HE year 1827-28 proved to be a year of battle and of victory. Great success in one field was the harbinger of triumph in the next, and after the successful issue of the meeting at Warren, Scott was so well assured of the power of the primitive gospel to subdue the heart, that wherever he went he now preached without the least misgiving, and boldly called on his hearers to submit to the claims of Christ the Lord. He had by this time also several true and earnest fellow-laborers, who entered into the work with all the zeal of new converts, and wherever these preachers of the ancient faith appeared, the truth ran through the community like fire through dry stubble. Chief among these helpers was Elder Bentley, of whom an extended notice was given in the preceding chapter. He was a tower of strength to the infant cause; the weight of his character, in addition to his fine pulpit talent, rendered his presence greatly desirable wherever the leaven of the new doctrine was beginning to work, especially in Baptist communities, where he was well and favorably known, and who were anxious to learn from his own lips the reasons which had led him to give up the cherished convictions of a lifetime. [140]

      Scott was a stranger; his fiery zeal to some seemed wild enthusiasm, and his entire absorption in his theme made him at times eccentric; but the Baptists had ever looked on Bentley as their safest and best man; no one imagined that he could be turned hither and thither by every wind of doctrine: and hence, from his known integrity and soundness of judgment, he was heard without that prejudice with which Scott, as a stranger, had every-where to contend. The visits of Bentley would most admirably prepare for the coming of Scott; and when the former had disarmed them of all prejudice, the latter would join him and take entire communities by storm. Thus it was at Austintown. Bentley sent an appointment in the latter part of February to preach at a school-house there, in which Wm. Hayden, who afterwards became so famous, was then teaching. At the close of his first discourse a young man presented himself for baptism, which created quite a stir. As the school-house was occupied during the day, preaching was announced for the next day at a private house in the neighborhood. A large number assembled, and nine converts were made, among whom was one who soon became a successful advocate of the truth which he that day received. This was John Henry. His wife was baptized at the same time.

      Such a favorable opening having been made, it was thought best to follow it up, and Scott therefore sent an appointment for March the 19th--which was about the middle of the week. The preacher came, and was greeted by a fine audience; and at the close of the discourse--which was in the day-time--five persons came forward for baptism, among them the now [141] well-known and much beloved A. S. Hayden, and an elder brother. The discourse, as yet well remembered by Bro. Hayden, was a highly practical one; the speaker knew that he had some fine material before him, and he drove right at the hearts of his hearers. His chief points were, that God was ready to receive sinners; that he had ever been willing, and that this willingness was made known through the gospel, which was fully proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, and that the door was there opened which none can shut. He urged instant obedience, declaring that God was ready and willing to meet and receive the sinner the moment he was ready to accept his offered grace. He preached again at night, and the house was densely crowded; he called the young converts--five in number--to the front seat, and addressed them earnestly and tenderly with reference to the obligations they were about to assume in making a profession of religion and entering upon the duties of a new life. The next day, with heart all aflame, he again preached, if possible, with increased zeal and energy, invited others to obedience, and immersed twelve persons. The interest grew and increased; many converts were made; some opposition was excited, but the meetings were continued for a week or more, and the results of those days and nights of faithful and earnest toil no tongue can tell. The youthful Hayden, who was one of its first-fruits, soon began to point others to the Savior. Scores and hundreds have been won to Christ by his earnest and faithful labor; and though more than forty years have fled since then, he is still effectively pointing sinners to the Lamb of God. [142]

      About the middle of June of the same year, Elders Scott and Bentley returned, and from the material gatherer in by their previous labors, and the Baptists who were willing to take the Bible as the only guide, they constituted the church at Austintown. The whole number was one hundred and ten, of whom about two-thirds were new converts. The exercises at the organization were marked by great impressiveness and primitive simplicity. Under the bright June skies, with the green of earth under them, and the blue of heaven above, this company of true and happy believers, taking each other by the hand, formed a large circle, in an opening of which of about ten feet stood the preachers, under whose labors they had been brought to the knowledge and obedience of the truth, who counseled and exhorted them, as they had received Christ to walk in him; and while the converts gave themselves to the Lord and to one another, with prayers and tears, the preachers commended the infant church to God and to the word of his grace.

      Sweet were the songs of that day; earnest and tender the exhortations; fervent and soul-moving the prayers: and dear memories of it yet linger in the minds of those who formed that company, and their hearts were never more glad than then.

      Under the teaching of Wm. Hayden the congregation grew and prospered, and in a short time one of the early converts developed powers which soon ripened into a life of glorious toil and usefulness. This was John Henry, whose name is to this day a household word all over the Western Reserve. He was a Pennsylvanian by birth, having been born in [143] Washington County, in that State, in 1797. He was brought up under Presbyterian training, but never realized the power and beauty of Christ's gospel until he heard it presented by Elder Bentley; his heart was won by it at once, and it never ceased to exercise its power over him until his end came in peace.

