 1
will wear this out, but I will not get
another like it.” In vain the old man
scolded, threatened. Ho scolded pri
vately and publicly. George bore it
meekly, but continued to wear bis
blue broadcloth. The next trouble of
the old man was the way George
wore his hair. It grew straight up
from the forehead, w r hile his own hair,
in Methodist style, like Asbury’s, lay
down upon it. George told him God I
made his hair to grow up, and he
could not make it grow down. Quar
terly Conference came. Brother Col
lingsworth did all he could to prevent
the members from giving him license,
but they were only too glad to license
the gifted and educated son of one of
the noblest of fathers, and the old
gentleman was over-ruled again. Then
the Annual Conference received the
young licentiate, and he was sent to
a circuit adjoining Apalachee.
Half the year was gone. There was
a camp meeting at old Hastings, and
father Collingsworth was in charge
of it. There had been much rain, and
the preachers were unable to get to
the ground. One evening the old
preacher stepped into Sister Pierce’s
tent, and there at the supper table sat
George, lie was dressed now, if not
in proper clerical costume, yet with
out the blue cloth and brass buttons.
“ Why, George, how did you get
here?”
“ Well, partly by land and largely
by water ”
“ Did you swim any creeks
“Yes, I did. I swam three.”
The old man lovingly laid his hand
on the young preacher’s head ; “ Why
did you, boy? Well, George, I think
you’ll do, after all.”
The young preacher, as stated above,
entered the Georgia Conference at its
first session, held at Macon, January
30, 1831. He was transferred to this
State for one year soon after. Our
minutes for 1834 give as the preach
ers stationed in Charleston, “ W. M.
Kennedy, William Martin, George F.
Pierce.” He returned to Georgia, and
at the end of his fifth year was ap
pointed Presiding Elder. (His father
had been made a Presiding Elder at
a still earlier age, at the end of his
fourth year.) Before his term of four
years was ended, he waselected(lß39)
President of Wesleyan Female College,
at Macon, the first chartered female
college in the United States. He
served there until 1842, when he went
back to pastoral service. In 1849 he
was called to succeed Judge Long
street as President of Emory College.
He held this office until the session of
the General Conference, held at Col
umbus, Ga., in May, 1854, when he
was elected Bishop.
He presided over the South Caro
lina Conference at its sessions,’s4, ’63,
’64, ’65, ’7O.
His health has been threatened, so
that for a time he was forbidden to
preach. He says this was not caused
by over work. But some of his best
and wisest friends believe that this
is one case in which an episcopal de
cision is at fault.
Perhaps some young man or boy
may see a moral in this brief sketch.
If the young law student had refused
the call of duty and preferred the
more tempting fields of professional or
public life, would he have gained more
of the outward and material results of
life ? Would his fellow citizens have
given him more proofs of their confi
dence and love? We do not even for
a moment offer to a young man any
material inducements to enter the
ministry. But if a young man is
called to preach, he will lose noth
ing, even in the present life, by giving
himself fully to his sacred calling.
“ The compensations of God are in
finite.”
George Foster Pierce and Alexan
der Hamilton Stevens were fellow
students in college. Georgia, in her
sacred and secular interests, has been
well served by these men. Long may
it be before she fwill give an honora
ble grave to either. May each “in
that day ” receive from Him who will
test the work of bishops and states
men as of common men, “ well done,
GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.” H.
(For many items in the above ar
ticle wo are indebted to the “ History
of Methodism in Georgia.” Our young
readers will find in that volume many
details about men of whom they have
heard their fathers speak.)
Bee Hive.
[Edited by Busy Bee, care Southern
Christian Advocate.']
Hour Glass Puzzle.
jJc Hi *
* * *
*
* * *
* * * * *
My first, a candy made out of mo
lasses ; second, a beverage; third, a
vowel; fourth, to beg; fifth, most
common of all fluids; centrals, a fes
tival. Houri.
Buried Cities.
My papa rises early. I bought a
rubber lined coat. Nero measured
the wall. Penelope kindled the fire.
Never take late suppers. L. A. W.
Word Square.
First line, superlative of good;
second, a kind of pitcher ; third, to
wither ; fourth, largest of the vegeta
ble kind. Johnny Reb.
Answers to November 16.
16. —Thou shalt not steal.
17. W
T A R
WATER
RED
R
18. SWAN
WAGE
AGUE
NEED
The Young Astronomer.
November 30.
To-night, at seven, the Moon will be
in the Constellation Aquarius, a few
degrees below the little triangle of
stars forming his Urn. On Monday
evening the Moon will be about seven
degrees north of Saturn. This may
help some of you to find this planet.
Once found you can easily re-find him
when the Moon is away. She moves
eastward, remember, about twelve de
grect, .* i, —Tity-four houvs. e. '
When the Moon is hr-.gnt it is net e
good time to hunt the smaller stars.
It may bo, however, a good time to
run over the brightest stars, and to
see how they “hold their own ” in
the presence of the Moon. To-night
at seven the following stars of the first
magnitude can be seen.
Aldebaran, the red aye of the Bull,
over in the east below the Seven Stars.
Capella, in Auriga, low down in the
northeast. Fomalhaut, low down in
the south. Altair, in the Eagle, low
in the west. Lyra, in the northwest.
These bright stars, and the planet Ju
piter, low down in the southwest, are
worth your notice, your friendship
even. J. H. C.
Mr. Editor : The silver wedding of
Rev. J. A. and Mrs. Mary C. Mood
was celebrated in Graniteville, No
vember the 15th. The community
generally united to honor the pair, in
a handsome and valuable present of
silver. It was an occasion so beauti
ful, so holy and so full of interest,
that old and young were filled with a
delighted enthusiasm. The parlor of
the parsonage was decorated in pro
fusion, and with exquisite taste and
skill by the young ladies and gentle
men of the village. Evergreens,
flowers, scarlet berries and autumn
leaves were woven by fair, busy fin
gers, assisted by stronger ones, into
beautiful garlands, and as if by magic
a fairy bower was born to the sight.
In the diningroom,the tables, presided
over by the ladies, were beautifully
ornamented by flowers and fruits, and
a bounteous supply of all that was
good and tempting invited the appe
tite. The rooms of the parsonage
were thrown open and filled with hap
py guests. All that marred the occa
sion was the absence of the son and
daughter, prevented from being pre
sent by a necessity which even the
wishes and affections of their parents
could not over-rule. C.
Absorption vs. Disease.
INTERNAL MEDICINE ABOLISHED —WHY
IS IT READ.
From one of the best known Masons
in the United States, who organ
ized the First Chartered Lodge in
Jerusalem, 1873.
Chicago, 111.
The Holman Liver Pad Cos.:
Dear Sirs: For over thirty-five
years I have been subject to liver dis
ease, with all its evil consequences, so
much so that at times life to me was
a burden. Nine years ago, while in
NOV. 30,
Chicago, 111., I contracted a very se
vere diarrhoea, which resulted in a
most violent attack of gastric fever,
since which time I havo suffered un
told misery, and all the horrors grow
ing out of that diseas, including a
deep and almost unbearable pain in
the pit of the stomach, rheumatic
pains in the back and limbs. During
those nine jmars I havo been blistered,
cupped, leached and drugged without
receiving any permanent relief, and
several times mj' life has been de
spaired of; and during which time I
have not for a single day been free
from the pain in my stomach. At
last I was persuaded to try Holman’s
Liver and Ague Pad. By the fifth
day I began to feel like anew man.
The pain in the pit of the stomach
was gone; then the rheumatiepain soon
left me. My complexion has under
gone a thorough and radical change,
and I am a wonder and surprise to all
my friends. I would not exchange
my present feelings for uny amount of
wealth. Gratefully yours,
John Siieville.
We havo used the Holman Pad with
the most thorough and beneficial re
sults. YY'e heartily recommend it.
R. R. Moore, Pastor Fourth Presby
terian Church ; 11. J. Murdoch, Editor
United Presbyterian ; Rev. Emanuel
Richards, 302 Fifty-first street, N. Y.;
Rev. C. Josh, 256 2d Avenue, N. Y.;
Dr. Robert and Hugh Tate, Bolivar,
Tenn.; Rev. O. M. Martin, Maranthon,
N. Y.; Jus. M. YVilsou, No. 2 Hayno
street, Charleston, S. C.; T. S. King,
Agent Duryea’s Starch Cos., Charles
ton, S. C.; Jno. P. Slattery, Ashepoo,
And 500,000 More.
Send for Dr. D. YV. Fairchild’s Na
ture's Laws, free.
Address or call on Holman Pad Cos.,
corner King and Market streets,
Charleston, S. C.
FITZMORRIS & FOSTER,
Managers.
WULBERN & PIEPER,
WHOLESALE GROCERS,
AND DEALERS IN
Sesrars, Tobacco. &c.,
107 & 169 EAST BAY,
CHARLESTON, S. C.
Nov. 2-3 mo
Beautiful Fancy Goods,
Toys, Firework.?, Rubber Goods,
PURE CONFECTIONERY,
At 25c. 50c. and $1 per lb.
CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS.
Orders for Christmas Tree Prizes, for Sunday
School Children, promptly and carefully executed at
wholesale prices, and respectfully solicited, by
F. VON SAN'TEN,
279 King Street, Charleston, S C.
August fi-smo
The Latest Styles of
always on hand.
FASHIONABLE HAT EMPORIUM,
UMBRELLA MANUFACTORY.
Umbrellas of my own manufacture, better and
cheaper than imported ones. Umbrellas, &c., Re
paired or Re-covered,neatly and promptly.
ENCOURAGE HOME MANUFACTURE.
August B-4mo
NATIONAL HOUSE,
353 KING STREET,
(Between George and Liberty.)
BOARD PER DAY.
CHARLESTON, S. C.
MRS. H. M. BAKER, Proprietress
October 12-6 mo
3,001) Engravings ; 1840 Pag** Quarto.
FOUR PAGES COLORED PLATES. .
A WHOLE LIBRARY IN ITSELF. /
For sale by M
Nov. 2 WALKER, EVANS A COGSWELL. f