Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant Part 32

The two Democratic speakers were lifted first upon the shoulders of several of the crowd, then into the wagon from which they had spoken and drawn at the head of a very noisy procession through the streets of Lexington.

The week that Nicholas and Clay spoke in Lexington, only one voice was raised in support of the Union; and that was at the Presbyterian Church, where Calvin Campbell, reading as the Scripture Lesson Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-10, preached on citizenship: "Render therefore to all their dues, custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor."

The Kentucky Gazette published a notice of and summary of the sermon, in which it was said:

"The editor never misses an opportunity to hear Rev. Calvin Campbell. On Sunday he spoke on 'Citizenship' to a great crowd at the Presbyterian Church.

"I know of no man who can as quickly transform a partisan Democrat into a Federalist. At least, all of Sunday afternoon after his sermon, I felt it my duty to support the present federal administration.

"The first thought when you hear him is: 'What a great statesman he would make,' then your better judgment suggests, 'He is better placed for service; he is doing greater work; he is the amba.s.sador of Christ and I believe, lives up to his credentials.'

"It is regrettable the whole city did not hear that sermon; it would have created a fairer spirit towards the federal government, and each who heard to question: 'Am I as a citizen responsible for the very things I condemn in the government.'

"I quote the beginning of the sermon:

"'A. D. 30, Rome was master of Jerusalem; the city had a Roman governor, but the Sanhedrin ruled the temple, which to the Jew was the seat of government; and Rome was too wise to interfere with the religions of her conquered people.

"'The priesthood discover that the glory of the temple is being eclipsed; that their religious domination is being questioned; and by whom? A Nazarene-the son of a carpenter-a mere upstart; who claims to be and is beginning to be acclaimed the Messiah.

"'At a most inopportune time, when the city is filled with Jews from every corner of the civilized world, he enters as a king and mult.i.tudes going before cry: 'Hosanna to the Son of David.' When business is best he cleanses the temple and curtails revenues; and even now stands before the mult.i.tude and by forceful parables which all understand, condemn their organization and question their authority; they, the fathers of the church, the real head of the nation.

"'Something must be done and speedily. The Sanhedrin is hastily called in executive session to sit in judgment-to pa.s.s sentence of death.

"'Annas, feeble, old, hard, proud, resentful of Roman power and secret head of and real ruler of the Theocracy, says: "But we have not the power to put him to death."

"'His son-in-law, Caiaphas, he who plays the part of sycophant to Pilate, and is supposed by the Governor to be the High Priest, answers: "We will make Rome our instrument; we will expose him as a revolutionist and as guilty of sedition and Pilate will crucify him." And so Christ of a truth in that day was a revolutionist, but of character not of government.

"'As they sat discussing means towards this end, the doorkeeper reported that certain Herodians were without and desired to speak with Caiaphas.

"'"What can these Romanized Jews, these members of the Court Party, these worshippers of expediency, who say that it is lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, wish with me? or of us? We are patriots and devotees of our Theocracy. We despise Rome and Roman power and in loathing and with curses and in resentment, pay a head tax to Caesar. * * * Ah! I have the plan! We will send certain of our lesser priests with the Herodians to this teacher of false doctrine and have them say: 'Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of G.o.d in truth; neither carest thou for any man, for thou regarded not the person of men. Tell us therefore what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not?' And this Jesus swallowing our bait of flattery, let as hope shall answer: 'It is not lawful;' then these limbs of Satan, the Herodians, will report him to Pilate. If he answers: 'It is lawful,' it will not be so bad for our cause; since we will spread his answer among our people, who will no longer listen to his teachings, knowing he is not in truth a Jew. He perforce must answer the one or the other way."

"'The plan of Caiaphas is adopted. Pharisees and Herodians, implacable enemies, as incongruent a group of conspirators, as a combination of orange and shamrock in a St. Patrick day procession, uniting for this purpose, come to Jesus on Tuesday of Pa.s.sion Week as he stands on a porch of the temple; and propound to the Lord their question: "Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar?"

"'"Hand me a penny;" (doubtless not possessing one) and holding it up asked: "Whose this image and superscription?"

"'"Caesar's."

"'"Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar's and to G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's."

"'Knowing that all knew the right to coin and to tax are attributes of sovereignty; or as Paul puts it: "The powers that be are ordained of G.o.d-render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due."

"'Towards G.o.d and the State, maintain separate relations and render a separated allegiance; and to each obedience, and reverence; and to the latter a conscientious citizenship. These are guiding principles; true in all times, for all governments-and when disregarded cost misery and bloodshed.

"'Church as well as state has tried to do away with this separated allegiance. The medieval church, a.s.suming the province of temporal sovereign, trampled underfoot the laws and the people and made of itself the most tyrannous and grasping government of history. They taxed the people to starvation for the crusades, to maintain the church fathers in affluence, to build great cathedrals, not for the glory of G.o.d; but as palaces to advertise the power of the church. The Pilgrim Fathers, who in their narrowness and bigotry persecuted Baptists and Quakers, were no better citizens than the churchmen of Colonial Virginia who denied to non-conformists the right to worship G.o.d as conscience dictated.

Possibly they were no better Christians, since neither understood in full measure the commandment: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

"'Are you a follower of Christ and not a supporter of the Union?

Impossible! A good Christian must be a good citizen; he must render unto Caesar, unto the Union, his allegiance.