      He was at the time of his conversion a plain, industrious farmer; distinguished, however, by a ready natural wit and a musical talent, which was truly wonderful. On wind and stringed instruments he was a ready player, and sang with fine taste and feeling; and even composed music with ease. When the Bible was substituted for creed and catechism, he eagerly devoted himself to its study, and with such success that few men ever became more familiar with its language. His knowledge of it was so full and accurate that he was said to have committed the whole inspired volume to memory, and was commonly spoken of as the Bible with a tongue in it, or the Walking Bible; one thing, however, is certain, he could quote, without the least hesitancy or mistake, all the passages upon any given subject, at the same time giving chapter and verse, and could recite at will chapters from the Old or New Testament, from the Gospels, Epistles, Prophets, or Psalms, with the greatest facility; and, in addition to this, he seemed to have a clear conception of the scope and meaning of the whole. He was quick at repartee, and the object of it had never to weary himself to find the point of the retort--that was always felt.

      On one occasion some rude fellows made a disturbance at a baptism when he was present, and he [144] felt impelled to reprove them, which he did with such force and vigor, that many who were present discovered in him the elements of a successful public speaker; the result was, that he was called upon to speak at the meetings of the church, and in a short time his success exceeded the most sanguine hopes of his friends. He did not seem to have thought himself possessed of any such ability; but as soon as it became evident, he lost no opportunity of usefulness. He supported himself by the labor of his hands; and when his labors were demanded in the gospel field, he only required that a man should be put in his place to do the customary work on the farm, and he, in the meantime, would labor quite as faithfully in the pulpit and from house to house.

      His utterance was exceeding rapid, and yet at the same time perfectly distinct; and the great power of his oratory was the clearness with which he set forth his views, and the deep and unaffected earnestness of his manners. He was well acquainted with the various religious systems of the day, and in his exposure of departures from the Word of God and the substitution of human inventions, he often reminded his hearers of the prophets who reproved the Israelites for their departures from the law of their God. His powers rapidly developed with exercise, and his services were demanded to an extent beyond his utmost exertions--he was obliged, in a measure, to give up his farm life and devote himself to sowing the food seed of the Kingdom, which he did so successfully that many in whose hearts the good seed fell, to this day thank God for his faithful and earnest labors. [145]

      In person he was tall, spare of flesh, and angular, but possessed of wonderful powers of endurance; his garb was always of the very plainest, suggestive, indeed, of apostolic simplicity; he was untiring in his labors, quick to decide, and prompt to act; his influence on the church and community was very decided; and even now, though he has gone to his rest nearly thirty years ago, the surviving members of the church at Austintown still say, when special counsel and action are needed, "Oh! how we miss John Henry!"

      He showed eminent ability in his conduct of the big meetings over which he at times was called to preside; under his management an audience of from five to eight thousand would be kept in perfect order: a general could not have held his forces better in hand than he did the masses that would gather on those occasions. Nothing was omitted, nothing was forgotten: preserving order, singing, preaching, exhorting, filling appointments in every available place in a circle of ten or fifteen miles--all was dispatched with ease. He spoke, and it was a word of command, and seldom failed in eliciting cheerful obedience.

      Time was precious; no opportunity was given for apology or excuse. At one of these meetings, when thirty or forty preachers were present, and it was desirable to have a few words from as many as possible, one who was called on began by saying, "Well, brethren, I do not know that I have any thing to say." "Very well," said Henry, "take your seat, brother," and called out for another, who was careful to avoid the rock of apology on which the other was wrecked.

      In preaching, he had a rare and happy command [146] of his resources; he could generalize rapidly; and this power, with his astonishing memory, enabled him to bring together from the various parts of Scripture, all that was said on a particular topic: and, indeed, his discourses often consisted almost exclusively of Scripture, in which the various passages were brought together in such a way as to produce a very striking effect. He made the Bible its own interpreter; and if he needed an illustration, the same volume furnished him with one admirably suited to the case in hand.

      On several occasions he took part in public debates, in which he was very skillful and successful--his success was doubtless brought about by the fact that he arrayed before his hearers all the Scripture evidence on the point in dispute--leaving nothing more to be said; as to dispute his positions, would be to deny the sacred record. His mental and moral traits were all positive; the sincerity of his profession was proved by his sterling integrity and purity of life. Among the common people, of whom he always regarded himself as one, he was held in the highest esteem; they delighted to hear a man from their own ranks speak to them of the soul's interests in a manner plain, simple, and earnest, and which was the more powerful from the fact that he lived continually under the influence of those truths which he so earnestly urged upon them. He died in his prime, in the midst of his usefulness, there being but an interval of a few days between his active and efficient labors in the cause of his Master on earth and his rest and reward above.

