My Life Is an Open Book (Hancock)/Chapter 6
Dr. Ellis had changed his tactics. He concluded that he could get a preacher to meet us in debate, that could literally annihilate us. He failed, however, to find any one that would undertake such a job. Failing to find a preacher that would undertake to meet us, the Doctor concluded he was, with a little preparation, sufficient for such an undertaking. He concluded, however, that he was not as well posted as he ought to be with what we taught in order to make the necessary preparation. He wanted some of my books to read but was too stubborn to ask for them. I called at his office one day, and having spoken to him he looked at me in a very impudent manner and said, "I dare you to convert me to such a gospel as you preach." I replied, "I will do so, sir." He said, "Do so, sir, and you will have my assistance here, for you preach the simplest gospel I ever heard of." I said, "I will convert you before I am done with you, but I cannot do you much good till you read and inform yourself." He said, "I am not afraid, sir, to read anything you will furnish me." I took him Bro. Franklin's Sermons. He went to work in earnest to gather the points and arrange his scripture to refute them. As he told a friend, however, the Bible all turned against him. This so disappointed him that he concluded to be an infidel. He was not, however, the kind of material out of which infidels are made. He then concluded that Universalism would be a good substitute for the ninth article of their Discipline- if not so wholesome, but it would be very full of comfort. He soon concluded, however, that he could not be a genuine Universalist, but that the best thing would be to obey the gospel and live a Christian. This he did, and so made his word to me good, for we had his assistance, and he worked in earnestly.
When the conclusion was that all things were favorable for a protracted effort in Berryville, we secured the services of Jesse Alderson of Barry Co., Mo. to do the preaching. The meeting lasted four weeks, and there were forty additions. The brethren of the entire country cooperated in the meeting, and Bro. Alderson received, by way of remuneration, $40, and a suit of clothes. The people of those parts thought that was wonderful, and many said, a man that will accept that much money for holding one meeting was preaching for the money. One old man made himself incendiary there during the protracted meeting. He gave Bro. Alderson a pair of beautiful fat hogs, and called it his donation. The hogs were worth as many dollars money as Bro. Alderson was receiving, and calculated what he could do with this it costing him much. He had several nice porkers, and he had six nice ones butchered and sent them to Bro. Alderson's family. After his liberality had been well noised abroad, he went among the brethren privately, told them what the hogs were worth, and he thought the brethren ought to pay him for the hogs. No one, however, felt under obligations to do so, as he had not consulted any of them before making the donation. His religion did not last very long.
We received for our second year's labour about twenty dollars, for the third about thirty dollars. During the third year we preached some in the regions known as the Hale Barrens. There was a congregation of Baptists there. Some of them became dissatisfied, some became alarmed. They sent for Uncle Ike, and notified him that he had to meet us there and refute what we taught or they would leave the Baptist Church.
A Bro. Hanby lived there who managed the matter on our part, and arrangements were made for a debate. The founding of the church, and the design of baptism were the points for discussion. W. B. Flippin of Yellville, Ark. was our moderator, and really constituted the board. He had been judge of the court, and a member of the legislature, and, consequently, was familiar with parliamentary usage. I met Bro. F. at a point twenty-five miles east of where I lived and we reached our house the day before the debate began. I noticed Bro. F. had his large saddle-bags filled to their utmost capacity. Soon as we were seated in our house he began to show us different authors on the points to be investigated. I said, "Bro. Flippin, I have my matter arranged, and I prefer relying upon my own resources." I then showed him what I had prepared. He said, "Your arrangement will do."
When we met at the place of debate remarks were made about the contrast between the disputants. I was thirty-one years old, and Elder Standlee had been preaching thirty-one years. Several Baptist preachers were present, evidently expecting their recognized champion to have an easy time. They, however, soon became restless, and about the middle of our second speech in the afternoon they became panic stricken and stampeded. The moderators had us to stop speaking till those preachers could get away and quietude could be restored. When we delivered our first speech in the afternoon of the second day, on the time of the beginning, and had shown that the more intelligent part of Baptist preachers had taught as we did, instead of replying to our speech, Elder Standlee arose and said that he believed himself that we were right on that point. Bro. Flippin then arose and announced the debate closed, and proposed that a song be sung, and that we all shake hands during the song. This was done and we all parted, feeling as pleasantly as if we had been in a protracted meeting.
It was now October, and we had been there three and a half years. Although wife had made the principal part of our wearing apparel we were some behind. We had preached considerable at a school house in what was known as the Flat Woods of Boone county. A few brethren lived there, and though that they would help out the exchange that way that our farm. Was not so use as first. He was going we had own our what we the owners and make us easy. We traded, and were soon a citizen of Boone county. We were now between twenty-five and thirty miles from Berryville.
