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J. B. CORKY.
Age. 82 years.
i|Jh taken after pompluiitiB the Comi)!
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Memoir an^ Personal
Recollection
of J/Bf t]OREY
Copyright 1914
James B. Cobkt
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I THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR. LENOX AND
IlLDSNFOUNDAr.'jN.
R 1 92.1 L
eSiitea
PITTSBUR«H PRINTING COMPANY
PITTSBURGH. PA.
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• . • ,
• «
• • » • .
• • •
• *
Index to Illustrations
J. B. Corey Frontispiece
Opposite Page
Mrs. J. B. Corey 1
The Corey Residence 1
J. B. Corey and Wife 1
Thomas Neel and Wife 1
Alfred Corey and Wife 15
Family of Alfred Corey 18
Alice C. Phillips (nee Wallace) 18
Moses Corey and Family 21
L. C. Corey, Wife and Son 21
William Whitaker and Wife 21
John Baldridge 21
Peter Kidd and Family 26
Rachel Corey, Son and Grandson 26
Family Gronp of J. B. Corey 27
J. B. Corey, shown at different ages 31
J. B. Corey, his children and grandchildren ... 48
J. M. and John H. Peterson 66
Hon. Thomas Mellon 72
Edwin M. Stanton 91
Abraham Lincoln 91
Rev. James Gt. Sansom 91
John Qnincy Adams 91
William L. Dixon 128
Bridget Flanegin 140
J. B. Corey and his faithful horse 361
Hon. Thos. Mellon and Wife 226
Theodore Wood, School Teacher 226
Electric Voting Machine 226
Bear Admiral Forsyth and Wife 276
^ Dr. Adam Clark 292
Wesley^s Memorial 292
New Covenant Mission 378
•■-1
Table of Contents
Page
Preface 1
Introdnction 2
PAKT FIRST.
Ancestbt of Cobby, Adams akd Ejdd Tbibbb.
Chapter 1.
Corey Tribe, Family Record 11
Corey, Benijah and Deborah 12
Corey, Alfred (My Father) 15
Corey, Rachel (My Mother) 18
Corey, Alfred and RachePs Children 18
Corey, Moses (My Father's Brother) . . . .21
Chapter 2.
James Adams Tribe 23
Chapter 3.
Peter Kidd Tribe 26
PART SECOND.
LiFB OF James B. Cobet.
Chapter 1.
My Boyhood and School Days 27
Wages and living expenses in 1840 27
First Public School at Port Perry 30
First Sunday School 31
vi. Table op Contents — Continued.
Page
Introduction to General Scott, 1847 35
First meeting with John Herron 36
Chapter 2.
I Start to Work 40
My first job, April, 1846 40
Slave girl loses 200 acres land 41
Building of Locks and Dams across Monon-
gahela River 42
My first Promotion — Failure as Teamster
and an Accident prevent a Murder. ... 42
My first Decision on Liquor — ^Lose my Job 45
Become Clerk in a Store 46
Chapter 3.
My Courtship and Marriage 48
The Peter Badd Twins 48
I marry Elizabeth Ann Eidd 48
The other Twin — ^Mrs. Thomas Neel 49
Chapter 4.
My Start in River Coal Business 50
Drive an old mule in a mine 50
Mule wins an argument and I quit 50
Cook on a flat boat 51
Flat boat pUot 52
Chapter 5.
Qualifications for a successful Coal Boat Pilot 53
Chapter 6.
Traits of the early River Pilots 56
(Characters and Incidents).
Tablb op Contents — Continued. vii.
Chapter 7. p^^^
Early River Coal Trade
Methods of Mining, Transporting, etc ... 64
Chapter 8.
First Partnership in Coal Business (1856) 68
J. M. & J. H. Peterson 68
Stranded in Louisville 68
In trouble in New Orleans 69
John Herron loans us money 70
First acquaintance with Thomas Mellon ... 72
I meet John Harper, Cashier 75
Chapter 9.
*' J. B. Corey & Co. '' organized 77
New Orleans conditions in 1860 77
Ask Lincoln to make A. H. Stephens Secre-
tary of War 80
Last Eiver Trip before the War 81
First Tow of Coal on the Mississippi 81
I
PART THIRD.
Wab op the Rebellion.
Chapter 1.
Northern Coal Business Ruined 83
Chapter 2.
I try to Enlist 84
Second meeting with General Scott 84
viii. Tablb of Contektb — Contmued.
Chapter 3. p^^^
Government job in Washington at $50.00 a
month 86
Contact with Lincoln, Cameron, Stanton,
etc 86
Handling Army supplies in Washington. . . 87
Battle of Bull Bun demoralizes Washing-
ton 89
Prepare to bum our Army supplies 89
Chapter 4,
BecoUections of Lincoln and his Cabinet 91
Simon Cameron 94
Edwin M. Stanton 95
Chapter 5.
End of my Government work 97
Chapter 6.
General Butler
Holds up Cargo of Sugar 98
Trys to prevent payment for our coal 100
In Memorium : Tribute to General Butler . . 101
Chapter 7.
Call for Volunteer Nurses 104
Typical ** Copperhead ' ' Incident 104
I enter Hospital Service 105
Lincoln ^s Sorrow for the Wounded 105
Tablb of Contskts — Contimued. ix.
PAET FOURTH.
Eesumptiok of Goal Business.
Chapter 1. p^^^
Betum to River Goal Business 107
**J. B. Corey & Co.'' dissolved (April,
1863) 107
Chapter 2.
Enter Kailroad Coal Trade
Organize ^' Corey & Co.'' (1865)— Brad-
dock Mine 108
Method of paying Miners in 1865 108
Dishonest Weights 108
I establish lawful weight of 76 lbs. per
bushel 108
First GO-operative agreement with Miners
(1886) 110
My first and only strike 112
Troubles between Operator and Miner — ^my
view after 36 years ' experienc 112
Chapter 3.
Operation of Duquesne Mines (1883-1901) 115
Declaration of Independence (Agreement)
signed by Miners 116
Organize Corey Coal Co., June 1, 1885 .... 119
Give up Duquesne Mine, May 31, 1901 121
Farewell Address to our Miners 122
My views on the causes of a strike at Turtle
Creek, Pa. 128
J. B. CORI
Age. 8! yei
\
/
/
Memoir and Personal
Recollection
^*\
(f J/Bi^^tlOREY
Copyright 1914
James B. Corbt
\V[S
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V
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^ m P
^ " ' J
xii. Tablb of Contents — Continued.
Page
Admiral Forsyth's Letters 275
King George V. on Titanic Disaster 277
Letter of Woodbridge N. Ferris, Governor of
State of Michigan 278
Letter of Babbi Levy and my reply to same 279
Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ 291
Letter of J. B. Corey to the **New York Voice'',
March 21, 1893 : 317
Reminiscence of John Quinoy Adams 323
A New Ballot Box 329
The Corey Bible — ^A Priceless Heirloom 332
Suggestions on the Conduct of the Civil War . . 333
Political. Correspondence, Etc.
J. B. Corey, Candidate for Governor of
Pennsylvania 335
Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist T 337
To Hon. John Hay on Salary Grab Act. . . 342
President Roosevelt — Extra Session of
Congress on National Currency 346
With Senator Nelson 348
Letter to President Wilson on $100,000,000
Special Internal Taxation Bill 353
The Question of Euchre 357
An Unusual Coincidence 361
Retrospect 371
Conclusion 375
Maurice Ruben's Experience 378
A Happy Reunion of Maurice Ruben and His
Family 395
MBS. J. H. CORKY,
n after over 61 years
'-.
Preface
(. . . /*Qf making manjf hooks there is no end; and much study is
weariness qfiheflesk*^ — Solomon).
Having passed the age of life in which my men-
tal and physical powers enabled me to be active in
the avocations and business pursuits that I had
taken an interest in, I decided to write my personal
recollections of the scenes through which I have
passed my four score years. As I have kept no
diary it greatly adds to my difficulty in reproducing
a connected story of my past life.
I will preface my story by quoting on the follow-
ing pages the preface used by my life-long and
truest friend, the Honorable Thomas Mellon, in his
autobiography. He gives better reasons for writing
the story of his life than I am capable of giving and,
having the permission of his sons to use it, I present
them as the reasons that influence me in leaving my
own posterity and friends the story of my life and
the scenes of my four score years.
The dates on the cuts and page will indicate the
age at, and when facts stated took place.
Jambs B. Cobey.
Introduction
I will let my newspaper friends introduce me to
my Corey friends. The editor of the "Weekly
Standard ' ', an old school mate, W. H. Morrow, in
1895, requested me to write some articles for his
paper, giving my own personal recollections of
Braddocksfield and Port Perry. The late Daniel
McCarthy, on learning I was going to write an
article for the ** Standard '^ appealed to his friend
Morrow to allow me to write the article for tiie
Braddock * * Daily News ' % which Editor Morrow con-
sented I should do. Editor Morrow said in the
** Standard '^ ** There is not a town in the Middle
States that has a more world wide reputation than
what is now the city of Braddock. The name at once
suggests the unfortunate yet hrave commander of
the Coldstream Guards, one of England's crack
regiments, which met its fate here''. It is also sug-
gestive of the struggles of the whites with the sav-
age red men. When we speak of Braddock we are at
once led to think of Gilbert Frazier, Tonnaluka,
Fort Duquesne, Colonel Washingto^, General Brad-
dock, and Beaujean, and many other names famous
in history. Anything relating to the early history
of Braddock is of great interest to the citizens of
Western Pennsylvania. Some time ago we wrote a
letter to Mr. J. B. Corey, of Braddock, who spent
his boyhood days in these places, and has the best
memory of any man we ever met, and who also is an
able writer, and asked him to send us some of his
recollections of Port Perry and Braddock for publi-
cation in the ** Standard", etc.— Editor McCarthy
says through the friendship of J. B. Corey and the
unselfishness of William H. Morrow, of the Irwin
Standard, we are enabled to give our readers early
2
readmscenced of Port Perry, Brtddodksfield, Turtle
Cre^, and the stirroiziiding c<yiiiitry, as well as i»
f nmish an inter^Bting nan^ati^e of the early settlers
of these places, whose descendants by the thousands
today people these towns and have a pardonable
pride in their ancestry, as they point to their fathers,
and grandfathers, and boast of the share eadi had
in laying the foundation of this prosperous indus-
trial center, which has not its counterpart in any
other mart of trade, on either hemisphere. If we
designate these memoirs of Mr. Corey, a labor of
love it is because we are not obrious of, nor unap-
preciative of, the mental or physical toil, worry, and
loss of valuable time expended in their collection.
We believe it to be a labor of love, because he
considers it to be a duty, in compliance with
the request of old and young friends who, knowing
his remarkable memory and his attitude for putting
the story of our pioneers in the most interesting
form, before those coming after them, who have be-
set him for years to take up his pen and indite the
wonderful scenes which marked themselves indelibly
upon his memory ; to aid his editor friends has also
been an incentive toward his contribution of the his-
tory of men and the times of the ever-fading past
This chronology may be aptly termed an heirloom of
literature transmitted to posterity to enable it to
have a knowledge of the past, and is therefore de-
serving a niche amid the favorite gems in your
library. It is of the men and their progeny who
have and will continue to bring honor and renown to
the city of Braddock of whom Mr'. Corey is writing.
His object in giving so much of his time and talents
is to the end, that the sterling attributes of their an-
cestors may spur us to an emulation of their vir-
tuous lives and heroic deeds, and we need not do
more than read between the lines to discover that
3
Intboduction.
following in the footsteps of Mn Corey himself
will bring honor and a sufficiency of this world's
goods to any young man who will take Mr. Corey's
Uf e, as a guide to direct him. Industry, energy, per-
severance, temperate habits, and honesty, were his
watchwords, and though he has passed more than
the allotted years of life, they still are the index of
his record. They made him a pilot of coal boats on
the Ohio River while he was yet in his teens ; they
secured him the confidence of the men who entrusted
their property to his care, and though many decades
have passed since, the faith they had in the young
pilot has so cemented their respect as to be a pleas-
ure to them, as to him, to be bound together as
friends. The editor of this paper most sincerely
appreciates this visible token of Mr. Corpy's good
will toward him, and trusts he may act as to ever re-
tain it To those who have patronized this edition
we also wish to thank, and hope it will be a source of
pleasure as well as profit We wish all our friends,
in fact, every one, an enjoyable Yuletide. That
every one may do his part to make Home, Sweet
Home, on Christmas Day, let those blessed with an
abundance of the goods of this world by the Al-
mighty Father, attest their appreciation of His
goodness by dispensing to those in need that which
will bring them to a recollection that this is the day
of '* good will on earth." — Braddock Daily News,
December 25, 1895.
Milton Kerns, Editor of the **High Tide", says,
that The High Tide for August, 1895 is abnormally
high, and has almost overleaped all geographical
. boundary lines. The topics so ably handled by Mr.
James B. Corey, extending f rojn the fall of sinful
Adam to the peace negotiations between Russia and
Japan, and will no doubt be very entertaining read-
ing to all who receive a copy of the August issue.
4
Intboduction.
Mr. Corey received an invitation to attend the
seventh annual reunion of the Corey Family at
Moorelandy Indiana, Wednesday, August 30th, and
make an address, but not being able to make the trip,
he decided to speak through the columns of The
High Tide in which the writer suggests that he used
good judgment Had he decided to go and deliver
an address before the audience, we fear he would
have been in the position we call to mind of two
noted divines, in conversation as to the manner of
preparing their sermons. One of them said : * * I
write every word of my sermons as I want to be
sound in doctrine, and preach nothing that is not
laid down by the fathers. '^ The other one re-
marked: *'Well, I preach extemporaneously, because
you know the enemy of mankind is a very subtle
serpent. He is apt if I write to find out what I am
going to say and as I preach the devil himself does
not know what I &ay^\
Mr. Corey's reminiscences are photographed so
clearly on the mental tablets of his mind from the
swift revolving kaleidoscope of time to have deliv-
ered them in a public address would have been im-
practicable as they appear in concise form in cold
type; they can be termed storage batteries; when
you want to use them, just touch the button.
Mr. Corey's personal character stands Up
like a mighty pillar compelling honor and awakening
courage. As we thread our way through his per-
sonal recollections covering three score and ten
years, his historical quotations that from the begin-
ning of time have been winnowed and sifted through
the gates of the ages, his reminiscences of the past
century as we are forced to the conclusion, that force
and energy of hundreds of average men, have been
used by nature in the making of this extraordinary
man. His career and private life, crowned with
6
Iktbopuctiok.
iMffiors conferred upon hmi in recognition of supe-
rior merit. His name is interwoven with the his-
tory of the city of Pittsburgh and is recognized as
that of one who has made this world better for his
halving lived in it. To the youth o{ coming genera-
tions his advice and example can best be voiced in
the language of William GuHen Bryant
"So llTe tliat wbea thy sammoiui oemei to }oln,
Tlie imnuneriLble caraTaA» which mores,
To the mysterloas realm, where each shall take;
Hts chamber In the silent halls of death,
Tliou go not Uke the wanry slave at night»
Scourged to his dungeon, hut sustained and soothed.
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,
Lihe one who wrai»s the drapery of his couch.
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams/*
Just A Word About Mr. Corey's Memoirs.
By Bsv. Maukecb Bubbn.
liditor of Qlory of Israel
(See Appendix.)
It was my pnmlege to read the copy sheets of
Mr. Corey's book and I feel prompted to write
bne% what I think about it I have known for
some time that it was his desire to leave to his pos*
tsfity his memoirs in a permanent form, and I was
move^ than surprised to find the material of the book
so weU prepared. The reading of the various chap-
ters proved so interestingly fascinating that I oould
hardly separate myself from the pages, till I had
tnsshed reading them aU.
The author looms up in this work as a man of
aafliffiching grit in dealing with the vexing problems
i
of either labor, politics or religion. He stands for
nnoompromising principles, he tears the mask from
the frauds, fakes and shasis. He hits high or low
and withal remains the sage, the seer and the
prophet.
I personally thank God for permitting Brother
Corey to publish this valuable contribution of '*Per-
soBial Memoirs''. It will make a deep impression
upon the readers and many will call him blessed for
having lived, fought and spoken for righteousness^,
truth and principle".
* • • •
With these editorial send-offs, I might and
would rest my own personal record, but for the f aet
that I have inherited my share of the Corey weak-
ness (love of flattery and self-praise) and of having
the last word. As this is a f amily^ secret and not
likely to get into the newspapers, by way of apology
for myself, I will say to you, ' * This human frailty im
Bot a peculiarity of the Coreys alone. You wha
read the newspapers must have noticed that some of
the most noted men of this nation, have these traits,
coursing throu^ their veins which King Solomon so
strongly deprecated/'
Intboduction.
Preface of
''Hon. Thomas Mellon and His Times''.
(Quoted with permission of his sons).
" Is a knowledge of our ancestors of any use to
us ? Is there any benefit to be derived from know-
ing their character and habits, and what manner of
men they were of? We may have inherited no
worldly possession from them, but never can ignore
the good or bad qualities they are sure to have left
us by heredity. To what extent in this way may not
the shading of our mental, moral and physical char-
acter and habits be due to them? In what propor-
tions have our different ancestors contributed to our
make up ? Science teaches that we are but repro-
ductions of those gone before us, each individual but
a new edition of a work published long ago with
some slight modifications — additions, or substrac-
tions — ^improving or impairing the original text
Some of our inherited qualities may be very good,
others very bad ; some should be cultivated, others
repressed ; and if we knew just how we came by them
and how they cropped out or were manifested in our
predecessors, we might deal with them all the more
intelligently. The natural affection for ancestors
and for pictures of remote ancestors, may therefore
be a wise provision, but in this direction we can ob-
tain little assistance from a family portrait An old
picture may be a very poor likeness of the original,
and at best can show nothing of his true character
and qualities, but still natural affection clings to it,
and imagination supplies those we would flatter in
ourselves. How much more satisfactory would it
not be if we could have a true representation of our
8
Intboduction.
ancestors ' course through life from first to last as in
a panorama, showing his thoughts and actions^ his
good and bad qualities ; what were his feelings on
trying occasions, how he bore prosperity or adver-
sity; what were his views on the current affairs of
his day ; what his motives and methods and what he
accomplished or wherein he failed ; how he per-
formed his duties as a citizen and fulfilled his domes-
tic relations. Such a picture would bring him home
to us in his working clothes, and reveal the hidden
ties between his nature and our own. It would pre-
sent to us that identity which through life he re-
garded as himself, and not a mere presentation of
the outward and changeable husk or enveloi>e in
which he was contained, and through which it is
never easy to read the contents. I was thus led to
reflect whether such a picture was possible. The
nearest approach to it would be a true narrative of
the ancestor's life written by himself; no other could
do the work as well, as no other could know the facts
and circumstances so accurately. And, finally, let
me entreat those of my descendants into whose
hands this memento of affectio;i may fall, to handle
and preserve it with care, remembering that it is
committed to them for safe-keeping not only for
themselves but for their descendants likewise, and
that it will not be for sale in the bookstores nor anyi
new edition published ; and remembering also what
satisfaction it may afford a descendant of theirs and
mine, many generations hence to read the history of
one of his remote ancestors as related by the ances-
tor himself. I advise this not on account of any iu-
trinsic merit in the book itself, but because it may in
time become a valued ancestral relic and for that
reason its defects may be overlooked for the sake of
the author.''
PART FIBST
Qupterl
Jtantl^ tittatb at lift Corrn ^t^*
(AnceBtora English.)
IHK Cory triiM traoe tJteir lineage t« the
English Admiral and Freebooter, Sir
Francie Drake, who they claim married
Mary Ann Cory, and to vhom he left his
estate and a fortune of over one hundred
and fifty millions at present lying in the Bank of
England. This statement is a eanard ; I fa&d the
Hon. John Hay, our Amabassador to England , in-
vestigate the claim for me (having formed Mr.
Hay's acquaintance when he was titte Private Secre-
tary of Abraham Lincoln in 1861). Mr. Hay upon
inqniry found that there never had been such a smn
of money deposited in the Bank of England, await-
ing the heirs of Sir Francis Drake Mid also learned
that Francis Drake had never been married to Mary
Ann Cory, or any other woman, bat had lived and
died a bachelor.
I have not been able to get an authentic or re-
liable record of my ancestors, bnt there being no
doubt that they were descendants of Adam and Evft
(and having inherited their share of tbeir ancestors'
virtoes aad weaknesses), I will content myself with
12
Memoib and Pebsonal Rbcollbctiok.
tracing my record on my father's side of the house
to Benijah Cory and Deborah Talford Williams,
and, on my mother's side of the house, to Grand-
father James Adams and Elizabeth Black, with as-
surance as to length of days or Christian achieve-
ments. I am not at all likely to elevate the noble ex-
amples which they have left on the pages of family
history.
Benijah and Deborah Cobt.
Grandfather Benijah Cory was bom at Burling-
ton, Vt, October 24th, 1778, and died at the home of
his son John Nelson Cory, near Fort Wayne,
Indiana, March 4th, 1870, age 91 years and four
months. His wife, Deborah Talford Williams, was
bom September 10th, 1780, and died at the home of
her daughter Mrs. Lydia Stouts in Wheeling, W. Va.,
August 25th, 1872, age 91 years, 11 months and 14
days. Grandmother Deborah Talford Williams was
of Quaker descent Grandfather and Grandmother
were married February 20th, 1799. To them were
bom six sons and six daughters, as follows :
Anna born
John
Alfred (My father) . . .
Moses
Charles Wesley
Lewis
John Nelson
Lydia, W
Phoebia J
Deborah M
Melissa
and
Evaline ''
February
July
April
June
July
September
January
May
April
July
20th,
4th,
6th,
9th,
19th,
11th,
27th,
17th,
4th,
5th,
1800
1802
1804
1806
1811
1813
1816
1818
1821
1823
November 6th, 1825
Grandfather Benijah Cory was a John Wesley
Methodist, having joined the Methodist Episcopal
Memoib akd Pebsonaij Rbcollectiok. 13
Church in 1808. He was a class leader in the
Methodist Episcopal Chnrch for 55 years, priding
himself in never failing to meet his class a single
Sabbath during that number of years.
Benijah and Deborah Cory entered upon their
married life by purchasing 300 acres of land in what
was then the western wilderness, but today is the
center of New York City. After clearing off their
farm and getting it into a high state of cultivation,
on which six sons and four daughters of their twelve
children were bom, some of whom had grown up to
yoimg manhood and womanhood, the father (against
the protests of his wife and children) on account of
the children from the village stealing his fruit, sold
his New York State farm and emigrated to the wilds
of Pennsylvania where he purchased and cleared off
another farm which today is a part of Brookville,
Pa. When the trend of civilization again trenched
on his rural tastes, he sold his Brookville farm and
bought another near Fort Wayne, Indiana, and when
the suburbs of this western city likewise began to
encroach on his preserves, he sold out again and
hied himself away to Peru, Indiana, where he pur-
chased another farm which today is the suburbs of
that western city. At Peru, he and his wife con-
tracted the fever and ague ; this, with old age, forced
them to visit their three sons who were living at
Port Perry on the banks of the Monongahela River,
in 1846. This is my first recollection of my Grand-
parents.
It was sad to see an old man, on a hot summer's
day, shake as if he had a winter chill, and in addi-
tion to the ague chill there was one not less chilly
which the old man was sure to get from the old lady,
and his sons by reminding him that if he had taken
♦heir advice and not have sold his York State farm
he would not be having the Indiana shakes. It so
happened that Grandfather had the shakes one day
14 MsMocR Jkxo l^muB^VAXj BaooiiUKmoir.
ttid Grandmother tbe &ext Om grandpa 's off daf
iie wonld try to entbnse na with telling us about i^
large oom stalks, long ears of oom and fat k^^s ke
had on his Indiana farm. Tkis was too much for'
my fatiier's trait of gratitude whiok he owed his
parents. He had just returned from N^w York
City, and with seeming delight would tell his parents
how they were running streets through his former
hiHuestead ; the fine rows of houses that were built in
the orchards he had helped to plant; of the large
factories which stood where the old log cabin stood
in which he was born, and the fine country residences
on the land he had helped to clear off in his boyhood
days. Grandmother would chime in with : ^ ^ I told
father not to sell, but he would not listen to me ; if he
had taken my advice and not sold our Punxsutawney
farm he would not now be shaking with the fever and
ague.'' ** Yes'', father added, ** if we had one of
those fine country residences on the ground I helped
to clear off I would not give it for the whole State of
Indiana ' '. Thus these Job 's comforters would in-
crease the old man 's shivers, when my mother who
was the Good Samaritan, with her cup of hot bone-
set tea, and still warmer words of comfort, whisper-
ing in grandpa's ear, **It might have been worse;
the York State farm might have been sold for
taxes," etc. **Here, grandpap, drink this cup of
hot tea, it will warm you up. ' ' The boys wished
tibey were all like motiier and would stop chiding
grandpap with his misfortunes. The next day
Moses Corey and his wife came out from the city to
visit their aged parents. This was grandmother ^s
day to shake. She was a tall, slender, Quaker lady
not weighing over 120 pounds, and while she could
not get up as big a shiver as did the old man, she did
not take it as patiently as he did. Neither of the
additional Job's comforters in the persons of Moses
Corey and wife would listen to the story of long
' ^
p
i'lfe of Alfred <
MsMoa um PsBSovAiL BocoiiLBonoir. 15
eom stalks, big ears of oom and fat kogd, but wcffM
remi&d him of ike big price per foot iiiBi corner lots
were selling for oa tkat York State farm. In a few
days grandfather went back to ladiana to harvest
kis crops and to sell his Pern farm.
ALFRED COREY.
(My Father.)
Alfred Corey was bom April 6thy 1804, on his
father's farm on Manhattan Island, N. Y., now part
of New York City. At the age of 19 he moved wiih
his parents to Jefferson County, Pa. On April 2&th,
1831, he married Rachel Adams, daughter of James
Adams of Franklin, Venango County, Pa^ her sister,
Lydia Adams marrying his brother, Moses Corey.
It will be noted that Alfred and his brother
Moses added the letter ' ' e " to their name, for good
Iwkj making five instead of four letters in their
names.
Alfred and Moses Corey formed a partnership
in the contracting business under the title of ^^ A. ft
M. Corey' ', and built several sections of the Sandy
and Beaver canal. In 1839 they contracted for and
built Lock ft Dam No. 2 across the Monongahela
River at Pieriestown, Pa. (afterwards called Port
Perry) , in which work their brother, Charles Wesley
Corey, was one of their employees. Alfred moved
his family to McKeesport until he could build two
one-story sixteen-foot shanties on the side of the hill
at Pieriestown for their families to live in, to which
they moved April Ist, 1840.
After completion of the dam, Alfred and Moses
decided to use the money from same to buy a stock
of goods in New York City. This was their first
visit to the place of their birth, from which they had
emigrated in 1823, or twenty-four years before, to
±C MeMOIB and PeBSOKAL BsCOLIiECTIOK.
the wilds of Pennsylvania. When they saw the
blocks of business houses and hotels on the grounds
from which they had helped their father grub
stumps and thorn bushes into rich farming land,
they complained of the apparent lack of foresight on
the part of their father in selling the ground. As
will be noted in the narrative of Grandfather Beni-
jah's life^ this caused them to manifest little pa-
tience, and filial affection towards their father when
he would hold up one arm and with the other at the
elbow would say : * ' The big ears of corn on the Peru
farm were that long. * ^ The big ears of com did not
look very large to Alfred and Moses after seeing
those big blocks of store houses on the York State
farm ; yet in after years neither did Alfred or Moses
show any greater wisdom or foresight than did their
father. Little did they think when chiding their
father with his lack of foresight that their own chil-
dren would live to see one lot 40 by 110 on the Brad-
docksfield farm (which father had bought and
thro wed up a few years before), would sell for more
than three times what he was to pay for the farm of
328 acres. Father had agreed to take the Brad-
docksfield farm at $9,000, and the Oliver farm at
$7,000, offering his brother Moses the choice of
farms, but Moses refused to take either, saying he
had grubbed all the briers and thorn bushes in York
State he ever intended to grub. If father wanted to
put his share of the profits from building the lock
and dam in farms he could do so, but none of his was
going to be spent on farms. After quarreling
nearly all night father went to the city and forfeited
the $500, which he had put on the two farms, both of
which are covered with much costlier structures
than covered the York State farm in 1846. The
Braddock National Bank paid for a lot 20 x 130 feet
of this same farm $25,000, Nor was my foresight any
more farseeing than my father ^s and Uncle Moses'
Memoib and Pebsokal Becollectiok. 17
in 1843, or my grandpap in 1823. In 1865, 1 myself
bought seven acres of this same farm for which I
was to pay $700.00 per acre. On the advice of a
friend, I threw it up, having a week 's option on it.
Today, lots 25 x 125 feet are selling for $1,250 per
front foot.
Alfred and Moses applied themselves to store-
keeping, Alfred in Port Perry and Moses in Pitts-
burgh, for which neither had talent, taste, or expe-
rience necessary for success. In a few months
Alfred tired of selling his goods on credit, generally
never paid for, and sold his store to Samuel Walker,
father-in-law of the late James G. Blaine, taking his
notes in payment of same. Walker, going into bank-
ruptcy, paid the notes off with a bankrupt ticket
Moses Corey finding his store not a success, traded
it for a lease on a coal mine under Mt. Washington,
now one of the wajds of the City of Pittsburgh, in
which trade he again found himself in a business for
which he was little qualified. Alfred subsequently
engaged in other mercantile pursuits and when he
reached the age of four score and seven, was sum-
moned to the silent land.
I mention the fact of Alfred and Moses not
being qualified for the business they undertook, be-
cause thousands of people are.mourning because of
the lack of foresight of their ancestors. The fact is,
all we get here below is a living. The pleasure of
earning it ourselves far exceeds any inheritance, no
matter how great Another moral I wish to draw is
this: '*Man never is, but always is to be, blest''
This proverb is only in part true. There are a class
of people who never are, and never will be blessed.
There is another class (of which my mother was
one) who always was, always is and who always will
be, blessed. These three traits of character govern
the human family.
18 Memoir and Personal Recollection.
Rachel Corey,
Mother of J. B. Corey.
The wild storm of adversity and the bright sun-
shine of prosperity are all alike to her ; however un-
worthy we may be of that affection, a mother never
ceases to love her erring child. Often, when alone,
as we gaze up to the starry heaven, can we in imagi-
nation catch a glimps of the angels around the
*' great white throne'' and among the brightest and
fairest of them all is our sweet mother ever beckon-
ing us onward and upward to her celestial home.
Mother.
The music of that silver-toned voice we again
hear from the spirit-land, singing some soothing
melody, or telling in simple language **that sweet
story of old'', till forgotten were all our childish
sorrows. And now, in the strife and tumult of life,
when the cold world frowns darkly upon us, her
gentle words come back, bidding us ^ * look above ' '.
Who can fathom the depth of a, mother's loveT No
friendship so pure, so devoted.
Children of Alfred and Rachel Corey.
James Benijah (Frontispiece),
Bom April 23rd, 1832.
Matilda Jane,
Born August 15th, 1834. Died at Portland,
Ore., April 3, 1894.
She married a young Baptist minister. Rev.
Joseph Walters, at the age of fifteen years and six
months, by whom she had two sons. Having emi-
grated to the State of Illinois, her husband took sick
and died, leaving her two children to care for. Liv-
ing a widow several years, she married J. K. Philips,
I.VOI.V CORBV.
fNee John lialilrldef
SlMter of ,1. ». Corey.
JOHN- NKI-HON CORKY.
RACHEL COREY. Urolher iif ,1, U. Corey.
i Kline), Stater of J. B. Corey. 1S75.
(Se* page 21).) 'See natfe 21.)
.M-ICE C. [■HlI.T.Il'S.
DauBhIer of Mattlda Jane Corey,
Mbmoib and Personal Bscollectiok. 19
by whom she had two sons and two daughters. After
several years of bodily affliction, nearing three score
years, in which she endured as seeing Him who is
invisible, she died at Portland, Oregon, laying down
the cross to take up the crown. Her mantle fell on
her oldest daughter, Alice Corey Philips, who
seemed to inherit a double portion of her mother and
grandmother ^s spirit, as she became an earnest
evangelist ; and while today she has a family to take
care of, yet she finds time with her pen and prayers
to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to
the saints. -^
She inherited her mother's religious traits of
character, was converted when a young girl and be-
came an earnest worker in the church, especially in
revival meetings, in which her power in prayer and
song made her a favorite of the early Methodist
preachers.