      From this period for some time to come, it will be impossible to preserve the strict order of time in [147] consequence of the many changes in fields of labor, which were often as varied as the passing day. Morning often found the tireless Scott at one point, and evening at another, miles away. It was not uncommon for him to occupy the court-house or school-house in the morning at the county seat, address a large assembly in some great grove in the afternoon, and have the private dwelling, which gave him shelter, crowded with neighbors at night, to hear him before he sought his needed rest. Sometimes the interest would be continued until midnight; and in those stirring times it was not unusual for those who, on such occasions, felt the power of the truth, to be baptized before the morning dawned. For months together nearly every day witnessed new converts to the truth; several ministers of various denominations fell in with the views which he presented with such force and clearness, and these in turn exerted their influence over their former flocks, and led them to embrace the views which had brought such comfort and peace to their own souls.

      While preaching at Hiram, Portage County, a Revolutionary colonel, eighty-four years of age, rose up in the midst of the congregation, and pointing with his finger to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, said to Mr. Scott: "Sir, shall I receive a penny? it is the eleventh hour." "Yes," was the reply, "the Lord commands it, and you shall receive a penny." The audience was greatly affected, and the venerable soldier was forthwith enrolled in the army of the faith.^a

      Another gentleman, still living, whom the writer met but a short time since, says, that though a [148] Bible-reader, he had sought in vain for a church that taught as his Bible read. But riding along the public road one day, he saw a number of horses tied in the woods, a great crowd gathered and some one addressing them. Without being aware of the character of the meeting, curiosity led him to turn aside and see; when he came nearer he found that it was a religious meeting, and that the preacher was setting forth the gospel just as it had ever seemed to him in his readings; and before the speaker, who was none other than Walter Scott, had closed, he determined that that people should be his people, and their God his God, and to that resolve he has been true more than forty years.

      In several of his meetings about this time, Scott was helped by the presence and labors of Joseph Gaston, a preacher of the Christian connection, who was present at the Association the previous summer, and gave his voice in favor of the appointment of Scott as general evangelist. He was a young man, quite tall, with dark hair and eyes, and agreeable features, with a heart full of sympathy and a voice of great power. He and Scott were mutually attracted to each other, and their acquaintance resulted in a deep and strong attachment, which was only broken too soon by his early death. He was gentle and retiring in his manners, yet bold and earnest in setting forth the claims of his Master. He was highly gifted in exhortation, and his prayers seemed to be the natural outpouring of a warm and pious heart. Differing in his religious views from Scott when they first met, he soon learned to regard the teaching of the Scriptures in the same light as his gifted friend, [149] who excelled most men of his time in a knowledge of and reverence for the sacred record. The beauty and order of the arrangement of its truths were made clearer than ever before; and this new light he gladly accepted and rejoiced in the truth.

      Scott's acquaintance with Gaston often brought him into contact with the religious body of which he was a member; and great numbers of them, sometimes nearly entire congregations, at once accepted his views, for which they were already prepared by an abandonment of creeds, the rejection of all party names, and the adoption of the name Christian as expressive of their allegiance to Christ. This religious body, it may be well to state, was not an offshoot of any one of the various religious parties of the day, but one composed, originally, of those who had broken off from the Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists, and united under the one name Christians, by which the followers of Jesus were anciently known. The acquaintance of these two men proved a great blessing and furtherance to the cause, but it was not of long continuance; the career of Gaston proved to be a short one, but the end was in great peace. Elder Scott, after hearing of his death, thus wrote of him:

      "Joseph Gaston was a very remarkable man on several accounts. His innocence and sweet disposition endeared him to all his acquaintances; and his strong faith and excellent talents made him a most acceptable minister in the church when his health permitted the exercise of his various gifts, for he had the gifts of teaching and exhorting in an eminent degree; and was, until he was seized with hemorrhage at the lungs, a very good singer.

      "When he opened the Evangelists or Epistles and [150] poured himself out on their sacred pages, no man of equal education excelled him; but exhortation was his forte, and in this I never knew any man who equaled him. He exercised the most powerful influence over the congregation when he remonstrated, and with much variety of thought his exhortations were distinguished for unity in their subject.

      "He accompanied me in 1827, soon after the restoration of the true gospel, and shared with me for about three weeks in the labors and difficulties of the onerous business of introducing to public notice the gospel of Christ as now held by this Reformation.

      "The circumstances which made him acquainted with the ancient gospel at chat time are a little singular and worth relating. He visited Carthage about two years ago, and entertained Bro. Rogers' family one evening with a recital of his conversion to it, and brought again to mind things that had almost escaped recollection.

      "I had appointed a certain day in which to break bread with the Baptist Church at Salem. Bro. Gaston was a resident of Columbiana County, and was at that time in the vicinity of Salem. The Baptist brethren regarded him as a good than and a true disciple; but he was a Christian or Newlight, and contended for open communion--things which they greatly disliked. Before meeting, the principal brethren requested me to converse with him on the subject, saying they were sure I could convert him.

      "Accordingly I took him out in presence of them all; but he gave me no time, being as impatient and undoubting on open communion as they were then on close communion. I told him, however, that the brethren had commissioned me to convert him to their opinions, and smiled. He said he had come to convert me to his.

      "I then set before him the terms of the ancient gospel as I had arranged teem, and told him that their dispute about communion was silly and unprofitable. He heard [151] me with delight. I appealed to the Scriptures, and he smiled; and soon, with a laugh, he exclaimed, 'It is all true! and I believe every word of it, and will take you to a Christian brother who will receive it in a moment!'

      "After meeting I accompanied him to the house of said brother, living a mile and a half from the village; and the man and his wife hearing it, and examining the Scriptures, received it with all readiness that same night; so that on that day were brought over to the side of the gospel two excellent men, both laborers among the 'Christians.'

      "Bro. Gaston accompanied me to New Lisbon, and two or three other places; but his health failed him at the end of about three weeks, and his place was supplied by James Mitchel, who accompanied me to Warren, where the gospel greatly succeeded.

      "Thus Bro. Gaston was the very first Christian minister who received the gospel after its restoration, and who argued for the remission of sins by baptism. His enfeebled health, however, never permitted him to labor much. He was immersed for remission at a general meeting held at Austintown two years after. He now rests with all the just until the resurrection. His life was righteous; his death was glorious."^b

      The closing scene of this good man is thus described by one who was present:

      "BELOVED BRO. SCOTT: Few persons will hear the circumstance which I am about to relate with emotions such as you must feel. I grieve for a departed brother in the Lord; you for a companion and fellow-laborer in the gospel, one who stood by yon under circumstances the most trying and impressive, at a time when you alone, amidst all opposition, faced a frowning world. I allude to Bro. Joseph Gaston--he sleeps in peace--his sorrows are no more! [152]

      "Being aware of his approaching dissolution, he requested me to inform you of it. The sensations which his departure produced in me and all present can not be imparted to others, nor can they ever be forgotten. It was, indeed, singularly impressive.

      "He was, as you know, predisposed to hemorrhage from the lungs; his last illness commenced in this way. I was with him from Thursday, 4th, until his death, which occurred on Saturday.

      "Before day I was called to his bedside. His glazed eye, cold extremities, laborious breathing, and feeble pulse, assured me that the lamp of life was nearly extinguished. He lay in this situation a length of time unable to speak, or lift his hands. While we expected every breath to be his last, suddenly, to the astonishment of all present, his countenance lighted up by a placid smile; he began to raise his cold and lifeless hands to heaven, and exclaimed 'Glory to God! O my Savior, thou hast delivered me!' His eyes, which were set in death, sparkled with joy, and beamed with an expression which language can not describe. After continuing these exclamations a few minutes his breathing became free, and his voice shrill and loud. He then addressed us thus: 'My friends, a dying man could not do as I am doing; this strength is not my own; the hand of the Lord is in this matter: he has enabled me in this last extremity to bear testimony to the truth. The devil tempted me and tried me, but the Lord vanquished him and gave me the victory. This night I'll be with Jesus. Some people have called me a mud-dabbler, but that matters not to me; judgment belongs to the Lord: he will recompense them. I plead for baptism--for the remission of sins in my lifetime, and I plead for it in death.

      "'O sinners! tremble for that which awaits you if you do not obey the Lord ! Let not tradition deceive you. I [153] tried it, but found it to be a delusion. My eyes were opened by reading the Word of God. It means what it says; believe and obey it, for nothing else will save you. Repent and be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, or God will sweep you off with the besom of destruction. Young people, tell your parents these things, and parents tell them to your children; tell the neighborhood; tell the territory.' He then exhorted us to try, by some means, to get the people out to hear the gospel. He continued his speech in a loud and clear voice, during twenty minutes, using his hands with freedom, and speaking with more animation than ever I heard him do in his usual state of health. When he ceased, his children were brought to him, whom he embraced affectionately. His hands fell powerless by his side, his breathing became laborious as before, and he expired in ten minutes."^c [154]

[LEWS 140-154]