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