The winter was a disagreeable one, and not having an overcoat to wear we did not visit Berryville that winter. The sects concluded that we had abandoned the place, and that they could, hence, again build up their interests there. They united their forces, built a parsonage, and located the presiding elder of the M. D. church south, in Berryville. He boasted that he was going to drive the heinous heresy out of Berryville. The brethren wrote to us. We wrote them to have it well circulated that he would preach in Berryville the fifth Lord's day in March, and would preach on the identity of the Church of Christ. We set the time we did with the hope that the elder would be at home. So he was, but could not be induced to hear our effort. The circuit rider that was with him heard the effort. He spoke up a time or two and contradicted, but was loser by so doing. He announced that he would preach on the same subject the next "Sabbath," and requested our presence. We agreed to be there, with the understanding that we were to reply to what he said. He and the elder put in the week preparing his discourse. When we met he spoke two and one half hours, evidently thinking to weary the people so that they would not be prepared to hear our reply. We occupied one hour and a quarter in replying to what he said. When he closed he seemed to realize that, in the estimation of the people, he was badly the loser. He rather sneeringly remarked, "I don't think it is necessary to try to reply to what you have just heard, for I don't see how I could take hold of such a speech." A number of sisters immediately replied, "I guess not, I don't suppose you do." He was disappointed by this unexpected reply, and sat down. I announced preaching for that night, and then dismissed the audience.
We visited Berryville once a month that year, and while we remained in that country, though much of the time we had to walk. While we lived in Boone we preached in that, Newton, Carroll, and Madison counties. There was in the eastern part of Boone county a congregation of some strength, the leading members of which had moved from Springfield, Mo. Col. Fulbright of Double Springs was one of the leading members. I guess the Colonel never forgot our first acquaintance. Bro. Dan, as he was familiarly called, had been a student at Bethany, Va., and had been a Colonel in the army, and was, hence, looked upon as a leading citizen. He was kind and very companionable, but somewhat inclined to display quite an amount of etiquette. We had heard of him from the time we began laboring in Arkansas. Business having called us to that part soon after locating in Carroll, we concluded to form his acquaintance. On our way to his place we fell in company with a lawyer that lived near Fulbright. We told the lawyer our name, but nothing of our business. When we got to Fulbright's store, the lawyer introduced us using the plain Mr. It was now time for us to know where we were to stop for the night, the company had all left, Bro. F. was at his desk. I stept to the counter near him, and said, "Being in this part, and wanting to form your acquaintance, I thought I would spend the night with you if agreeable." He replied, "We are not prepared to receive strangers." I replied, "It is my desire to spend the time with you while in this part." He said, "We have some company and cannot keep you." I replied, "That is all right, but I will want to see you in the morning." I then handed him the letter of recommendation that I brought from north Missouri. He blushed, but said, "You can brake the last biscuit we have." I said, "That is not what I want. I will stay at the hotel over night and see you in the morning." He said, "You will not go to the hotel, but will stay with me."
We lived in Boone county three years, at the expiration of which time a change was necessary. We moved to Washburn, Mo. There was a little band of brethren there, but not in working order. Our labors there were blessed. We had, however, only moved from one destitute field into another. Our appearance, of course, was that of an Arkansawyer. Soon after we moved we learned that a protracted meeting was to commence at a certain time at Rocky Comfort, Mo., a little town sixteen miles from where we lived.
I concluded to go to that meeting, and get acquainted with the brethren. I started at noon Saturday and walked to Rocky Comfort just in time for four o'clock preaching. Bro. Livy Hatchet was reading his introductory lesson when I got to the school house. I took the first vacant seat I came to. Bro. Hatchet was a fine speaker, a fine appearing man, and dressed as fine as broadcloth would dress him. My garb was such as wife had made. She had woven the cloth and made my suit. I had on a pair of brogan shoes and a common domestic shirt. As there was such a contrast in our appearance I did not know whether Bro. Hatchet would care to associate with me. Soon, however, as the audience was dismissed I went to the pulpit and made myself known. He said, "I have heard of you. Why did you not come forward and let yourself be known before services?" I said, "You were introducing when I got here, and I was a little tired, so I took the first vacant seat I came to." Said he, "That was not right, you should have come to the pulpit and told us who you were." Next day I could see that there was some uneasiness among the brethren. Finally one of the elders carne to me and said, "We would love to hear you preach, but the people will expect to hear Bro. Hatchet today." I said, "Of course they will. I did not come here to preach, but to get acquainted." Presently Bro. Hatchet came to me and said, "I want to hear you preach today, but the brethren think it best for me to preach this morning." I replied, "Certainly, you will preach. I did not come here to preach, but to hear you, and get acquainted." Bro. Hatchet made a short discourse, and when ready to dismiss the audience, without consulting any one, said "Bro. Hancock, a preacher from Washburn, Mo. is present and will preach here at three o'clock this evening."
A large crowd gathered to hear the stranger. When I stood up to read I could see that some of them were inclined to hang their heads, and look at me through their eyebrows, for they were somewhat inclined to put on style. By the time, however, that I was half way into my discourse, they were leaning forward, as though fearful they might miss a word. Presently we noticed an M.D., who was about the third tier of seats in front of the pulpit, begin to leave his seat, and presently he was standing perfectly unconscious that he had left his seat. When I closed he looked at those near him, smiled, and sat down. An old brother asked him why he left his seat and looked so earnestly at that preacher. He said, "I wanted to see as well as hear, for it seemed to me that he had some kind of a picture that I wanted to look at." I had to return home that evening. The elders, however, would not agree for me to leave without giving them an appointment for a future time.
