Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1885 — FATHER HAVENS. [ARTICLE]

FATHER HAVENS.

An Old-Time Preacher—Anecdotes of His Experience. Indianapolis Sunday Journal. Among all the pioneer preachers none were more widely known or universally loved than James Havens. He was a man of undoubted physical as well as moral courage. Whatever his conrcience told him it was right to do, that would he do, against any and all odds.— Many anecdotes are told of his methods of overcoming difficulties. He was possessed of a muscular form, with the strength of a gia t, and an eye that could look through and through an opponent. At a camp-meeting where he was officiating the people were very much annoyed by the actions of a desperado named McDaniels. This man had long been a terror to the people and the officers of the law. During the meetings he and his followers would make such a noise as to make it almost impossible to hear the preacher. This had gone on for two or three days, when Mr. Havens concluded to end it, peaceably if possible, forcibly if necessary. McDaniels was seen standing on the outskirts of the congregation, as usual, surrounded by his crowd of roughs. Havens went toward him. He pushed his way through the crowd until he stood in front of the leader, and then, fixing him with his eyes, proceeded to preach him a personal serm -n in the most forcible language. He told him that he was a ruffian and a coward or he would not seek to annoy the people while they were attempting to worship God. He said he knew better and ought to behave better; that he had a respectable father and mother, and ought to be ashamed of himself. — After proceeding in this strain for some time to the astonished and dumb-founded ruffian, he told him that he was to preach that morning, and did not propo re to be disturbed, but that if McDaniels would come into the congregation and behave himself, he would pray for him. — The desperado, strange to say accepted this invitation, and Father Havens did pray for him. There was no more trouble at that camp m eting, and not long afterward McDaniels was converted, joined the church and became a respectable citizen. Another characteristic story is told of him wherein he overawed and mastered a band of roughs. He had been announced to preach in a neighborhood notoriously wicked. This threatened invasion of this peculiar bailiwick alarmed and angered the followers of Satan, and they determined that no preaching should be permitted. When the day arrived they assembled in force around the house where the meeting was to be held, and with a jug of whisky to brace up their courage, made ready to interfere if an attempt should- be made to hold services. When Father Havens arrived on the ground he found the door of the house locked and this crowd in front of it. The rowdies told him there should be no preaching there that day or any other; but he was not by their threats. He took a pole and |laid it upon the ground some'distance in front of a fallen tree. He then dared nny one of them, at his peril, to cros 8 that pole until invited to do so by

himself, or to make any interruption of the services. He mounted the log, gave out a hymn, sang it, and then prayed. After tlie prayer he proceeded to preach a sermon, every word of which was aimed at the rowdies in front of him. They could not stand it long, and one after another turned and fied from the torrent of indignant eloquence the old man poured upon them. His encounter with the distillers, however, was one of the best illustrations of his courage and coolness. On removing to a new circuit he was informed that one of his church members was sick, but that her husband, who was a distiller, was a very wicked man, and would not allow a minister to visit he house. He was known as a man of terrible passions, and when aroused very dangerous. Mr. Havens thought it was his duty to visit his church member, and determined to do so. He selected a friend to accompany him. They so managed it as to arrive at the house a little before dark. They went in and introduced themselves to the sick lady. She was glad to see them, but said she did not dare to ask them to stay all night, as her husband would not permit it. She was told to give herself no trouble, for they had come with the intention of staying all night, and intended to do so. They went out and put the horses into the barn, but did not feed them. It was not long before the husband came in. He was introduced to th m, and at once began a tirade of abuse of pr - achers in general, but of Methodist preachers in particular. Finally supper was announced, and the distiller and his family repaired to the supper room, but did not invite the preachers. Mr. Havens did not propose to have it that way, so he quickly entered the room and seated himself at the table. No sooner had he taken his seat than he began to ask a blessing, and had concluded it before the astonished owner of the house could frame an objection. When ~upp°r was over they again repaired to the room of the sick wife, when the husband said: “Youasked a blessing, but you|shall not pray in my house.” The words were hardly out of his mouth before Havens was on his knees offering one of those prayers for which he was famous. The distiller went over to his still, and after some conversation with the other members of his family, the preachers were shown a bedroom, and they retired for the night. About midnight they were awakened by the barking of dogs and the running of horses. They at once reached the conclusion that the distiller had turned their diorses out and ‘was trying to dog them off. Hastily dressing, they went out into the yard and found their suspicion correct. Asking what he was doing that for, they were told that as they had been too lazy to feed their horses, they had broken the stable door and had got out. Mr. Havens told him tjiat could be remedied in a moment, and, catching the horses, they were again taken into the stable, but this time were liberally supplied with corn and hay. The next morning they were preparing to leave, when the husband came out and said: “Last night you wo’d stay in my house, and would pray. Now you shall pray, and shall eat your breakfast before you go.” Those good old preachers firmly believed in the power of tie Lord to take care of them, and that he would do it. The people had but very little money to give to support the preacher or to build churches. Father Havens was once endeavoring to raise money to build a c urch in Eastern Indiana. He called on one of his members for a subscription. The man was 4 chair maker by trade, and very poor. If he sold a set of chairs he had to take his pay in trade of one kind and another, never getting any cash. He told Mr. Haven that he would like to give something, but had no money, and offered to give a ten dollar set of chairs. “No,” g aid Mr. Havens; “you subscribe <gs, and trust to the Lord to get the

money.” The man did so, and a day or two afterward a stranger came in, bought a spt of chairs and paid ten dollars in cash. Many of the residents of Indianapolis will remember John S. Rayless, who was the first pastor of Roberts Chapel. He did not believe in written sermons, or in notes, but was very fond of quoting poetry. One Sunday he was holding forth to his congregation, and when he reached the point for introducing the poetry, for the soul of him lie could not call it to mind. “As the poet says,” was as far as he could get. He tried it two or three times, when Father Havens, who was sitting in the pulpit with him, and wal quietly enjoying his confusion, said in a voice loud enough to be heard by the congregation: "Am I a eoLlier of the cross, A follower of the lamb?” It was not the quotation that Mr. Bayless wanted, and was so palpubly mal-apropos that it convulsed the audience and broke down the preacher. In those days the sermons were generally from ail hour and a half to two hours tong, but the people did not complain. Once, while at Cincinnati, Fntlier Havens was invited to preach in one of the fashionable churches, where sermons never exceeded half an hour. The pastor, knowing that his visitor was given to long sermons, told him the people would not stand sermonmore than half an hour long The old man said nothing; but began his sermon. It was but a few minutes until he had the congregation all aglow, when he suddenly stopped, looked at his watch, and, in his inimitable way, said: “I am sorry, but your pastor told me you would not listen to a sermmf more t an half an hour in length, and, although I am not half through, my time is up, and I will* stop.” “Go on. we will listen,” was shouted from every part of the room. e did go on for another hour, aud then, turning to the pastor, said: “Never tell me again your people will not listen to long sermons.— Preach sermons to them, and they will forget all about time.”