"'While all Christians are good citizens not all good citizens are Christians. Are you a politician devoted to Caesar? A better citizen than Christian? Then balance conscience with citizenship and render unto G.o.d yourself; if for no other reason, because you bear his image; as a coin from his mint.

"'The parties of today come to the voter with a great question and attempt to make it a quibble, as the Pharisees and Herodians came to Christ * * *'

"At this point the writer became so interested at the argument Calvin Campbell was making in support of the infant Union and as yet untried const.i.tution; asking that we give to the Federal Government an honest, patient opportunity to make good, that he neglected to take notes.

"In any event further s.p.a.ce is impossible in this issue. Perhaps some day papers may grow in size from a single sheet giving in the main local news, to great journals offering a medium of education towards better citizenship."

CHAPTER XIX.-The Great Awakening.

The first decade succeeding the Revolution was marked by a serious demoralization which found expression in an increase of vice and crime; and as never a crime wave sweeps state or nation that great reformers do not arise to combat it, so now Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian preachers, enjoying at last a provident religious emanc.i.p.ation; preaching a gospel of law and retribution rather than of love, worked zealously and courageously combating the condition.

At the end of the second decade, they had not only checked the demoralization, but brought about a widespread revival, historically known as "The Great Awakening;" leaving in its wake a decidedly improved moral condition.

The converts at many of these meetings were smitten to the earth under paroxysms of religious fervor or excitement, locally known as "the jerks;" a name given by those criticising the demonstration.

Fully a half of the state was dominated by the spell of this extraordinary religious revival, generally exhibited at union or undenominational religious meetings. It began at the Gasper River Meeting House in Logan county in 1799 at a protracted meeting held by Calvin Campbell and William McGee, two Presbyterian evangelists, who were a.s.sisted by James McGee, a Methodist minister and brother of William McGee.

When it was reported that the converts were smitten to the earth under paroxysms of religions zeal, interest in the meeting grew rapidly. Thus advertised great crowds attended and many who came to scoff remained to pray. Every person physically able, living within a radius of fifty miles came to the meeting; some on foot, some horseback and some in rude farm wagons.

This vast crowd gathering in and around the church, slept in the fields and the forests. It was remarked that no one was stricken with sickness, and that no one seemed hungry; if they were the little they brought with them supplied their wants.

Services began at noon and were continued far into the night. Each lasted practically two hours, followed by a short intermission. The preachers alternated in their exhortations. As the meeting progressed the crowd grew so great, that not all, even with this arrangement, had an opportunity to attend one service daily.

It was suggested that a stand or pavilion be erected in an oak grove near the church. This was done and there twice daily, at three in the afternoon and at seven at night, the Rev. Calvin Campbell, as John was now generally known throughout the state, preached to the mult.i.tude.

Under the influence of his preaching many were awakened and converted.

At night great fires were built on either side of the pavilion and in front an area a hundred feet square was cleared and covered with straw, on which the congregation sat and listened in rapt attention to his powerful exhortations.

What he said had a holy influence and burned its way into the hearts of the most hardened of his hearers. After he had been talking many began to weep softly, then rose to their feet and with eyes and hands upraised towards heaven prayed in a low voice for forgiveness; the more excitable, or as some said, those who most needed pardon, walked down the aisle, which was roped off through the center, to a small s.p.a.ce just in front of the pavilion and were there taken with "the jerks."

A man known as Red Jenkins, one of the toughest and most notorious characters in that section of the state, and who had been tried several times for murder (the charge was killing and robbing travelers who stopped at his station), but had never been convicted-though each jury, had it been in their power, would have rendered the Scotch verdict-had for several years been badly crippled by rheumatism and hobbled about from settlement to settlement on crutches. On the first night of the pavilion meetings he staggered forward and was seized by violent paroxysms, at the end of which he lay as one dead.

Calvin Campbell came down from the platform, tossed Jenkins' crutches into the fire and lifting the man laid him on the floor of the pavilion.

In a little while he arose, and walking down the aisle, resumed his former seat. When told about his crutches he replied: "I do not need them now; my body was bent and shriveled to accommodate a crooked, shrunken soul."

Another night, just as the meeting was beginning, a young girl running behind the pavilion, fearful that some one would take her seat near her mother, was jostled and thrown into the edge of one of the fires. Her homespun dress blazed up, and enveloped in the flames she ran to the edge of the pavilion, where she was caught by Calvin Campbell and wrapped in the folds of his great coat. He laid her as one dead on the floor. The crowd began to gather around, but he said: "Take your seats, the girl is not dead, but has swooned. While she lies thus, we will ask G.o.d, who shields innocence from harm and who takes care of his lambs, to make her whole."

While all stood in silent, prayerful reverence, he asked G.o.d to restore the girl sound in body and cleansed of sin to her mother. All, even the wicked and curious, joined in this prayer.

When it was finished, without so much as looking towards the girl, he began the regular service with song; and as there were less than a dozen books among them, he read the lines aloud.

At its close the girl sat up, wrapped about in the great coat and smiled at her mother. Turning to her he said: "Little one, keep the coat about you and go sit with your mother."

He preached that night upon the power and purpose of prayer and began by saying: "Prayer is the only way in which a sinner can ask G.o.d for pardon and in which a saint can commune with his Saviour. It is man's way of talking with G.o.d and G.o.d's way of hearing what men have to say. Prayer is the powder of the Christian soldier and by it victories are won for the Cross. * * *" There were many conversions that night.