Their Favorite Old Methodist Revival Hymn.
Jesus, my all, to heaven is gone,
He whom I fix my hopes upon ;
His track I see and I'll pursue
The narrow way to Him I view.
The way the holy prophet went.
The road that leads from banishment ;
The King's High-way of holiness
I '11 go, for * ' all His paths are peace. ' '
Then will I tell to sinners round
What a dear Saviour I have found ;
I '11 point to Thy redeeming blood.
And say, * * Behold the way to God. ' '
20 Memoib akd Personal Becolubciiok.
Eliza Akn,
Bom September 25th, 1837. *
Mbs. Eliza Ann Whitakeb,
Sister of J. B. Corey.
She lives with her husband, William Whitaker,
at Dravosburg, Pa., oppositjB McKeesport, sur-
rounded by her four sons and a daughter, within
four miles of where she was raised from childhood*
As she grows older her love of old time Methodism,
instilled into her mind by her mother, grows
stronger, as does the hope of meeting her in that
* * Sunbright clime, undimmed by sorrow, unhurt by
time.^*
Ltdu,
Bom October 23rd, 1840, at Port Perry, Pa.
Mbs. Lydia Baldbidge,
Sister of J. B. Corey.
She married John Baldridge, who died May 29th,
1909. She lives in sight of where she was bom and
raised, surrounded by her four daughters and two
sons, all having families of their own. One daughter
and one son died after reaching young woman and
manhood, several others dying in infancy.
William Augustus,
Bom November 10, 1842, died of scarlet fever
September 28, 1843, aged ten months and thirteen
days.
Bachbl Debobah,
Bom September 6, 1844.
Rachel D. Cline,
Sister of J. B. Corey.
She died at Braddock, October 20, 1864, in child
birth of her son, William C. Cline, whose father
WIFE OF MOSl-:S COREY.
-MOSES CORKY,
Children of Moses Corey
{see page 22)
MARY i:. CnEir-TV.
IM^C WlJKhtl MO»I-:,S COKHV. JR.
Memoir and Pebsokal Becolleotiok. 21
marrying a second wife, moved to Baoine, Wis-
consin, where William grew np to yonng manhood
and became a ^' Fresh Water Tar" on Lake Erie.
JOHK N.,
Bom at Port Perry, Pa., December 17, 1846.
John N. Cobey,
Brother of J. B. Corey.
He was murdered Jnne 19tii, 1875, by a dnmken
brakeman stabbing him in the back, who he had dis-
charged for getting drunk and neglecting his work.
Lewis Cass,
Bom April 14, 1849.
L. C. COBEY, WIFE AKD SOK. *
He was named after a distinguished democratic
candidate for the Presidential office, although Father
voted for his opponent. Cass, having a good many
friends in tiie Whig party. Father named his young-
est son after him.
Lewis has been the rolling stone in the family.
He spent one-third of his 65 years in the town where-
he was bom, 33 years in the West, and nine or ten
years on his farm near Jackson, tiie capital of
Mississippi, where he is now living.
MosEs Cobey and Family.
Moses Corey, my father ^s brother, was bom
1806, and died February 28th, 1858, age 52 years.
Li 1830 he married Lydia Adams, mother's sister,
who died September 3rd, 1847. To them were bom
eight children :
Matilda Jane,
Mahlon,
22 Mbmoib and Pebsonal Becollection.
Elizabeth Ann,
Alfred Adams,
Mary Emmy,
Moses, Jr.,
William Ellis,
Wilber.
They are all dead but Mary E., the vivapious
old maid who when bom weighed 3>4 pounds. Her
lack of confidence in the uiasculine gender prevented
**Mollie'^ from helping to perpetuate the Corey
Tribe, but nevertheless she is as happy as a May
bird, especially when on a tour around the world.
December 23rd, 1913, Mollie found a man she thinks
will make her declining years happy and married
Samuel Wright
Memoib and Pebsokal Bscollection. 23
Chapter 2
iftatorg of iwmB Abama JStxbt
(Ancestors Irish.)
The following record is contained in the family
Bible of James and Isabella Weldon Adams, in pos-
session of their great grandson, Roland Thompson,
of Milroy, Pa.
James Adams was bom October 30th, 1734, and
died in October, 1824. Isabella Weldon, to whopi he
was married April 26, 1756, was bom September 22,
1736, and died in September, 1825. The following
were their children :
Joseph,
Bom March 18, 1757.
Died November 17, 1784. '
Jacob,
Born September 23, 1758.
Died Angust 23, 1803.
William,
Bora September 24, 1760.
Died October 26, 1805.
Jonathan,
Born December 20, 1762.
Do not have date of death.
Jessb,
Bom October 2, 1768.
Died May, 1852.
DAvm,
Bom September 7, 1766.
Died August 10, 1787.
24 Memoib and Pebsokal Becollbction.
Lydia, ^
Bom October 2, 1768. ^
Died September 3, 1847. ^
John, (I
Bom September 23, 1772. '^
Do not have date of death. H.
James, Jb. (My Grandfather), i
Bom October 30, 1770. ii
Died Angast 8, 1851.
Isaac,
Bom November 12, 1774.
Died Febraary 15, 1783.
Wbldon,
Bom November 12, 1776.
Do not have date of death.
Eli,
Born May 28, 1780.
Do not have date of death.
Levi,
Bom February 18, 1782.
Died October 27, 1784.
In the list of officers of the Cumberland County
Militia in active service in the campaign of 1776 (in
the War of the Revolution), printed in Vol. 14, of
the Second Series of Pennsylvania Archives, page
372, the name of James Adams appears as Captain
of the Fourth Company of the Fifth Battalion of
Cumberland County Militia in the campaign of 1777.
In Vol. 11, of the Colonial Records, page 90, ap-
pears the following minute dated January 15.
1777:—
** Captain Kickham was directed to pay
Captain James Adams one hundred and two
pounds, five shillings, one penny, for expenses
attending the marching of his company from
Cumberland County, to be charged to Con-
gress.'*
Mbmoib and Pbbsokal Becollbctiok. 25
His name also appears in Whig's history of
Cumberland Coonty among the Captains in the
Sevolntionary War from that connty^ (page 91).
Grandfather James Adams^ Jr., married Baehel
Black, who was bom in 1775, and died at Franklin,
Pa., in September, (1886) f I could find no record
of their marriage. They had twelve children, as
follows : — James, Elizabeth, Isabella, Henry Bow-
man, Mary, Jane, Matilda, Rachel, Lydia, Jessie,
Samuel, and Josiah. I have no reliable dates of the
marriages and deaths of their children.
This record of the Adams Tribe was furnished
me by Cousin Christopher C. Heydrick, which shows
that other than adding to the population they left no
distinguishing mark on the pages of history.
Cousin Christopher Heydrick and his sister,
Harriet, perhaps adorn the family record more
highly than any other of Grandfather Adams' de-
scendants. Cousin Christopher in the legal profes-
sion reached the distinguishing position of Chief
Justice of ihe State of Pennsylvania. Cousin
Harriet, with beautiful form, pretty face and lovely,
disposition, was the favorite of noble, and the envy
of small, minds. Solomon's tribute to the virtuous
woman (Proverbs 31-10-31), is a good portrait of
Cousin Harriet Grandfather's other descendants,
while they have not elevated it, have not disgraced
th family record.
26 Memoir and Pbbsonal Bbcollbction.
Chapter 3
^xBtax^ of % IjftUt Kibii S^rtfa?
Peter Kidd
was born in Washington County, Pa., in the year
1795. His father was bom in Scotland and died
while he was an infant. His mother married a sec-
ond husband by the name of Houston, he being
raised by his Grandmother. Peter Kidd married
Ellen Wilcox of Armstrong, who proved to be a
faithful wife and a good mother. To them were
bom three sons ; Alexander, Samuel and Jeremiah ;
and twin daughters, Margaret Jane and Elizabeth
Ann.
Under Chapter ' * My Courtship and Marriage ' \
will be found further reference to the twin daugh-
ters. They are also mentioned in *'My Introduc-
tion to General Scott."
HACHKl, COKKY.
l>ArnHTERH OF PETER KIDI). SON I.. C. VAITiKY.
of J. B. Corey ana ThomaH Notl. i;nANI>S' 'N', AI.FRKl) WAl.TKHS.
(See iiaeea !ft-48.) ISb",
IVILL.1AM WHETAKKR AND WIFE.
5 tJORKY. SR.
-MRS. I.YDIA CIIRKY .
28 Memoib and Pebsokal Becollectiok.
ever held in Pieriestown by an old time Methodist
Circuit Bider, who made it one of the conditions of
his being converted or maintaining his experience
that he was really ^' Bom Again'', that he would
have to cut out the three gigers as part of .the com*
pensation due employees. This caused a strike. In
that early day whiskey was part of the compensation
for farm hands. The strike was compromised by
increasing the wages to 75 cents per day. The
largest number of workers on the lock and dam wei^e
emigrants from Ireland. I recall one who on hiring
to work at 62>^ cents per day, took off all his clothes
(which were not worth over $3), and hung them on a
bush ; and wheeled gravel, stark naked all day in the
burning sun. In a short time he had earned enough
money to buy a set of coal miners ' tools and started
to dig coal, and soon had saved money enough to buy
a flat boat which he filled with the coal he dug him-
self, floating it to Cincinnati, cleared $500, with
which he bought two pairs of flat boats, loaded them
with coal and floating them to New Orleans, cleared
enough money to purchase a front lot in the town of
Port Perry, and built himself a two-story, six-room
house, kept a two-horse carriage, with which he
drove his family to the Catholic Cathedral, Fifth
Avenue, Pittsburgh, on Sabbath to attend the morn-
ing Mass. In former days, before he got suddenly
rich, he was compelled to cross the Monongahela
river with his family and climb the mountain at
Green Springs to worship in a little Catholic Church,
built by the late T. J. Kinney, father-in-law of John
O. Kelly, President of the Braddock National Bank.
His sudden elevation from a paddy behind a wheel
barrow, bare naked, wheeling gravel at 62>4 cents
per day, to an Irish gentleman with fine black broad
cloth suit, behind a spank pair of bay horses, as he
passed the door of a neighbor, who came over in the
same ship with him from Ireland, excited her envy
Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection. 29
and jealousy. She exdaimed loud enough for them
to hear her : ' ' Peck a Scab, let a louse crawl from
under and see how soon it will get up its back. "
It will, doubtless, prove interesting for me to
cite the cost of living in Western Pennsylvania at
this time, before our public offices became the legiti-
mate spoils of public bosses and legal shysters. The
average cost of living was about $300.00 per year, as
follows : —
Bent of one-story house, 16 x 13 . . . .$12.00 per year
Bent of one and a half -story house . 18.00 per year
Bent of two-story house 24.00 per year
Bent of two-story house with one-
story kitchen 30.00 per year
Bent of two-story, four rooms and
kitchen 48.00 per year
From one to ten acres of ground usually con-
nected with the house, tenants usually keeping a cow,
also raising their own chickens and hogs.
Other living expenses were : —
Eggs, 5 to 10 cents dozen in summer, 15 to 25
cents in winter. Butter, 12j^ to 25c per pound.
Coffee, 12 to 30c per pound. Sugar, 8, 10, 15c per
I>ound. Flour $4 to $10 per barrel according to sea-
son and crops. Molasses, 15 to 30c per gallon.
Potatoes, 25 to 50c per bushel, according to season.
Cabbage and other produce in similar ratio. Pork
$3 to $6 i)er hundred pounds. Hay, $6 to $12 per
ton. Apples, for the gathering and carrying away.
Common labor paid 75c to $1.00 per day, 6 :00 A. M.
to dark.
My boyhood was like that of other boys and
girls of those days. It was spent in going to school
four or five months in winter and in summer working
on farms or at some other useful employment at
30 Mbmoib and Personal. Becollection.
small wages, or none, and board. No children were
allowed to form indolent habits or idle away their
time. The success of a young man of 21, who had
not learned some useful trade was regarded as
doubtful.
First Public School.
There being no school house, mother gathered
some nineteen children, including two of her own,
and started the first school the little town ever had.
Her nephew, James Bowman, was teacher. Those
able paid $1.00 per month tuition ; those who could
not pay boarded the teachers subsequently in turn,
and only those too poor to pay or board the teacher
went free. The school books were Cobb^s Spelling
Book, English Reader, Western Calculator, Olney's
Geography and Kirkham's Grammar. The advan-
tages that we youngsters had in that early day over
the youngsters today, before this public charity,
along with all our public offices, became the spoils of
political bosses of pothouse politicians, was this:
The olden-time teachers taught their scholars that
manly trait of self-dependence, and that only pau-
pers and sinecures ever expected to lie down on the
public Treasury for their support. Today we have
an official plutocracy fastened upon our Govem-
' ments who are prostituting all our public offices to
their own avarice and greed, against which not even
our public charities are secure. Our system of
Government originated in a desire on the part of our
ancestry to throw off the burden of supporting a
royal aristocracy, in doing of which they seemed to
lose sight of the adage, **It is better to bear the ills
we have than fly to those we know not of. ' ' The
womb limits a royal aristocracy, but there is no limit
to an official plutocracy.
J. B. COREV.
J. B. CORBY.
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 31
First Sunday School.
My mother reading in the Christian Advocate
about the first Sunday School started in England,
converted her day school into the first Sunday School
the locality ever had. I am the only one of the orig-
inal nineteen scholars composing that day and Sun-
day School, who is alive today. We did not have
any lesson leaves nor song books, our library con-
sisting of a few primers, Cobb 's Spelling Book, an
English Reader, and the old Family Bible that lay
on the stand.
There were but few families that had a Bible or
even a new I'estament
In a short time that little cabin became the
meeting place of the pioneer Methodists. Rev.
James Welling, the first Methodist circuit rider,
preached the first Methodist sermon in the town. I
remember as he rode up to the door and dismounted,
with his saddle bags full of New Testaments, M. E.
Hymn Books and ** Baxter's Call to the Uncon-
verted.*' His first salutation to my mother was, '*I
have come to hold a meeting for you.'' **Have you
the witness of the Spirit that you are bom again ! ' '
*'Are you freely justified?" **Have you been
sanctified ? " On receiving an aflSrmative answer, he
took from his saddle bags eight copies of *' Baxter's
Call to the Unconverted" saying, **Here, James,
take these and leave one at each house and tell them
that there will be preaching in your house this
evening. ' ' No eight year old boy ever covered the
same ground in less time, and I have been distribut-
ing tracts more or less ever since. The book being out
of print two years ago, I had 5,000 copies printed,
distributing them all over the world. I took 2,000
copies with me on my tour to the Holy Land, dis-
tributing quite a number in Jerusalem and giving
them to Missionaries on the route and not a few in
32 Memoib akd Pebsokal Recollection.
London, mailing one to Eang George V., and received
a letter from his Private Secretary, saying, the
King conmianded him to acknowledge the receipt of
my letter congratulating him on his coronation and
to thank me for the booklet. The letter was ad-
dressed in the Eong's personal envelope in mourning
for his Father, April 15th. On returning from a
tour to the Holy Land, I stopped over at London for
four days ; sitting in tiie Hotel, reading the account
of that most terrible catastrophe, sinking of the
Steam Ship, Titanic, involving the loss of such a
large number of people, and reading King George 's
most beautiful and tender proclamation of sympathy
with the friends of the victims of the disaster, I wa£(
so impressed with the solenmity of the occasion, and
the noble humane deed, that I picked up a pen and
wrote His Boyal Highness a note saying that he
would receive the oonunendation of the civilized
world for his heartfelt expressions of sympathy with
the grief stricken friends. In signing my note, I did
not tell him where I was from. On my arrival home,
my wife handed me a second letter from the King's
Private Secretary, saying that the Eong commanded
him to thank me for my letter commending him for
his proclamation of sympathy with the friends of
victims of the Titanic. This impressed me still
more favorably with this to my mind, that if King
George the 5th is not the greatest, he is one of the
greatest Rulers that has sat on the throne of tke
greatest and most civilized Nation on the earth to-
day. The English Nation have great cause to re-
joice in having two such pre-eminently distinguished
rulers as Ki ng George the 5th and his beloved wife,
Queen Mary, to preside over their Nation. All their
public acts are characterized, with uot only a desire
to promote the welfare of their own people, but to
promote peace and good will among IJbe Nations of
the earth. I am exceedingly sorry to read of the
Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection. 33
political fends between Ireland, Scotland, and Eng-
land, threatening to involve them in a Civil War
like that which our own Nation from 1861 to 1865
passed through, which resulted in the sacrifice of one
million of the flower of American manhood; five
billions of treasure ; two billion wfiich remains un-
paid ; the devastation of the homes of one-third of
our own people ; three hundred millions annually for
pensions to disabled soldiers, their widows, and or-
phans. I hope my Me long friend, the scotch Laird,
Mr. Andrew Carnegie, may be able to instill a little
common sense into the pate of the political vultures,
who are keeping up a perpetual strife between the
races of people ; who enjoy the richest soil, purest
air, and greatest blessings of any people on earth,
and to be happy, only need to live in peace among
themselves. They seem to lose sight of the adage
that * 4t is better to bear with the ills we have than
to fly to those we know not of. ' ' But I have dis-
gressed farther than I intended.
The second incident of my boyhood days which
affords the greatest pleasure today, as well as being
one of my special providences which, aside from the
spiritual good I received, resulted in my temporQl
good to as great a degree as any one act I can recall.
It was the committing to memory of the entire Book
of Si John and eight chapters in Acts in one week,
1,132 verses, requiring the whole of the Sabbath,
April 13th, 1845, to recite them. I was competing
with a young girl in the first Sunday School the little
town ever had, which my mother had started by get-
ting an old Baptist cobbler to act as superintendent,
and the son of the man who had laid out the town
and built it the first school house it ever had, to act
as secretary. The young girl who was the servant
of the man who laid out the town, had committed
regularly 150 verses a week. I had excited the
teachers and officers of the school by committing 500
34 MbMOIB and PBRSOITAIi RfiCOMilBCTIOK.
verses in one week, bat boy-like, I would not commit
any for weeks. In this way, Clarissa Martin, hatf
got the Book of St. John and several verses in Acts
aliead of me. TBien they decided to oflfer prises to
the scholars for committing the greatest number of
verses. The Secretary, George T. Miller, a yoimg
m€ui in his teens, had a onriosity to see how many I
would commit He came to me the last week of tiie
year and said :' ^ Jim, Clarissa will not learn any
verses this week if yon will try and take the prize."
I said if father and mother would allow me to stay
home from school I would try. On their consenting,
I started in on returning from Sabbath School, ana
on the next Sabbath morning, I reported tiiat I had
committed 1,132 verses, giving me the first prize.
The young girl began to cry at the thought of losing
the prize for which she had so faithfully contested.
The Superintendent, to soothe her, consented to
allow her to commit what she could during the recess
of the Sunday School. She recited 160 verses, as
many as she ever had done in any Sabbath before.
The Secretary took me home with him to finish re-
citing what I had committed, it taking until late in
the afternoon to finish. He dodced me every verse
that I missed a word in, crediting me with 1,028
verses, which gave the girl the first prize, and tried
to conciliate me by offering me a book costing same
price, but I refused, saying, ^ ^ I had been cheated out
of the prize and refused to attend the Sunday Sdiool
ever after. ^^ Father would not make, and mother
ooold not persuade me to go any more. The hook
which they offered me was **The Martyr Lamb".
My feat was published in the Sunday School papers
as having committed 1,028 verses, which was not
equaled for several years, when a young ^l was
published as having committed 1,100. I am per-
suaded today, that had I known then what I do to-
day, and had not lost Thursday diasing after the
Mbmooi and Pebsokai. BsGOLuacTioir. 35
bunuAg eoibers from the big fire whkA burned up
Pittsbiirgh, I iMiald haying oommitted the entire
Book of Aots« In oommitting verees, all I had to do
was to read a verse, shut the book, and repeat it
Going tiirough the Chapter^ I would hand the bo<^ tx>
mother and recite chapter i^ter chapter, rarely miM-
ing a word.
The dissension over the contest resulted in
breaking up the school, and not until the Metiiodist
Episcopal little brick meeting house was built did the
little town have another Sunday School.
In after years when Colonel W. L. Miller would
meet me, he would say: ^^ Jim, is your memory as
good as it used to be T " ^'I would give 100 acres of
the best land I ever owned if I had a boy wilil as
good a memory as yours", and then throwing his
broad axe four feet, splitting the chalk line, he would
sity, ^ ^ I would give another 100 acres if I had another
boy who could use a broadaite like me" putting the
use of his broadaxe And my memory on the same
leveL In that early day the proud American spirit
prided itself more in mechanical skill than in the
number of acres of land he owned or the number of
dollars he had in bank.
iKtBODtJCTlON TO GeKE&AL ScOW.
In 1847, General Winfield Scott, having oon-
queted Mexico, wanted to be President of the United
States. In making a tour of the eastern States in
company with an old blind sea captain and several
Pittsburgh lawyers, among whom was the late Judge
WSson McCandless, in passing through the lock on
the Monongahela river on one of the Brownsville
packet boats, everybody in the little town, on seeing
the flag, repaired to the lock to learn the cause of the
unusual display of flag and music As the boat en-
tered the lock, us boys soon found our way into the
86 Memoib and Personal REOOiiiECTiON.
cabin. Lawyer McCandless, father's attorney, said,
**Come here, Jimmie'*, introducing me to the old sea
captain, who had f onght under CommodQre Perry on
Lake Erie, in 1812. He said, ^'Captain, James B.
Corey committed the whole of St. John and eight
chapters in Acts in one week. ' ' The old Captain,
laying his hand on my head said, * * James, treasure
those verses up in your heart ; if they do not make
you President of the United States, they will make
you a good man. ' ' You can see how that would ex-
cite a feeling of pride in a fifteen year old boy. Gen-
eral Scott paid me a compliment for my feat
There were two young twin girls (See *'My
Courtship and Marriage'*) introduced to General
Scott that no one could tell apart. General Scott
was so much pleased with these twins that he stooped
down and kissed them, which pleased their father so
much that, while he had never voted for any ticket,
from Andrew Jackson, but the Democratic ticket, he
cast his first and only Whig vote for General Scott
First Meeting with Mr. John Herron.
Herron and Peterson had opened up a coal mine
at the Turtle Creek end of Colonel Miller 's f aim.
One day while Mr. John Herron, his brother David-
son and John Peterson, Sr., his partner, were at the
mine, Mr. Peterson needed change for two one hun-
dred dollar bills and Mr. John Herron taking out his
pocketbook, gave Peterson the smaller bills, putting
the two one hundred dollar bills in his pocketbook,
which he laid on the top rail of the fence while he
counted out the small bills to Mr. Peterson. The
steamboat on which he intended to return to the city
entering the lock, he started for the boat, leaving his
pocketbook on the fence rail.
I had received a present from a farmer of a
young rooster and a pair of pullets. Cousin Alf
Memoib and Pebsonal Becollsctiok. 37
Corey, a mischievous boy about eight years old, had
come out from the City of Pittsburgh to spend Sun-
day with us in the country. In that day the city
boys called us boys ** Country Jakes ", and were in
the habit of poking the jokes at us. I was busy
building a chicken pen for my new pets when Alf .
put in an appearance. At first, he was very much
taken with my pretty little chickens, but when the
novelty wore oflf *' Alf decided he would have some
more vigorous fun with his * * Country Jake * ' cousin.
He climbed over the fence into a lot where there
were some apple trees. After filling himself with as
many green apples as he could eat, he began to pelt
me with green apples. Receiving a stinging blow
from a well directed, hard apple, I ran to climb the
fence to thrash my city cousin. As I laid my hand
on the top rail of the fence, it fell on Mr. Hexron'a
old fashioned pocketbook, and as I stopped and
rolled back the wrapper, my eyes fell upon the two
one hundred dollar bills that Mr. Peterson had given
him. I did not stop to see any more, but made a
break for father *s store which was in one end of our
home, and running into the store exclaimed : ^ ^ I have
found Mr. flerron *s pocketbook which he left lying
on the top of the fence. ' ' Father took the pocket-
book and, opening it, found over $1,000.00 in money
and other papers which Mr. Herron subsequently
said would have involved a loss of $5,000.00, yet so
strict a Presbyterian, and such a sacred regard did
Mr. Herron have for his church obligation and for
the Sabbath day, that he waited until Monday morn-
ing before allowing his son, a young man, to come
out to look after his lost pocketbook. When the
mail packet boat came to the lock Monday morning
about ten o'clock, I was on the lookout for Mr.
Herron. Seeing his son William get off, I ran to
him and told him I had found his father's pocket-
book and father had it safe for him in our store.
38 Memoib akd Pbrsokal Rbcolubctioit.
Tke young man made a straight path for the stope,
reeeiving the poeketboek. He thanked father f of it,
and after going around the ooal naneSy left on the
afternoon boat for his home in Pittsburgh. He did
not offer to reward me for finding and returning the
poeketbook. The Port Perry people having heard
of the inoident, were loud in their criticism of what
they regarded as a penurious act.
The next regular pay day at the end of the
month, old Mr. Herron came out again to pay off his
miners. Passing by our stpre, he did not stop to
say * * Thank you ' ^ This incensec} father, who de-
cided he must be a very penurious man, but along
towards evening, before the packet boat came to the
lock, Mr. Herron came along by Jesse Hughes*
Blacksmith Shop, where a lot of us boys were play-
ing marbles. He asked Mr. Hughes if there was a
boy by the name of Jimmie Corey there. The black-
smith, who was shoeing a horse, replied, **Yes, that
white tow-head. ' ' I heard him ask the question, and
looking up said, * * I am the boy you are looking for. ' *
On seeing it was Mr. Herron, I half suspected I was
going to get something. He said: ** Jimmie, come
here ; I have a fippenny bit for you. ' ^ I started
feeling quite disappointed that I was only to receive
a fippenny bit, or six and one-fourth cents, for find-
ing a poeketbook with over $1,000.00 in it, but when
I saw him pull the same big poeketbook out of his
pocket, I knew I was going to get more than a fip-
penny bit. He took a large roll of money from the
poeketbook, and I thought I might get aJl the money
there was in it when I found it, but I did not have
long to wait until I knew what I was to get. He
haaded me a five dollar bill with some kind words,
and I started for home. I have never been so rich
sinqe. However, the people on learning he only
gave me five dollars were as loud in their denuncia-
tion of what they considered a picayune reward q.s
Mbuoir lsh Fbbscnai. Secollbctioh. 39
they were of his sod not offering to pay me any-
thing. Later, when in the river coal business, I aent
nay partner, Peterson, home to raise money to meet
a $1,100.00 check given to a Captain Smith and told
him to go to Mr. Herroa and remind him of bia
promise to help me, and ask him to take onr note
and let us have the money ; this, he did, helping ns
•at of a very tight place.
40 Mbmoib akd Pebsonal Bscollsction.
Chapter 2.
I Stabt to Wobk.
My father, having inherited his father's agri-
cultural taste, in order to instill into his boy habits
of industry at the close of school, April Ist, 1846,
hired me out to Mr. George Bell, the owner of the
famous Braddocksfield farm, at $5.00 a month and
board. My mother in introducing me, to stimulate
her own boy to noble endeavor said, * * James, you
have started to earn your own living on the farm
where George Washington started upon a career
that made him President of the United States. It
was by proving worthy of the trust reposed in him
that he secured the highest honor of his country-
men. Now, James, if you will prove worthy of the
trust which Mr. and Mrs. Bell repose in you, it may
not make you President of the United States, but
you will acquire a good name, which is rather to be
chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather
than silver and gold. ' ' It was with this good advice
of my sainted mother that I started out to earn a
living, and as I look back over four score years since
I received it, I have no doubt but under a kind
Providence what little success I have made in life
was in taking heed to it
My work was to help plant and hoe corn and
potatoes, rake hay, and take care of the children on
wash. day. Mrs. Allen Kirkpatrick, the second
daughter of my employer and heir to this noted
farm, is alive today and lives in the famous mansion
built by Colonel Wallace 127 years ago, being one of
my nearest neighbors. My house is built on the
foundation of the bam where I earned my first
$16.00 working for her father. I got up at 4 A.
M. to feed the oows and carriage horses, while
Mbmoib and Pebsonal Becollectiok. 41
** Dutch Chris'* cared for the farm horses, after
which we crawled into the straw pile and slept until
breakfast was ready.
Slave Gibl Loses 200 Acres Land.
While working on this farm I became familiar
witii one of the interesting incidents of this famous
farm which CoL Wallace under the original Home-
stead Act of the National Government secured from
the Government. Colonel Wallace, who was a slave
holder, rode on horseback from Louisville, Ky.,
bringing with him a young slave girl who rode be-
hind him on the same horse. When Pennsylvania
freed its slaves, the Colonel bequeathed to his slave
girl 200 acres of this noted f &rm. The Colonel failed
to make out the necessary legal papers, but the slave
girl named ** Black Bab'' held it for thirty or forty
years, long enough to give her a good title to it. A
Pittsburgh lawyer, on learning the facts, took ad-
vantage of the poor colored woman 's ignorance, told
her she was a tenant, but that if she would pay the
small sum of one dollar a month she could live on it
as long as she lived, and he then bought the land
from the owners of th^ Braddocksfield farm in 1861
for a nominal sum. I bought part of it from the
shyster in 1865, and learned these facts from the
late Colonel Hawkins, father of the late Judge Haw-
kins. A son of the poor colored woman, who was a
soldier in the Civil War, moved out West at the close
of the war. He was on a visit here to his sister. In
telling me how his mother was defrauded out of her
farm, he said his mother and children had all they
could eat and wear, and that his mother died in the
hope of a home where the lawyer who cheated her is
not likely to enter. He also said that from what he
could learn, the lawyer's s6ns had gone through
with all he left them, so he was not grieving over
42 Mbmok jutd TimsoyfAJu BsocojuBCTieN.
tlie loss oi what laaght )i«tq reevlted m his not haT-
mg a iMfie ol a mansioit piepamd for him.
Bell & Buchannon pnrchasedf this farm in 1846^
except a few acres around the mansion built by
Colonel Wallace 59 years before. The farm was
still covered over with the original forest trees, the
kurgest shell bark hiekory nut trees. I have ever seen.
My father, who w«8 fond of huntLng^ used to take
m& wUh him. in the f aU when the nuts were ripe,, t#
sboM grey squirrels. He would seiKi me to the
opposite side of the tree to diake the bashes and
when the squirrel would come to his side of the tree,
he would plug it in the eye with his rifle.
BuiUDiNG OF Locks and Dams Acboss thb
MONONGAHBIiA RiVBR.
The Monongahela river having been slacked
with looks and dams for the purpose of developing
the famous gae coal underlying the hills along its
banks, Mr. Bell, with a view of opening a coal mine
on his Braddock farm, gave two men a contract to
cut down and clear off the large shell bark hickory
put trees covering the bottom land, and convert
them into cross ties for a tram road to the river
over which to transfer the coal loaded into pit
wagons to flat boats to be shipped to southern mar-
kets. This contract called for the two men to load
the cross ties on the farm wagon to be hauled to the
point intended to be used. A dispute arose be*-
tween Mr. Bell and Isaac Mills, owner of adjoining
farm, as to the lines between their farms where he
intended to build the coal tipple, necessitating a. sur-
vey. * * Dutch Chris ' ^ being taken away to carry one
end of the surveyor's chain, I received
My Fibst Promotion.
I was promoted to drive the big f aruL horses
** Barney '^ and **Lion^' and haul cross ties and unr
MbbCOIE ▲KX> PxBSCWAXi BxOOlXBeTION. 43
lodd tbevi akmg liiie <»f pr ojpomd tram roftd. No
fiaeir koreres were ever Mt«hed to a wagon. Mr.
