he ground and climbin' up the trees, and they 'peared to
be barkin', 'Good-bye, O good-bye, Brother Crawford-ah!' After awhile I
come to a lot of pigs awallerin' in mud by the roadside. When my
hoss-ah got just opposite, they got up and gave some loud grunts--whoo!
whoo! whoo!--and that scart my hoss-ah, and he threw me in the dirt and
ran away-ah. I ris my eyes to look at my hoss-ah, and there he was
a-gallopin' down the road with his mane and tail a-flyin', and he
looked back at me and seemed to be sayin', 'Good-by, Brother
Crawford-ah; good-by, Brother Crawford-ah.'"

"It is a great pity," remarked Judge LeMonde, "that religion sometimes
must run through such rough channels to water the soil of morality and
piety when it deserves the best training of mind and voice."

"God can use very ignorant Hardshell preachers in building up his
kingdom if their own hearts are right before him," said Jasper Very;
"but if they are imposters, they are a disgrace and injury to the
sacred calling.

"I met a fellow once across the Ohio River whose name was Sargent. He
assumed the name of Halycon Church, and proclaimed himself the
millennial messenger. He professed to see visions, fall into trances,
and to converse with angels. We had a camp meeting near Marietta, and
this fellow came to it. He wanted to preach, and upon being refused
pretended to swoon away. One night he lit a cigar and got some powder,
and walked away about one hundred yards where stood a large stump. He
put the powder on the stump and touched it with his cigar. The flash
was seen by many in the camp, and they came up to find Sargent lying on
the ground. After a long time he came to, and told the people he had a
message from God for them. Seeing so many there, I lit a lantern and
went down to investigate. Stepping up to the stump, I smelled the
sulphur and saw the mark of the burnt powder, and near the stump lay
the cigar. As he was talking to the people, I stepped up to him and
asked him if an angel had appeared to him in a flash of light. He said,
'Yes.' 'Sargent,' said I, 'did not that angel smell of brimstone?'
'Why,' said he 'do you ask such a foolish question?' 'Because,' said I,
'if an angel has spoken to you, he was from the lake which burneth with
fire and brimstone;' and, raising my voice, I said, 'I smell sulphur
now.' I walked to the stump and showed the people his wicked trick.
They were very indignant and called him a vile imposter, and soon he
left,