About the time we moved to Washburn, J. B. Fly, of the Cumberland Presbyterian church located there; and, evidently, concluded that he could overthrow everything else, and establish C. P. ism on the ruins. His first announcement was to deliver nine lectures on church identity. We listened to his first effort. His foundation was: "He taken away the first, that he may establish the second." His sole effort was to do away with immersion, and establish infant church membership. He showed profound ignorance of the things of which he tried to talk. Yet, it could be seen that, in his own estimation, he was a great theologian. He said that the first covenant of which Paul spoke was established at Sinai, but the second was established 430 years before that in the family of Abraham. After dismissal I went to the pulpit and said to him: "I see the design of your proposed lectures, and I want to inform you that your efforts will be reviewed. I would rather, however, have you present when I review what you say. I propose, therefore, that we discuss these matters, either in a debate, or that we preach discourse about till the points are investigated." He replied, "I do not propose to be interrupted, sir, while delivering my course of lectures." I said, "You need to be, for you are the worst befuddled man that I ever heard try to talk on these matters. You do not seem to have a single clear idea of the covenants as treated by Paul. Can you tell me about the second man, that was created before the first man? You talk about the second covenant that was established before the first one!"
It was evident that he was not going to meet us in the discussion of the points upon ----------------months his preaching was mostly an effort to overthrow what we had been teaching; so for that space of time there was a pulpit fight. As we were determined that all should see the extent of his cowardice, we renewed our challenge on every suitable occasion. Upon one occasion when he had an appointment for a week-day night, the Masons and Odd Fellows had an appointment for a business meeting. The leading citizens of Cassville, and of all the adjoining country were present. All concluded to hear Mr. Fly. His effort, as usual, was one to establish the claims of his little system. And he seemed confident that he had done his work well before that large audience. As he started to dismiss the audience I arose and said, "Brother Fly, your present effort will be reviewed, and as I want your presence when I do so, I again challenge you to meet us in the discussion of these matters, either arrange propositions and debate them, or preach night about till the points of difference are investigated." This was unexpected, and was not received very pleasantly, as his looks showed. He said, "Mr. Hancock, do you think I am a man to be trifled with, sir?" I replied, "I was not, thinking much about that, but was he saying I do not think of you as John says, 'He that feareth is not made perfect in love, for perfect love casts out fear.' I want you to know, and I want this people to know, that I have too much love for the Word of God to fear investigation."
Some time after this I was passing the Mooney Hotel. Mr. Fly and some others were sitting on the portico talking. Mr. Mooney was a member of the C. P. Church. Just before I reached the yard gate I heard enough to know that they were talking about what I preached. I stopped, and asked, "Don't you want my help in that?" Mr. Mooney said, "Yes, come in." Being seated I said, "Bro. Fly, I heard enough of your conversation to know what you were talking about. This matter has gone far enough. You must do one of two things, either meet me in debate, or cease your attacks upon us in the pulpit." He said, "I don't believe in agitation." I said, "I do. It is the agitation of the waters that keep them pure. We must either have agitation or stagnation. If it had not been for religious agitation you never would have been privileged to read the Bible." He said, "What!" I said, "Do you not know that if Luther and others had not agitated the claims of Rome the Bible would have been kept from us? So far as you, or any other one can see, if it had not been for agitation we would never have had redemption: For had there been none to agitate the claims of Christ there would have been none to crucify him, and without his crucifixion we would have been without redemption." He said, "I will not take any affirmative proposition, but will deny that the church of which you are a member is the Church of Christ." I said, "We will debate that one proposition in order to end this matter. I do not, however, believe that you will even dare that. I conclude that you would about as soon lose your right arm as to meet me in open debate before this people. I believe you will back out."
The proposition was written, and I gave it to A. J. Johnson, one of the elders of the congregation there. He got the other elders to go with him, and they called on Mr. Fly. Bro. Johnson said, "We have endorsed Bro. Hancock as the man to defend this proposition, and when you produce a similar endorsement we are ready for the debate." Mr. Fly said, "I will not debate that proposition unless he will make one addition to it." "What is that?" asked Bro. Johnson. Fly said, "He must add to that, that everybody without that institution will be finally and eternally damned." Bro. Johnson replied, "He does not propose to judge the world, but to debate the proposition agreed upon. If you back out, of course, the matter is at an end." Mr. Fly said, "I will not," and left them. Early Lord's day morning I went to Bro. Johnson's to learn the result.
Bro. Johnson said, "Fly backed out." I said, "I knew he would do that, but he cannot rest at that. I will go now to see him, and remind him of what I told him." Bro. Johnson went with me. We met Fly and his daughter starting to an appointment in the country. After the usual compliments I said, "What did I tell you, Bro. Fly? Did I not tell you that you would back out?" He said, "Oh yes, you people are always ready to get up propositions, and when you can do that, backing somebody out." I said, "There is all we can do. It is written that one shall chase a thousand. I can take the Bible and chase one thousand such as you are. Bring one thousand of your equals here, and I will take the Bible and chase you every one away from Washburn." He left Washburn that week and never returned while I stayed there.