Bett^ (wko im j^ears drove Gonestoga teams trane*
learriiig goads from tbe eastern eitiea) wae very
parond of his two farm horsefi, and no boy drlrer was
eTor ptonder as lie took lus seat on the wagon, took
the reiias in his hands and started for the point o«
the hank of the river where General Braddoek and
the Cold Stream Guards England's Cradc Begiment,
erosaing the Monooigahela river re&ohed the shore,
iatent npon whipping tbe French araiy and Indiana
aad captariag Fort DiiqiieBne ( today the Gily of
Pittsburgh). He refused to heed Colionel Washing-,
ton's adviee and his famous Bri^Mle was wiped out,
he hiauaelf receiving mortal wounds from which he
died a few hours later, being buried at the head
waters of Youghiogheny river, Colonel Washington
eonduoting the retreat of the defeated army and
starting upon a career that immortalized his name.
The wagon being loaded with cross ties, I
started^ across tbe bottom land covered with tall
weeds, with only trees and stumps to guide us, and
while the boy-driver would not have admitted it, yet
I think today it was as much due to Barney and
Lion 's instinct how to avoid danger as it was to the
skill of the boy-driver that we reached the knoll
where we were to unload the ties. Barney and Lion
were proceeding along slowly a few yards from the
tram road, when I noticed two men engaged in a
fight, and four others trying to prevent them from
injuring each other. One had an axe drawn to
strike the other; the other had the surveyor's pole
drawn intent upon thrusting it through his antog-
onist. I saw it was Mr. Bell and Mr. Mills ; this nai-
lurally diverted my attention from my team, which
suddenly stepped into a hole covered with weeds. In
a mooient the horses were covered over with a swarm
of bumble bees resenting tilie trespass upon their
44 Memoib akd Personal Bscollection.
hitherto nndisturbed possession, Barney and Lion
stung to the quick, turned suddenly around, twisting
the front wheels from the wagon. Knowing that I
could not stop the horses maddened with pain, and
intent upon running away, I sprang from my seat
taking a turn with the lines around a sapling, with
two hitches which brought Barney and Lion to a
standstill. Mr. Bell, * * Dutch Chris * ' and two others
of the surveying party seeing the dilenama I was in,
came running to my assistance, and making brushes
of weeds, they soon relieved the horses of, their tor-
mentors, praising the boy-driver for his good sense
and quick wit in preventing the horses from running
away. Mr. Bell conamended me for it more than
any other act I did while in his ^employ. After the
horses quieted down, Chris drove them, with the
fore-wheels to the stable, leaving the hind carriage
and cross ties to rot away where the accident
occurred. Ten years after, in riding in and out on
Penna. B. R., I was reminded of my failure as a team-
ster. The surveyor and ,others present agreed that
the accident to the team had prevented Mr. Bell or
Mr. Mills from killing each other. Being powerful
men with strong wills and courage, resenting what
they considered as a personal insult and injury, with
such deadly weapons, I have no doubt but that the
accident did prevent one or both from being killed.
A lawsuit tied up the property in dispute until*
after both their deaths. Li 1865, I purchased from
the administrators of both estates, the properties in
dispute and built a tram road to the Pittsburgh &
Connellsville B. B., over the route which Bell and
Buchannon had graded 22 years before, and I mined
out the same coal they intended to mine out had not
the dispute about the line between the farms arisen.
The coal mining project of Bell and Buchannon prov-
ing a failure, Mr. Bell decided he would return to
the city and keep a Wagoners Hotel.
Memoib and Pbrsonal Becollbction. 45
Early one morning three teams loaded up with
furniture of the Braddock Mansion, and started for
the hotel building at the comer of Penn and Twelfth
Streets, reaching it at 12 :00 M. It required the
afternoon to unload and distribute the furniture, and
four days to place it in the rooms where intended.
Dutch Chris and I started to clean out the manure in
the stable. We had to sleep on the bare floor of the
room intended for the bar room, having a quilt for a
bed and chairs for pillows ; when we stripped off our
duds at night we were covered with fleas — I will not
attempt to translate some of Dutch Chris' cuss
words in English.
My FmsT Decision on Whiskey Question.
Lose my Job.
Late Saturday evening Mr. Bell said to me:
* * Jim, you are not strong enough to put gears on the
big horses. On Tuesday I will open up the Bar ; I
am now paying you $5.00 a month, and will increase
your wages to $10.00 a month, and when you leani
how to tend bar I will increase your wages to $50.00
a month '\ I have always believed that this unex-
pected proposal to give me an easier job was made
at the instance of his wife, who treated me as kind as
if I had been her own son. I replied to Mr. Bell :
'*My mother would not allow me to sell whiskey '^
Then, handing me $12.00, balance due me, he said :
**Your mother will get you another 3ob*\
This was my first stand against this great de-
stroyer of human life and happiness. I have ever
since opposed it socially, politically and morally. In
a separate chapter I will relate other instances in
defense of my principles on the liquor question,
when I was compelled to take the same stand against
what seemed to be my personal interests.
46 MHiffOIII AXm PsttMKAL REGOCiIiBOtlXIKr.
I BBOOBCE CL&ttSt IK A StOBB.
Havi&f gatisfied mji^eif. Father and M^tiier^
that a farmer 's life was not i& keeping witii mj
lihyeieal or mental taste in ttie three monthfi I worked
for Mr. Belly Mother secured me a job in a Noveltjr
and Jewelry store on Market Street, Pittsbargh,
kept by Messrs. Klnsey ft Knox, at ^.00 a month
and board. Mr. Kno:3t sent tne to board with his
mother who kept a private boarding house on tiie
oomer of Cherry AUey and Fifth Avenue, which at
that early day was tiie outskirts of the City. A
single plank 18 inches wide was the sidewalk, and
when two persons met, one of them had to step off
to let the other pass. In the boarding house, Miss
Martha Knox, an old maid, was her mother's only
assistant They set up the best victuals that a
hungry boy could ask. The only thing lacking to
make me happy was having to work thirty day« for
$4.00^ when I knew I could have had ten to take
home to mother and her six children ; but then, my
knowing mother would not be happy if she knew 1
was selling whiskey relieved it of the odium.
Mother, proud of her boy's promotion to that of
a derk in a store after his refusal to tend b&r,
dressed him up in the best style her means would
aiford. She made me shirts out of unbleached mus-
lin, with collars extending down over my shoulders,
a sure sign to the city boy and girls that I was a
** Country Jake''. Mrs. Knox was a Presbyterian
Mother in Israel, and she marched me with her every
Sabbath morning to the Second Presbyterian
Church on Fifth Street As soon as we entered the
church the boys and girls in the gallery would begin
to sing out * * Here comes Johnny Snyder, Johnny
Snyder, Johnny Snyder", keeping up the howl until
we reached the front seat On suspecting it was me
they meant, I asked the other boy in the store what
Mkmoik and PBasoxTu, Bbcolj^ctioh. 47
those boys and girls meant calling me "Johnny Sny-
der". He said that Johnny Snyder, President of
the Bank of Pittsburg, wore oollars like mine, ex-
tending down over his shoulders. I had mine oat
down doable qniok. Later on I will relate how this
little incident of "Johnny Snyder" resulted in one
of my most profitaUe venttfres In tiie aouthera coal
trade.
48 Memoir and Personal. Recollection.
Chapter 3
MY COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.
No father was ever more attached to his twins,
and no daughters ever loved Pa more tenderly, and
none ever received a better education for the duties
and responsibilities of good wives and mothers.
I Marry Elizabeth Ann Kidd.
I trace my longevity to the good and wise train-
ing of Elizabeth Ann, to whom I was married on
May 26th, 1853. Although lacking three months and
seven days of being eighteen years old, yet owing to
the wise precepts and common sense example of a
good mother in training her daughters for the most
solemn relation in life, I got a wife whose fidelity
and ambition to make her own a real home, I could
ever after unhesitatingljr confide in. I never had
any trouble making both ends meet, no matter what
my income was, and was never afraid to invite a
friend to come home with me for dinner, even on
wash-day.
The father always insisted on his pretty twins
dressing alike ; this added to the difficulty of telling
one from the other, which was very perplexing to
young men who attempted to court them in after life.
He never could be sure whether he was taking home
his girl or the other fellow's from church. The
picture shows the two girls I decided to select a wife
from. You will readily see it required as much skill
to perform the feat as it did to successfully pilot a
pair of coal boats. In the first place there was a
father and mother who prided themselves on having
two of as pretty and good girls as were to be found,
and woe-betide the dude with his hair parted in the
J. B. CORBY f
(See page 48.)
MARGARET J. COREY.
Idest daughter of J. B. Cure
1905.
Grand -Children of J. B. Corey
(see page 164)
Rl.lZABKTH L. WEIMER.
MARV L. WBIMRR. MRS. WM. YOST,
Daughter of J. B. Corey and three chlldre
Memoib and Personal Begollegtion. 49
middle that would dare to go home with their girls.
Then after passing this outer guard, the trouhle just
began. The boy having the first pick, boy-like^
wanted the best looking and the best housekeeper of
the two. This was where the tug of war began. You
who have had to go through the mill where there
was only one to pick from, know how it was your-
selves, but then to have to decide between two, who
when they would turn around twice you could not
tell which one you had picked on, and then, * * Would
she have you f ' ' And when you had thought you
had got it down fine, step up and offer your arm to
take her home from church and have her look you in
the face and say: **I guess you're off your base'',
and when you make the second attempt meet the
same look and see other fellows who were enjoying
the fun at your expense, you can easily see the tribu-
lations a bashful boy would be laboring under. Then
again, when you thought you had met the one you
had last been talking so sweetly to, the risk of giving
away the secret to the other girl was to the boy-pilot
like running a pair of coal boats in the fog, only a
little more hazardous still. But then: ** Faint heart
ne'er won fair lady", so taking his soundings as best
he could, he sailed right in and safely landed in port
But to this day he has never been right sure he got
the girl he first picked on, and has frequently said
to the other fellow : * * If you did get my girl, I am
satisfied with the prize I drew ' ', and he would say r
'*I got the best of the two".
§0 MbWOIB AKD PeBSOSTAL BflOOUiBCTniK.
Chapter 4
MY START IN THE BIVEE COAL BUSINESS.
Drivb an Old MuiiS in a Mnars.
One morning, Mr. Kinsey, one of my employers,
told me to look out for another job as they int^ided
to close out their business on the first of the follow-
ing month. Standing in the door of the store^ I saw
Uncle Moses Corey buying some apples from an
apple stand at the end of the market house. I ran
across the street and told him that Mr. Einsey had
told me to look out^f or another job, and asked iiim if
he could not give me one at his coal mine under Mt
Washing^n, just across the river. He said the only
job he could give me was to drive an old mule to
haul water out of the miners ' rooms at 25 cents a
day and board. This tickled me very much — one
dollar a nu>nth increase in my wages, and boss, if it
was of an old mule blind of one eye (I had not yet
learned that 21 feet was only a safe distance from a
mule).
Mule Wins ak Argumbnt and I Quit.
On the first of the month I was on hand, and
took charge of ^^ Jack" and for one we^ I got along
fine, pleased the miners in keeping their rooms free
from water, but the fifth day, after finishing work,
in leading Jack down the hill, I tried to be a little
familiar with the old donkey and convince him that I
was his friend, when he let fly with one foot and
kicked me on the thigh. His ingratitude aroused
my dander, and stoning him I tried to drive him
over the precipice back of Cuddy's rolling mill
Mbmoir and Pbbsonal Becollbction. 51
The old mule on looking over the precipioe over 200
feet, decided to take chanoe of getting back past his
driver. Suspecting that he intended to even up with
me when he came back where I was, I lay down flat
on the ground ; he let fly with both feet and had he
hit me, I would not be here to relate the story.
On telling my Aunt my experience with the old
mule, she advised my uncle to put me to work bailing
flats and selling coal to teamsters. This ended my
experience as a mule driver and resulted in my
greatest desire, that of a chance to become a flat
boatman on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
Bbcobcb Cook on a Flat Boai.
They floated coal to the lo^er river markets,
and I was promoted to a cook on a French Creek
boat 75 feet long, 16 feet wide, loaded 4 feet deep
with 4,000 bushels of coal for Cincinnati. The piiot,
William Watson, and four hands constituted the
crew, for which I had to cook three meals a day and
have a large coffee boiler with hot tea or coffee hang-
ing on the fire where the Watch as they changed
turns every three hours could get a tin cup of hot
tea or coffee. One of the hands, a young man named
John Stubbs, was on his way to take part in an in-
surrection on the Island of Cuba, and was one of Ihe
fifty Americans shot for invading this foreign na-
tion.
I received $6.00 for my trip, and had to pay one
dollar fare on the dec^ of steamboat from Cincinnati
to Pittsburgh. This left ine four dollars clear. I
gave it to one of tHe men to care for it while I was
ecMning up, fearing some one would pi<^ my pocket
while I was asleep. When we reached Pittsburgh
he gave me a two dollar bill on one of the broken
wild cat banks of that day, which left me only two
d<^ars of my five, which was as much money as I
would have earned at 25 cents a day at home.
52 Memoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
I was later cook on a pair of boats, then a flat
boatman, and in two years (December, 1849) I was
A Flat Boat Pilot.
When I was still within four months of being
eighteen years old, I piloted my first pair of boats,
and was published from Pittsburgh to New Orleans
as the **Boy.Pilot'^
Had my father not failed in business, he in-
tended to educate me for a lawyer, and my sainted
mother had consecrated me for a Methodist Preacher
of the Gospel, but I had decided to become a flat boat
pilot. I was a success as a flat boat pilot, but do not
believe I would have been either as a lawyer or a
preacher.
On one occasion at this time, a crew of raw Irish,
had been hired to man some boats moored at Lock
No. 1, who on coming on board asked for the pilot,
and on taking one look at the beardless boy, without
stopping to lay down their gripsacks made straight
for the shore and city office, and on seeing the owner
exclaimed: **And troth, Mr. Ledlie, you don't think
we are going to risk our lives with that boy, do ye f
Mr. Ledlie assuring them, persuaded them to return.
They made the trip, and some of them would after-
ward say : * * Mister Ledlie, put us down for the boy-
pilot 's boats '^ Thirty years afterward, the late
Thomas Franey calling to remembrance the little
incident he and the boy-pilot had a hearty laugh over
the trivial affair.
I took all the boats I ever started with, safely to
market without the loss of one boat load of coal. No
other pilot floated the same number of boats that I
did with the same success.
As of doubtless interest I will mention briefly
what my long experience has demonstrated to my
mind to be the qualifications for a successful pilot.
Memoib akd Personal Becollection. 53
Chapter 5
QUALIFICATIONS FOB A SUCCESSFUL COAL
BOAT PILOT.
The most important is a thorough knowledge of
the river, its channel and its obstructions such as
islands, bars, rocks and reefs. Of this I had ac-
quired a knowledge when returning home on the
hurricane roof in packet boats, while other young
men spent their time and money playing cards. Fre-
quently, the Captain and Pilot would also take me
into the pilot house on the packet boat and point out
to me where the dangerous bars or reefs encroached
on the channel. In these ways I fitted myself for a
pilot and escaped the knowledge of the gamblers'
tricks which ruined so many young men.
Other necessary knowledge was the draft of
water at different stages of the rivers, how to land
boats in cases of fog or storm, and how to manage
the crew of from 10 to 24 hands so as to have their
respect and insure obedience to your orders. I have
never come in contact with any business that had a
tendency to degenerate the good, and develop the
bad, in human nature more than that of a crew of
flat boatmen shut up from one to six weeks on a pair
of coal boats with a cargo of coal for Cincinnati,
Louisville, New Orleans or intermediate points. In
good weather the crew divided into three watches,
three hours on duty and six off* About all they had
to do while off duty was to eat and sleep, and it re-
quired all the pilot could do to prevent them from
quarreling over some trivial matter. His only
means of maintaining authority was that of paying
off the unruly man and setting him ashore, paying
him in proportions to the distance. It also fre^
54 Memoib and Pbrsonal Bbcollectiok.
quently happened that we were caught in a storm
and a sudden rise in the river, maldng it unsafe to
turn out until the river would fall ; this sometimes
kept us tied up for a week or ten days and the crew
would have nothing to do but eat or sleep or prowl
around on the shore.
There were also personal qualifications neces-
sary for a successful pilot, and they occur to me in
their order as intelligence, integrity, industry and
confidence in your own judgment I have never been
conversant with, or come in contact with, any pro-
fession or business where it required these traits in
a higher degree than in the old time flat boatman^
especially that of a Coal Boat Pilot
One of the peculiarities of the flat boat pilots
was that in case they met with an accident, or lost a
boat, they not only lost the confidence of their em-
ployers, but also confidence in themselves, and it was
rare to find a pilot who had confidence enough in
himself to pilot a pair of boats in which he had his
own money invested as owner or part owner. As I
never lost a boat, I do not know what eflPect a loss
would have had on my own nerves, but I never had
any more confidence in my own judgment than when
on a pair of flat boats in which I was financially in-
terested. One prominent pilot took fifty pairs of
boats for one firm in ten years safely to market, and
they made him a present of a $150.00 gold watch and
chain. On the next trip he sunk one of his boats at
Baker's Island, about fifty miles below Pittsburgh.
The boats were 140 x 20 feet, drawing six feet. This
one accident in ten years so completely unnerved the
man that he lost confidence in himself, took sick from
worry over his misfortune and died shortly after-
wards, maintaining that it was the increased size of
the boats that caused him to lose one, and yet the
size of boats increased until they carried nearly
double the quantity of coal that his contained. The
MufoiB AND Pebsonai. Bbcoixxction. 55
first pair of boats I piloted had 10,000 bushels and
the last 70,000 bushels. Another famous old pilot
who for twenly years safely took all his boats to
market, on losing one boat lost confidence in himself
and he dropped ont of the profession.
In the case of partnership, usually one of the
partners was a pilot, and if, as sometimes happened,
he stock or lost one or both of the boats, the resolt
was a bankrupt firm and a degraded pilot
Id 1864, quite a large number of fiat boat operar
tore and pilots became owners of tow boats, and I
am told that the fiat boat pilots made tiie best tow
boat pilots.
56 Memoib and PsBsoNAii Recollection.
Chapter 6
TRAITS OF THE EARLY FLAT BOAT PILOTS.
Some Eably Riveb Chabactebs and Incidents.
I have never met a more noble and generous
type of manhood than the old-time river flat-boat-
man. He was a typical character in his day. I do
not know that I have ever seen his prototype in any
other profession. The nearest approach to him is
the oil producer. Such were the variety of his traits
that it would take too much space to fully describe
the old-time * * Fresh Water Tars ' % but I will men-
tion a few of their traits, with a few incidents that
occurred in the early river days.
They were as rough as the business they fol-
lowedy yet when at home and among ladies, they
could be perfect Chesterfields. This trait in their
character shone out to the best advantage when, as
sometimes happened, a lady would come on board
and ask the privilege of riding down the river 100
miles or more — ^woe-betide the man of that crew of
five to twenty men that would dare to liave offered
that lady an indignity while thus at the mercy of
some of the roughest characters that could be found
anywhere.
The coal boat pilot having to depend upon his
reputation as a boatman, soon acquired the art of
manufacturing a reputation, not unlike the pedigree
of fast horses and fancy stock are made. This al-
ways brought into play the bragging qualifications
which was seen to the best advantage on the eve of a
coal boat rise in the river, or on the wharf as they
watched the river rising, or as he, with his trouser
Mbmoib and Pebsokal Beoollection. 57
legs tucked inside the red top of his boots and long
pilot doth overcoat reaching to his heels, chewing
tobacco after the manner of a cow chewing her cud,
his shirt bosom spattered with tobacco juice, strut-
ting the staging of his boats with the air: ''I am
monarch of all I survey", you have a small idea of
the old-time coal boatman. This naturally de-
veloped many eccentric characters. They were sel-
dom known by their proper names, but each one had
some distinguishing title such as ^^ Black Hawk",
**01d Bock", **Mike Fiuk", etc. This brought the
inventive genius into play so that the pilot had to in-
vent some wonderful exploits with which to garnish
his latest trips. He must not only know how to in-
vent a good story, but know how to t^ll it to good ad-
vantage, for while the old riverman expected every
one else to believe his story, he was the greatest
skeptic himself and never took any stock in the other
fellow's story.
There was an eccentric old Irishman by the
name of Pat Conley that was a type of the old river-
man. He piloted from Pittsburgh to New Orleans,
and always carried two large anchors to use in case
he stuck his boats on a sand-bar. When ordering
his men to cast his anchors overboard he would cry
out ^'Cast over Caleb", and if he does not hold them
throw over Joshua (as he called them) . Pat, on one
occasion, told his crew to pull off their shoes and go
to bed and get a good night's sleep, saying the river
was good and be would not need them to puU the
boats off the bars. When the men all got sound
asleep Pat gave a yell, calling out ^^Oars", the
si^al for the men to rush out on the staging which
he had sprinkled over with hot coals while they were
asleep. The night air was blue with sounds more
emphatic than polite, from the men on whom he
practiced the joke. Another occasion, Pat was tied
up at shore in a storm. His men tired of their fare
58 MiSMOiB JLSD Pebsokal ReC0LLBCTION.
and stole a oalf and kiUed it The next day, afttr
tkey had cut lioose, the faxmer missed his oadf, and.
SQspeetmg the bckatmen, took a skiff and a oonstoble
and storted after them. Faiv seeing them coming;
knew what they were after and slipping down into
the shanly, pnt the calf in bed and pulled on a pair
of booto on ito hind legs, covering ihe rest with a
bed qmlt When tiie farmer eame on board he ae-
oeated Pat with: ^^How are you getting alongf "
^^Obj poor enough", says Pat, ^'One of my men died
last night with tiie smallpox — ^will you come down
and see himt" This ended the seardi for the calf.
Another incident, to which I was a party, will
show that beneath a rough exterior there flowed
through the hearte of some of those old time flat
boatmen, the current of the most generous impulsee
that ever have given this sin-darkened earth ite
purest rays of sunshine and beauty. The following
incident illustrates the sympathetic trait in the old-
time river flat boatmen.
On a trip in l^e winter of 1853, seven pairs of
boato were compelled to tie up at Buck-Hill Bottom,
W. Va, until river was safe to proceed. This
greatly added to the difficulty of maintaining har-
mony among crews of fifteen to twenty men shut up
on fiat boate for a week and frequently put pilote to
their wite' end to prevent mutiny among 1hem4
There were always some one among the crew who
would go ashore and prowl around among the na^
tives and learn ihe condition and habite of the peo-
ple. One of my own crew in his prowling found an
old man and seven children which he called his steir
steps, on account of there being two years to a day
between their ages, the youngest 's head reaching the
shoulder of the next eldest, a fact which the old man
said never happened before and never would again.
What excited the sympathy of the prowler was the old
man and seven children shut up in a little one-story
Mbmoib and PsBsoiirAii Bbcollbction'. 59
riuoity 12 z 16 feet with ha garret, a wooden dadm-
ney, two small windows and door elosely shut for
fear the rough flat boatmen lying along the shore
would loot his house and carry off hk darlings.
That the old man was not alone in his fears wiU ap«
pear a little farther on in my story. The next pair
of boats to mine had '^Billy M. " for pilot and he and
I were called Methodists, but neither of us had
learned what John Wesley had said God had raised
up the Methodists to do. On hearing the prowler's
story, we decided to visit the shanty and see if it was
true. We rapped at the door, which the old man
nerTously opened and .invited us in. In a few
mcMotients we learned that ihe prowler had told us a
very unail part of his great misfortune. He had
only a pedc of com meal in his house.
We found that twenty-five years before this
man, whose name was Ash, owned one of the best
farms in Allegheny County, a mile above where I
lived ; today it is a suburb of McKeesport, Pa. Sell-
ing i1^ he bought an acre of ground at the '^poinf in
Pittsburgh, between Monongahela and Allegheny
rivers and built a number of houses, some of which
are standing today. Selling these, he bought Seven
Mile Island, worth millions of dollars today. Sell-
ing this, he bought Middle Island, one of Ihe finest
Islands on the Ohio river. After getting it into a
good state of cultivation, covered with fine fruit
trees, and with bright prospects for a successful
life, Aaron Burr's heirs came along aujd laid claim to
the island under the U. S. Government land grant
acts; and after five years litigation he was left
penniless. His wife broken down over the long
struggle died, leaving him with his seven stair steps
to contend against the unequal struggle. We also
found he had two brothers-in-law and two sisters-in-
law who lived across the river from where I lived,
who owned one of the best farms in Allegheny
60 Memoib and Pebsokal. Recollection.
County^ and in addition to being old bachelors and
old maids were known for their generous and liberal
disposition to help the poor.
Billy M. and I felt all we would have to do was
to go home and tell Unde Johnny and Annt
Margaret the condition in which we found their sis-
ter 's children, but then it would be two weeks before
we would get home, and we could not leave without
making some effort to relieve their immediate neces-
sities. At the same time there was a large pair of
boats with a crew of 21 ** Mackerel Smashers'' (A
^^ Mackerel Smasher" was an Irish Catholic loyal to
his creed, not eating meat on Friday, and boat
owners had to furnish a barrel of mackerel. While
the Protestants dubbed these ^'Mackerel Smashers"
they themselves were not averse to the variety of
switching off one day of the seven from pork and
corned beef to fish). We feared if these ^^ Mackerel
Smashers" found out the defenseless condition of
the old man and his stair steps they might perpe-
trate some indignity on them.
There was also among my crew one named
^^ Andrew Jackson Lynn" who was a noted singer
and if his voice had been cultivated might have been
as distinguished a singer as Jenny Lind. After de-
ciding he would take the chanoes on the ^^ Mackerel
Smashers", Billy and I turned our attention on
Jackson. We knew he had been recently converted,
but would he siag songs for us on Sunday f We
thought such a generous act as that of relieving the
old man and his darlings warranted this little breach
of the Fourth Gonmiandment We also knew if it
was known that he would sing, the crews of the en-
tire seven pair of boats would rush to my boats.
After considerable urging, he said he would sing for
us but did not say what he would sing. As a signal
for the other crews, we had him take his i>osition on
the table (two planks 18 inches wide, 30 feet long,
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 61
stretched across boat, on which we ate onr meals ),
and sing one of his favorite revival melodies. In a
few minutes there were over 100 men on my boats, all
intently interested in hearing Andrew Jac&son give
them a song service. The Pilot of the New Orleans
boat and his entire crew of Mackerel Smashers were
on hand. We all expected to hear him strike up,
**Way down upon the Snwanee River*' or some
popular songy when to the dismay of Billy and my-
self he struck up "Wrestling Jacob*' (Charles Wes-
ley's favorite hymn, page 460 of Methodist
Hymnal).
**Come, thou Traveler unknown,
Whom still I hold but cannot see ;
My company before is gone.
And I am left alone with thee ;
With thee all night I mean to stay.
And wrestle till the break of day.
I need not tell thee who I am,
My sin and misery declare ;
Thyself has called me by name ;
Look on ihj hands and read it there.
But who, I ask thee, who art thouf
Tell me thy name, and tell me now.
In vain thou strugglest to get free ;
I never will unloose my hold ;
Art thou the man that died for met
The secret of thy love unfold ;
Wrestling, I will not let thee go,
Till I thy name, thy nature know ' '.
Billy and I sat side by side looking down at our
feet, expecting every minute Charley Mc, the
Mackerel Smashers' pilot, would sing out: ** Corey,
is this a Methodist Revival meeting you have sprung
on ust" On raising my eyes, and looking over the
62 Mbmctx anb Pbbsohax. Bbcolusotiok.
crowds I saw soQue of the ^^Maokerel Smaahers*'
bruahing away a tear.
As Andrew Jackson stepped down off the table,
I told Billy to tell them the object of the meeting ; he
said: **No, yon tell them'*. I stood np and re-
hashed the story of the old man's trouble, adding
ihut Billy and I tisionght we all conld spare him some
gmb, to tide him over the winter, — that I wonld give
him a ham, some hard tack, and coffee and sngar;
that Billy would give him a shoulder, and some tea
and rice. Pilot Charley Mc. springing to his feet
said: ** Corey, you and Bill don't intend to let your-
selves off as easy as that^ do yout" **I will tell you
what Charley Mc. and his Mackerel Smashers will
do, — ^I will pay $5.00 for myself, put up $5.00 for my
seconds and $1.00 each day for my Mackerel
Smashers. (My cook, a young boy, sang out : * * That
is the talk"). That generous hearted man com-
mitted suicide that summer) . I replied that I would
do the same and in a few moments $143.00 was con-
tributed, the pilots putting up for their crews. Each
of us took some extra provisions which could be
spared. We went up to the old shanty, Charley Mc.
and his Mackerel Smashers in the lead, and entering
the open door he said: ^'Mr. Ash, we have come to
help you out of a tight place. Here is $31.00 for me
and my crew ; we have brought you some grub that
will keep yoii from starving". Laying down a ham,
a few mackerel, tea, coffee, rice, and sugar, then
added: "Here boys, come shake hands witii this old
man and his stair steps." We all followed suite
and it is safe to say that the old man besides feeling
happy over his immediate wants being relieved and
money and provisioos given him, felt a deep feeling
of gratitude towards the men on account of whom he
had been afraid to let his diilcb^en go out of doors.
The next morning when we swung out and started on
our way, the entire village gave us a hearty send-off,
waving handkerchiefs as hmg as we were in sight..
When I got home I visited the brothers and sis-
ters-in-law ef Mr. Ash and teld them the cenditicm
in wMoh their aister's duldi?en were. I was never
more surprised as Aunt Margaret spoke up and
said: ^'Yes, Ash is reaping the fruit of his own
stubbornness. My sister and all of us remonstrated
with him when he sold his farm at Crooked Bun,
tried to persuade him not to sell his Pittsburgh
bouses, asid later not to sell Seven Mile Island. He
paid BO heed to either our adviee or the pleadings of
his wife. As long as our sister lived, we sent her
money to help her out, but since her deaii^ we left
Ash reap the fruit of his own stubbornness". Her
brother, Uncle Johnny, endorsed what his sister
aaid, adding he had no sympathy for Ash. I kept
tal> <m Mr. Ash for awhile. Bib oldest daughter
married and he moved down to Hiazigiii^ Bode after
which I have not heard of him.
64 Memoib and Pebsokal Bbcolusction.
Chapter 7
EAELY COAL TRADE ON THE MONONGA-
HELA, YOUGHIOGHENY, OHIO AND
MISSISSIPPI RIVERS.
Method of Mining and Transporting.
When my father and Uncle Moses Corey moved
to Port Perry, April 1st, 1840, to build No. 2 Lock
and Dam across the Monongahela River, there were
but three coal pits, with inclines from the pit mouth
to the river tipple.
One of these located about three hundred yards
above No. 2 Lock and Dam on what was known as
the Col. W. L. Miller farm at Port Perry. This coal
pit was opened up in 1835. The other coal bank, a
mile above that was under the farm of John Gill.
The third was opened across the river from Mc-
Keesport under the farm of David Collins. There
were two other coal pits opened on the Colonel Mil-
ler farm in 1845.
A coal pit, or a coal bank (as they were called
then) or two, had been opened up opposite McKees-
port by Caleb Edmundson & Brothers, as early as
1830 ; also one by Col. Neel & Sons, as early as 1837.
The early river coal business was a primitive affair.
A farmer having one or more sons of his own, or if
no sons, induoe others to go into partnership with
him, would open up a pit under his farm and build
an incline to the river with a tipple. They would
employ from five to twenty-five miners digging coal,
transferring it over the incline and tippling it into a
flat boat. In some cases the coal was hauled from
r>rimitive coal banks by 1, 2, 3 and 4 horse teams and
loaded into small Joe boats 50 to 60 feet in length by
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 65
16 feet in width. They were loaded two and three
ieet deep, with 1,000 to 3,000 bushels of coal which
was floated down to Cincinnati and intermediate
points. The boats cost, in 1845, when ready to float
down to lower river markets from $5 to $1,500 a pair,
in 1850, including coal, and were sold for one-half
cash and balance in notes three and four months.
The owner of the mine rarely ever shipped his own
product but sold his boats to another party ; this re-
sulted in frequent partnerships for a number of
boats, in which two or three would put up the cash
and give their notes for the balance, depending upon
the price the coal sold for in the market for their
profits.
