The community was stirred, no doubt about that. These were stirring
days. Not since the days when Union and Southern marauding parties
scattered terror in these woods had public excitement run so high as
now. The gossip of Benton's beating was on everybody's lips before the
sun went down that day. Everybody talked about it. Jake's friends were
warmer friends and his enemies were hotter enemies. Those who had been
neutral were neutral no more. There were just two parties now, those
against and those for holiness as taught and lived by Jake Benton. As
for old Jake, he kept sweet in his soul and talked little and prayed
much. His victory was complete.
In the midst of this excitement Jake received a short but significant
letter from Evangelist Blank. It ran thus:
Dear Brother Benton:
In accordance with my promise to you nearly a year ago, I am now in a
position to hold your revival. I will arrive in Dobbinsville August 2.
Please meet me at the train.
Your Brother in Christ,--Evangelist Blank.
Jake read this scanty letter through tears of joy. He was unspeakably
happy. He had prayed for a year, and now his prayers were on the verge
of being answered. A holiness preacher, mysterious being, was actually
to set foot on Mount Olivet soil. The doctrine of full salvation was to
invade the precincts of sin-you-must religion.
But where was Evangelist Blank to preach? Not in Mount Olivet, to be
sure. About a quarter of a mile from Mount Olivet Church was a section
of land known in that country as Public Land. Here in the center of an
old, unused, unfenced field was a thick clump of post oak sapplings,
with heavy foliage. This spot was to be the scene of many an interesting
happening, a few of which shall be mentioned before this story closes
and many of which shall not. As soon as Jake was sufficiently recovered
from the beating administered by the Deacon, he, in company with Nolan
Gray and several others who were either friends or embracers of the
doctrine of full salvation, went to this spot and worked for a number of
days building a brush arbor, which was to serve the purpose of a
meeting-house. Long poles were tied from tree to tree to make a
framework. Then other poles were laid across from the frame-poles to
furnish a support for the brush, which was thrown on top. A sort of
tabernacle was thus effected which served the purpose well. Oil torches
were hung on the upright poles to furnish light. Long boards were
brought from a sawmill near by and fastened on stakes driven into the
ground; these served for benches. The arbor would seat about five
hundred people.
Everything was in readiness for the long-expected meetings. All there
was to do was to wait for the 2nd of August to come, and that was hard
to do. Finally it came. That afternoon when the two-coached train rolled
up to the little red station at Dobbinsville, Jake Benton stood on the
depot platform. His heart beat a rat-a-tat-tat against his chest. As the
train slowed up and Jake saw through its window the face of a man
corresponding to the picture he had seen in his holiness paper, his
emotions refused to yield to control. He jumped high in the air, and
shouted at the top of his voice, "Hallelujah!"
The train being a few hours late, the afternoon was far spent. On the
road from the station, Jake told Evangelist Blank as best he could of
the happenings of the year just preceding--how he had been converted in
the woods and subsequently sanctified, of his persecution and
excommunication by the church, and of his recent beating at the hands of
Deacon Gramps. Evangelist Blank had had many long years of experience in
the field of evangelistic endeavor, yet when Jake Benton poured all
these startling things into his ears, there came a feeling over him that
he was entering into an entirely new experience. This feeling was
verified before he left the neighborhood a few weeks later.
When the old-fashioned wagon rattled up to the front gate of the humble
home, Evangelist Blank expressed to Jake the belief that in coming to
this place he was in the center of the will of God. This made poor
Jake's heart leap for joy. He sprang from the wagon to the ground and,
bidding his good wife see to the comfort of the Evangelist and the
corps of singers who accompanied him, set himself diligently to doing
the evening chores in order that everything might be in readiness for
the evening meeting.