During my labors in this region I was frequently requested to
visit G----, a town that had been laid out about the close of the
Revolutionary war, and is noticed in the history of the Indian wars as
being near the scene of some bloody struggles. It contained over three
hundred inhabitants, but never had a church in it. A good man built one
near by.
The Rev. Mr. R---- sent a notice that he and I would be there on a
certain evening to hold a meeting. A few came. He preached, and I made
a statement about my work, and told them I was going to visit the town
to talk and pray with each family, and supply them with religious
books. I had engaged a class-leader in the Methodist church, who lived
a few miles distant, to go with me.
We entered the village the next morning soon after breakfast. The first
four or five houses we stopped at we could find no one at home, and
we soon found they were hiding from us. We could see heads out at
the doors and windows as we approached the house; but when we would
knock there was no answer. As soon as we understood the matter, I
told my colaborer they should not foil us in this way; that I would
install preachers in every house before I left the place. I immediately
commenced pushing in the old hats that were stuck in the broken
windows, and threw into the houses a Baxter’s Call, Alleine’s Alarm, or
a Sabbath Manual, and some of the most awakening tracts.
We spent two days in this work. With all the skill we could use, we did
not get into one third of the houses; but we put good books into every
one.
Some few months after, a minister who was preaching near by found
many interested about their souls. He held daily meetings for some
time, and more than fifty professed faith in Christ; many dating their
first religious impressions to the silent preachers thrown into their
houses at the time of our visit. In 1861, on the railroad, I passed in
sight of this town lying across the Ohio river, and instead of the old
dilapidated village it was seventeen years before, it looked to be new
and flourishing.
At the close of my labors in that community I went to B---- county,
Va., at the request of Rev. Mr. W----, who had a large country charge
and was laid up by bad health. He requested me, in addition to
visiting all the families, to hold prayer-meetings among his people
every night. This I did for one month, and God’s Spirit seemed to be
present at every meeting. Every one I talked with seemed to be moved
by the Spirit. I sold more than $200 worth of books; and a few months
after, more than one hundred persons were added to the churches. Mr.
W---- afterwards stated that a large portion of them had been led to
consideration by reading the books we scattered among them.
He often gave me directions where to go, and what kind of people
I should find them to be. On one occasion he directed me to a
neighborhood where he had four or five families living some miles
from the church. The parents all professors, with large irreligious
families, and no family altars.
The first family of them I called on, I soon found to be but little
interested about religion. I spoke with the father as if he were
a devout praying man; but told him I had no doubt there were some
prayerless families in that neighborhood; and that God had declared
that he would “pour out his fury on the families that call not on his
name.” I spoke of the sad effect of such ungodly living on children,
and urged him to try and talk with all his neighbors about it, and to
go with me a day or two till we should try to wake up such professors
of religion. His family were present. I saw his very soul was pierced.
I visited all the families the same way. God’s Spirit seemed to stir
every soul. In a few months after, the pastor was able to visit them,
and found that each had established the family altar. Each one resolved
that he would begin to pray in his own family, and then he could go and
urge others to do the same. Neither of them supposed that I suspected
them of living without prayer till they began to compare notes; and
then they found I had talked to all the same way. They sent me their
thanks by their pastor for “catching them with guile.”
In another neighborhood, I was urged by a very good man to visit his
brother-in-law, who he told me was a wicked man, and raising a large
family like heathen. He told me that he was a gentleman in his behavior
to strangers, and would treat me kindly; but to secure for me a kind
reception, he sent with me a young man who was a nephew both of himself
and of the gentleman. The day was extremely cold, and the distance some
four or five miles. We visited several cabins along the river hills,
and expected to reach his house about noon, and remain there till the
next day.
About one o’clock we came to the place. It seemed to be the abode of
plenty. We tied our horses, and entered a large front room. Mr. C----,
the head of the family, was in it alone, shelling corn on a machine,
keeping up a hot fire by burning the cobs. His nephew introduced me to
him, but he scarce looked at me, spoke very little, and went on with
his work, without asking me even to sit down. We both sat some time
without a word being spoken, when the young man passed through into
another room, where the family were talking. As soon as I got warm,
I concluded to try and do my work and leave the house, as every thing
looked rather gloomy.
He was a big, fierce-looking man. His countenance indicated that he was
a very wicked man, which proved to be the fact. I sometimes thought it
would be best to leave him without saying any thing, but my conscience
would not let me do that. At last I said, “Mr. C----, I am engaged in
distributing good religious books, published by the American Tract
Society, and I have called to supply you and your family with them.” I
had scarcely got the words spoken, when he sprang right before me, with
his fist clinched, and called me a horse-thief and robber, and every
vile name that a vile tongue could use, interspersed with the most
awful oaths I ever heard. He rubbed his fist under my nose, and swore
he would smash my face into a jelly. I sat still for some time without
speaking, in the hope that he would stop, that I might reason with him;
but it was in vain.
At last I thought, if I am the cause of this man’s sinning so much, I
will leave him. I rose to my feet and said, “Mr. C----, if you will
stop a moment till I speak, I will leave your house. I came here at
the special request of Mr. E----, your brother-in-law, to try to do
good to you and your family. And now, sir, I warn you, that if you do
not repent you will perish. I leave a message from God to you on this
table,” placing there Baxter’s Call and a number of tracts; “and if you
reject them, they will meet you as witnesses on the judgment-day.” The
wicked man quailed, and tried to make apologies for his abuse of me;
but I told him to ask God for pardon, and not me, for I was not in the
least injured. I never saw the place or the man afterwards; but I heard
he soon went to ruin. None of the family showed their faces during the
interview.
Eighteen years have now passed since these labors were performed, and
sufficient time has elapsed for all the dust and excitement to pass
away; and on a calm review of that period of my life and labors, I
look on it as the most important of any through which I ever passed:
not in actual results, but in the development of a great system of
evangelization, which has carried salvation to thousands who had never
been reached by saving truth. A few had previously entered this field
of Christian effort for the destitute, and done much, north and west;
but this was the beginning of the work in the middle and southern
states, which has reached millions of all classes and conditions, both
bond and free. As to myself, I found it the best school I ever entered
for spiritual and intellectual improvement, and if I have since been
the instrument of any good to my fellow-men, the labors of the little
time referred to prepared me for it.
At the close of this month’s work, two gentlemen called on me one
evening, and requested me to take a walk in the village of P----. I
was soon led into a tailor’s shop, and had my measure taken; and then
from one store to another, till a fine new suit, from head to foot, was
selected, costing near fifty dollars.