In 1840, the boats had increased in size to 75 z
16 feet and were called French Creek boats, by rea-
son of having them built on French Creek, near
Franklin, Pa. (where I was bom).
In 1850, these flat boats had increased in size to
170 X 25 feet, loaded 7 feet deep ; a pair of boats
would contain 70,000 bushels of coal and be valued at
from $5,000.00 to $6,000.00 per pair. To navigate
these boats required a crew of 21 hands, pilot, second
pilot and cook, and it required from 5 to 7 days to
float to Louisville ; from 4 to 6 weeks to New Orleans^
boats floating with the current. The dangers en-
coxmtered were sand and rock banks, islands, snags,
and shores lined with sunken timbers. Fog and
nark nights also added to the dangers and difficulties
of this primitive mode of navigation. The equip-
ment with which these earlier craft were furnished
consisted of three steering oars on ends of boats,
made from pine trees 60 feet long, one foot in diam-
eter, tapering off to 4 inches, with an oar blade 18
feet long, 30 inches wide and two or twQ and one-
half inches thick. This blade was mortised into the
steering oar and by means of a 1J4 inch iron pin was
balanced upon a stadding at each end of boat so that
66 Mbmoib akd Pbesoval Bsgollbchoic.
it gave a leverage of 40 feet inside of the boat and
38 feet including blade on the ontdide. An 8 foot
staging extended across the forward and rear ends
of the^boats ; two to fonr men would overhand these
oars, rush the blade through the water with su<di
force that the course of the boats was changed.
There were four oars or sweeps on sides of each boat
which were used to pull the boats away from the
shore or from ^e heads of the islands, sand bars,
eta This waa where the skill of the old coal boat
pilot came in play, and was his stock in trade around
tiie bar rooms and boat stores where he would re-
hash the exploits of the last trip. The two boats,
(called a pair) were lashed together by means of
ropes to the 6heot posts, which were two feet in
diameter, 10 feet long, mortised in a cross timber in
center of boat 12 feet from ends of boi^ and braced
to end and side gunnels before loading with coaL
The check post got the name from being used to land
and tie up the boats at mai^et or in case of fog or
wind storm on the way. One of the greatest, if not
the greatest, dangers encountered in piloting a pair,
of large flat boats was in making a landing. This
waa done by four of the crew coiling several yards
oi one and three quarter inch manilla rope in a skiiJE
row to the shore and tie to a tree. The pilot wouM
take one turn around inside post and several turns
around the other ohedc post, sit down and let from
one to three hundred yards pass under his arm
around the post, stopping the boats. This required
as great skill and judgment as any other require-
ments of a good pilot, and for lack of ability to do it,
a great many boats and lives were lost The danger
attending the checking of a pair of loaded coal boats
was very trying on a pilot's nerve.
J. M. and J. H. Peterson, the twin brothers,
were school mates of J. B. Corey and were two of
J. M. PBTCRSON,
Twin Brother oC
John H. Peterson.
of J. U. Ccii-ey.
1861.
(eK S6-67.)
Mbhoib aho Pbbsonai. Bboollbotioh. 67
tiie forty-niners who spent seven years dicing for
gold in and aronnd Sacramento City, California.
Coming home in 1856, they engaged in the New
Orleans coal trade — James M. as. one of the firm of
Herron, Peterson S Co., and John H. as one of the
firm of J. B. Corey & Co.
The Pittsbni^h coal companies engaged in the
New Orleans trade at the time of the secession of the
Southern States left their coal in chaise of these two
yoong men, who discharged their trust so faithfully
as to ever after retain the respect of those who en-
trusted their property to their care.
68 MeMOIB and PeESONAL BECOLliEOXION.
C!hapter 8
FIRST PAETNEBSHIP IN RIVER COAL
BUSINESS.
In 1856, 1 entered into a partnership with John
H. Peterson, whose picture is shown opposite, and
his brother-in-law, Mark Borland. We each put up
$500.00 or a total of $1,500, and gave our notes for
$1,800. On the first trip we struck a good market,
sold our boats at Memphis, Tenn. at 45 cents a barrels
and cleared $2,200.00.
Stbanded IK LouisyiiJ[;B.
The success of our first venture turned our
heads and we invested in two more pair of boats.
In 1857, 1 piloted one of the pairs to Louisville, and
hired a pilot for the other pair. At Louisville, we
had difficulty in selling our coal. We could not give
it away, so to speak, nor had we money to pay our
crews. This was the time of the panic, in which
nearly all the wild cat banks failed. Pittsburgh
money would not pass outside of Pennsylvania;
Louisville money outside of Louisville or New Or-
leans bank notes outside of New Orleans. But here
my good luck on the river, resulting from a faithful
discharge of trusts imposed upon me, even in boy-
hood days, came to my aid and I believe my little suc-
cess in life is due to the principles instilled into me
by my sainted mother.
Assistance came in this way : — ^In my boyhood
days^ as a flat boatman, it was my custom to stop
over at New Orleans the last trip in the season and
hire to pump a pair of boats at the Willow Grove,
which were laid up to wait until there was a demand
for them, there generally being more coal in the
Memoir akd Personal Becollectiok. 69
market than could be sold, except to parties buying
on speculation. There would be 100 or more pairs
of coal boats loaded with coal lying at the Willow
Grove, New Orleans, waiting for the market that
would make it possible to sell them at a profit. Fre-
quently this resulted in little fortunes from a sudden
and big demand for the coal. Each pair of boats re-
quired a pumper to keep the water that leaked into
them from filling up and sinking the boats.
I was walking down the street in Louisville, not
knowing where I could find money to pay off the
crews, who were urgent in their demands for their
money. As I passed a coal oflSce on the wharf I
overheard some loud talking between one of the coal
men and his crews, who were disputing about the
wages they were to receive. The men were claiming
they were promised more money than the man was
willing to pay. I recognized the voice of John Wat-
son, the man for whom I pumped boats in New Or-
leans for several years before. He had come to
Louisville to see if he could get his boats over the
falls or through the canal, there not being water
sufficient to go on with the boats. The men claimed
$4.00 each, more than they were entitled to, hence
the dispute.
As I stopped at the office door, Mr. Watson
recognized his boy-pumper reaching out his hand
and saying : * * Jim, how are you f I replied : * ' I am
well, but in the tightest place I have been since I
pumped for you ' ^ He replied : * * I have only money
enough to pay off my eight crews, but if you can
find any one who will lend you the money, I will en-
dorse your note ' \ Just then a Steamboat Captain,
named Smith, stepped up with : * ' John Watson, I
have $1,100.00 here of Louisville money. I want you
to take it and give me your check on Pittsburgh — ^my
money will not pass up there and I am going up to
Pittsburgh this trip^\ Watson said: ** Give it to
70 Mbmoib ahp PsBBOKix. Beoojjlbotiok.
Jim Corey^ and take his check", when I said: ^'Mr.
Watson, I have no money in the bank to check on ;
all our money is in onr two boats ' '. Mr. Watson an-
swered: ^^ Captain, give the money to Jim, and take
his check to Jim Watson when yon get to Pittsbnrgh,
and tell him to cash it; that it is the check of the boy-
pumper who took snch good care of the boats we en-
trusted him with, and I order him to pay it "• I took
the money, it being the exact amonnt I needed to pay
my two crews, and it lifted me and my partner out
of the tightest place we had ever been in up until
that time.
John Hikbbon Loans us Monby.
I said I would have Peterson return to Pitts-
burgh and see if we could not raise the $1,100, on a
note to meet the check, so I had Peterson go up to
Pittsburgh to see another friend of mine, old Mr.
John Herron and remind him of his promise to help
mi , and ask him to take our note and let us have the
money, which he did. In narrative of my boyhood
days, I have mentioned my Introduction to Mr.
Herron through the finding of his pocketbook with a
large sum of money. In a short time we had enough
water to go over the falls and on to New Orleans.
I went ahead to try to sell the boats, but such
was the effect of the panic on business that we found
no market along the river nor at New Orleans.
The panic of 1857, which followed, involved the
greater number of the Coal Companys in bank-
-nxpUsy. They were forced to sell their coal at loss
in order to raise the money to pay off their pilots
and crews, and meet their notes. Here as I have
always believed in answer to my Mother's prayers,
my good fortune seemed to carry me through the
tight place I was in. Standing on the pavement out*
side the Hotel a stranger to whom I had been intro-
MwfOIB AKD PeBSONJJJ BsCOIiLBCTIOK. 71
duced the day before, said to me: ^^ Young man you
seem to be in trouble". I replied: ^^Mr. Vandine^
indeed I am in trouble". ^^What is your trouble?'^
I replied: '^ We bave two pair of boats loaded witk
ooal that will be here in a few days, and it will take
$2,000 to pay off the erews, and we have three notes
for $600 eaeh, two of them over due and one three
weeks to ran, and we owe $400 at Louisville for pro--
visions for our orews. Taking a eard out of his
pocket and with a pencil he wrote : * * Due A. Vandine,
$2,200", handing it to me to sign saying: ^^I will
furnish you with money to pay off your crews * ^ I
signed the note and he wrote me a chedk on the St.
Charles Bank of New Orleans for $2,200. I went
around to the bank throwing my check down, the
Teller took a little shovel and shoveled me out $1,800
in gold and 400 silver dollars. I said:' 'I cannot
take that". He said: '*Why can you not take itf "
I said : ''I am going home on a steam boat and it is
too much money for me to carry on my person, and if
I give it to the olerk of the boat, he will get off at the
first wood yard". He said: ** You will take that or
nothing". I said: *' give me back my check", and
took it back, and Mr. Vandine went with me to the
bank and persuaded them to give me a New York
Draft for $1,800, and I took the 400 silver dollars and
paid our provision biU at Louisville, the merchant
refused to accept the silver until told it was that or
nothing, the Louisville and New Orleans Banks re-
fusing to receive silver on deposit ; yet we had no
silver in Pittsburgh to deposit. This let me out of a
very tight place and resulted in my acquaintance
with my best and life long friend, the Hon. Thomas
Mellon, which will be related in another chapter.
Beaching home, I went to Uncle Moses Corey,
to whom we had given the notes for the coal. Unde
was lying sick in bed. On asking him where the
notes were and telling him I wanted to pay them,
72 Memoib akd Pebsonal Becollection.
§
instead of answering me he called out: **Lydia,
Lydial Jim says he has money enough to pay off
them notes ^^ They had heard of our losing one
boat, and of the bad state of the market, and did not
think we would have money to pay our notes, and
besides, Uncle Moses was financially embarrassed-
He turned to me and said that '*01d Mortgage
Bond Tom Mellon'' corner Fifth and Wylie Ave-
nues had discounted them for him and I would have
to go to his office in the city to get them.
I started for the city, and meeting an acquaint-
ance who asked me what I was going to do, I told
him I was going to pay off our notes and did not
know what we would do until Peterson came home.
He replied : * * You are a fool ! If I owed Tom Mellon
that money and he got it before I was ready to give
it to him he would know \V\ I replied that when
we gave the notes to Uncle Moses we had expected
to meet them when due, but the panic had delayed
us and I intended to pay them as soon as I reached
Mr. Mellon 's office. He however told me: **Tou
are a bigger fool than I thought you were ' \
FmsT Acquaintance With Thomas Mellon.
I reached Mr. Mellon 's office at 8.00 A. M. and
found a line of clients reaching into the third room,
awaiting their turn. On the wall was a small frame
with the following notice in it : —
1st Your business at once.
2nd. The trutii, the whole truth and noth-
ing but the truth.
3rd. Attention, and go.
I reached his desk at 12.30. His wife, who had
been waiting, sprang to her feet and said: **I guess
it is my turn now:'' Mr. Mellon said, **What do you
want'', when she said ''1 want $20.00" and handing
Hufbanil. Kind Father,
minent Jurisl, Oood Clt-
zen. Loyal Frlenil, and
■■a man for a' thiit.-
(See imse 72-£:'B,)
Memoir and Pebsonaij Becollsctiok. 73
it to her he turned his eyes on me. * * Is your name
*'Mr. Mortgage Bond Tom Mellon?^' I asked: He
said, ^ ^ My name is Thomas Mellon ' % and I said ^ ^ Mr.
Mellon, you have three notes of Peterson and Corey,
one f oUr weeks overdue, one two weeks overdue and
one has yet two weeks to run. I want to pay them
off''. On his taking the notes from a file of papers in
his desk I handed him the money and asked him how
much interest was due, when he replied, * * I will not
charge you anything for overdue interest; you coal
men have had a hard time to pull through : Tou sit
down there until I get through and I want to ask you
about the state of things." After quickly getting
through with his other clients he turned around and
after asking me all about our trip and the conditions
in the southern market, he said, ^^If you see a chance
to make anything, and need help, come and see me
and I may be able to assist you. ' ' When I went home
and showed Uncle Moses I had paid the notes, hei
asked me how much Mr. Mellon had charged me for
overdue interest I told him he had not charged me
anything, when Uncle said ^ ' The dammed old coon ;
he would have made me pay him not less than $25. ' '
but I told him he was the nicest man I had ever met,
and that he told me if I saw a chance to make any-
thing to come back and he would assist me. ' '
In a few weeks business began to revive in New
Orleans and we were able to sell our pair of boats
in New Orleans at a price that gave us money
enough to pay off all our debts, but the capital we
had invested was all used up but about $300.00
apiece, and we considered ourselves a broken firm.
Another trip in 1857 encountered a cyclone.
Uncle Moses Corey had loaded two more pairs of
boats, but owing to the stagnation in business oould
not sell them. Mr. George Jones, who kept the boat
store advised me and Peterson to buy them : I told
him we had only $600. and that would not pay half
74 MbVDXB iUfP PSMOKAL RECOJbLSCnOir.
oMky wbj^ was the tenoB under wkioh tha caul was
sold. Mr. Jones suggested that Unele Mosm keep
a one third interest and take our notes^ for the
baUmce, wbieh arrangement we made.
A rise in tihe river came and ute started out tka
two pair of boats. One pilot landed at the Point to
allow the river to fall some, it being higher than wa
hked to start, but the other pilot, Humberson^ in-
sisted on going ahead and I consented and went with
hin^ intending to take a steamboat at Wheeling and
go ahead and try to sell the boats. There were four
pairs of boats in sight We were all floating pleas*
antly along, some of our Irish boatmen singing stHse
of St. PatridiL's Irish songs and the weather had
been beautiful At nine o'clock at ni^t, when we
were not expecting it, a regular cydone struck us,
sinking the other three pair of boats, one of our
boats, and drowning six hands belonging to one of
the other boats. I suoeeeded in saving one boat and
had the crew not gotten seared we could have saved
both boats, I was hurt by the cable flying off chedc
post, and when I came back to Pittsburgh next day
I read in the Pittsburgh jiapers an account of my
own drowning, along with all that did not get away
in the skiffs. The saving of the one boat was due to
the pluck of Jake Mengis, a sdioohnate, who did not
k>se his head. As a token of my gratitude I made
him a pilot, which was done at the cost of two pair
of boats before I found he had not the knowledge
and experience to fit him for a pilot Jordan Frits
was one of the crew, and the only one of the entire
crew besides myself that is alive to-day. I am sorry
to say Jordan is now one of Braddock's many
saloon keepers. I recentiy told him I was sorry to
see one of the old Port Perry boys engaged in mak-
ing drunkards, when he apologized by saying he bad
to do that to save his wife's property, which she
had inherited with a debt against it
MSMOIB AUrp PeBSOKAL BsGOIiLBCTIOK. 75
I Meet John Habper^ Gashieb.
In Aprils 1858, we had three pair of boats at New
Orleans for whi<di we had given our notes in pay-
naent; these notes fell due May let If we sold our
ooal to meet them we would not make a cent, whileif
we eould hold them until.faU we could make a nice
sum of money. While thinking it over, I reoaUed
how the hoys and girls in the Second Presbyterian
Church, ten years before, every Sunday as I entered
the church would sing out '^Here comes Johnny
Snyder, because my mother made my coUars extend
down over my shoulders like his, and how quickly I
had had mine cut down when I learned the object of
their fun and the cause. I decided I would go up to
the hank and ask ^'Johnny Snyder'' to lend me the
money : Walking up and down past the bank on the
opposite side of the street until I screwed up suf-
ficient courage to venture in and see if I could get the
money, I finally went in and going up to the Teller
asked him if Mr. Snyder was in: He said, **Yes;
what do you want of himt" and I replied **I want
to borrow $5,000.00", Taking me for a greenhorn, he
said ^^Mr. Snyder is busy, step across into the
Cashier's room and Mr. Harper will tell you whether
they will lend you the money. I stepped into Mr.
Harper's room and he also taking me for a green-
horn gruffly said: "What are you after?" I said:
'*Mr. Harper, I want to borrow $5,000.00" when he
quickly asked: '*What do you want of $5,000.00",
when I told him: **We have three pair of boats for
which we gave our notes, now lying at New Orleans.
The notes will mature in less than a month; if we sell
the coal now we will not make a cent, while if we can
hold them until fall we will make some money. *' Who
is your endorser," he asked, and I replied ** Mort-
gage Bond Tom Mellon" when he said **Whom do
you mean by * Mortgage Bond Tom Mellon' do you
76 Memoir and Pbbsonal Becolleotion.
mean Thomas Mellon the Lawyer/' ^^Yes, I think
that is his name,'' I answered, and Mr. Harper said
^^His name is Thomas Mellon; if he will endorse
your note we will let you have the money.'* I asked
Mr. Harper to please make me out a note, which he
did, and no young man ever ran from the Old Bank
of Pittsburgh to the comer of Wylie Avenue in less
time than I did, on the promise of Mr. Mellon that if
I saw a chance to make anything for me to come back
and maybe he could help me, and yet I had not seen
or spoken to him since that day. Beaching his office
I had to wait until he was through with his morning
clients, when I stepped up to his desk, and laying
down the note I reminded him of his request and pro-
mise to help me: Looking at the note, he scratehed
his head and asked me what my hopes were of meet-
ing the note at maturity. I told him the price of
coal always advanced in the fall and we would sell
in time to pay the note before it fell due. Scratehing
his head again, he signed the note and in less time
to run down hill than it took to run up, I was back
with the endorsed note and Mr. Harper placed the
money to our credit. We paid off the notes we had
given for the coal, and before the note given Mr.
Harper became due we had sold our coal and
cleared over $15,000.00 — ^and yet skeptics sneer at
a faith that removes mountains 1
Memoib akd Pebsonal Becolubction. 77
Chapter 9
^'J. B. COBEY & CO,'' OBGANIZED.
In 1859, 1 persuaded four others to join me in or-
ganizing the firm of ** J. B. Corey & Co.'' composed
of Honorable Thomas Mellon, George M. Bowman,
David Shaw, John H. Peterson and J. B. Corey, I
was elected President of the Company, George M.
Bowman the Bookkeeper, Judge Mellon our Attor-
ney and John H. Peterson our agent at New Or-
leans.
We were one of the largest coal companies in
the New Orleans trade. For two years pur expe-
rience was not very favorable. Loss of coal in tran-
sit and at market, along with the depressed state of
business owing to the threatened secession of the
South, prevented paying any dividends on our
stock.
New Orleans Conditions in 1860.
In 1860, when the southern secession com-
menced to look serious, our Company decided that
I had better go down and help Mr. Peterson, New
Orleans Agent and one of our Firm, sell our coal.
We were sending out five pair of boats and I
piloted one pair as far as Louisville, where I took a
steamer and went ahead, stopping off at Memphis,
Vicksburg, Natchez, Bayousara and Baton Rouge.
Jeff Davis came on the boat at Vicksburg, on his
way to Baton Rouge to work up the secession of
Louisiana. Li trying to sell I only succeeded in
trading one pair of the boats for a cargo of sugar at
St Mary's Plantation with a planter who was as
anxious to dispose of his sugar as I was of selling
our coal ; in making the trade I got 35c per barrel
76 MbmOIB AKD PBItSONAL BBOOLLBCnOlf .
for the coaly being paid for same in sugar. We did
not get rid of this sugar until after New Orleans
was captured by General Butter.
The first pair of our boats that came along were
in charge of that noted old pilot, Thomas Murry,
and both he and his crew were worried over the news
of Louisiana seceding imd keeping them all as
prisoners of war. I went aboard the boats and went
with him as far as Baton Rouge intending to see the
boats landed at St Mary's plantatioiv^ where I had
traded them for a cargo of sugar. But both Murry
and his crew insisted on my taking the Steam Boat
and go ahead and provide money to pay them off^ so
that they could get away as soon as they reached
New Orieans. So I started in the skiff J^or the
Packet Boat just ready to cut loose at Wharf-Boat
It was Friday eyening ; when I reached the Cabin of
the boaty a scene presented itself which I never be-
fore witnessed. From the forward deck to the
Ladies' cabin were strung card tables, upon which
were piles of gold and silver giving the Cabin of the
boat the appearance of a baqk ; and around the table
were seated four members of the tjouisiana Le^s-
latnre ; who had voted themselves this money to go
to New Orleans to work up the secession of the state ;
and on the turn of a card this gold and silver
changed sides of the table. ' I took in the* situation at
a glance. I knew that a Northern man 's life in that
crowd was not worth the powder that would Wow
off his head. I went to the clerk of the boat and
asked him if he had any births in a state room. He
replied: *'0h, yes, these fellows will not go to bed
tonight' '. I said : * * Give me an upper birth ' *. The
boat did not reach New Orleans until after midnight,
but I lay in bed until 9:00 A. M.to give the fire
eaters time to get away when I got up and wended
my way to ttie Louisiana Hotel; where tiie cdal men
stopped. My partner, J. H. Peterson, who was
MEMOIR A2r0 PjOEisoif Ai. Rbcouuectioh. 79
married to my ooufiin^ B. A. Corey, did not stop at
the hotel but they were living in a house of tiieir
own; and that my cousin, E. A. Corey (My parser's
wife), had given birtix to their firgt child (a boy) a
few hours before I arrived at the Hotel I also
learned from J. M. Peterson (who represented Her-
rem and Peterson) that he and J. H. P. (my partner)
had formed a oo-partnership with a New Oiieass
retailer, (by name of P. H. Williard) in hopes of
selling coal enough to pay off the crews arriving. I
told him that Thomas Murry and his crew were here
and wanted to get away on the first boat. He said :
'^ Williard had charge of bank aocoiuit and for me to
go to the office and wait until he comes ' '. I went,
and there was no one there but a colored woman and
her boy about 7 years old ; she, giving a sigh of dis-
tress, tiie boy throwing himself across her lap ex-
cited my ^notions* I airiced her if she was waiting
to see Mr. Williard t She said: '^Tes, I am waiting
to tell him what ]>r. Jones will give him for me, and
de boy, my dear Sambo ' \ Mr, Williard had allowed
her to fixtd a purchaser. I asked what time Mr.
Williard came to his office and she said:^^Massa
Boyle, he come at ten o'clock, Massa Peterson he
eeme at eleven o '<dock, Massa Williard he come at
twelve o'clock'\ By this time my own mind was
made up that J. B. Corey & Company would not
constitute a part of that firm longer tiian I could ef-
fect a dissolution. At home, on the banks of tke
Monongahela Biver, I was in the habit of getting up
at four and five o 'clock in the morning and seeing
that tiie boats and tipple were in shape to begin work
at 6 .-00 A. M. I felt that if P. H. Williard & Com-
pany could make money in that stsrle of doing busi-
ness, there must be a bonanza in tiie retail coal busi-
ness in New Orleans^ but when Mr. Williard came to
the office and I found he could not furnish me with
the $2,000 needed to pay off Murry 's crew, until he
80 Memoib akd Pebsonal Becollectiok.
could go around and see how his bank account stood,
I began to think possibly I would have to look else-
where for money to pay off my crews, which proved
only too true. We never realized a cent for that
pair of boats, but I took care that no more of J. B.
Corey & Co. 's boats went to that firm. I had to
again fall back on my friend, Vandine, whose pre-
vious kindness to me has been mentioned in an earlier
chapter, to provide money to pay off our crews, and
left the same day for home, stopping over at Louis-
ville on November 26th, 1860, where I read in a local
paper tiie Billedgeville speech of Honorable A. H.
Stephens opposing secession of Georgia.
Ask Lincoln to make A. H. Stephens Secbetaby
OP Wab.
Like a drowning man grasping a straw, and in
the hope of preventing the secession of Louisiana
until we could sell our coal, I wrote Abraham Lin-
coln, President-Elect, at Springfield, HI., enclosing
a copy of Mr. Stephens * speech and urging him to
tender Mr. Stephens the position of Secretary of
War. I insisted that the .planter^ and business men
of the South were as much opposed to secession as
people of the North ; and I also insisted that tender-
ing the position of Secretary of War to Mr.
Stephens would strengthen the Union sentiment and
prevent tiie secession of Louisiana and Georgia. In
my letter, I said : * * I see you are going to appoint
Simon Cameron, a stinking, pro-slavery, locofoco
Democrat. He has been robbing the State of Penn-
sylvania for years in selling it cordwood for tiie
Portage road, measuring the same cord of wood over
and over, (I had read this in the Pittsburgh Gazette
and thought it must be true). On arriving home, I
received a letter from Private Secretary, John Hay,
saying Mr. Lincoln had received my letter, with Mr.
Memoir akd Pbbsonal Recollection. 81
Stepliens' speech, thanking me for the information
I had sent him.
I had also written Mr. Stephens the same day
telling him of conditions in New Orleans ; also that
I had recommended him to President Lincoln for Sec-
retary of War. I nrged him to make his stand for
the Union, nnconditional, he having said that as
Qeor^a went so he would go and I told him that
meant secession. When he returned t« Congress
after the war I wrote him twice ; on the principle I
have mentioned bnt he did not reply. I notice in
Alexander Stephens * history of this war tiiat he pub-
lishes a letter from Mr. Lincoln, dated November 30^
1860, (Five days after I wrote him from Loaisville)^
asking Mr. Stephens for a revised copy of his speech.
82 Memoir and Personal Recollection.
LAST RIVER TRIP BEFORE WAR OF
SECESSION.
First Tow of Coal on the Mississippl
While I was away on the trip just referred to,
our company had employed a Captain Briggs, (who
had built a side wheel tow boat) to tow seven pairs
of boats to New Orleans. As he had stuck a similar
number of boats on The Clusters for T. Jones & Co.,
I objected to letting him start with our boats, but the
other members of the firm insisted on him taking the
boats, and for me to go along and see that he took
no unnecessary risks. I went with him and we got
our boats safe to New Orleans, being the first tow of
coal ever towed down the Mississippi. Captain
Briggs was, however, convinced that a side wheel
tow boat could never tow a fleet of coal to market
without risk, and he never tried it again. I satisfied
the largest coal operators with a stem wheel boat ;
it was practical, and it was adopted by W. H.
Brown, Joseph Walton and others.
PART THIRD
Chapter 1
Sar of tlfr fobrllum.
NoBTHESN Coal Business Buined.
The Soathem States having seceded, all the
coal of the northern men wfia confiscated. J. B.
Corey & Co. were left a broken firm, $50,000 worse
than nothing. Fortunately for ds, Hon. Jadge
Mellon, one of the firm, was able to carry ns
through. J. H. Peterson, our New Orleans agent,
was pressed into the rebel service and given charge
of all the coal at Willow Grove. When they issued
a requisition for a boat of coal, Peterson filled the
order with coal of some other company and the day
they issued the order for our first boat. Commodore
Faragut and General Butler drove the rebel army
out and we had our coal intact General Butler tried
to treat our coal as rebel spoils (mentioned in subse-
quent chapter) , but President Lincoln insisted the
coal belonged to us, and at a great advance in price
instead of being a bankrupt firm we had $200,000.00
to divide — all in answer to prayer. We also
had a controversy with General Butler over a cargo
of sugar, to which reference is later made, which we
finally succeeded in disposing of advantageously. I
wUl conclude the difiiculties relative to the coal and
sugar in a subsequent chapter and give my expe-
riences and reminiscences while in the Government
employ during the War of the Rebellion.
84 MeMOIB and PeBSONAL. BECOUiECTION.
CSiapter 2
I TRY TO ENLIST.
There being no coal business, I tried to enlist,
but such was the rush of able-bodied men offering
that I was rejected. I started for Washington to
try for a clerkship to keep my teeth clear until Lin-
coln 's 75,000 three months^ volunteers would crush
the rebellion. I passed through Baltimore the day
the Massachusetts regiment was fired upon.
On reaching Washington, I applied to the Hon-
J. EL Morehead, our Bepresentative, to get me a
clerkship in one of the Departments. He applied to
W. H. Seward, Secretary of State, who said he was
turning away applicants by the hundreds. General
Morehead said: ^^Let us go around and see General
Scott''.
Second Introduction to General Scott.
It was noon hour. The General and his Private
Clerk were all that were present General More-
head, in introducing me said: ** General Scott, Mr.
Corey, one of my constituents, was in the coal busi-
ness in New Orleans. He wants to get a position so
that he can support himself and family until you can
retake New Orleans and he gets back his coaP*.
General Scott replied: ** General Morehead, I am
turning away applicants by the thousand '^
As he took me by the hand I said : ^ * General
Scott, do you remember the day you went through
the lock on the Monongahela River in 1847 1*'
** Yes'^ he replied, **as well as if it was yeste^day'^
**Do you remember the boy introduced to you as
having learned the whole Book of St. John and eight
chapters in Acts t'* **Yes^^ he replied, '*are you
Memos and Pebsonal Recollection. 85
that boyt" "And", Tasked, "do yoa remember
the twin girls you kissed?" "Yes", the general
said, "tiiey were about that high!" I then said to
him, "one of those twin girls is my wife; she is
home on the banks of the Monongahela river and not
a week's supply of provisions in the honae. I am
here and owe a week's board and not a cent of
money in my pocket". Holding on to my hand, the
General said: "William, take this order to Captain
Beckwith to put J. B. Corey on his payroll at $50.00
per month; if he has no work for him to do, send
him to Lieutenant Smith at the foot of O. Street, and
let him put him to work issuing rations to the sol-
diers". No sweeter sound ever fell on my ears be-
fore or since.
86 Memoir and Pebsokal Becollection.
Chapter 3
ACQUAINTANCE WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN
—SIMON CAMEBON— E. M. STANTON.
Beminiscences of Civil War Days in Washington.
GOVEBNMENT JoB AT $50.00 PEE MoNTH.
Lieutenant Smith put me in charge of from 300
to 500 laborers, whose duties were to unload army
stores from vessels and fill requisitions of quarter-
masters of regiments. My experiences as a pilot
and operator of coal mines made me an effective
roustabout derk. It also brought me in almost
daily contact with President Lincoln and his Cab-
inet, and especially Secretary Cameron and Secre-
tary Chase, who gave their personal attention to
supplying the army assembling at Washington.
I boarded at **01d Man Greenes*' noted board-
ing house, where the assassination of Lincoln was
plotted. It was the headquarters of the rebel sym-
pathizers in Washington and Maryland Heights,
noiany of them assembling here daily. Green had
been the only auctioneer of the Capital, and boasted
he had sold all the Presidents' household goods
from John Quincy Adams down to James Buchanan.
He was 80 years old and married to his first wife's
sister, 20 years younger than himself. Mrs. Green
was noted for her cooking, and kept one of the nicest
private boarding houses in the city, the only draw-
back being Old Man Green's strong sympathy for
the rebels.
Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbction. 87
Handling of Abmy Supplies in Washington.
At the foot of G Street there was a wharf boat
about the length of a ship, which for years had been
used to receive and ship freight from. When the
War broke out, the Government took military pos-
session of it, appointing the owners, Messrs. Morgan
& Binard, as majois in the army.
On a strip of flat ground between the Canal and
the Potomac, we built two other warehouses out of
rough boards ; in these warehouses we stored our
army supplies. When it became evident that the
Civil War was not going to be a holiday sport, the
Government made contract for a large stock of army
supplies, requiring thirty or more additional ware-
houses beside these two, but there was plenty of
room to build alongside. In fact, there was no other
ground on which to build them except to haul the
goods up to the square in front of the President's
mansion, which would have cost more than the ocean
freight from New York City.
One day, seeing President Lincoln, Secretaries
Cameron and Chase, Col. Bucker and Major Morgan
and others coming to the wharf, I knew something
unusual was on hand. I went into my office and be-
gan entering up the requisitions I had filled. Senator
Baker of Oregon, who was playing soldier in the
morning and Senator in the afternoon, had two
Oregon Begiments camping on the wharf. He would
retreat into the warehouse to escape the hot sun and
always took a seat in my office where a railing sur-
rounded my desk.
This delegation came to go over the ques-
tion of where to build additional warehouses.
As soon as President Lincoln and the others came
inside the office Major Morgan spoke up, saying:
**The river overflows this bottom six feet in one
night '\ Cameron on turning to Senator Baker,
88 Mbmoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
asked him what he thought of it Senator Baker an-
swered by saying: **Mr. Corey, here is an Ohio and
Mississippi River boatman ' ', and addressing me, he
added: "What do you think of it, Mr. Corey t'* I
replied that I would build them beside the other
two. Colonel Rucker said: **Mr. Corey, what
would you do if the river would overflow six feet in
one night f * ' I replied : * * Col. Rucker, I would do as
we have done with the other two there, put the
corned beef and pork barrels four tiers high. If that
river rises six feet over that flat in one night, it will
fall six feet the next day, and the water will not hurt
the corned beef and pork ' ^
Cameron smacked his fist down on the railing
and said: **That settles it Colonel Rucker you
have the warehouses built there. Mr. Corey, you
fill them as you have the others *\ I had put the
corned beef in the bottom on account of the weight
In a short time we had nearly $3,000,000.00 worth of
army supplies in the thirty odd warehouses. I had
been cooking 300 barrels of corned beef a day for
about a month, in 150 iron kettles, each holding one
barrel. Unheading a barrel, we emptied it into a
kettle, cooked it six hours, and put it back in the bar-
rel and shipped it to Centerville. Jeff Davis in con-
gratulating his soldiers on the victory of Bull Run,
said the Northern vandals had been cooking meat
for months and intended to have a Belshazzar feast
— ^I am the man who had been doing the cooking. On
Friday before the battle of Bull Run, Lieutenant
Smith notified me that I had been promoted to take
charge of a new depot of supplies at Centerville. I
was not aware of the new depot, neither was I an ap-
plicant, but the defeat of the Union army rendered
the appointment void.
Mbmoib akd Pebsokal Bbcollection. 89
Battlb of BuuEi Bun Demobalizes Washington.
When our troops stampeded hatless^ coatless,
gunlesSy shoeless, panic-stricken soldiers filled up the
city, and the transition of the fallen angels to perdi-
tion alone describes the condition of Washington.
For the next few days Simon Cameron and I, with
my roustabouts, were all the government the city had
until General G. B. McClelland came on Friday and
restored order once more. If the earth had opened
up and swallowed General Scott, he could not have
more effectively disappeared from the scene. Presi-
dent Lincoln was so completely dazed that if some of
the rebel sympathizers (on Tuesday when the Cab-
inet was down at the wharf boat arranging ta trans-
fer the Government to New York City) , had laid their
hands on Lincoln, saying: **You are my prisoner^',
he never would have turned the word, nor wouW
there have been any resistance.
Pbepabino to Bubn oub Abmy Supplies.
On Tuesday, Colonel Bumside, with his two
Bhode Island Begiments came across Chain-Bridge,
they and Colonel Cochran's Sixty-ninth regiment,
New York, being the first to come back with their
guns. lieutenant Smith and I stood watching them
crossing into the city. It was pouring down rain,
and they did not have any flag at their head.
Lieutenant Smith, turning to me said : * * Corey, that
is Beauregard's army as sure as hell. You have
your men get some wood and shavings in each ware-
house. If I send you word, you set fire to the ware-
houses". If some one had come up and said to me :
"Corey, Lieutenant Smith says, *set fire to ware-
houses' ", up in smoke would have gone $3,000,-
000.00 of army stores. That was the last time I
saw Lieutenant Smith or Col. Bucker or any of my
superior officers except Cameron and Lincoln, who
90 Memoib and Personal. Becollection.
came down to the wharf, until after G. B. McClel-
land came and took command on Friday. Colonel
Thomas A. Scott, Vice-President of the Pennsyl-
vania Bailroad, who was Assistant Secretary of
War, had nrgent railroad business requiring his at-
tention in Philadelphia the balance of the week.
On Thursday as I attempted to enter Colonel
Scott's office with the daily report of our office, the
sentinel stopped me, saying : * * You cannot go in, the
President and Secretary of War are there*'. I
stood a moment, when out came Lincoln, Cameron
following closely at his heels — always before Cam-
eron had been in the lead. Lincoln passed by with-
out noticing me, but Cameron stopped, saying : ' * Mr.
Corey, how are things down at the wharf T ' I said :
** About as they were. I have not got orders to set
fire to the warehouses''. Mr. Lincoln suddenly
stopped and said : * ' Mr. Corey, you will not get
orders to set fire to the warehouses — the rebels are
miming as fast towards Bichmond as our men ran
back to Washington". I replied: **Mr. Lincoln,
that is all that saved you ' '. He whirled suddenly
and went on. Mr. Cameron said: **Mr. Corey, you
keep a good lookout and see that the warehouses are
well taken care of".
Intimate Friends of J. B. Corey
JOHN QL-INCV AHAMS. KinVIM M. STANTON.
Memoib and Pebsonal Becollection. 91
Chapter 4
EECOLLECTIONS OF LINCOLN AND HIS
CABINET.
I never pitied a man more in my life than I did
President Lincoln. On Tuesday, when he and his
Cabinet were down at the wharf planning for trans-
fer of Government to New York City, there was a
look of sadness upon his face at all times that indi-
cated he carried some deep sorrow. Whether the
cause was a mental, physical, political, or domestic
one, the secret is buried with him. That it was
deep-seated in his own bosom was transparent I
have often thought it was perhaps the cause of some
of the undignified acts which used to try William H.
Seward's patience to the extreme limit of endurance.
I give several instances : The ladies of Washington
made Seward a present of a flag to hoist over the
State House, and it was arranged that Mr. Lincoln
should hoist the flag. Before going over to the State
House, President and Cabinet reviewed three New
England Regiments that had just arrived. As the last
file passed, they broke ranks and rushed to shake
hands with the President. Lincoln began to squeeze
the soldiers hands so they would cry with pain. The
soldiers seeing this, would jerk back their hands
with : * * Old Abe, we will take your word for it ' ^ The
President, enjoying the joke, reached out his hand
and said : ' ' Is there not a man in all this crowd who
will shake hands with the President of the United
States V* A great big, burly looking soldier, start-
ing toward him, said : ^*I am your man, ^Old Abe' '\
The President said: *^Make way, let the man come;
he wants to shake hands with the President''. In-
stantly an athletic' struggle equal to some of John L.
Sullivan's, Corbett's or Fitzsimmons' took place. I
92 Memoib and Pebsonaii Becollection.
held my breath and never felt such relief as when th*
big, burly soldier began to turn pale and cried out
** Enough '\ Such a yell of applause was never
heard before. Seward, turning to Cameron and
Chase, said : **Is that not shameful for the President
of the United States f ' ' When the noise subsided,
the President, turning around toward his house,
cried out: ** Willie, Willie !*^ saying: **Did any of
you gentlmen see my boy Willie T ' I spoke up say-
ing: **Mr. Lincoln, he was in the East room playing
prisoners' base with some other boys*^ Mr. Lin-
coln said : * * I promised to take him with me to se^
me hoist the flag over Mr. Seward's house. It is his
fault, not mine*'. Mr. Seward quite impatiently
said: *^The ladies will be waiting upon us''. The
crowd was so dense they had to march a company of
soldiers with the President and Cabinet in between
the ranks. As they stood beating time with their
feet, Seward and Lincoln stood side by side beating
time. The President, noticing a small man in front
of him, said: *^ He is too short-coupled for me",
stretching his long leg past him nearly to the next
man's shoulder. AH these undignified acts of Lin-
coln excited the enthusiasm of the people to the
highest pitch.
When he reached the State House, the ladies
with the Baptist preacher, were waiting for us. The
minister, in a fifteen or twenty minute speech, re-
counted the great deeds of heroism performed under
its sacred folds, and the love of the American flag
from its first waving over the American army at
Bunker Hill until our own people had pulled it down
as a filthy rag. All the while Lincoln stood ereo^
like a statue, with his eyes tightly closed. When the
minister had finished his oration, he handed the rope
to the President. Taking the rope in his hand, and
looking out over the vast multitude, Lincoln said :
** Ladies and gentlemen: — The ladies of Washington
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 93
delegated me with the hoisting of this flag over Mr.
Seward's house, which if there is nothmg wrong
with the rope and tackle, I intend to do ' '. Spring-
ing up not less than four feet from the pavement and
grasping the rope, in about three jerks he had the
flag at the top of the staff amidst the shouting of
50,000 voices.
I think Seward, as Secretary of State, judging
from his comments on what he called the undignified
acts of Lincoln, when he and Senator Baker talked it
over in my office the next day, was nearer being sev-
ered than on any other occasion until that of Wilkes
Booth's bullet. Mr. Seward never got over the
wound the American people gave him in preferring
the Illinois rail splitter to the New York scholar and
statesman.
While I, myself, was an enthusiastic admirer of
President Lincoln, I have never been able to fully
reconcile some of his opposite traits of character.
Although he seemed to be one of the most xmselfish,
pure, patriotic of American statesmen, yet he was
one of the most adroit politicians the country ever
had. He had the faculty of allowing the Cabinet to
have its own way in the various departments and
yet, without their knowing it, they did just what he
would have them do.
In July, 1861, Secretary Seward and Senator
Baker secured me an interview with Lincoln in re-
gard to our claim against the Government for our
coal, supposed to have been confiscated by the rebels
Mr. Seward in calling Lincoln 's attention to the ob-
ject of my interview said : * ^ I have told Mr. Corey
that in time of an insurrection the Government is not
liable for losses of individuals and coal companies.
Lincoln seeing that Mr. Seward's statements were
not making me feel encouraged, took me by the hand
and said : * * Mr. Corey, we are going to retake New
Orleans shortly, and you will get all your coal back
94 Mbmoib and Personal Recollection.
again ' ^ I replied : ^ ' Mr. Lincoln, I am the man tha&
tried to help you frame your Cabinet''. **Yes/'i
said he : ^ ^ You tried to run a rebel in on me ' \ and I
answered : * * I wanted to prevent a Union man from
becoming a rebel". In a later page recounting our
troubles with General Butler, when it was necessary
for me to get an interview with Lincoln, it will be
noted his prediction not only proved true but he re-
called this interview as well.
Simon Cameron.
Simon Cameron was one man on whom, more
than any other, depended the practical work in plac*
ing the army on a sure footing. Cameron's knowl-
edge and experience as a contractor gave him the
knowledge of organizing armies that none of the
other members had, and his service to Lincoln was
greater than that of any other member of his Cab-
inet.
Cameron 's one great weakness was his Scotch-
Irish selfishness. With him, it was Cameron first,
his ward-heelers second, and Lincoln and his country
third. This trait prevented Cameron from attaining
the one great end of his personal ambition, and for
which his own natural ability so well equipped him.
His lack of fidelity to Abraham Lincoln, with his
lack of patriotism, compelled the President to trans-
port him out of the country, making him Minister to
Bussia.
The first act which involved Cameron in trouble
(into which he was led by his ward-heelers) was the
purchase of an old vessel that had long been lying at
the wharf and which was considered unseaworthy.
Major Morgan had refused several times to accept
this boat or recommend its purchase at $8,000.00,
and when it became known that Cameron had bought
it at a price of $60,000, it created a sensation almost
equal to the firing on Fort Sumpter. Committees of
MbMOIB and PEBSONAIi RECOLLECTION. 95
angry Bepresentatives came down to our Depart-
ment, seeking evidence to convict Cameron and his
henchmen with fraudulently purchasing this unsea-
worthy boat I remember how honest John Covode
would come down to the wharf and when I met him
and Charles Sumner at WUliard's Hotel, how they
would try to pump me. I knew nothing about the
boat myself, and my $50 a month clerkship kept me
from finding out anything. Col. Bucker and
Lieutenant Smith would sometimes whisper in my
ear, that if the President did not get rid of the Win-
nebago Chief that us Pennsylvanians had put upon
Mm, he would involve his administration in a hope-
less failure. There was said to be a syndicate of
eight persons (of whom Col. Thomas A. Scott and
Simon Cameron were the heads), that had an inside
pull on the selling of supplies to the army.
Lincoln saw that he must act quickly. He sent
Simon Cameron out of the country and called Ed-
win M. Stanton, the Prince of American Patriots to
take Cameron's place. This, to my mind, was one
of the greatest proofs of Abraham Lincoln 's qualifi-
cations to the high office and the responsibility he
was called upon to assume.
Edwin M. Stanton.
To Edwin M. Stanton, more than to any other
man, or to all the members of Lincoln's Cabinet, or
to the Generals in the army, is due the credit for the
crushing of the Rebellion. In Stanton these traits
were found : first, unfaltering loyalty to his country ;
second, unswerving fidelity to President Lincoln ;
third, an unswerving determination to make treason
odious and to allow no guilty traitor to escape.
Neither the spoils nor the honor of the office in-
fluenced this greatest of American patriots. This
caused him to be hated by all traitors and rebel sym-
pathizers, more than any other man in or out of the
96 Memoir akd Pebsonal Bbcollectiok.
President's Cabinet He was loyal to his nation to
tiie core. His sense of justice will also be observed
in a sabseqnent page relating to oar di£Seu!ties with
General Butler.
The other members of Lincoln's Cabinet did not
have much opportunity to distinguish themselves.
The Postmaster General, Montgomery Blair, was a
man of medinm ability and managed the depart-
ment fairly well. His brother Frank, was a more
potent political force.
Memoir and Pebsokal Becollectiok. 97
Chapter 5
END OF MY GOVERNMENT WORK.
In the latter part of August, 1861, 1 took sick.
Calling in a doctor, he said: ^^ Young man, you are
going to have a violent attack of fever and I advise
you to take the first train for your Pennsylvania
atmosphere. I reported to Secretary Cameron the
advice the doctor had given me, who kindly accepted
my resignation, saying if I got better and desired to
return, my position would be open for me. I did not
tell the Secretary of War that I had received from
Senator Baker, of Oregon, an offer of the position
of Quartermaster of his Brigade, which would pay
me three times or more than the clerkship in the
Commissary Department was paying.
I called a carriage and started for the station.
The last man whom I saw on my way to the traip^
that I knew, was Senator Baker who saluted me. He
was killed in battle of Balls Bluff a few weeks after.
Taking the train, I arrived home a very sick
man. The second night after getting home. Dr.
B[nox, our family physician (Brother of Taft^s Secv
retary of State) said I could live until morning. Be-
coming unconscious — as I have always believed in
answer to mother 's prayer — ^I threw up a solid lump
of matter the size and hardness of an egg, which I
believe was nicotine secretion, the real cause of my
sickness and the result of the filthy tobacco habit. I
immediately got better and in a few days was able to
get around.
98 MSMOIB AND PSBSONAL BbCOLXiECTION.
Chapter 6
GENERAL BUTLEK.
(Holds up Cargo of our Sugar).
My first contact with General Butler was in con-
nection with a cargo of sugar which, as previously
related, we had left on the southern coast at the out-
break of the war. The sugar was in a warehouse at
St Mary's plantation on what was considered de-
batable ground between the two armies.
Mr. Peterson, who had been our New Orleans
representative, and a member of our firm, applied to
General Butler for a war ship to convey our sugar
off the coast. General Butler in refusing to give
him a war vessel, said he had no right to use Gov-
ernment warships to protect private property, eta
However, a few days later General Butler *s brother,
Col. Butler, sent for Mr. Peterson and offered to get
our sugar away for every third barrel. Instead of
accepting this offer, Peterson sent his brother, J. M.
Peterson, home by way of New York to lay Col. But-
ler's proposition before the firm.
Hon. Judge Mellon, who was one of the firm,
sent me off to Washington with a letter to Secretary
Stanton, who years before had been a law partner
with Thomas Mellon. I reached Washington early
in the morning and repaired to the War Depart-
ment to wait for the Secretary of War to come to his
office. When I arrived there at 8 :00 A. M., there
was a long line of people waiting to see Secretary
Stanton. Before my turn came it was 2 :00 P. M.
A finely dressed lady was next in front of me.
She was a very large woman, and the delay was ap-
parently very irksome to her, she complaining to me
of the red tape one had to go through. When her
Mbmoib and Pebsonal Bbcollbctiok. 99
torn came, she presented her papers to Stanton. He
glanced over them and attached his name to tiiem.
The woman was so overjoyed that she stopped to tell
the Secretary what she had said to the writer about
the great red tape she had gone through, etc., adding
that she had had the same trouble in getting her son
out of the invalid corps, etc. That remark to the
Secretary did her up. She had hardly let it escape
her lips when Stanton grabbed the paper, took his
goose quill pen and drew it across * * Edwin M. Stan-
ton^' with such vim as to utterly obscure his name,
on seeing which the lady gave such a sigh that it
completely unnerved me, so that when the Secretary
turned his big, black eyes on me, fairly flashing fire,
and asked me my business, I could only stammer
out: **Mr. Stanton, Judge Mellon sent me with this
letter*' (holding out the letter, the handwriting of
which he recognized) , and adding that we had some
sugar on the coast and asked Butler for a convey to
get it off, and that he had refused, but that Col. But-
ler had offered to get it down for one-third of ttie
sugar, etc., Stanton replied: ** Don't give away your
sugar ; I have heard that before. Sit down on that
chair imtil I get through with my morning levee'*.
I took a seat and waited two hours more, when the
Secretary took Mr. Peterson, Mr. Marks and myself
in his carriage to his house, where he questioned Mr.
Peterson all about his experience while in New Or-
leans under the Rebel Government of the city, and
what, to his knowledge, had taken place after Butler
had taken the city, etc. Mr. Peterson explained to
Stanton all of General Butler's orders, establishing
his government in the city, giving one order which
they regarded as the key of the arch, the order pro-
hibiting the sale of liquor, etc., and how after Gen-
eral Butler rescinded this order it was foimd that
the General's brother had bought up and owned all
the whiskey in the city, etc. Stanton kept us over
•'>^^;i•JA
100 Memoir akd Pbbsonal BecolxiECTion.
an hour, hearing our complaint, then made out an
order on General Butler, got the President's sig-
nature ordering Butler to give us a ship to get our
sugar off the coast, and in six weeks we had our
sugar in New York, costing us only the vessel
freight.
Tbies to Prevent Payment for Our Coal..
The outcome of our controversy with General
Butler over the sugar being very distasteful to him,
he became angered and reported against the Gov-
ernment paying for coal that we had delivered to it
on the requisition of his own Quartermasters, (Snow
and General Shepperd) who had given us vouchers
for same, signed and receipted for by the captains
of the vessels receiving the coal. General Butler
put up the claim that the coal had been the property
of the Bebel Army, and also set up a claim for sal-
vage for the soldiers, saying the rebels had set fire
to the coal when retreating from the city. This was
false, as our coal was afloat. The rebel General did
order Peterson to sink the boats but he paid no at-
tention to the order.
Butler's adverse report against paying some
$13,000 for our coal necessitated several more inter-
views with the Secretary of War, at one of which
President Lincoln was present, to whom Secretary
Stanton explained the matter. The President, re-
membering his promise to me at the interview in
July, 1861, previously mentioned by me, said : * * Did
I not tell you we would drive the rebels out, and you
would get your coal backT^^ In this interview in re-
gard to the trouble with Butler, the President said
we ought not to think anything of the Government
taking some of our coal, as we were getting off easy
as it was. Secretary Stanton said he had no doubt
of the justness of our claims, but added that we had
Memoib and Personal Becollbction. 101
ao
u
ir
i
better go to the Court of Claims. We did this and
^" were finally paid.
In this connection, I will mention another inci*
dent which occurred at this time. The rebels had
set fire to the cargo of Billy Marks. Billy Marks
and Peterson were warm friends, and hoping to save
this coal for his friend, Peterson had imloaded the
coal on a wharf because boats leaked badly, also
with a view of keeping it from being used by the
rebels until the last As soon as the Rebel Army
left, Peterson took a bucket of water and put out the
fire. Nevertheless, General Butler allowed these
claims for salvage and his brother bought the claims
for a song from the soldiers. After being in the
Court of Claims for a long time, Congress awarded
the widow and children of Marks their claim for this
coal.
After this dispute with General Butler, he and
I became enemies. When I saw that he had been ap-
pointed to the command of the forces around Peters-
burg, I wrote to both the President and Secretary of
War urging them to relieve him of the command,
feeling that a man of his principles would do any-
thing to advance his own personal or political stand-
ing. I suggested four other generals, any of whom
I said was superior to General Butler in every way,
and would be loyal to General Grant, which I said
was doubtful with Butler, viz. : General John Sedg-
wick of the Sixth Corps ; General Warren of the
Fifth; Phil. Sheridan or J. J. Reynolds for the
Petersburg army.
Tbibtjte to Gbnebal Btjtleb.
At the time of the death of General Butler, I
wrote the following for publication :
^'Benjamin Butler died, as all men ought to die,
at his post General Butler, in his quiet, dignified
death, displayed the same heroic spirit which char-
102 Memoir and Pebsonal Becollbction.
aeteiized him in life. He did not keep his family
and friends on the rack for a quarter of a century or
over. Such was the consideration he manifested for
the feelings of others that he declined to cause his
colored valet loss of sleep.
I am aware, from personal experience, that But-
ler was not always the most considerate of other
men's feelings, but even when as a soldier or civil-
ian, whether as a friend or foe. General Butler was
a brave man. He will be regarded by many as a
great character and his achievements will entitle
Mm to a niche in the temple of fame. And yet, I
think the traits of character which secured him the
greatest notoriety were his weaknesses and to them
he sacrificed his nobler traits, which, if relied upon,
would have given him a higher place in our national
history than he will receive. His inordinate vanity
ailDd personal ambition subordinated the powers of
the man to the extent that he became blinded to the
other resources of which he was possessed. The
first time my attention was attracted to him was when
he voted 200 times for Jeff Davis at the Charleston
Convention. The next time was when he thrilled the
North with his going to take a brigade of women
with old broomsticks to clean out the southern
rebels.
The first time I saw General Butler, and from
which I formed an impression of the man that ever
after seemed to be borne out, was the next day after
lie captured Ft Hatteras. I rode on the same train
with him from Washington to Baltimore. The Gen-
eral was the hero of the hour. He stood up in the
aisle of the car receiving the congratulations of his
friends and officers of the army who got on and off
at every station. He had a large ripe peach in his
hand which he kept tossing up and catching, first in
one hand and then in the other. He kept the pas-
sengers in the car, especially the ladies, in an uproar
Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbction. 103
of laughter at his retorts and replies to the num-
erous congratulations heaped upon him over his
brilliant **coup de main'* in winning the first vic-
tory for the Northern forces. I put him down then
and there as one of the most vain and eccentric men
I had ever seen. His personal ambition, and evi-
dent intention of making out of it all the personal
and political capital he could, was so prominent that
I think it of itself prevented his promotions to
greater opportunities more than all else, and as far
as I am capable of judging the man, I think this
trait in his character defeated his highest ambition,
viz. : to be President of the United States. That he
had higher qualifications for the office than several
who had filled it, I fully believe.
In a matter of some personal business interest I
came in contact with the General in a way that did
not increase my admiration of the man during the
administration of the New Orleans Department, but
nevertheless with all his faults there was in the
brave, dignified, quiet way in which he met the Con-
queror of all heroes that which you cannot help feel-
ing an admiration for.
104 MsMont AKD Pebsonal Bbcou^bgtiok.
Chapter 7
CALL FOE VOLUNTEER NURSES.
Typical Coppebhead Incidbnt.
September 2nd, 1862, when General Pope was
defeated at Bull Run, President Lincoln issued a call
for volunteer nurses to care for the wounded. With
others, I was down at a store, in Port Perry where
the people assembled to receive the latest news. All
day, like the first Bull Run Battle, the reports were
that Pope's army was winning the battle, and the
first intimation of his defeat was Lincoln 's call for
volunteer nurses. Li telling us the news, the tele-
graph operator said that Pope 's defeat was worse
than the first defeat at Bull Run, and that things
were in a bad condition at Washington. There were
perhaps 300 or more persons waiting to hear the
news, the majority of them being classed as Copper-
head Democrats in sympathy with the Secessionist,
and when the news of Pope's defeat became public,
expressions such as ^' Black Abolitionists",
**Wooley-heads'' and ** Lincoln's Hirelings" had
got it in the neck, were the only response from the
majority.
The P. R. R. Co. 's Agent reported he had in-
struction to issue passes to all who would respond to
the call I appealed to the crowd, saying: "I would
be one to go and that we had only time to walk over
to Brintons to catch the first train". My Pit Boss,
David Mackey, said he would go, also my cousin,
Moses Corey, and two of my miners, Hamilton
Jacobs and Samuel Weaver, also agreed to go. It
was nine o'clock when we started for the train over
a mile from home, amidst the jeers of Copperhead
Mbuoib and Pbbsonal Bbcollbotion. 105
sympathizers calling us "Lincoln Hirelings" aod
** Black Abolitioniats". At Baltimore early next
morning, in passing through we did not receive any
eyidence of approval of what we thought was not
only a humane act, but a mark of the highest type of
patriotism.
I Enteb Hospital Sebvice.
On reaching Washington, I reported to the Sec-
retary of War, and he sent us to the Catholic College
at Georgetown, of which the Government had taken
military possession to convert it into a hospitaL 500
convalescent soldiers reported for duty, and in a
very short time that finely furnished college was
converted into a hospital and filled with mangled
soldiers. Many of the soldiers had laid four days
on the battle field, maggots dropping from their
wounds when being washed and put in their beds.
106 Mehoib and Pebsonal Recollbctiok.
IjIncoln's Sorbow fob Wounded.
President Lincoto, with that sympathy for
which he was distingaished, with words of consola-
tion and kindness and tear-stained face, as he bent
over their cots, made a scene that would have catised
the angels to weep, and has made such a lasting im-
pression on my mind that I never read a tribute to
this greatest of American Presidents that memory
does not recall the scene.
After this hospital was filled with disabled sol-
diers the Secretary of "War sent an Army Snrgeon
to take charge of it and I left for home.
PART FOURTH
Oiapter 1
foBum)ittim of Coal SuBtoaa
Rbtubn to Rivbb Coal Bubinbss.
After recovering from my illness in 1861, the
demand for coal being then so great, which afforded
our company the opportunity of converting the large
stock of flat boats and lomber into cash, to lift off
the burden of debt resulting from secession of the
southern states and the confiscation of onr coal, I
was compelled to decline the urgent solicitation of
Col. Bucket and Lieutenant Smith to return and
take my position ia the Commissary Department
J. B. Cobby & Co. Dissolved.
In April, 1863, the firm of J. B. Corey & Co. was
dissolved, after five years of the most hazardous ex-
perience. J. H. Peterson bought a farm near Fin-
leyville on Monongahela River. I also tried to buy
one but could not find a suitable one for sale. I
bought the tract of coal on Penna. B. B., that my
first employer had tried to mine 19 years before, and
abandoned the river coal business after eighteen
years' experience as a Flatboatman, as Cook, Hand,
Pilot and Owner, in which I was fairly saccessful.
108 Memoir and Pbbsonal Bbcouobction.
Oiapter 2
ENTER RAILROAD COAL TRADE.
Obqanization of Cobby & Co.
In 1865, the firm of Corey & Company was or-
ganized, composed of myself, Henry Lloyd, and
Oeorge Black, for the purpose of engaging in the
railroad coal mining business. We purchased the
tract of coal that my first employer had tried to
mine, 19 years before, at Braddoc^. We had from
100 to 150 miners at this mine and averaged from
5,000 to 8,000 bushels a day, and during the 18 years
we had the Braddock mine, we mined about 250
acres.
Method of Paying Miners in 1865.
At this time our miners were paid by the busheL
When coal sold at 4 cents a bushel at the tipple, the
miners received two cents per bushel for mining.
There were no scales, but miners * wagons were built
with a capacity of so many bushels, and there was a
continual wrangle between dishonest employers and
the miners over the size of the wagons and their be-
ing honestly filled. As the coal business increased,
so did the wrangling, and to overcome it, the weigh-
ing of coal was introduced, and under the methods
followed this gave the dishonest operator a still
greater advantage over the miner or the honest
operator.
Dishonest Weights Used.
I Establish Lawful Weight of 76 pounds Per
Bushel.
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 109
I soon found there was no money in the coal
business apparently, as at the price we sold the coal,
we were at a loss, after paying the railroad freight,
and when we put in scales an incident occurred which
gave me an understanding of where the trouble was
and how some operators were able to make money
in the coal business. At this time we were paying
six cents per bushel for digging, but we could not
compete with other operators and I discovered false
weights were being used. Today at all tipples 76
pounds is the lawful beam and they have check-
weighmen.
When putting in a scale on the P. E. E., Mr.
Taylor asked me why I was putting 76 pound beams
in our scales. I replied : * * Is that not the lawful
beamf **Yes'', said he, **but our company have
put in all the scales in this locality but we never put
in a 76 pound beam for any other company ; we have
put in four 80 pound beams, the majority 88 pounds,
and one 112 pounds ' ^ Looking down at the ground
for a moment, this Scripture came into my mind.
* * Divers weights and divers measures are an abomi-
nation unto the Lord'', and I decided then and there
what I would do. Looking up at him I quoted the
text and told him to put in a 76 pound beam. I
went down to the oflSce and had our bookkeeper write
the following notice : —
**0n and after the first day of May, 1866,
we will adopt a co-operative article of agree-
ment making four cents a bushel the selling
price at tipple, and two cents for mining price
paid for miners' wages for one year, retaining
ten per cent of miners ' wages for one year and
as a forfeit in case they came out on a strike
without giving us 60 days ' notice, Corey & Co.
agreeing not to reduce the agreed basis without
60 days ' notice, under penalty of ten per cent to
be forfeited to the miners".
110 Memoib and Pbbsonal Begollegtion.
A Copy of the Agreement follows :
Co-operative Abticlb of Aqbeement.
Entered into this last day of January, A. D.,
1866, by and between Andrew Jackson Jones, coal
miner, of the first part, and Corey & Co. of Alle-
gheny Co., Pa., of the second part, to-wit: In order
to insure a more uniform system of work, and to
avoid the losses and inconveniences arising from the
practice of strikes, and to enable the said Corey &
Co. to secure more permanent contracts and thereby
give more steady employment, and also to insure to
each party hereto their share of the advance and de-
cline in the price of coal in market It is hereby
mutually agreed that two (2) cents per bushel,
screened coal (weighed after it has passed over the
screen, and only the screened coal to be paid for),
shall be the price for mining, and five (5) cents per
bushel, by the car load, in Pittsburgh market, shall
be the basis of prices to start with, which basis can-
not be changed by either party, without sixty days*
notice by the party desiring to change, and in deter-
mining the price of coal in Pittsburgh market, ref-
erence shall be had to said Corey & Co. 's books, at
each monthly settlement, and the average price per
bushel for which the said Corey & Co. sell coal in
Pittsburgh market, shall determine the price of min-
ing. It is also agreed that the rate of advance of
decline in mining shall be as follows : That for every
one (1) cent per bushel coal advances, the said
Andrew Jackson Jones, coal miner, is to receive
sixty (60) cents per hundred bushels and Corey &
Co. forty (40) cents per hundred bushels, and each
to share the decline and price in same ratio to basis
started from, miner standing sixty (60) cents decline
and Corey & Co. forty (40) cents ; and I, Andrew
Jackson Jones, coal miner, also agree, that in all
cases, before striking for wages or other grievances.
Memoib and Personal Beoollbgtion. Ill
I will give the said Corey & Co. sixty days * notice,
and will continue to work until the expiration of said
notice, at the price herein agreed upon; and I also
agree that before demanding money due me by said
Corey & Co., I will put my room in good order, take
my pit tools off the premises, and give them peao-
able possession of the house. I also agree to dig or
mine coal for the said Corey & Co. for one year from
this date, at the foregoing rate, subject to the pro-
visions hereinbefore mentioned, sixty days' notice,
etc., for two (2) cents per bushel, coal weighed as
before named ; and for the faithful performance of
the above agreement, I, Andrew Jackson Jones, coal
miner, agree to leave (10%) ten per cent of all my
wages stand in the hands of Corey & Co. for one
year as a forfeit, which, in case I violate this agree-
ment, by stopping work or going on a strike, without
giving the said Corey & Co. the aforesaid sixty days*
notice, I forfeit and relinquish all claim in law there-
to, and in that event this article is to be a receipt in
full for said ten per cent (10%) standing in the
hands of Corey & Co. The said Corey & Co. binding
themselves in like manner and amount to give me,
the said Andrew Jackson Jones, coal miner, sixty
days' notice before reducing my wages from the
basis of mining herein mentioned and for the faith-
ful performance of the above article we bind our-
selves, our heirs and assigns.
Cobby & Company,
Andrew Jackson Jones.
This so-called **Iron Clad'* Agreement was
suggested by some of our more intelligent and rea-
sonable miners, who realized we could not pay what
was called the ** District Price'' if we paid for 76
pounds per bushel in cash against other companies
taking 88 and 112 pounds in **pluck-me'' store
goods.
112 Mbmoib and Personal BBCoUiECTioN.
My Pibst and Only Strike.
At first the miners refused to accept the co-
operative agreement, giving as a reason their fear
and dislike of being called ' ^ Blacklegs ' % and a hard
fought strike of four months followed, led by Ben
Braznel and his father. We won out, and Ben after
working three months in an adjoining mine came
with picks on his shoulder and said : ^ ' J. B., I want
you to let me go to work again ; I cannot dig coal
when I know I am only paid for seventy-five per cent
(75%) of what I dig'*. I said: **Ben you ought to
have thought of that before going on a strike ' ', but
he insisted on me putting him to work after hupiiliat-
ing him. He carried his tools up along an incline
1,800 feet to the mouth of the pit where some of the
men, seeing him coming, began to cry out: **0h!
Who would be a Corey 'Blackleg^ etc.''
In the 18 years we ran this mine, our miners
bought and built homes of their own, some of which
have made their children and grandchildren rich. I
took Braznel and his son into partnership with me
in working out the ribs and pillars. This gave him
a start and he is worth today two dollars to my one.
While most of the miners have passed away, their
descendants show me respect and credit for the aid
which I gave their fathers.
Troubles Between Operator and Miners.
My View After Thirty-six Years' Experience.
It is my conviction that 75 per cent of all the
trouble occurring between coal operators and their
employers are directly traceable to false weights and
measures, and to that other even greater evil, which
honest coal miners and honest operators have to con-
tend against— the **pluck-me*' stores. At the risk
of being charged with being egotistic, I will say that
Mbmook akd Psbsonal Rsoollbotiok. 113
to J. B. Corey, the father of the so-called * * Iron Clad
Agreement", the miners are today indebted for the
system requiring a lawful bushel of 76 pounds and
payments in cash. Had I failed in my efforts in
1865, I believe they would today be digging two
bushels for one, and in making this assertion I am
certain that Mr. Taylor, of the firm of Forsyth &
Taylor, the first firm to put in scales on coal tipples
in this district, will bear me out. In this fight for
the honest weights, and against the ''pluck-me"
stores, among our greatest opposers were miners'
officials (representatives of the Miners' Union) who
frequently called upon us and urgently requested us
to change our scales and pay the *' district wages*'.
After 36 years ' experience operating coal mines,
I also want to go on record as saying that, in my
judgment and experience, next to the two evils I
have just mentioned, with which the honest coal
miner has to contend (and which drives the better
class of miners out of the business), also endanger-
ing miners' lives and making serfs of them, are the
political ward-heelers and drones in the hives known
as *' Miners' Officials". First, State paternalism,
under which the State assumes to dictate the mine
bosses and appoints ward-heelers for mine inspec-
tors, increases the hazards of the miners. The other
equally great evil is the labor leaders or miners'
officials. I have noticed during the past 30 years
since these parasites have fastened upon the trade,
that between unscrupulous operators and these self-
styled miners' secretaries and presidents, the indus-
trious, sober, and honest coal miner is between the
upper and nether millstones. I could instance many
cases, but the intelligent coal miner understands this
as fully as I do, and thousands of the better class
have given up the trade on account of it. In con-
cluding these remarks, I will add that while this is
the hardest and, to some extent, the most dangerous
114 MeMOIB and PBBSONAIi RbCOLiLBCTION.
class of labor, yet there is a fascination about it
which keeps men engaged at it all their lives. An-
other feature of it is that while the coal miners are
frequently looked down upon, on account of the fre-
quent labor troubles due to these agitators, I found
among them, as a class, a higher type of honor, real
integrity and nobility of character than I have found
in my personal experience among any other class of
men with whom I have come in contact
In addition to this co-operative agreement at
Braddock mines, I also made the first attempt that I
have heard of, to introduce the check-weighman sys-
tem, but could not induce our miners to agree to pay
the check-weighman. We tried to persuade them
that while it would not insure them any better
weights, it would protect their wages by making the
class of operators who had false beams give honest
weights. At a meeting held by the miners to decide
on a check-weighman system, one old miner said:
* ' If Jim Corey wants a check-weighman, let him pay
him ; I won 't pay five cents a month to a man to
watch Lou Corey weigh my coal ' % and that settled it
In 1883, the coal at our Braddock mine being
worked out, the firm of Corey & Co. advertised its
stock for sale.
Myself, Benjamin Braznel, Andrew Braznel and
Alfred Corey formed a partnership as * * Corey Coal
Company'', and purchasing the remnants of the coal,
together with the stock worked out the mine.
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 115
Chapter 3
OPERATION OF DUQUESNE MINES.
1885—1900.
The New York & Cleveland Gas Coal Company
had been operating what was known as the ^^Du-
quesne'' Mine, familiarly called *'The Muckle Raf .
The Muckle Rat miners were difficult to handle, and
prided themselves on their loyalty to the Miners'
Union. They had broken up three firms by strikes,
and practically drove off the N. Y. & C. G. C. Co.,
and the mine had not been operated for four years.
Ten of them served 8 years in the Penitentiary for
killing a pit boss.
These miners could see the last potatoe in the
cellar disappear, the last loaf of bread eaten, and the
children go hungry to bed. They could have their
Committees beg, but never consent to be a ** Black-
leg'' and this was the spirit we encountered later
when we leased this mine.
In 1865, when we advertised our Braddock mine
equipment for sale, the muckle rat miners learned of
it and a delegation of them came to my house, saying
the N. Y. & C. C. Co. had decided to abandon the
muckle rat mine and open the back coal at Turtle
Creek where their other mines were operated, which
would render the miners' homes worthless.
The delegation said the Muckle Rat Miners had
sent them over to see if I would lease Duquesne
Mine and transfer our Corey & Co. equipment of
mules, pit wagons and coal cars over there, stating
that they would work for me on our Corey & Co. co-
operative system. After hearing their report, I re-
plied: **What! Muckle Rat Miners want to become
Corey * Blacklegs?' " (This was one of their favor-
116 MbMOIB and PeBSONAL BECOLLtECTIOir.
ite epithets to Corey & Co. miners^ they also having
refused to allow some of the Muckle Bat miners to
return to Duqnesne after working for ns). How-
ever, being familiar with the operation and failure
of other companies, and having less than a mile to
transfer stock for which I found no sale, with a
curiosity to try my co-operative article of agreement
on the ** Muckle Batters '^ after badgering the dele-
gation I told them I would draw up a declaration of
independence and that if the Duquesne Miners
would sign, and also agree to allow as many of my
old Corey & Co. miners as wanted to unite with them
to go to work, I would see the President of the N. T.
& C* G. C. Co., and if he would lease the mine, I would
lease it for one year; to see if we could work har-
moniously and whether I could afford to lease it for
a longer period. They reported to their miners and
next day returned, saying all but four had con-
sented. I drew up a Declaration of Independence
and they returned it the next day, all but one having
signed it.
Declaration of Independence.
Besolved, That, Whereas, in the past history of
the coal mining business, as well as other industrial
trades and pursuits it has been demonstrated that
strikes and lockouts in settlement of wages and other
disputes between the employer and the employees
have not only proved failures, but inevitably result
in a loss to both parties ; we, therefore, hereby ex-
press our disapproval of settling disputes, between
employer and employed in this manner, for the fol-
lowing reasons : First, it gives unscrupulous labor
agitators an excuse for usurping the rights of free
American citizens, taking from them the right of
making their own contracts and fastening upon the
industrial classes a lot of lazy galoots to support in
idleness and vagrancy.
Memoib and Pbbsonal Bbgollbction. 117
Resolved, That we, the coal miners employed at
the Duquesne Mines, do hereby set forth and declare
that, as free American citizens having the right of
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, being law-
abiding citizens of the United States and Common-
wealth of Pennsylvania, we owe no allegiance to any
of the numerous labor unions, whose officials and
members are violating both the laws of God and
man, and are tramping under foot the rights off
American citizens exercising unlawful jurisdiction
over trade ; denying to us the right to make and ful-
fill our own contracts or to work at such wageij as
are agreeable to ourselves, and such like travesties
upon justice and decency ; and, whereas, these self -
constituted presidents and other officials of the so-
called miners ' union (an organization to which we
do not belong and have no desire to become members
of) have, by their public proclamations and speeches
declared that it is their intention to stop all coal
miners from engaging at their work, until such times
and upon such terms and wages as the so-called
miners' union and its presidents and other officials
shall themselves decide; we, therefore, do hereby
repudiate and deny the right of such presidents and
other officials of said coal miners ' union ; to dictate
to us the right as free American citizens, to make
and fulfill our own contracts, to work at such wages
as are acceptable to ourselves ; and we do hereby
further declare that we put our rights to make our
own contracts above any question of wages or
profits, and for no consideration will we consent to
any irresponsible body or class of men usurping our
rights as citizens of the Commonwealth or to dictate
to us what rate of wages we shall work for, or to
whom we shall sell our labor.
We further declare that as law-abiding citizens
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and of the
United States (both of which profess to guarantee
118 Memoir and Pebsonal Recollection.
to us the right of private contracts), that we have
agreed with the said J. B. Corey, to work at wages
mutually satisfactory to ourselves, and we hereby
call upon all persons who recognize our right to do
so, not to interfere with us themselves, or lend eur
couragement to lawless or indisposed persons, who
under the hypocritical pretense of lawful assemblage
for the purpose of moral suasion are usurping and
laying siege to peaceful citizens, marching after
them to and from their work, and otherwise intimi-
dating citizens of the Commonwealth from peaceable
pursuing their lawful avocations, (a crime and dis-
grace). We also call upon our civil government for
the protection to which every citizen is entitled un-
der our Constitution in the pursuit of their lawful
avocations without let or hindrance from any irre-
sponsible self -constituted labor agitators, assuming
to be presidents, etc., of the coal miners and other
organizations, and we also as good citizens give no-
tice we will resent personally any attempt to intimi-
date or interfere with us in pursuing bur lawful avo-
cations, and we respectfully ask our public press to
use their influence in defending us in our rights to
make our own contracts, and manage our own af-
fairs, which are dearer to us than any question of
wages. We also hereby give notice that after weigh-
ing all phases of this strike, we do hereby repudiate
both the parties to it and the manner of conducting
the same, as being seditious, against lawful author-
ity, and which is nothing more or less than placing
the coal miners as a body in the attitude of an insur-
rection of lawless men, setting at defiance our courts
of justice and the lawful-constituted public oflScials
of the State, usurping the rights of American citi-
zens, all of which we do hereby refuse to become a
party to.
Resolved, That we do hereby request said J. B.
Corey to have copies of these resolutions printed and
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 119
published, and to give notice to all these labor agita-
tors and parasites ; and to all others whom it may
concern, that these are the principles npon which we
have requested the said J. B, Corey to start up Du-
quesne Mines, and also ask him to keep a set of these
resolutions at the office of the mine, and require
every man desiring to work with us to sign the same,
so that no man can get up the pretense that he did
not know the principles upon which he engaged
tx) work or was coerced in going to work.
Having put our rights as citizens of the Com-
monwealth of Pennsylvania, and of the United
States, above any question of wages or profits, we do
not desire to associate with any class of men who
hold their citizenship in less esteem, nor do we wish
to be classed with any body of men who treat their
public officers and civil government with contempt,
as it is now being done, by the presidents and other
officials of these self -constituted organizations.
J. B. Corey, on his part, promises to try to se-
cure steady employment at the best wages the mar-
ket price of coal will afford, and to do all in his
power to promote the best interest and welfare of his
employees, to all of which we mutually pledge to
each other, our sacred honors.
Organize Corey Coal Company.
I leased the Duquesne mine for one year. My
other partners withdrew and June 1, 1885, the
*' Corey Coal Company" was organized, composed
of J. B. Corey and his cousin, A. A. Corey, co-part-
ners, William Ellis Corey, son of A. A. Corey assist-
ing his father, as weigh boss and bookkeepei. A. A.
Corey was Superintendent and General Manager at
the mines. The success attending A. A. Corey in
managing employees at a coal mine was due to his
knowledge from years of experience in which he had
worked personally in almost every branch of the
120 Memoib and PfissoNAXi Bbcollbction.
business, his father^ Moses Oorey, having operated
a mine under Mt Washington as early as 1847, and
two mines at Saltsburg, in the second pool on the
Monongahela River. A. A, Corey retained his con-
nection with the Corey Coal Company for five years
when he withdrew and became a member of the
Mingo Coal Company. A. A. Corey's gray hairs in-
dicate he has well nigh run his race, his fellow citi-
zens have elevated him to be a tax collector for the
Borough of North Braddock. What affect his aflSi-
iations with our Borough ringsters will have on
Alfred 's morals remains to be seen. He died on his
farm, Thorndale, Pa., December 29th, 1910.
Shortly after we started up the Duquesne
mines, the late Captain William R. Jones, General
Superintendent of the Edgar Thomson Steel Works,
took a liking to William Ellis Corey and induced
him to enter the employ of the Carnegie Steel Com-
pany. Ellis was yet in his teens ; but the judgment
of Captain W. R. Jones, in regard to the kind of
young man to make successful mechanics of is seen,
that for several years past, Ellis has had the Super-
intendency of the largest steel plant in the world,
the Homestead Mills, and its greatest achievements
have been under his management
A. A. Corey was succeeded by William L. Dixon,
who for the past ten years has brought the old
dilapidated mine into a condition as seen by State
Mine Inspector's report, equal to the best mines in
Western Pennsylvania. The capacity of the mine
has been more than doubled. I question whether as
a practical up-to-date mine superintendent, Mr.
Dixon has a superior, if an equal. His quiet effec-
tive management of his miners and other employees
is such that there is never any confusion or jang-
ling. Everything is governed by good judgment, a
place for the man, and a man for the place. His
knowledge of what is required is only equaled by his
MSMOIB AND PsBfiOKAIi BBCOLLSCTIOlf . 121
capacity for performing the duties demanded of
him, and his integrity is the most prominent charac-
teristic of the man. A gentleman in the highest
sense of the word, ten years ' experience with a man
of exacting disposition without a single instance of
complaint of disagreement speaks for itself in
stronger words than can be bestowed upon him«
We subsequently renewed the lease of the Du-
quesne mine from year to year. The mine was in a
dilapidated condition when we took hold of it The
extensive improvements and the increased cost of
mining the coal, when greater hauling became neces-
sary, owing to the exhaustion of the ^'Near*' coal,
ate up about all the profits, and there were still fur-
ther improvements badly needed, June 1, 1886, 1
decided to throw up the mine unless the N. Y. & C-
G. C. Co. would advance $15,000.00 to make the
needed improvements. They would not do this ; but
finally I leased it for another five years with the
understanding that if they took the mine off my
hands at the end of any one year before the close of
five years, they would reimburse me for the money
expended on the needed improvements, it being un-
derstood that if I kept the mine for five years that
ended all my claims for any money advanced. I
borrowed $40,000.00 to make the improvements and
got the mine into good shape to make money, and
was getting my money back when they sold the mine
in 1899, to the Pittsburgh Coal Company. In De-
cember, 1899, the Pittsburgh Coal Company notified
me to give up the mine January 1st, 1900 ; but after
some controversy, they agreed to let me keep it until
May 31st, 1900, iiie end of the year on which my
yearly lease closed, and against my earnest protest,
they took the mine off my hands one year before the
close of my five years lease. I was notified to make
out my bill and they would pay me. When I pre-
sented it to Mr. DeArmit, the President of the N. Y.
122 Memoib and Personal Recollection.
& C- G- C. Co., he saw it was much higher than the
estimated cost, which is always the case. He be-
came angry and refused to order it paid, it being
necessary for us to enter suit.
Our relations with the miners at Duquesne were
very harmonious ; after five years, we did away with
the Article of Agreement reserving 10%, but re-
tained the Declaration of Independence. The late
Dr. Charles Hussey asked me for a copy of our ar-
ticle of agreement and adopted the sliding scale at
the Homestead Mills. It was also adopted at the
Edgar Thomson Steel Works, at Braddock, by the
late Captain Jones.
Fabewell Address to our Miners.
Duquesne Mine, May 31, 1900. •
To the Miners and Other Employes of the Corey
Coal Company, Duquesne Mine, Greeting!
Gentlemen: — It is with mingled feelings of
pleasure and regret that we notify you that our re-
lations as employer and employes after fifteen years
of pleasant business associations and intercourse
will cease on May 31, 1900. As we review the ex-
perience of the past fifteen years in the coal busi-
ness — the most trying, owing to the strong competi-
tion, over-production and depressed state of all
business throughout the country, the selling price of
coal being so low as to afford a small return for
capital and labor employed — it affords us the great-
est pleasure of any part of a business experience of
fifty-three years to remember how pleasant and
harmonious has been our relations and associations
during the most trying period in the history of the
coal business. How willing at all times our miners
and employes Have been to hold up our hands and to
enable us to hold and compete for our trade. Along
with these most pleasant reflections, a feeling of re-
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 123
gret comes over ns at the thought of severing these
pleasant business associations, as also the recollec-
tion that some of our number who took such an ac-
tive part fifteen years ago in forming these associa-^
tions no longer compose our number, but in a few
instances were suddenly cut off, and in some others
after having served their day and generation, have
gone to their rewarH. A shade of sorrow steals
over the memory as we remember the deep interest
that poor ^illy Homer took in having Duquesne
(after four years of idleness) started up, as also
the manner of his sudden and sad death. Sammy
and Thomas maintain their father's good name.
Mr. and Mrs. William Butler were also prominent)
in the interest they took in starting the mine. Ofj
late we have missed their friendly greetings, espec-i
ially Mrs. Butler's **God bless you'' on pay day.
But we still liave with us Barney McGouldricky
Peter Boyle and Johnny Burns. Barney of late
does not make us as many personal calls at our
house as of yore, neither does Peter or John. Bar-
ney used to taiBfy us with **You are the best boss I
ever shed my coat for since I cajoae to America".
We want to even up with Barney by saying: **We
never met a truer son of Erin go braugh" since we
entered the coal mining business. Then there is
Patsey Curran the **far down" from Tipperary,
one of the first to extend the friendly hand when we
first invaded the **Rat". Pat has prospered so well
since our union that he has become a cold blooded
coal operator and now knows himself what it is to
take what is left on pay day.
Among the many pleasing incidents of our ex-
periences at Duquesne was the renewal of our ac-
quaintance with Thomas Franey and Henry Cain,
Sr. Our first acquaintance with Thomas Franey
was in 1859, when as a coal boat pilot, in hiring a
crew of twenty hands to man the boats, he was
124 Mbhoib and Pbbsoital. Bbcollbction.
among the number of fine spedmena of manhood,
for which old Ireland ifl noted We had not met
Thomas, alter that trip until he greeted ua at our
first visit to Duquesne Mine in 1885. Our friend-
ship and respect increased as we became more inti-
mately acquainted. He left behind him sons and
daughters in every respect worthy of a noble father.
Henry Cain, Sr., who for years owing to a painful
accident was necessitated to use crutches in going to
and from the mines, as we witnessed the pluck and
courage of this true specimen of Irish manhood,
earning his daily bread under such trying circum-
stances, and our mind turned to another specimen,
the public sinecures and mendicants who lie down
on the public frequently for their support The
two types of characters never appeared in more
striking colors, Henry, Thomas, and Brothers, are
worthy of their noble sires. There are still others
of Duquesne Mines equally worthy of the tribute due
them, but memory and space prevent. I must not
forget H. Barkley, who after age prevented him
from using the pick in the mines, became the ever
faithful watchman at the check house. When he be-
came so feeble that he could not endure the cold
throughout the night, his noble and affectionate
daughter would take his place, and * through the
still hours of the night her watchful vigils
kept'\ Then there was still lingering on the shores
of time, that noble type of true American manhood,
John McCauley, who was loved and revered by all
his neighbors, he still held a warm place in the affec-
tion of his fellow workmen. His sons, William and
John and Samuel, occupy a place in this respect the
father so long held. There are among those of the
Duquesne miners, some who worked out the Corey
& Co. mine at Braddock. This mine was opened in
1865. In recalling these reminiscences, not leaat
among the many pleasant things that have made our
MbMOIB AKD PBBBOHAIi BsOOIiLBCTION, 125
aBSociation together so agreeable is the great length
of time some of these relations have existed. Some
of them over half a century, beginning when we were
school boys and have oontinned almost uninterrupt-
edly ever since in one relation or another. We have
worked side by side with some as hands on the
olden time river coal tipples, also siding, loading and
floating the flat boats loaded with coal to Cincinnati,
Liouisville and New Orleans, Among these who we
remember as school boys as early as 1840 to 1845,
are Samuel Soles, James Law and Louis Sarver,
they who will remember the noted old schoolmaster
James Riddle, who did not require a $5,000 ward-
heeler of any boss politician to certify to his ability
to teach school or to earn his $25 to $30 per month for
eight hours per day. Professor Riddle 's stiflf right
arm, (necessitating the use of his left in applying
the birch, one application of which was all that was
necessary to tame the most refractory scholar) is
still remembered for the great distance it main-
tained between the pupil and teacher during the
process of the castigation. I am not certain but
that the orderly habits acquired by these pupils in
after life were due to his well-directed applications
of the birch by Professor Riddle, when we were
boys. They have much to do with the pleasant
memories of the past, if not of the pleasant associa-
tions of the present, existing between the old school-
mates. The relations of Samuel Soles, having in
one way or the other continually existed since boy-
hood, and since 1858, as employee and employer.
James Law and Louis Sarver as employees have not
been less pleasant during the past eighteen years
than of yore. Then there is Charles Harrison,
whose father, John Harrison, was one of our boy-
hood acquaintances. John and his son Charles be-
gan to work for us in the Braddock Mine in 1865.
The industrious Charley for the past thirty-five
126 Memoib and Personal BegoujECtion.
years never allowed a turn to pass him and the
amount in his pay envelope being second to none.
If all our coal miners were as industrious^ quiet, and
good citizens as Charley, how much more pleasant
and profitable would be the trade; yet, he has
among his fellow miners at Duquesne many peers,
among whom are Charles Amesburg and brother,
James Duffy, the dignified Irish gentleman, and
sons; James Garrity, the merchant who demurred
to his wife's partiaUty for girl babies; Martin
Dineen, car repairer, whose delight it was to have
his pit wagons in the best possible condition ; Samuel
Rickard, industrious, quiet, and unobstrusive, as
also James Dale, sedate in behavior, industrious and
frugal. Michael and Hughey Rodgers and Peter
Wilson, three small men in stature, richly endowed
with those sterling qualities which characterize the
Irish race. Peter's eyesight having failed, can no
longer enjoy the pleasant smiles that usually greeted
him on pay day, but he is no less an object of the
affection and kind regards of all his old friends.
Thomas and William Darby and sons were not less
devoted to the success of the mine. James H. Boyle
and little Peter Boyle have contributed their full
share to the successful operation of the mine. (Peter
acquired the cognomen * * little ' ' from his being bom
more recently than his distinguished uncle, Little
Peter being almost six feet high, his muscular pro-
portions only being a little less than his other good
traits). Mr. William Reily, owing to having already
exhausted all the adjectives in my own vocabulary,
I am unable to do William justice. Peter and John
Edge's picks always retained a good edge when
there was any coal to cut, and if through any neglect
they did not receive what they were entitled to, they
were not long in showing the ' ' edge ' '. Daniel Brad-
ley and brother, Archy Hamilton, Samuel Guy, Ed-
win Jones, each and all have contributed to the
MsMont AND Personal Recollection. 127
pleasure and profit of the business. Teddy Jones,
the veterinary surgeon, not only has done his full
share in removing the black diamonds, but had made
himself even more useful to his neighbors and
friends, in saving to them many a fine horse or cow.
Charles Gallagher and his late brother Domenick
helped to give prestige to the famous old village and
Muckle Rat had few better men to boast of. Among
the other employees who began with us in 1885, was
Joseph Corbet, pit boss; Thomas Mason, black-
smith; William Alexander and son, Harvey, and
brother John Alexander, who along with , Mathew
and Kirk Cassidy, hauled the coal from mines to
tipple. A more capable and eflScient class of em-
ployees are rarely ever found about a coal mine.
Not only were they competent, but obliging. William
Alexander for 10 years or more checked, as also
John Taylor at Braddock Mine from two to four
hundred wagons a day down the incline, almost
without a single accident. Matthew Cassidy in his
care of mule stock and managing his drivers is al-
most without a peer, as is also his brother Kirk in
handling a team of mules delivering his trips to the
parting on time. We have had several mine bosses
during our control of the mine, Thomas Jones,
Robert McElroy, John Owens, Mark James, all
whom were faithful in the discharge of their duties,
none more so than Elliott Ramsey, the engineer at
the foot of the hill who drilled and set in the rail-
road cars, taking out same when loaded. Our tipple
men and weigh bosses all gave uniform good satis-
faction. Roland Green, road man, track layer and
man of all work, giving universal satisfaction, a
Chesterfield in appearance and address.
To those whom our memory does not recall, and
who have not received their due in need of praise,
we ask you to accept the will for the deed, and in
this parting word may we not express the hope that
128 MbMOIB and PeRSOKAIi BsCOIiLBOTIOK.
/our new relations may be even more prosperous
ftnd happy, and through a kind providence your
days may be lengthened out to enjoy the pleasures
of yonr homes you have so industriously provided
for yourselves and family and to which you are so
justly entitled.
With our kindest regards, we remain,
Sincerely your friends,
J. B. Corey,
W. L. Dixon.
While I was running the Duquesne Mines a
strike occurred at Turtle Creek, and one of the
Pittsburgh papers after interviewing me, published
the following article :
If Cobby were Sheriff,
He says the authority of the Commonwealth
would be tested instantly at Turtle
Creek.
In an interview yesterday afternoon, J, B.
Corey, the coal operator whose miners are working
in both his mines at Duquesne, that gentleman gave
his opinion of the strike and the way it is being han-
dled by the authorities. Following is Mr. Corey's
statement in part :
^^Tes, I See the public press and people are in
sympathy with the labor agitators who are oonduci-
ing the coal miners ' strike. ' '
'* Sympathy of the practical kind, like faith, is
good when wisely bestowed, and no good when un-
wisely bestowed, and the effect is the same whether
intelligently or ignorantly shown, to-wit:— If the
public press and people for want of an inteUigent
knowledge of the class and conduct of the people.
,'lI.f.lAM DIXON.
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 129
they are manifesting sympathy for, encourage lazi-
ness and lawlessness, the effect will be that indus-
trious law-abiding citizens engaged in their lawful
business and legitimate trades are terrorized and
prevented from working to provide for their fam-
ilies, the suffering and want following will be just
as bad to those industrious miners and their families
who are working as if they wanted to work and
could not find work to do. Not only so, but vaga-
bondism and indolence is made a virtue, while indus-
try is stamped as criminal and put under the ban of
the public press and people sympathizing with vaga-"
bondism. This, I say, is the result, whether in-
tended or not, by the people and press lending aid
and sympathy to men setting at defiance the laws of
God and man ; under the. pretense of aiding poor
men. Now, what are the facts in this strike of coal
miners? First, that labor agitators, say they are
striking against starvation wages and against
miners being reduced to slavery.
If these high-sounding expressions were true, it
still would not justify their lawless attempts to pre-
vent men from working who are not starving, much
less an intelligent public press or people encourag-
ing such lawlessness. But you say they are not
lawless. All that is necessary to show the fallacy of
such statements is the fact that President Dolan
says he will disregard Sheriff Lowry ^s proclamation,
etc. If J. B. Corey was Sheriff, the authority and
powers of the Conmionwealth would be put to a test
instanter. I would give the people an opportunity
to show whether they are prepared to have Presi-
dent Dolan and his co-Anarchist *s system become
the order of society in regulation of business pur-
suits in our state. Every other class of citizens
have the same right to establish their demands ac-
cording to the Dolan and Debs rule that the coal
miners have.
130 Memoib and Pebsonal Bbcollbction.
Coal mining for the hours worked pays better
than common labor on the railroads or on farms and
that is the reason why there are ten miners for
every one there is work for ; but then this condition
of things gives a vagabond class, as in this instance,
a plausible excuse to play upon the ignorance of the
miners and people to get a living without ever dig-
ging a single ton of coaL
My miners working for me yesterday put out
between 400 and 500 tons of coal. At the price I am
paying per ton, it shows an average of $1.62 for
each miner, and yet if there was no excitement, the
same men would have mined at least one-half more
coal ^ \
One old miner over 50 years old walked three
miles to his work and earned over $2 per day during
the past five days. So then if it is in the interest of
good society to sympathize with vagabondism as
against honest industry, I suppose we will have all
we can possibly desire of that type of character in
our midst Now, what do you expect from this kind
of sympathy? If you succeed in forcing 1,500
miners engaged in supporting their families, to
throw down their tools, what have you accomplishect
except adding that many more to the number of
starving people. If there was only one ton of coal
for each miner at 50 cents a ton, how many tons will
there be for each miner at 69 cents, or if 50 cents a
ton gives ten more nuners tiian there is work for,
what will 69 cents give ? Don 't get the idea that I
think 69 cents is too high a price for digging coal.
I only want to call attention to some hard pan facts,
but then I suppose it is a crime to afford men a
chance to earn or to work for a living.
Hurrah for vagabondism ! Whoop *er up for
all its worth. Hurrah for our ten-thousand-dollars-
a-year Sheriff who pusilanimously stands by and
sees the dignity of the commonwealth trodden under
MeMOIB AKD PbBSOKAIj BiBOOldMJTtOHf. 131
f ooty and his own proclamation treated with oonh
t^oipt. I will agree to select twenty-five men from
among my coal miners, any one of whom wonld be
glad to have the office at one thousand dollars per
year, more than double what they earn at mining,
and I will put up a bond for double the present
sheriff's bond that no labor agitator or Anarchist
will trample with impunity upon the dignity of the
Commonwealth, as has been done for weeks past
xmder our high salaried officials who are afraid to
execute the duties of the office for fear of jeopardiz-
ing their big salaries. Beduce these imbeciles and
we will have more money to pay our wage earners,
and will secure both integrity and efficiency in public
office, which boodlerism never did or will secure. In
the 36 years that I operated the Braddock and Du-
quesne Coal Mines, on my co-operative agreement
with our miners, I had to contend against a corrupt
venal public press, pot-house political demagogues,
and labor parasites, composing the coal miners'
union officials ; creating strife, publishing and circu-
lating all manner of falsehoods ; appealing to the
malice, jealousy, and hatred of ignorant foreigner's
and dishonest competitors, paying their employees
in ' * pluck me ' ' store goods and false weights. Yet
against all these obstacles, I made a record in op-
erating coal mines unprecedented in the U. S., that
of operating two coal mines each 18 years, employ-
ing from 100 to 150 miners without a strike ; in
which on four different occasions we furnished four
railroads ; the P. B. B., B. & 0. B. B., P. F. W. & C.
B. B. and Panhandle B. B., with coal, enabling them
to operate and run their trains when they could not
have purchased a car of coal west of the Allegheny
Mountains. In 1865, when we opened up our mine
at Braddock, there were in operation 6 other mines
on the P. B. B. running coal and five on the B. & 0. E.
B. While nine of these coal companies failed and
132 Memoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
bankrupted, Corey & Co. paid 6 per cent to its stock-
holders; and Corey Coal Co. paid all its debts without
violating laws of God or man, and at 82 years of
age, no business regulation or system of my 50 years
affords me greater pleasure to recall than the adop-
tion of our co-operative wage agreement with our
Coal Miners.
Chapter 4
I DISCONTINUE COAL BUSINESS.
The New York & Cleveland Gas Coal Company,
selling out the Duquesne Mines to the Pittsburgh
Coal Company, and Corey Gas Coal selling our
mines on the Monongahela River to the River Coal
Company, the next five years was spent in settling
up my own personal affairs and disposing of several
tracts of coal I had purchased. With the above, I
close the narrative of my business career, with its
allied incidents and reminiscences. In the succeed-
ing chapters, I will relate the most important of my
other personal experience, and correspondence, etc.
x\/\yA
PART FIFTH
Chapter 1
MiBttilBmam ^^rannal lExptmnttB
THE LIQUOE QUESTION.
"Woe unto him that glveth his neighbor drink, that puttest
thy bottle to him, and makest him drunk also, that thou
mayest look on their nakedness.
Thou art filled with shame for glory; drink thou also ....
The cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto Thee. . .
For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil
of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood,
and for the violence of the land, of the city and of all that
dwell therein."
Habakkuk 11-15, 16, 17.
My Decisioiis on Whiskey
Instances of Rnin Wrought by Liquor.
I Refuse to Sell Whiskey and Lose My
FiKST Job.
In narrating my boyhood recollections I have
mentioned how I lost my first job because I refused
to learn the saloon business and sell liquor. It was
not until nineteen years later that I realized the full
extent of the kindness of that good Providence
which gave the fourteen year old boy the courage to
say : ' ' My mother would not allow me to sell whis-
key", and how often do I praise my Heavenly
Father for that courage.
133
134 M^l^OIB AND PeBSONAL BBCOUiEGTION.
I feel that I should here cite one instance of the
rain wrought by the bar behind which I had refused
to serve.
The reader will recall how one of my early
duties had been to take care of my employer's chil-
dren, two of whom were named Eobert and George.
One day, about nineteen years afterwards, the
son-in-law of my old employer came over to my
house and asked me to go to his home and read the
Bible and pray with his dying brother-in-law,
George, the beautiful little boy baby that I had nursed
in 1846. That beautiful young man was dying from
the effects of strong drink, the appetite for which he
had contracted behind his father's bar, and which I
had from a sainted mother's precepts and prayers
declined to go behind.
In less than a year, another son-in-law married
to his oldest daughter (the eight year old girl in
1846) came to my house saying he wanted me to
read and pray with Robert (the boy I used to saddle
the pony for). He would not allow the preachers to
administer to him the consolations of the Gospel,
but said that Mr. Corey might come. I went with
him, and I cannot describe my feelings of sadness as
I looked into the face of the young may dying from
the same cause that had taken his brother. He had
also acquired the habit behind the same bar.
My Second Decision on Whiskey.
This was as a pilot on a pair of flat boats
loaded with coal for Louisville, Ky. The pilots
were instructed to sell the boats at intermediate
points if, as sometimes happened, a purchaser would
oome out in a skiff and offer the price we were in-
structed to get for the coal. If the boats were sold
above Cincinnati, the hands and pilots received
MbMOIB and PeBSONAL BECOIiLBGTION. 135
Cincinnati wages and the same rule applied regard-
ing towns above Louisville.
One day I was floating above Petersburg,
twenty miles below Cincinnati, when a distiller and
two other men came out in a skiflf. One of them
said: **Is that coal for sale!** I replied: "Yes''.
He inquired what we asked a bushel and I said :
**Nine cents". He asked if we could land the boats
at Petersburg and I told him we could, and wanted to
know where the boats were to be landed''. **At the
Distillery Landing". I asked: "Is the coal to be
used to make whiskey!" He replying that it was, I
told him, * ' I will not sell you the coal to make whis-
key".
Immediately I had three big Kentuckians and
fifteen Pittsburgh Irish Coal Boat Hands on my
back. The distillery parties were much surprised
and indignant that I would outlaw and anathematize
their business, and my crew equally surprised that I
would compel them to take the time and chances
navigating twenty-four hours longer and pay one
dollar more fare on deck to get back to where we
could sell the boats, and they were entitled to Louis-
ville wages. However, I was master of the situa-
tion and no one else had authority to sell, or was
capable of landing the boats. I myself would have
saved four dollars fare in the cabin. For the next
twenty-four hours, the crew, most of whom were
Eoman Catholics, did not manifest the most har-
monious disposition. At Louisville the next day the
owner of the coal who was also a Catholic, said to
me: "I think you are carrying your temperance
sentiments too far", I replied: "Tonmiy, there
are over 300 coal boat pilots. If you want your coal
sold to distilleries to make whiskey, you will have to
hire some other pilot than J. B. Corey". I after-
wards piloted several pairs of boats for him, pilot-
ing the last pair he ever sent out
136 Memoib and Pebsonaii Becollection.
My Thibd Trial with Whiskey.
My third stand against liquor was in 1872, while
I was President of the Waverly Coal & Coke Com-
pany, located at Smithton on the B. & O. B. B.
I went up to the mines one morning. The Su-
perintendent handed me a letter enclosing $35.00 in
cash, saying it was from Mr. M., a distiller about a
mile below, ordering a car load of coal. Taking out
my pencil, I wrote on the back of his letter that, with
my convictions of our duty to the community, we
could not sell him a car load of coal knowing it was
going to be used in making whiskey, and handing it
back to the Superintendent told him to return the
letter and the money. The next morning I received
a note from him, written in the most beautiful hand-
writing I ever saw, saying : * * I am sorry to have put
you to the trouble to write that conscientious little
letter'\
I supposed that would end the matter, but not
so. The Treasurer of the Waverly Coal Company
and a large Stockholder (a Presbyterian Elder),
went to the Freight Agent of the B. &. O. B. B. and
had him ask the Distiller for his letter ordering the
car load of coal, containing my endorsement on it
refusing to sell him coal to be used to make whiskey,
and for him to bring it to the monthly meeting of
our Board of Directors.
As we were seated around the table, in came the
Freight Agent, and as he stepped up to where the
Board were seated, he exclaimed: *'Is Corey run-
ning the Waverly Coal & Coke Company on Free
Methodist principles?" Taken by surprise, I did
not know what was to follow, when he threw the Dis-
tiller 's letter down and I saw my writing on the back
of it, refusing to sell him the car load of coal. I
quickly replied: '^Yes, Mr. B., if you call refusing
to sell coal to make whiskey 'Free Methodist prin-
Memoib and Pbbsonal Bbcollectiok. 137
ciplesy I am mnning the Waverly Coal & Coke Com-
pany on those principles ', and as all the stockholders
were present, if those principles are not satisfactory
they can elect another President, and I will step
down and ouf. The largest Stockholder said: **I
guess we can excuse Corey on other grounds '^ Two
others said: **Mr. B., we will stand by Corey '\ Mr.
C, the Treasurer, sung dumb.
A few days afterwards our Superintendent said
to me : **M. says he is going to open up his 300 acres
of coal adjoining the Waverly Coal Company's coal,
and break up the damn company ''. I replied : **Mr.
M. will know more about the coal business that he
knows about the whiskey business by the time he
carries out his threat". M. sank a shaft and
opened up the coal under his own farm, involving
himself in debt
Eesult of his Whiskey Selling.
One Sunday afternoon, the Division Boss on the
B. & O. B. B. and his track men took it into their
heads to go to the Distillery and * * Tank up ' '. There
is a saying that when whiskey is in, wit is out. The
Distiller had three young daughters who were stand-
ing at their front gate, when the drunken party
passing them, the Division Boss made an indecent
proposal to them and they ran into the house crying,
telling their father, Mr. M., how they had been in-
sulted. The Distiller, forgetting that it was his ^ * bug
juice ' \ sold to them by his clerk, that caused his
daughters to be insulted, took down his rifle and
blew out the brains of the drunken Division Boss.
He was tried for murder, convicted in the second
degree, and sent to the Penitentiary for ten years,
his farm and coal mines being sold by the Sheriff
for his debts.
One morning as I got off the train at Smithton,
the Superintendent who handed me the first letter.
138 Mbmoib ahd Pebsonal Bboollbction.
ordering the car load of coal, handed me another let-
ter, thiB time saying: ''This is from Miss M., the
eldest daughter of Mr. M. who swore he would break
up the damned Waverly Coal & Coke Company'*.
I said: ''Tes, (I see it is written in the same nice
hand that the first was written) *'. The Superin-
tendent said : ' ' She says their home has been sold ;
she wants you to let her have one of the class rooo^
in the Free Methodist Church to teach a pay school,
as she is the only support of her aged mother and
sisters "9 (I had buUt a Free Methodist Church in
the center of the tovm). I told the Superintendent
to tell Miss M. that she could have both class rooms
if she needed them, and if they were not large
enough, she could use the entire churdi, on one con^
dition — ^that she teach the children that the manu-
facture and sale of intoxicating liquor is the greatest
evil of the present day ' '. The Superintendent re-
ported that Miss M. accepted the church on these
conditions, saying: ''The manufacturing of intoxi-
cating liquor had proven the greatest evil that ever
befell their family.
Misfortune Follows Two Other Whiskey Sellers.
The first saloon the little town of Port Perry
ever had was kept by a man who had been working
for my father on the lock and dam. When he started
in the business my mother remonstrated with him
and he said he only wanted to earn money enough to
pay for a farm he had bought. He had ten children,
four boys and six girls.
Sequel :
His boys became drunken vagabonds, and his
girls went to ruin, he, himself, being a drunkard.
He succeeded in paying for his farm and for his
saloon stand in Port Perry, dividing up his prop-
erty with his children. However, today there are
Mbmoib anv Pbbsohal BeooliLbction. 139
but one of Ms children living (youngest) , but
both the farm and saloon passed out of the fam-
ily's hands, and the few grandchildren living are
among the poorest class in the community. He had
a brother-in-law who, seeing him accumulating
money, started a saloon with the same result, mak-
ing drunkards of his six sons, only one of whom is
living today and he a poor drunken wretch.
Another case in my mind was a young lady rela-
tive, who, on the death of her first husband, married
a promising young farmer and every one thought
she had done well, but, alas, as is often the case, all
her friends were doomed to disappointment In a
short time her father came to me and said she and
her husband were going to move to Smithton to en-
gage in the saloon business, and asked me to write
them to try and persuade them not to think of doing
the disgraceful act. I wrote, but to no purpose, and
they started the infamous business. Their alluring
hopes were also doomed to disappointment They
did not long continue making drunkards of other
people's boys before her own bright young son (by
her first husband) began to contract the appetite,
and she had a drunken sot of her own on her hands.
Not only this, but the curse of God on the dirty busi-
ness did not stop there, for her husband became in-
fatuated with one of her hired girls and eloped with
her, leaving his wife with tiie dirty saloon on her
hands, which she soon sold out
Out of hundreds of similar instances I have
known, there has not been one where God 's curse did
not seem to rest upon the ones who sold the liquor,
even though for a time riches and prosperity seemed
to first follow them.
140 Mbmoib and Pebsokal Becollbction.
A Case Befobe Squibb Campbell.
Shown in my letter to Governor Pennypacker, in
May, 1905, of which the following is a part :
I cannot for the life of me, dear Governor, see
on what principle President Roosevelt can expect
our laboring men's wives to consent to have large
families.
A Tilt with Bbidgbt Flanbgin.
I had a little experience a few evenings since
with a large Irish woman, the mother of a large fam-
ily. She is one of those fine large specimens of the
typical Irish mothers such as only old Ireland can
produce. Her husband is also a typical Irishman.
He works seven days a week at the mills, while his
wife works from 4 o 'clock in the morning until 10
and 11 o 'clock at night, washing and cooking for a
houseful of boarders. I herewith furnish you a cut
of this old Irish woman as she appeared at the
Squire's ofl5ce. She wanted to have Pat arrested
for giving her a body bating and slandering her
character for taking a little pleasure with some of
her friends. The old man, himself, she said had
been on a jag for a week with his friends, but would
not allow his old woman to have a little pleasure
with her friends. As I sat and listened to Squire
Campbell trying to persuade the old woman to delay
having Pat arrested until morning (as he said she
would relent when she got sober, her face bleeding
from the blows of her husband's fist), I tell you,
dear Governor, my total abstinence and prohibition
sentiments got a terrible jolt Another customer
requiring the Squire 's attention, I thought I would
venture to suggest that it was more the fault of the
Irish whiskey than her husband that she was suffer-
ing from. I made the suggestion in the most deli-
cate way I could think of, when with a look of con-
tempt that only a woman feeling that her own dig-
RRinCiET FL.\NEC,I>
i •
/ t
Memoib and Personal Becollegtion. 141
nity and rights were being trampled upon, straight-
ening up, she exclaimed: **Phat are yez talking
about f Phat's it your business? I pay for what I
drink. I have twelve boarders ; I get up at four
o 'clock in the morning and work until ten and eleven
at night and wid yez take from me, a drop of the
crather the only comfort I have t If yez would mind
your own business, sure yez would have enough to
do". The next evening **Pat" was up to the
'* Squire's" and he wanted to bring suit against his
wife. He was about as forlorn looking as his wife,
and his excuse for his acts were that he was only
taking a little pleasure with some friends.
I tell you, dear Governor, as I thought of these
poor people having to work seven days a week for
wages that yields some of them less than $300 per
year, the purchasing power of which is destroyed by
these grafters ' big salaries, I felt the drink habit,
perhaps, after all was not such an unmitigated evil
as we Prohibitionists are wont to believe it is, but,
dear Governor, be that as it may, every humane
patriotic consideration possible to conceive of, would
seem to unite in demanding that this abuse of our
municipal. State and National Governments in
which even our public charities are not safe from
these greedy grafters should be uprooted, root and
branch. The only way to do it is to begin with the
origin of this corrupt state and condition of public
affairs. It had its origin in the passage of the in-
famous salary grab act of 1873.
I will close my experiences with the liquor busi-
ness by quoting copy of my petition to the Pennsyl-
vania Legislature, as follows :
\.
142 MeI^ Jt AKD PsBaOlTAIi BsCOIiLECTIOlEr.
Braddock, Penna-, Feb. 27, 1909.
TO THE HONORABLE,
The House of Representatives, and
The Senate of Pennsylvania :
Greeting :
The undersigned, a law-abiding citizen of the
Keystone State, would hereby respectfully pray and
petition your honorable body to pass an act pro-
hibiting the manufacture or sale of intoxicating
liquor, or the shipping of it from other States into
the Keystone State.
And I, also as a law-abiding citizen do hereby
earnestly protest against the repeal of any law or
statute on the statutes of our Commonwealth pro-
hibiting the sale of intoxicating liquor in any
County, City, Town or Township, known as the dry
districts.
For which I herewith offer your Honorable body
the following reasons :
1st, Is it right to build churches to save men,
and at the same time license shops to destroy them?
2nd. Is it right to license men to do that which
will make a man drunk, and then punish the man for
being drunk f
3rd. Is it right to derive revenue from a traffic
which no decent man defends?
4th. Is it right to license a man to make pau-
pers, and then tax sober men to take care of them?
5th. Is it right to license a saloon to teach vice,
and then tax people for schools to teach virtue?
6th. Is it right to teach a boy to restrain his
passions and then vote to license a place where his
worst passions will be inflamed?
Mbhoib Aim Phbsonal Bboou ynom. 148
7th. Ib it right to take care of your own boy,
and vote to license that, which ruins yonr neighbor's
boyT
8th. Is it right to preach justice and oharity,
and then vote to license a thing which robs the
widow and orphan of their bread t
Bemember, Honorable Sirs, "We can do noth-
ing against truth". I am, dear Sirs,
Very sincerely yours,
J. B. Corey.
144 Memoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
Oiapter 2
MY CONVERSION.
To conciliate my mother's convictions after I
was converted in the absence of the preacher (under
a disciplinary rule requiring the class leader to read
one of Wesley's Sermons), I took to reading ser-
mons of John Wesley, Adam Clarke and others, in
which I have had some wonderful experiences.
On February 28th, 1858, at 9 :30 P. M., when the
Holy Spirit witnessed with the Blood that I was
born of God, I sprang to my feet and ran back to
where my partner and schoolmate was sitting,
throwing my arms around his neck saying : * * Oh,
Jack 1 1 feel so good, so good ! " A proud, vain, con-
ceited young man, I would not have acted as I did
before I was converted if I hadbeen offered the town
of Port Perry ; in fact, I found fault with a young
woman for doing the same thing the night before,
saying that she had made a fool of herself. In after
years, when back-slidden in hearty I would some-
times be tempted to think there was nothing in the
claim of a supernatural work of grace in a real con-
version ; but, when I would recall my experience on
the night I was converted, all my doubts would
vanish.
Rev. Hess was the pastor conducting meetings,
having three other appointments on the circuit. In
announcing his appointment for next Sabbath said :
**I will appoint Brother Corey Class Leader and Su-
perintendent of the Sunday School ; and to keep him
from back-sliding we will put him to work. He will
read next Sabbath morning and evening Mr. Wes-
ley's sermons on **The Marks of the New Birth"
and *'The Use of Money". I started in, and in a
Memoir and Pebsonal Becollection. 145
short time had one of the best, if not the best, Sun-
day School in the Pittsburgh Conference, with over
150 on the roll and an average attendance of 100
every Sabbath. Some of them walked three miles.
I, myself, in the cold winter mornings walked over a
mile to kindle the fire, and went home for my break-
fast and to bring the children of a neighbor, who
would not let her children attend school unless I
would stop and take them with me, and return them
safe home. The Rev. Page Blackburn, when pastor
at West Elizabeth, years afterwards baptized eleven
children of that family whose father, at the time I
took his children with me every Sabbath, was a
skeptic on religion, but who on relating to me the
fact in Pittsburgh told me with a feeling of pleasure
that Brother B. said he never before baptized so
many members of one family. My sister, who lives
near where they live today says they are my warm-
est friends in the locality.
146 Memoir and Pbbsonal RECOiiLBCTioN.
Chapter 3
Rev. James G. Sansom.
A Pioneer Preacher of the Pittsburgh Conference
M. E. Church.
Uncle Jimmie Sansom, as he was familiarly
called by all the early Methodists, the first presiding
elder of the Pittsburgh District, was born in a revo-
lutionary fort in 1794. His father fought in the
Revolutionary War. His brother was killed in the
War of 1812.
After a life spent in spreading the Gospel he
died in his 68th year, April, 1861, at his son *s home
at Webster, Pa., and was buried in the graveyard of
the stone church he had dedicated years before,
where he sleeps by the side of his wife, whom he
loved so dearly.
In Sansom ^8 life were blended as many of the
scenes of early American experience as falls to the
lot of one man. He combined all those distinguished
traits of character for which the American sires
were noted. To the strong, healthy, physical power
was added a fine personal appearance, which gave a
peculiar dignity to him in his chosen profession of
the ministry. In that early day the itinerant minis-
ter's calling necessitated deeds of heroism and per-
sonal sacrifice to which our present day preachers
are strangers. Sansom *s first circuit extended from
Baltimore to Pittsburgh, requiring three months to
visit all his appointments. He had to cross the
Allegheny Mountains at that day by the Indian
paths that were blazed in trees along the way. Fre-
quently he was caught out in the woods where he
would shelter under some friendly tree, not even dar-
ing to kindle a fire for fear of attracting the enemy.
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 147
Uncle Jimmie was pre-eminently a man of one Book..
He had no taste for any other. His education was
very limited, but was made up in the quality so much
needed for a minister of the Gospel, the lack of which
(in the writer's judgment) makes many of our more
highly educated preachers mere boobies, alongside
of Sansom, and accounts for empty pews in all our
Protestant Churches today. Sansom meditated day
and night upon the Bible. His voice seemed as if it
had been especially intended to captivate the ear and
heart If he ever failed in producing the desired
effect in preaching he would sing as he only could
sing; some favorite hymn and set on fire the enthu-
siasm of the congregation. His last appointment by
the Pittsburgh Conference was intended as an
honorary one, being appointed as an assistant to
Christ's Church, Pittsburgh, the only church in the
Conference that could not find among the three or
four hundred preachers in the conference a minister
adapted to its peculiar needs, but insisted upon
special transfers. Uncle Jimmie Sansom came to
his appointment and stayed two or three weeks. I
was standing with my wife in my door looking at the
people getting off the car which had stopped at the
station when my wife said: ** There is Uncle
Jimmie ' \ I started to assist him in getting off the
car, as he was getting feeble with age, and reaching
out his hand he said: ''Jimmie, I am coming out to
stay with you and Lizzie, until I finish writing my
book. If I stayed in the City another week I would
have died physically, spiritually and eternally''.
This was the evening Fort Sumpter was fired upon.
My wife and I were trying to make a flag when he
arrived, but not knowing how to arrange the stars,
Sansom, (who had been bom under its folds) showed
us how to put the stars and stripes in place. Hav-
ing gotten his consent, I went down to the village
(where the people had come from all over the coun-
148 Memoir and Personal Becollection.
try to hear the war news), and announced that he
wonld preach in the Port Perry Church morning
and evening. This insured a hoi:^e full of people.
The Covenanters came from their own services,
whidi were held a mile away at Turtle Creek, closing
at 3 :00 P. M., and waited until the evening service
began, they having fully three hours to wait and a
mile to walk home after our services were over at
9:00 P. M. His honor. Judge Mellon *s father had
been expelled from the Covenanter Church forty
years before for allowing Uncle Jimmie Sansom to
preach in an unfinished dwelling he was building.
This incident created a strong feeling of friendship
between the Judge and Sansom, which made them
friends while Sansom lived. I had hoisted my flag
Sunday morning over the church. A pro-slavery
Democratic seeing the flag waving from the Church
dome, asked me if it was a recruiting ofiSce. Some
of the conscientious members thought I was carry-
ing things too far. I told Sansom when he came
that I thought I had made a mistake. He said :
** Never mind, I will let you out when through
preaching*'. He said: **I was bom in a Revolu-
tionary Fort; my father fought in the Revolutionary
War, my oldest brother was killed under General
Jackson, in battle of New Orleans, in 1812. My
father's body has moulded into dust, my brother's
ashes have blown to the winds. That flag has floated
on every sea, upon the American vessels, and is re-
spected by all Nations. It has remained for our
own American citizens to attempt to pull it down and
call it a filthy rag. It is a fit emblem to wave over a
Christian Church. I want to see that flag wave over
the American nation until the Angel Gabriel, shall
pronounce time no more, and when He calls the
sleeping Nations from the dead I want my father and
brother (who gave their lives for the liberties we
have enjoyed), on waking from their graves to be-
MeMOIB and PsBSONAL BsGOLIiBGTIOK. 149
hold Hnat flag waving over the Amerioan people as a
meiBento to God 's long suffering to their children ' '.
It is unnecessary to say that when he had finished
this peroration the writer, felt relieved. Sansom
preached again at night from the text: ^'I counsel
thee to buy of me gold, tried in the fire ' % etc., Bev.
iii :18. This serihon even exceeded the morning dis-
course. He stayed with the writer and was work-
ing upon his biography until Thursday, when he
went to Brownsville, Pa, to preach the funeral ser-
mon of a lady whom he had taken into the church 44
years before. He preached the funeral sermon in
the morning and preached again in the evening.
While preaching in the evening he took sick, in the
middle of his sermon and had to stop. The next
day he took the boat and went to his sons, who were
living at the old homestead at Webster, on the
Monongahela river a few miles below Brownsville.
He died on Thursday, the day he intended to be
back at the writer 's home. His last words were :
**Tell, the brothers of the Pittsburgh Conference I
know in whom I have believed ^ ^
In 1843, the Bev. Zackariah Coston, a Methodisi
preacher, owned the Braddocks Field Farm. A
camp-meeting was held just above where the writer
lives, it being the first camp-meeting that I remem-
ber of. Sansom was the presiding elder. He tried to
have other preachers on the camp ground to preach
the morning sermon. They all declined, and San-
som was compelled to fill the pulpit and preached
from the text on Ezekial's vision of the valley of
dry bones. It was a remarkable sermon. Captain
James Hendrickson, who owned a little packet boat
after the Monongahela river was slacked, brought
down the people from McKeesport to the camp-
meetings. Captain Hendrickson, like all boatmen of
that day, was noted for his profanity. I remember
when the wind would blow his boat crosswise at the
150 Memoib and Pebsokali Recollection.
locks in attempting to enter the lock, he would look
up at the skies and carse God. The Captain was in
the congregation, and heard this sermon, and it
made such an impression upon him that as the peo-
ple gathered around the spring after the meeting
had closed, the Captain said: **I own that boat down
at the wharf, and my home in McKeesport, which
cost me $5,000. I would be willing to bet it against
$500 that J. G. Sansom can beat any man in the
world preaching, and I will allow them to take in
the lawyers and the doctors. It was said of Captain
Hendrickson that while he never made a confession of
religion he was never afterwards heard to give way
to the use of profanity, and when Sansom in his
presiding eldership had occasion to visit McKees-
port, the Captain always insisted upon him stopping
at his home. My father-in-law was a Baptist In
that early day the Methodists and the Baptists used
to have very strong controversies over baptism, and
as a rule the Baptists were prejudiced against the
Methodists, especially the Methodist preachers. As
long as my father-in-law lived, I never heard him in
a conversation about preachers in which he would
not refer to that sermon, the like of which he never
heard before or since.
In 1868, 1 was fixing up a Christmas tree for my
children, my front door bell rang. I went to the
door and opened it and a gentleman was standing
there, who said: **I have come from Bock Is-
land, HI. Your brother-in-law requested me to
stop and see you*'. I invited him in. Before com-
ing in he said : * * The last day I was in Pennsylvania,
25 years ago this summer, I attended a camp-meet-
ing just above here, and heard a man named Bev.
Sansom preach on ^EzekiaPs vision of the dry
bones' ". **I have never heard a sermon in my life
equal that one ' '• I said : * * What Church do you be-
long toT" He said: **I am a Baptist". I said:
Memoir and Personal BecolIiECtion. 151
**You are the second Baptist I know who has never
forgotten that sermon ' \ naming my father-in-law as
the other. A year or so after, I was talking to an-
other man, who said : * * I remember when I was a
boy there was a camp-meeting up there in Lauck's
Grove. One Sunday morning as I came to the top
of the hill, I heard the sweetest voice I ever heard in
my life ; I followed the sound of that voice down to
the camp meeting. The Rev. James G. Sansom,
was preaching from *Ezekial's vision of the dry
bones \ I have never heard such a sermon nor such
an effect produced on a congregation since ' \ I re-
plied : * ' John you are the third Baptist who has
never forgotten that sermon ^^ In 1893, one Sab-
bath morning, I was leading Class Meeting in Wes-
ley Chapel, just below where the camp-meeting was
held. One of the oldest of the citizens of Braddock,
three-score years ago, a famous old shoe-maker, who
made the first shoes some of the oldest citizens of
Braddock had worn, and who to the present genera-
tion is only known by traditions as Grandpap Fink.
The old man, small in stature, head erect, hair white
as snow, clean-shaven face, with a black frock coat
buttoned tightly across his breast, a bandana hand-
kerchief tied loosely around his neck, cane in hand
— a typical old Methodist of 50 years ago — ^walked
up the aisle of Wesley Chapel, North Braddock, and
took his seat in the **amen corner'^, a stranger to all
in the house. Who was he, where did he come
from 1 The writer felt that an old-time Methodist in
search of old-time Methodism was in our midst.
We did not have to sit long, as the sequel proved.
The service that morning was an old fashioned
Methodist experience meeting — ^just what the old
gentleman was looking for. When he entered we
were singing that old hymn of Charles Wesley, the
Marseilles of Methodism :
152 Mbmoib and Pbbsonal Bboollbctiok.
A diarge to keep I have,
A God to glorif f ,
A never dying soul to save.
And fit it for the sky.
This awakened in the old man all the fires and
emotions of bygone days. The first opportunity
found him on his feet with a face radiant with joy-
ful emotion, his voice quivering with age and pent-
up delight He sang out in the sweetest tone : ^ ' Oh,
glory be to God ; Oh, glory be to God". * * My soul is
thrilled this morning by the singing of that grand
old hymn, as it has not been since the morning I at-
tended a camp-meeting just above where this house
stands, 50 years ago this summer. I heard Uncle
Jimmie Sansom preach a sermon on 'Ezekial's
vision of the dry bones \ I have never been in such
a meeting since. I was so happy I could not tell
whether I was in my body or out of my body. I
feel just that way this morning, and I know none but
the Saviour could or would make me so happy. I
am over 80 years old ; this old body is nearly worn
out, but my soul blooms with immortal youth, and I
shall soon be extenuated from the toils of earth and
dwell in my immortal home.
The next Sabbath I was leading class as usual,
when another stranger came into the Chapel, walk-
ing up the aisle, taking a front seat We all sus-
pected we had another visitor in search of old-time
Methodism.
On the first opportunity he arose and started
off his testimony with : * ' I heard you had an old-
fashioned Methodist meeting here and I walked from
Wilmerding this hot morning, and I am not disap-
pointed. As I came over the hill, the birds were
singing and all nature seemed to be praising God,
and when I entered this Chapel and heard the first
verse of that old hymn, my mind went back over my
MeUOIB AETD PbBSONAL BBCOULiEiCTIOir. 153
life to the sumio^r of 1843, at a oamp-meetiug held in
the grove above this ohapel, where I was bom again
of the Spirit At that meeting I fell into a trance
(trances were of common occurrence in those days
at Methodist and Presbyterian revivals). My re-
deemed spirit seemed to leave the body and soared
away above the sun, moon, and stars, and all the
planets, until I reached a beautiful river, where I
stood while an angelical-looking person approached
with a boat and bid me step in, and conducted me
across to the Eden of Love. My beautiful conductor
showed me a great white throng, who had washed
their robes in the Blood of the Lamb. They had
come up through great tribulations and were casting
their crowns at His feet. After beholding the King
in His beauty, my conductor bid me step in a little
boat, conducted me back across the river and down
to earth again, when I awoke to find it all a dream. I
said who could ^ve me such a delightful vision but
my Good Heavenly Father. An evil spirit would
not if it could. That vision has cheered my soul
when in deep sorrow for 50 years, and this morning
I am anxiously awaiting the return of that little
boat, and my beautiful guard to conduct me home.
This was that old veteran and stranger 's testimony
that morning, given in a way that brought forth the
earnest shouts and hearty amens of the old pilgrims
present. As he took his seat an old mother in Israel
who herself had passed the three-score-and-ten mile
post, struck up and sang :
The Way-Wobn Traveler.
I saw a way-worn traveler
In tattered garments clad.
And struggling up the mountain,
It seemed that he was sad :
His back was ladened heavy.
His strength was almost gone ;
154 Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection.
Tet he shouted as he journeyed,
Deliverance will come.
Chorus.
Then palms of victory, crowns of glory,
Palms of victory I shall wear.
The summer sun was shining,
The sweat was on his brow.
His garments worn and dusty.
His step seemed very slow;
But he kept pressing onward.
For he was wending home,
Still shouting as he journeyed,
Deliverance will come.
Chorus : —
The songsters in the arbor,
That stood beside the way.
Attracted his attention.
Inviting his delay ;
His watchword being ** Onward ^^
He stopped his ears and ran,
Still shouting as he journeyed.
Deliverance will come.
Chorus : —
I saw him in the evening,
The sun was bending low.
He 's overtopped the mountain
And reached the vale below;
He saw the golden city
His everlasting home.
And shouted loud * * Hosanna I
Deliverance had come.
Chorus : —
While gazing on that city.
Just o 'er the narrow flood.
Memoir and Pebsokal Becollection. 155
A band of holy angels
Came from the throne of Ood ;
They bore him on their pinions.
Safe o'er the dashing foam.
And joined him in his triumph-
Deliverance had come.
We Sang a Hymn Composed on Sansom 's
Conversion.
Eev. Dr. Hnnter, one of the early editors of the
Pittsburgh Christian Advocate, and President of
Meadville College, is the author of this hymn ; com-
posed on Sansom 's relation of his experience. Dr.
