CHAPTER XXXII.
PETER CARTWRIGHT.
Birth—Removal to Kentucky—"Rogue's harbor"—Condition of the country and the people—Frontier life—Early life of a preacher—Becomes a Christian—His account of his conversion—Is made an exhorter in the Methodist Church—Removal to Lewiston County—Begins preaching—Qualifications of a backwoods preacher—His energy—The jerks—How Peter frightened a bully—A brimstone angel—Enters the ministry—Appointed to the Marietta Circuit—A good school—Hard times—Marries—Quiet heroism—How the old-time people married—His devotion to the Methodist Church—Troubles with other denominations—How he argued with a Universalist—How he met a wrathful dame—Encounter with a Baptist preacher—Adventure with Father Teel—Taming a shrew—Removal to Illinois—His reasons for taking that step—Death of his daughter—Arrival at his new home—Life on the frontier—A large district—The Methodist circuit riders of sixty years ago—Perils of frontier traveling—Success of Cartwright's ministry—How he was superannuated—His courage—How he cleared a camp of rowdies—Encounter on a ferry-boat—Frightens a bully—Advocates temperance—A practical joke—Is elected to the Legislature—His opinion of politics—How he raised the devil—"Another sinner down"—Missionaries from the East—Indignation of the backwoods preacher—The proposed mission to New England—Cartwright declines it—He visits Boston—His reception—How he preached for Father Taylor—Summing up—Sixty-seven years of a preacher's life.