_Perrysville and Centerpoint—Industry Rewarded from an
Unsuspected Source—A “Slick” Wedding—Fruitful Labors at
Centerpoint—A One-Sided Union Meeting—The Doctrine of the
Resurrection Again Demonstrated._
A year on the Perrysville charge in the Upper Wabash Conference, followed
by a year at Centerpoint, in his own conference, the Lower Wabash,
covering 1874 to 1876, closed Rev. Mr. Newgent’s work in the pastorate
for a season. It was from the latter charge that he received his
appointment from the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society as
Superintendent of the Tennessee Mission Conference. From thenceforth he
was destined to serve the Church in a larger capacity, though there is no
work that he regards as more exalted or more vital to the progress of the
kingdom than that of the pastor. And it is but just to say that there is
no work in which he has been happier or more in his element. The pastor,
he regards, as the pivotal man in the church militant, around whose
personality must revolve all the machinery of its organized life. Hence,
in whatever position he has been placed, he has ever been in fullest
sympathy with the men on the firing line, and has sought in every way to
encourage and magnify their work.
His going to Perrysville was in response to an urgent appeal from his
intimate friend, Dr. J. W. Nye, then a popular presiding elder in the
Upper Wabash Conference. His work here was fruitful and congenial, and
marked by some rich experiences, which he carries with him as refreshing
memories. One of these teaches a practical moral lesson, namely, that
honest industry has its reward in more ways than one.
It need not be explained here that industry is a part of his religion.
He believes with Paul that it does not injure, or lower the dignity of
a minister to labor with his hands. In this, as in other respects, he
made himself an example to the flock. Odd moments are always occupied
in diversions of a practical character. The outward appearance of the
parsonage never failed to testify to his thrift and good taste. A garden
served as an outlet to his surplus physical energies as well as a means
of supplementing the usually modest income. Under his skillful hand it
invariably became a thing of beauty and an object of just pride.
Some five miles from Perrysville lived a horny-handed son of the soil, a
man who made industry not only the chief element in his religion, but
the sum total of it. He was an infidel in his belief—or disbelief—and
regarded the church as an imposition, and preachers as an indolent,
worthless lot. Passing through the village one day, he noticed Rev. Mr.
Newgent’s garden. It was by far the finest he had seen. His surprise can
only be imagined when, upon inquiry, he learned that the owner of it was
one of those lazy preachers.
A few days later he drove up to the parsonage with a barrel of flour,
which he unloaded and unceremoniously rolled upon the porch. This time
the surprise was on the preacher, as a reputation for benevolence was
a thing of which, up to that time, the infidel could not boast. He
explained that ordinarily he had no use for preachers, but as he had
found one that was not lazy, he “wanted to help him.” The donation was
an expression of his regard for the minister who showed a willingness,
according to the infidel’s conception of the term, to earn his bread in
the sweat of his face.
Another incident, picked up at random, occurred one cold day during the
winter of his stay at Perrysville. A couple whose appearance did not
indicate a superabundance of worldly prosperity, came to the parsonage
to be married. They had come from the adjoining county, the boundary
between the two counties being the Wabash River, on the bank of which
Perrysville was located. The river was frozen over. The couple traveled
afoot, having crossed the river on the ice. The preacher explained
that they would have to recross the river before the ceremony could
be performed, as the law required that marriages be solemnized in the
county in which the license was issued. So he conducted the matrimonial
candidates to the river.
When the preacher was satisfied that they had proceeded beyond the
half-way point on the river, he ordered the couple to halt and join
hands. By this time their presence had attracted the attention of the
young people who were out on the ice in large numbers enjoying the
fine winter sport of skating. As the wedding was a public function, no
restrictions being placed on attendance, the ceremony was performed in
the presence of an enthusiastic multitude.
The service completed, the groom, who was unacquainted with ministerial
usages, inquired as to the amount of the fee. To save him the
responsibility and further embarrassment of determining the sum to be
paid for the service, the preacher suggested that a dollar would be
sufficient, fearing lest he might set the price too high for his purse.
Even at that it was painfully evident that the young man’s financial
rating was overestimated. After nervously fumbling through his pockets he
was able to produce but fifty cents. In his dilemma he found it necessary
to call upon his bride for financial assistance. Happily she was equal to
the emergency, and supplied the deficit from her own purse.
[Illustration: The Young Man’s Financial Rating Was Over-estimated.]
“This is the fairest wedding I have ever seen,” said the preacher. “It
has always been my opinion that the lady ought to help pay the preacher,
and she receives as much benefit from the ceremony as does the man. I
hope you will always share each other’s burdens in this way.” And wishing
them happiness and prosperity, he sent them on their way rejoicing.
The local paper gave a flowery account of the wedding that took place
on the ice, stating that it was the “slickest” wedding that had ever
occurred in that section. But the minister’s fee and the manner of paying
it was not allowed to become public, lest it should become a troublesome
precedent in matrimonial circles.
The following year, which was spent on the Centerpoint charge, was
a most fruitful one. Here, as in so many other places, he found a
splendid opportunity of demonstrating his favorite doctrine of the
resurrection—the resurrection of dead churches. The spiritual life
of the churches at Centerpoint was at ebb tide, and had been for an
indefinite time. Soon after his arrival the Methodist pastor, who was
also new in the town, called upon him to confer as to their plans for
revival work. As workers were scarce, it was thought best to plan their
meetings so that they would not conflict. Rev. Mr. Newgent, Abraham-like,
let his brother do the choosing, and the brother, perhaps as anxious
as Lot to get in on the ground floor, decided to commence a revival at
once. Newgent began a meeting at the same time some few miles in the
country. Newgent’s meeting immediately developed into a revival of so
great proportions that it became the one overshadowing event of the
whole country, drawing the Methodist pastor’s congregation from him and
rendering it impracticable for him to continue. His situation was a
rather lonely one. In his extremity he sought another interview with his
fellow pastor, proposing to close his meeting at once if Newgent would
join him later in a union revival effort.
This Newgent consented to do on three conditions, as follows: