A biiM orou
mark hat mean
that row aubaerip
tln U ynr be
lli nd and that rotir
papar will ba atop-
pad ualaaa j a a
maka a. payment.
POX. XT.Y
MOUNT AIRY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 24 1900
NO. Jfi
THE STORY OF A WORTHY LIFE
A Sketch of Thomas DUoa, Sr.. by hi ion A. C. Dixon
Father's
Two weeks before
death, I had . the pleasure and
profit of spending three days
with him in Raleigh; and. while
we sat together for hours
him to preach over thirty min
utes. Finally, the brethren were un
animous in their desire to give
under 1 y exnorter a hcense to
'i'mJ f m that he did
past, which he was fond of doing. j not,want ?' fhe thought he
This refreshed my memory with ; could preach just as well without
the facts of his early life, which j Jt- Since they could not find
I had heard him relate manyichaPte.r nd verse in the Bible
and lam certain ... v , A'
iney lei mm nave nis way, wnne
they rather admired his indepen-
dence. His diligent reading of
I iL. r : u i - cii.j u: 1.1 L
farm in York County. South Car I "ie mm W1U1
olina, December 24, 1820. His ! at burfd for expression and
mother was the daughter of Col- "" FWH'V ow" w.-v
onel Hambright who fought with
the colonial forces at the battle
of King's Mountain during the
times before.
that I have recorded everything
just as he told me.
Thomas Dixon was born on a
The forty or more converts
were baptized in the nearby
stream and a church was organi
zed which they named "New
Prospect" The young evangel
ist was elected pastor, and with
the exception of one year when
he was in the West, my father
ityof the older brethren were
anti-missionary in spirit and ut
terance. He was one of the few
who organized a society within
the Association for the promo
tion of Foreign Missions, while
the majority of the older pastors
and laymen would not permit a
remained pastor of New Prospect ! discussion of the subject in the
Revolution.
At fourteen years of age he
one day forgot his coat and left
it In the field after the day's
work was done. But before re
tiring he remembered it and went
into the field after it. While
walking along in the dark there
came over his soul such a sense
of sin as he never had before.
He felt that he was lost forever,
because he was so wicked that
God could not save him. He
knelt down in the dark and tried
to pray, buc no relief came. So
distressed that he could not sleep,
he lay awake in bed that night
praying and toward morning
- there came into hfs soul a flood
" tide vpt;ace. Next day tne
world appeared more beautiful
and he was very happy. But it
did not occur to him that he had
"'got religion." as the people of
that day phrased it.
Near his humble home was
Antioch church, where the plain
country people gathered in large
numbers once a month to hear
their pastor, a Mr. Pearsley,
preach sermons full of Scripture
and Chistian experience. During
a revival young Thomas went up
to the "mourners' bench" and
tried to "get religion" like some
of his neighbors. But he got
nothing more than he had. So
he decided to join the church, if
they would receive him, on what
experience he had received the!
night he prayed in the field. He
there was among them a young
evangelist with a soul on fire
with a passion for truth and
souls. When it was announced
that young Dixon was to preach,
Church fifty-six years, and dur
ing his absence of a year the peo
ple still regarded him as their
pastor. For nearly two gener
ations he preached in this church
salvation bygrace through the
atoning blood of Jesus Christ,
magnified the Bible as the very
Word of God, deciding all ques
tions by an appeal to its pages,
exalting righteous living and
cleaving with the sword of the
Spirit drunkenness, lying, lust,
and every other sin in the calen
dar. There were many church
trials, for if a member got drunk,
swore or was discovered in any
known sin, he or she was held to
account for it in the presence of i
there was a crowd to hear; and, the whole assembled church. If delegates from
while he preached, sinners some- there was repentance and con-1 met in the
!
regular sessions of the body.
When the "Sons of Temper
ance appeared," the popular
young preacher was among the
first to enlist under the banner
of total abstinence, though the
movement was very unpopular
in pulpit and pew. In some
churches were deacons who were
distillers and the decanter with
sugar bowl and glasses beside it
was on almost every sideboard.
To be a teetotaler was to be
branded a hair-brained .fanatic.
The young preacher, however,
had learned in childhood the evil
of strong drink and he determin
ed to make no compromise. A
"Union Meeting" composed of
several churches
"Lictle Bethel"
times sobbed aloud and cried for
mercy.
He was at length "ordained"
and became pastor of a little
struggling church in the woods
near "Catawba" Creek. His re
membiance of that church is that
one of its best members was a
deaf-mute who was devoted to
his pastor, though he could not
hear a word he said, and the
richest member was given to
periodical drunks, which greatly
distressed pastor and people.
Calls to camp-meetings and other
obscure corner to a large field.
Having married Miss Amanda
Elizabeth McAfee, daughter of a
wealthy planter in South Caro-j
Una, he took his young bride to
Shelby, N. C, and radiating from
this point as center for more than
fifty years, he preached in the
destitute regions of Cleveland
and surrounding counties i n
homes, school-houses, in groves
under bush arbors, organizing
fifteen or twenty churches and
building as many church houses.
fession, the church rejoiced and
voted to forgive the erring broth
er or sister; while they pledged
themselves to holier living; but,
if there was no confession, they
sorrowfully voted to withdraw
the hand of fellowship until there
were proofs of repentance. With
all these church trials, if there
was ever a church quarrel which
resulted in divisions, l never
heard of it. As a matter of fact,
though the church was Congre
gational in policy, Father was a
sort of loving dictator among his
judgment in any case, but when
he spoke, his word was usually
law. They had such confidence
in his knowledge of the Scriptures
and his wisdom, that they were
willing to follow almost blindly
his advice.
A similar process was followed
in fifteen or twenty destitute sec
tions. First a meeting in a house,
or school-house, then the "brush
arbor" with the slab seats
the multitudes, then the organi
zation of a church, the election
Church a few miles from Shelby.
Thomas Dixon was among the
early arrivals on Sunday morning
A deacon mec him and invited
him to walk with him to the
spring. As they walked along,
the deacon said: "Brother Dix
on, is it true that you have joined
1
ting on our front porch talking
with Father, whom I overheard
saying to the teacher: "It is my
purpose to send my children to
college, and give them the best
education possible." The vision
of going to college thrilled my
bovish soul, and I resolved to
study harder, that I might be
well prepared for the great ev
ent. Father economized in every
thing except the education of his
children. For that, no expendi
ture was too great
The man who influenced Tho
mas Dixon more than anyother
man in his early years was Rev.
Drury Dobbins, whom he regard
ed as the greatest preacher he
ever heard. Mr. Dobbins was a
white-haired, dignified, venera
ble man who wore two eye-glass
es and deeply impressed the
younger men with hfs wisdom
and eloquence. The old preach
er was evidently fond of his
younger brother, for they often
went on preaching tours together
and when they entered te pulpit
Mr. Dobbins would say to he
young man, Now go ahead with
one of your inch-and-a-half ser
mons," then he would follow
with an elaborate discourse.
Father, raised the money and
erected a marble monument in
hi3 honor which now stands in
front of "Sandy Run" Church,
the Sons of Temperance?" "Yes" where Mr. Dobbins preached for
the prompt reply, "it is ! many years.
Another preacher father ad
mired and loved was Rev. James
Webb, whom he regarded as a
truly great preacher. Mr. Webb
preached the funeral sermon of
MaaMPM
and the text
wa3
true." "I am sorry to hear it,"
said this father in Israel, "for
many people here have declared
that they will not hear a Son of
Temperance preach." "Well, I
answer fell fhe
young man. As they returned
from the spring, the pastor of
"Little Bethel" Church met them
and took Thomas aside to learn
aiaiaHna&AaaA
was "The chariots of Israel and
the horsemen thereof," and fath
er wa3 fond of referring to that
sermon as the most melting ser-
of him whether this report of his i mon he ever heard. "If there
At first his young wife went! of the evangelist as pastor, which
with him to all his appointments ' position he usually held until he
having joined the Sons of Tem
perance was true, 6aying that he
could hardly believe it. When
assured that it wa3 literally true,
and that he meant to stand by
his principles, the pastor expres-
foried his great sorrow, saying that
the people certainly would not
hear him preach. "All right,"!
said the intrepid teetotaler, "ii
was a dry eye in the house," he
said, "I did not see it"
and listened admiringly, though,
as I have heard him say, she
heard some of his sermons so of
ten that she knew them by heart.
She was a woman of keen intel-
was quite surprised to find that lect, and very fond of reading.
they were not only willing to re
ceive him for. baptism, but ex
pressed surprise that he had not
joined the church before.
In the Sunday-school he learn
ed to read and devoured the New
Testament, reading it through
many times. The earnest young
plow-boy attracted the attention
of Deacon Hardin, the superin
tendent, who invited him to open
the school with prayer every Sun
day. His familiarity with the
Bible gave him good language,
so that his prayers and talks
were, for the most part, biblical
in thought and word. Some ex
pressed the conviction that he
ought to be licensed to preach,
at . a
While others opposed, saying:
"Thomas is a good little boy but
he can't preach." Pastor Pears
ley, however, believed in him and
and invited him to "exercise his
gifts in public." One day after
he had made a brief talk in which
there was scarcely anything but
quotations from the Bible, good
Deacon Hardin gave him a cor
dial handshake, as he said: "My
dear brother. You do right to
use much Scripture and my ad
vice is never to make a point
that you cannot prove by Scrip
ture. And never talk too long."
Deacon Hardin's advice moulded
my father's ministerial life.
Many of his sermons were two
thirds Scripture and I never knew
Five or six miles from Shelby,
near Buffalo Creek, was a high
hill covered with a grove of oak
and hickory. On this hill the
farmers had established their
cemetery and built a log-house in
which to hold funeral services.
A prominent member of the com
munity died, and it was evident
that the little log-house could not
hold the people who would attend
the funeral. Slabs were hauled
from a neighbor's saw-mill and
rough benches without backs
were made and placed in the
grove. A3 the tree3 did not cov
er them sufficiently to protect the
people from the very warm rays
of the sun, a number of forked
posts about seven feet high were
placed in rows and poles laid in
the forks. This frame-work was
covered with the boughs of trees
in full leaf and underneath was
a cool refreshing shade. Such a
"brush arbor" was made for this
funeral and nearly everybody in
the community was there. The
people were deeply moved by the
sermon which glorified Christ as
the Saviour from all sin in time
and eternity and dwelt upon the
joys of heaven. The young
preacher announced that he would
preach again the following day
and again the next day until the
meeting had "protracted" for
two weeks, and more than forty
converts were ready for baptism.
had raised the money and erect
ed a plain country meeting-house.
Another pastor would then be
elected, and Father would pass
on to a new field.
It could not be said of Thomas
Dixon that he ever discussed or
mentioned politics in the pulpit nere
and yet it is within bounds to say
that he elected and defeated
many a political candidate. He ' Pple don't understand you,
had only to intimate in private! sir'" exclaimed the solitary vo
conversation his intention to vote; tcr- ,1ut tne Question again:
for a certain candidate, and near-! T,ie pastor rose and repeated in
Bids to Trap Muskrals.
Philadelphia Record.
A new departure was made in
the United States engineers' de
partment yesterday when Major
Deakyne opened bids for the
right to hunt and trap muskrats
am willing for you to put it to a I on an artificial island in Delaware
vote, and if the maioritv vnn a.ibay near Reedy Island. Musk-
gainst my preaching. I shall keep rats have increased so fast and
silence; but if the majority vote ! the demand for their hides
for me to preach, I shall do so." ! for f.ur for collars and cuffs has
The pastor went into the pulpit ! also increased so that muskrat
and said: "All who are opposed I nunters on both sides of the bay
to Brother Dickon's Dreachintr have been in continuous warfare
Has Killatf tO .
Wilmington Star.
An interesting visitor, Mr. A.
G. Wilson, son of the late "Big
Tom" Wilson, of Murchison,
Yancey county, the latter being
known as the most daring moun
taineer of his time in this State,
has been spending a few days
here and like his father has made
a phenomenal record as a trapper
and bear hunter in the Black
Mountain, where he has spent
practically his whole life and has
killed 90 grizzles in his time.
Mr. Wilson lives within five
and a quarter mile3 of Mr. Mit
chell the highest peak east of
the Rockie3 and his father, it
will be recalled, found the body
of Dr. Mitchell, who lost his life
while exploring on the mountain,
which now bears hi3 name. "Big
Tom" died about two years ago
with the unprecedented record of
114 bears, which he killed in the
Black Mountains. His son is fast
climbing up to that fine record,
and as it is, has no equal in this
State. Mr. Wilson killed his
last bear last Fall and since he
arrived in Wilmington had word
from home that another big one
which he had been after for some
time, had been killed by one of
his relatives. In his travels in
the mountains, he ha3 had fine
success, and strange to say he
has always been fortunate enough
to keep out of reach of these dan
gerous beasts. Ho can well be
called the "king" of the western
trapDers and bear hunters.
For a number of years he has
been in charge of the Murchiso
tiTiJti"'ia.iJ, ui Green Ponu-iuu,"
which contains 13,000 acres and
is owned by Eastern North Caro
lina capitalists, a number of whom
live in Wilmington. This giant
forest is a reserve and contains
unusualy large specimens of
trees, one of which Mr. Wilson
says measures 33 feet and 3 in
ches in circumference.
THE WEARY WAY.
to-day. will please stand over the right to catch the ani-
up." Just one man rose, and he ! mals- lt becomes necessary for
was a bloated drunkard. "Th i the government to take a hand
1 a loud voice: "AM
who
a-e rp-
ly every member of his churches
would follow suit. Woe to the P0Hed to Bronier D;x vi's prwh
candidate with a shady charac-! in here to-div, will p!..ase rise
other man
ter! He could not count on many
votes in the precincts where
to their feet
rose, making
une
Dill fA'i)
opposed
Preacher Dixon's" churches ! to the proposition. Tne majority
were located, and churches that
he influenced were in almost ev
ery district in the county.
In missionary, temperance and
educational movements, Thomas
Dixon was a pioneer. While he
was a very young Christian, a
young traveling preacher came
to Antioch church and delivered
a strong sermon to Foreign Mis
sions, which opened a new world
to his vision. One of the good
deacons wad so opposed to the
new-fangled notions that he
could not sit through the sermon.
Rising and moving toward the
door, he said to his wife in a
voice loud enough to be heard by
all; "Come, let's get out of
here." But the young Bible en
thusiast saw at a glance that the
points of the sermon hfvd been
proved by a Scripture and he be
came an arrfont aHvnrnr nf Fnr.
j i , . . I Hand.. Try it. Infallible for I ilea.
eiga missions, inougn tne major- 25c at Ashcraft Drug Co.
were evidently in favor of hear
ing the young preacher who
preached tc them an earnest Gos
pel sermon without referring to
the subject of temperance at all
thus deeply impressing them
with the fact that the great is
sue was not total abstinence, im
portant as that is, but salvation.
His lack of educational advan
tages Thomas Dixon always la
mented, and he resolved to help
so far as possible every enter
prise for Christian education. I
shall never forget the evening
when Mr. Gouger, Principal of
the Shelby High School! was sit-
Looklng One1 Best.
It'a a woman's delight to look her
oeai out pimpiea, akin emptiona, sores
and boils rob life of joy. Listen! Buck
len's Arnica Salve cure them; makes
the skin soft and velvety. It glorifies
the face. Cures Pimples, Sore Eyes,
Cold Sores. Cracked Lips. Chapped
in the matter and let the right to
I the highest bidder as the only
I means of getting rid of the fight
ing. The island is about midway be
tween Salem, N. J., and Dela
ware City, Dd. It is enclosed
by a bulkhead and is about three
miles long ami one and one half
miles wide. The thousands of
muskrats which have taken pos-,
session of the island have been
undermining the bulkheads, and I
it was decided by Major Dea'.cyne
that something must be done to
get rid of the pests.
Mothers Have you tried Hol
lister's Rockv Mountain Tea? It's
a great blessing to the little ones,
keeps away summer troubles.
Makes them sleep and grow, 35
cents, Tea or Tablets, Ashcraft
Drug Co. and Tayor prug Co.
Daily Becoming Leas Waarisome to
Many in Nt. Airy.
With a back that aches all day.
With rest disturbed at night
Annoying urinary disorders.
Tis a weary way, indeed. -Doan's
Kidney Pills drives
weariness away.
Are endorsed by Mt. Airy peo
ple. A. W. Dean, merchant, Main
St, Mt Airy, N. C, says: "I
suffered for some time from a
dull pain across the small of my
back, due to disordered kidneys.
The kidney secretions were ir
regular in passage and unnatural
and caused so much annoyance.
I When I was advised to try Doan's
I Kidney Pills, I got a box at the
Ashcraft Drug Co, and the re
' suits of a short use1 were surpris
ing and entirely satisfactory.
The pain in my back disappeared
my kid;if3 were strengthened
and the other symptoms of my
trouble were disposed of and I
am glad to add rnv name to the
list of advocates of Doan's Kid
ney Pills."
For sale by all dealers. Price
50 cents. Foster-Milburn Co.,
Buffalo, New York, sole agents
for the United States.
Remember the name Doan's
and take no other.
Everyone would be benefited by tak
ing Foley's Orino Laxative for consti
pation, sttimach and liver trouble, as it
sweetens the stomach and breath,
gently stimulates the liver and rejru
lates the bowels and is much superior
to pills and ordinary laxatives. Sold by
All Druggists.
Guernsey pull 14 months old Sire Pride of North
Carolina No. 11237, Dam Heroine of Haddon No.
14927. This cow gave 5 gallons of milk testing
5 1-2 per ct. butter fat, which is much above the
average. This is the best bred Guernsey in the
South. He is a large strong gentle animal ready
for service. Price $100. Registered and transfered.
JOHN A. YOUNG,
Greensboro, N. C.