Hunter said it required very little changing to put it
into verse.
1. * * There is a spot to me more dear,
Than native vale and mountain;
A spot for which affection's tear
Springs grateful from its fountain.
'Tis not where kindred souls abound.
Though that is almost heaven;
But where I first my Saviour found,
And felt my sins forgiven.
2. Hard was my toil to reach the shore.
Long tossed upon the ocean ;
Above me was the thunder's roar.
Beneath the wave 's commotion ;
Darkly the pall of night was thrown,
Around me, faint with terror :
In that dark hour how did my groan.
Ascend for years of error!
3. Sinking and panting for breath,
I knew not what help was near me ;
And cried, * * Oh I save me Lord, from death,
Immortal Jesus, hear me ' '.
156 Mbmoxb and Pbbsoital BsoouiBOtiok.
Then quick as thought I felt him mine.
My Sayioor stood before me,
I saw His brightness round me shine.
And shouted Oloryi Glory 1
4. sacred hour! O hallowed spot!
Where love divine first found me ;
Wherever falls my distant lot,
My heart shall linger round thee ;
And when from earth I rise to soar,
Up to my home in heaven,
Down will I cast my eyes once more,
Where I was first for^ven*'.
This description gives you but a faint idea of
that scene. When the old pilgrim first put in his
appearance, he was an entire stranger to everyone in
the house. His aged appearance anid dust-covered
clothes, staff in hand (having walked rather than
desecrate the Sabbath day by riding on the train), in
his testimony he said that he had heard there were
some old-time Methodists that worshipped down
near where he had attended a camp-meeting 50 years
before, and how the birds singing, as he came over
the hills, had put his soul in a frame for such a
meeting as this. This, with the singing by an old
mother in Israel, a song that no one but herself
knew, and in which they could only join in singing a
chorus, you have a religious scene such as used to
make glad the hearts of old Methodists in days gone
by, and to which modern Methodists are entire
strangers.
It was not necessary to say the old man felt ai
home and that a scene was witnessed seldom seen on
this shore, and that those present felt a little nearer
Heaven than ever before. The old pilgrim visited
the Glass quite frequently for awhile and then
stopped He did not put in an appearance for over
Memoir and Pbbsonaxi Bescollegtion. 157
six months, when one morning^ as when he made his
first trip, he came marching up the aisle as the min-
ister ^ who had never seen him, was in the middle of
his sermon. He looked tired and in a few moments
seemed overcome and fell asleep. He had walked
from Brushton to Braddoek to tell the class that he
saw his little boat and his beautiful conductor push-
ing out from the other shore, to come and bring him
to his long-looked-for haven of rest He began his
testimony as he did on his first trip with * * Glory be
to God^^ **That old hymn, *A charge to keep I
have', sounds as sweet to my ears this morning as
the first time I entered this chapel. I have kept my
charge, I have finished my course, I have come to tell
you for the last time that I saw my little boat and
beautiful conductor start to bring me to that beauti-
ful place he showed me when I was converted in the
grove above this chapel in 1843. I did not think I
would have the opportunity of ever coming to see
you again, but I am here, as happy as mortal can be.
I want to meet all you dear friends that have given
me such delight, in that beautiful place, to where I
expect to go'^ When he sat down the verse, **We
will wait till Jesus cornea and we will be gathered
home ' ', was sung with a will. This caused the old
man to spring to his feet, give one or two joyous ex-
pressions, and he fell prostrated upon the floor. He
was quickly picked up by two brothers nearby. His
appearance was that of a man who, if not passed
away, was passing away. He stopped over for the
evening service, but did not have anything to say.
He had delivered his message. He went back in the
morning to his daughters, the little boat and his con-
ductor had arrived, and the old pilgrim, weary of
life, stepped in, bid earth adieu, and went to be *^ for-
ever with the Lord. Amen, ao let it be*^
158 Mbmoib and Personal Bbcollbction.
Life from the dead is in that word —
Tis immortality.
Here in the body pent,
Absent from Him we roam,
Yet nightly pitch our moving tent,
A day^s march nearer home.
Chapter 4
IMPRESSIONS OF CUBA.
From a Trip Made in 1904.
In December, 1904, my wife and I, with our son-
in-law. Will Yost, went to Cuba to visit his 2,300 acre
stock farm on which he keeps 2,800 head of cattle.
When Will asked us to go and visit his new planta-
tion, I confess it was with some misgiving as to the
risk involved, that I consented to go. I had espec-
ially in my mind the stories read in our Protestant
books about Catholics and the Spanish Inquisition,
the furnaces in which Protestants had been burned
up, etc., as also the horrible stories in the American
newspapers.
I assure you I was not expecting to find a higher
state of civilization than I had seen before. The
people all seemed to be members of one race, judg-
ing from their kindness to each other — ^Negro
Cubans, Spanish Cubans, Indian Cubans. I did not
hear an unkind word from any one. I could not see
a single instance in the eight days we were there of
the bad treatment Protestants received from Roman
Catholics, although on the lookout for it I did not
Memoir and Personal EEOOiiLEOTioN. 159
see a man under the influence of liquor nor smell
liquor on a single person's breath. I had at the
station and on trains seen large crowds of people
waiting to get their turn for tickets, but no disorder
or evidence of incivility. I did not see a quarrel,
even among the children playing on the streets.
There, the little boys play by themselves and the
girls by themselves. A young man and his girl do
their courting in this way : They have no glass in
their windows, the latter being closed up with half-
inch round iron which are about three inches apart
This lets light and air into the house. The house
fronts on the three foot pavement of a street about
ten feet wide. Through the bars the young people
do their courting, the young man on the pavement in
front of the window, and the young lady inside.
When they decide they love each other enough to get
married, then the young man is admitted into the
house and they finish up their courtship in presence
of the mother, but never alone. The result of this
is that they do not have any illegitimate children,
nor any divorces. There are no locks on their bed
room doors, and we were not there a day until my
wife felt so safe and at rest that she would go out
for a walk leaving her seal skin sack lie around in
her room.
I said to Herman Yost, Will's nephew, (who had
been there about a year) ''Why, Herman, this is as
near to heaven as any place I have ever been in ' '.
''I have not seen a man under the influence of liquor
since I have been in Cuba. I spent two days in
Havana sight seeing, and did not see a man under
the influence of liquor or smell liquor since I have
been in Cuba ' '. Herman replied : ' ' I have been here
a year and I have not seen a drunken man, either". I
asked: ''Can they not get liquor?" and he replied:
"I guess they could if they wanted to — I don't know
of any law prohibiting it".
l60 MeMOIB and PfiRSONAIi Bbcou^bction.
Chapter 5
Tmp Down the Rivbr to New Oblbans in 1906.
In the Spring of 1906, taking a desire to re-
visit the scenes of my early days on the river, and
see what changes had taken place, my wife and I
took passage on a small stem wheel boat We found
there were no longer the first class passenger boats
that used to ply on the river. As the boat stopped
along the way to take on freight, it afforded me an
excellent chance to see the improvements that had
taken place, in which forests had been converted into
villages, towns and cities.
Our Granddaughter took the train and overtook
us at Point Pleasant Finding Ma, had all the pleasure
she desired from a slow coach of a boat, she and our
Granddaughter took a train home from Cincinnati
and I continued down the river, stopping at the dif-
ferent places where the old-time coal boatmen dis-
posed of their cargoes. On attempting to find some
of my old acquaintances, I found they were all dead
or had emigrated South, and I could not find a single
one of my old friends of yore.
Bemabeable Effect of Sbbmon I Bead on Two
Boats.
On Pahn Sunday, April, 1906, the clerk of the
boat eame to me and said: **Are you a preacherf
I said: ^*No, I am not a preacher nor the son of a
preacher. My wife makes me wear a white necktie
to preserve my collars and people take me for a
preache^*^ He replied: *'We have ten hoHaess
women on board going to Nashville, Tenn., to hold
a holiness convention, and they thought you were a
preacher and they would like to hold a service *\ I
Memoib and Personax, Recollection. 161
said : * * Well, I can get them up a service if that is all
they waiit'\ **What kind of a service will you
hold ' \ the clerk asked. I said : * ^ Did you not see
that Salvation Army man and wife and lass T I am
the man who introduced the Salvation Army into the
United States and I will ask them to hold service for
jo\x^\ This they attempted to do, but being recent
converts, they started the singing too high and broke
down, making a failure of it, and the Captain
seemed much displeased. Rising to my feet I said :
**I have a copy of Dr. Clark's sermon on *The
Resurrection ' and this being Palm Sunday, it will be
very appropriate to read it'^ I then struck up
** Jesus Lover of My Soul", the Holiness delegates
and passengers immediately taking it up, and I
never heard that old hymn sung with more melody
and power. By the time the last line of the second
verse was finished, there were very few dry eyes. It
took me several minutes to get control of my emo-
tions enough to read the sermon. After I had read
it, **Rock of Ages'* was sung with the same effect,
after which we had an old-time Methodist Love
Feast, and I don't remember ever enjoying a greater
feast of good things.
The interest and results that followed the read-
ing of this sermon to the large number of passengers
on board the steamboat, and later on, the steamship
en route to New York was quite remarkable, and a
literal f ulfilhnent of 1st Cor. 1 :27-31.
Besides the delegation of holiness women, among
the passengers were persons from New York Citj^,
Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Colum-
bus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Paducah, Evansville,
Nashville, Memphis, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Hous-
ton, Tex., San Francisco, and Milwaukee. It was
not until I arrived home and received from different
localities requests for a copy of the sermon that I
learned of the remarkable effect it had on those who
162 Memoir akd PsBfiONAXj Becollsction.
*
heard it^ as they were all entire strangers to me. On
my return home^ May 5th, I found a letter from one
of the holiness women (the mother of the clerk and
pilot of the steamboat) reading: —
*'I know you will be pleased to learn that"
the reading of that sermon has resulted in the
conversion of both my sons. Will you kindly
send me a copy of same T ' '
The next day I received a letter from a man in
San Francisco to the effect that it had resulted in
his conversion ; and that he had organized two or
three holiness bands, also asking me to send him a
copy of the sermon.
The following morning, I received still another
letter from a traveling salesman, dated Milwaukee,
Wis., requesting a copy of the sermon, stating it had
been the means of his conversion and that he had
started to organize several holiness bands in differ-
ent parts of the country.
Second Reading of Sbbmon on Boat Bound fob
New York.
At New Orleans I decided to return home by
way of steamship to New York. The following Sab-
bath was Easter Sunday, and the same mysterious
Providence led to my being asked to conduct ser-
vices on board ship out on the ocean. I knew no one
on the ship, but the Captain saw my white necktie
and asked me if I was a preacher. I told him
* * No ! ' ' that I was not a preacher nor the son of a
preacher, but an old Methodist Class Leader. He
said to me : * * Our boat is an Episcopal boat and we
are in the habit of holding services on the Sabbath
but our Chaplain stopped over in New Orleans. ' ' I
told him that I could hold the same service for him
that I had on the steamboat on the Ohio River the
Memoir and PsssoNAii Recollection. 163
Sabbath before, and he said he wished I would do so.
Beading this same sermon on board the steam-
ship created no less interest, and eternity alone wiQ
reveal all the results, A retired Admiral of the
United States Navy and his wife and mother-in-law,
were among the passengers on the steamship. At
the conclusion of the sermon, the Admiral took me
by the hand saying: **Mr. Corey, I have been a
sailor on the seas for 55 years, attending religious
services every Sabbath, but this is the most interest-
ing service I have ever attended ' \ I received a let-
ter from the Admiral some time afterwards, accom-
panied by a photograph of himself and wife, which
reads as follows : —
**My wife and mother-in-law talk about
nothing but the sermon. Will you please send
me a copy of it!**
A multi-millionaire Unitarian of Boston, Mass.,
also took me by the hand saying : * * Mr. Corey, I
would give one hundred dollars if my wife could
have heard that sermon'^ — adding that she had gone
home by rail to avoid sea-sickness. He came to the
hotel where I stayed in New York City and insisted
on my letting him get several typewritten copies of
the sermon made to take home with him.
I have no doubt that when Adam Clark arises
from the dead and takes his place among the glori-
fied, that quite a large number will greet him as the
instrument used of God, in their Salvation as the re-
sult of his sermon on * * The Besurrection ^\ If I had
the ear of all our Methodist preachers, I would try
to persuade them to try once a quarter for one year
the reading of this sermon on the Sabbath morning
of their sacramental service, and compare the re-
sults with any other year of their ministerial lives.
164 Memoir and Personal Begollection.
Chapter 6
MY TRIP TO HOLY LAND IN 1912.
February 6th, 1912. In company with my wife
and daughter, Mrs. Mary E. Yost, I left my home in
Braddock on the 10 :09 P. M. train for East Liberty
Station where we took the 10 :40 train, Eastern EJx-
press, for Philadelphia. Onr Granddaughters,
Elizabeth L. Weimer, Margaret J. and Bachel Eliza-
beth Yost, and Grandson, John James Yost, accom-
panied us to East Liberty and saw us safely aboard
the train. Margaret Jane Yost on her way back to
school at Bryn Mawr College, accompanied us to
Philadelphia, where we arrived on time, February
7th, at 7 :00 A. M.
February 7th, 1912. We ate our breakfast at
the depot and saw Margaret safely aboard the 8 :15
A. M. train for college. Left Philadelphia at 9 :00
A. M., arriving at New York, 11 :00 A. M. We took
our baggage in an automobile direct to the steamship
Arabic, taking possession of our staterooms. We
then started for the Holland House on Fifth Avenue,
where we took rooms for the day. The day was
spent in sight-seeing, visiting the M. E. C. Book
Booms, 150 Fifth Avenue, the Mission, and viewed
the paintings on the walls and photographs of the
eminent Bishops, Preachers, Laymen, and Lay-
women who planted Methodism on the Western Con-
tinent. None of these impressed us more deeply
than Rev. Daniel Curry, D. D., the most distin-
guished editor and ablest writer of the Christian
Advocate. At 5 :30 P. M. we were on board the ship
for a night's sleep before starting on the cruise for
Palestine. Tired out, in our beds at 7 :35, and sound
asleep before 8 :00 P. M.
Memoir and Pbrsonax, Recollection. 165
February 8th, 1912. After a good night's rest,
we awoke at 4 :30 A. M. We lay awake twenty min-
uteSy when Ma tried to get out of her bed. She made
many attempts and f ailed, and I got up to assist her,
bnt she could not get our of the narrow bunk. Min-
nie then got up and it took both of us all we could do
to get her out of bed. She said : ^ ' Pa, I think I had
better go back home ; I can never get in and out of
bed'^ Minnie and I consented. We only had half
an hour to get ready for a cab, and she then started
home. Promptly at 6 :00 A. M. the ship weighed
anchor. It is now 9 :20 P. M. and we retire to bed,
with nothing of note to write. Sea is quite rough
and the ship rocks considerably, but no one seasick
that I have heard of. The air is cold and chilly.
February 9th, 1912. Awoke at 4 :30 A. M. and
lay in bed until 6 :00 A. M., when I got up and took a
walk on deck. The waves were rolling high, with
the ship rocking like a cradle, but no sign of seasick-
ness. Waiting for Minnie to go to breakfast. At
10 :15 A. M. I received a tireless message saying :
** Mother arrived safely home'*, signed ** Mellon".
At 10 :00 P. M., **I lay me down to sleep ; I pray the
Lord my soul to keep ; If I die before I wake, I pray
the Lord my soul to take. For Christ's sake.
Amen!''
February 10th, 1912. 2 :30 A. M. * * Guide me, O
thou great Jehovah ; I am weak but thou are mighty.
Hold me with thy powerful hand". 7:00 A. M.^
have had breakfast, and lost one of my eye glasses.
At 12 :00 noon, a delegation of Master Masons call
for a meeting at 5 :00 P. M. in the library. They
may have gotten one of my booklets * * Restore the
Ancient Land Marks ' ' which I have been distribut-
ing on the ship. They had card parties and dancing
galore.
We have 65 preachers and not less than 500 lay-
naen on board, but no religious services, as yet. One
166 MeMOIB and PeBSONAL BECOIiLECTION.
woman boasts that she is a Bible Glass teacher in a
Sunday School in Pennsylvania, but she was a promi-
nent leader in the card parties. I quoted a few
texts of scripture to her, to which she replied:
** Times have changed since they were written''.
IX) :00 P. M,, Now I lay me down to sleep.
February nth, 1912. Sunday. 6:00 A.M. A
good night's sleep. ''Bless the Lord, my soul, and
all that is within me; Bless His holy Name" —
''Make this one of the days of the Son of Man, for
Thine own name sake". Beligious services are to
be held at 10 :00 A. M., also this evening, 6 :00 P. M.
The sea has been calm all day. We had preach-
ing at 10 :00 A. M. At 6 :00 P. M., a Lutheran min-
ister preached a very eloquent sermon to a large
congregation. 10 :00 P. M., Now I lay me down to
sleep.
Stobm at Sea.
February 12th, 1912. 4 :00 A. M. " I will praise
Thee ; where shall I Thy praise begin f ' '
We 1 eceived a wireless message of the approach
of a big storm. To appreciate what this meant to
2,000 people, one has to be on board a ship and wit-
ness the billows sending waves over the second deck
of the ship. Many passengers are seasick, several
being bodily hurt by being dashed against walls and
falling down stairs from the rocking and learing of
the ship. Five were so badly hurt that they were
put off at Fulchan in a hospital, where reports say
tfiat they died.
After being awake all night, Minnie and I ren-
dering help to those needing it, I lay down on a
lounge in my stateroom, the latter being 61 feet
above sea level, and fell asleep. The upper sash of
myVindow was lowered to admit the air. I was
dreaming I was singing Bishop Heber's old hymn as
unctiously as ever I sang it in church. Water
Mbmoib and Pebsonal Recollection. 167
splashing through my window struck me in the f ace^
drenching me from head to f eet, wetting the cot on
which I lay, and £lled water an inch deep on the
carpet I naturally sprang to my feet^ when the
learing of the ship threw me towards the upper
berth and I threw up my hands in time to protect my
face. My first conscious thought was that the ship
was sinking and it was all up with me. Looking
back over my shoulder and seeing no more water
pouring threw the window, I knew it was only a
splash of a big wave.
Two stewards, stationed in the hall to render
assistance to any in need of help, asked me if I was
hurt I said: **No, but I'm good and wet''. The
man exclaimed: '^0, the ship is lost; that wave was
75 feet high". On seeing that they were too much
frightened to be able to assist any one, my flat boat
experience of never getting scared until the danger
was over (it being an adage among the flat boat
pilots that if a pilot lost his head, he was sure to lose
his boats), I set myself to compose the stewards. 1
said to them: ^^I was dreaming that I was singing
Bishop Heber's Hynm and had just reached the last
verse when the water struck me in the face. Now,
I will sing the last verse to you, and struck up
**Waft, waft, ye winds the story, and you, ye waters
roll, Till, like a sea of Glory, it spreads from pole td
pole : Till O 'er our ransomed nature, the Lamb for
siuners slain. Redeemer, Eang, Creator, in bliss re-
turn to reign". The woman (a Catholic) said:
* * Oh ! Mr. Corey, that is the most beautiful song 1
ever heard".
They told the other sailors and passengers of
my experience, etc., and it spread over the ship.
From that on, (when I went ashore to visit the cities
on leaving our ship) no one could possibly have re-
ceived kinder treatment. When I went ashore in
the little boat provided to transport us from the ship
168 Memoir and Personal Recollection.
to the wharf of the city, the sailors would say:
**Here comes the 80 year old 'Fresh Water Tar\
He is always first on board, and first off the boats".
An American millionaire passenger spoke up and
said: '^Yon praise him for his agility in getting ofif
the boats and climbing the stairs. I will tell you
what I admire him for — ^I admire his intellect He
is an intellectual Giant". Looking at him, and see-
ing I did not know the large fine looking gentleman,
paying me such an undeserved tribute, I spoke up
and said : * ' My friend, this is a case of * distance lend-
ing enchantment'. If you were home among my
neighbors where I have lived for the past 72 years,
you would learn that they have never discovered
that they had an intellectual giant in their midst".
He replied : ' ^ He was there, all the same ' '. I said to
him : **If so, it is a case of a Prophet not being with-
out honor, save in his own country and in his own
house".
February 17th, 1912. Our first stop was at City
of Funchal, the Capitol of Maderia, a city of 60,000
inhabitants. The city lies on an abrupt slope with
mountain peaks towering 5,000 feet high, which are
ascended by sleds drawn by oxen, and going down,
you slide on sleds guided by two natives. The visit
to this island, so seldom seen by American travelers,
is of surpassing interest.
February 20th, 1912. Our next stop was at
Cadiz, Spain. This is the famous seaport from
which Columbus set out on his momentous voyage
of discovery. It is a town of 70,000, looking snowy-
white, and picturesque; and being almost wholly
surrounded by the sea, it is often called the *' Span-
ish Venice". Its high walls and fortifications, its
white houses and splendid parks, and the wonderful
sea view from the Toree de Vigia, or Public Watch
Tower, all tend to give the observers a feeling of
being in dreamland.
Memoib and Pbrsonaii Bbcollbction. 169
February 21th, 1912, we reached Seville, Seville
is 95 miles from Cadiz by rail and has over 150,000
inhabitants. It is one of the gayest and most
charming cities in the world. There are many
places of rare interest in Seville, including the
Cathedral (one of the handsomest, largest and rich-
est Gothic churches in all Christendom) the Alcazar,
the former palace of the Moorish kings with its fam-
ous Court of the Maidens and its Hall of the Am-
bassadors, also the Gibraltar, the oldest and most
beautiful landmark in the city, originally a Prayer
Tower.
February 22nd, our next stop, we reached Gib-
raltar. The British Fortress is considered the
strongest in the world. It has galleries from two to
three miles in length tunneled through the solid rock,
with batteries built at all advantageous points up to
1,350 feet above the sea.
February 26th, 1912, was our next stop at Malta,
capitol of Algeria, and a favorite winter health re-
sort Here are seen beautiful specimens of Moorish
and Byzantine architecture. There is a mixed popu-
lation of Arabs, Moors, Turks, Bedouins, Negroes
and Maltese.
February 29th, 1912, was our next stop at Malta,
where we inspected the Governor's Palace and the
Cathedral.
February 28th, 1912, brought us to Athens, the
capital and largest city of Greece. We. visited the
ruins of the temple which is said to be over 2,500
years old. Cathedrals of the finest architecture in
the world, and which are over 2,000 years old, are to
be seen in this ancient city of Greece.
March 1st, 1912, we reached Constantinople,
where we stopped four days. This city is the capi-
tal of Ottoman Empire, situated on the Bosphorous,
the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmora. It con-
tains the Palace of the Sultan, and is noted for its
170 Memoib and Pebsonal Becoll^ctiok.
mosques. Tdieragan Serai, the chief of the im-
perial palaces, is a buUding of immense size, of mar-
ble, with a luxury and magnifioence in its interior
decoration and arrangement that are unexcelled in
Europe.
It was the week of Mohammed 's birthday and
all work was suspended for a week, it being tiieir
Christmas Holiday. We visited the Mohammedan
Temple, said to be 300 years in building and to hav0
cost over $100,000,000. It is a beautiful building,
with a dome 105 feet diameter, 184 feet high, and
having forty arched windows in the base. I noticed
that in the temple, they have a laige flowing foun-
tain emptying water into a long basin (similar to an
old-time Methodist mourner *s bench) in front of
which the worshippers kneel and wash out their
mouths, as the Mohammedan Church requires tibat
their members wash out their mouth four times dur-
ing prayers.
On our ship there were 65 preachers and a large
number of Elders and Class Leaders. To relieve
the monotony, we had religious services every after-
noon. Dr , a prominent Presbyterian, had
been chosen to have charge of the services on leav-
ing Constantinople, and he announced that instead
of a preaching service, we would have a testimony
meeting of those who visited the temple so that they
could give us the impressions made upon them by
the services in the temple, and he stated that five
minutes would be allowed each speaker, adding that
only those who had attended the Mohammedan ser-
vices would be allowed to speak, and that the invita-
tion included any Laymen who might wish to giv^
their views of the service.
Taking his place at the table, with watch and
wooden mallet, he gave each speaker five minutes to
tell his story. A Methodist preacher gave quite an
interesting talk, but no one seemed to care to follow
Memoib and PsBSONAii Bbgollegtion. 173
him. After waidng qnite awhile, Dr said :
< < Is there no Layman who visited the temple that will
give the impression the services made upon himf
This gave me the opportunity I had been desiring
every day of administering a reproof to the large
number of ministers who paraded the deck daily,
smoking cigars and cigarettes, and joking and talk-
ing more like sportsmen than Ministers of the
Gospel.
So, arising, I said : **The flowing fountain where
the worshipers wash out their mouths four times
during prayers, I think would be a good thing for
our Protestant Churches to adopt. Where the
Preachers, Elders, and Class Leaders could wash
out the dirty filthy tobacco juice in their mouths, be-
fore offering prayer to God'\ The manner of ex-
pressing approval of speakers' words was by clap-
ping of hands, but my words were scarcely uttered
before there were cries of** Amen 1'* and the an-
dience sprang to their feet, the ladies making the
welkin ring with their approval. It seemed as if
everyone wanted to express their approval of the
testimony against the filthy habit It did not appear
that they wanted any more testimony and the meet-
ing closed.
One old Western farmer, over 81 years of age,
a Bachelor and Agnostic, who became very rich by
the discovery of oil on his large tract of land and
spends his money traveling, attended the service to
relieve the monotony, and was hardly ever without a
cigar in his mouth. When asked by a minister : * * If
he did not want to unite with the Church'* he had
replied : * * I take no stock in the church ; the majority
of the preachers are hypocrites and ought to be in
the Penitentiary''. Although an entire stranger he'
came to me and said: **Mr. Corey, if all the preach-
ers were as honest and outspoken against wrong as
you are, I would not be an agnostic. I use and have
172 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbction.
used tobacco all my life, but I always felt it was a
useless, filthy habit, and I intend to give it jxp^\ On
leaving the ship, he told me that he had cut it down
to one cigar a day.
Trip fbom Alexandbia, Egypt to Caibo.
On a visit from Alexandria, Egypt, to city of
Cairo (one of the most beautiful cities I was ever
in) we passed through the finest landscapes I think
mortal eye ever rested upon. A tourist from the
Southern States spoke to me saying: **Is not that
the most beautiful scenery you ever witnessed!'' 1
said : * * Yes, that excels our fine plantations on the
Mississippi River, which I used to think had no
equal in the U. S. ' ' He replied : * * I am a citizen of
Nashville, Tenn. I was a soldier in the Confederate
Army, and have visited every State in the South. I
never saw any landscape that will compare with
this''. I said: **I am not surprised that the Jews
revolted against Moses leading them from such a
fine country as this on the promise of leading them
to the promised land, and cross over the divided
waters into the Holy Land, for I have not seen any-
thing in Palestine to compare with it".
We visited the ruins of the temples and
mosques, all of which confirm the Bible Story of the
experience of the Israelites and their leader, but the
Bible account of the Egyptians and their conflict
with the Hebrews is the most reliable to be found
anywhere. It tells us that Moses lived 120 years,
his faculties of body and mind not being impaired to
the last. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force
abated. (Deut. 34:7).
From Constantinople we went to the Holy Land.
March 3rd, 1912. Farewell to City of Con-
stantinople and Mohamet's Temple. The passage
through the Bosphorous to the Black Sea, and back
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 173
past Constantinople has given ns quite a variety of
scenery. After singing Charles Wesleys favorite
hymn ** Wrestling Jacob *', to young people I retire
to my room.
March 4th, 1912. We start this A. M. for
Ephesus. The Moon going down behind the hills as
we steam into the harbor of Smyrna, presents as
grand a sight as we looked upon. 12 :00 M., in the
City of Ephesus, have seen St Paul's Jail, the Tem-
ple of Diana lying in ruins.
March 5th, 1912. Spent writing letters home.
March 6th, 1912. We start for a six days ' drive
overland. On Mt. Carmel we stood where Elijah
challenged the Bail worshippers to call louder on
their god, as he may have gone on a Journey, or is
asleep.
March 7th, 1912. At Mount Tabor, Nazareth at
Valley of Jazareal, Jordan Valley, Sea of Gallilee,
Capernaum, Mount Gillead, and Mud Houses, with-
all a beautiful valley.
March 8th, 1912. Have driven around City of
Damascus, saw where St. Paul, was let down in a
basket The house of Judas Iscariot; Annanias,
Vast Cemetery, and Mohammed Morgue in which
John the Baptist is said to be hurried.
March 9th, 1912. Good-bye to City of Damas-
cus. Snow in sight, 4:30 P. M. we cross the sea of
Gallilee in yawls. 6 :15 P. M. at the Hotel Tiberias.
Sabbath, March 10th, 1912. Attend church,
visit Capernaum. 12 :00 M. Adieu to Tiberias. We
start for Nazareth, pass by where Christ preached
his sermons on the Mount Saw Mary Magdalene 's
house, also where Christ converted water into wine.
Arrived at Nazareth at 6:00 P. M.
Monday, March 11th, 1912. Visit Mary's
kitchen, Joseph *s Shop. Stone on which Christ ate
supper with his disciples. Visited churches of
Annunciation, Mount of Transfiguration where they
174 MeMOIB and PsBSONAIi BsCOIiLECTiaN.
attempted to throw Christ over the rocky precipice.
Arrive at Caif a at 6 :00 P. M.^ after a cold drive*
After bidding adieu to the world-wide famous City
of Nazareth^ we are aboard the ship.
March 12th, 1912. Anchored in Harbor of
Joppa. A walk through its filthy streets and
swarms of beggars tell the story. 12 :30 P. M. off for,
and at 5 :30 P. M. arrive at the City of Jerusalem.
One time the most highly revered city in the world.
A drive in a carriage to the American Colony. Here
we, for the next two weeks had the best of accommo-
dation and kind treatment, while we spent the time
in visiting the scenes of the incarnation life and death
and resurrection of Him who came to redeem us from
sin and upon whose love the hopes of humanity de-
pend.
March 13th, 1912. Start on our Tour of Pales-
tine and Egypt We visit Solomon's Temple, Cal-
vary's Mountain, Tomb of Christ, The Church of
Prayer where His prayer in 37 different languages
adorn the walls. Mount Olivet, Garden of Geth-
semana, Pisgah's Mountain where Moses stood
Adam's grave, the Spring where David composed
the 23rd Psalm, Birth place of Jeremiah, David's
Mosque, Solomon's Stables. The Church of the
Sepulcher, Flock of lambs with bushy tails ; summed
up our first day's visit
March 14th, 1912. 12 :00 M. have returned from
the most satisfactory tour of my entire trip. A sec-
ond visit to Mount Olivet ; I was in the tomb where
Christ was laid after his crucifixion in which man
had never been laid ; also onto Mount Calvary, on
which he was crucified, and saw the stone from under
the City for the Temple, also Damascus' Gate,
Herod's Gate, and pool of Hezekiah.
March 15th, 1912. We rested up, reading let-
ters from home and answering same.
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 175
March 16th, 1912. Visited the City of Bethle-
hem, saw the manger in which Christ was born ; the
room in which Joseph was warned to take the young
child and His Mother to Egypt; also room in which
the Bible was translated into the vulgar languagew
The well from which David relieved his thirst
Sabbath, March 17th, 1912. Attended services
at the home, 10 :00 A. M. 2 :30 P. M., Attended Mis-
sion Sabbath school in which three races of children
are being taught the Christian religion.
Monday, March 18th, 1912. Took a stroll over
the City this A. M. and a ride around it on a donkey
this P. M. I am to hold an old-time Methodist Love
feast this evening, I hope it may prove a time of re-
freshing from the presence of the Lord I find John
Wesley Methodism, is more popular in Jerusalem
than in Pittsburgh or Braddock.
March 19th, 1912. We bid adieu to Jerusalem,
for an excnrsion into Egypt, passing through the
birth place of Samson, stopped at Ebenezer, *^The
stone of help*'. Here I will raise my Ebenezer,
hitherto by thy help I have come ; and I hope by thy
good pleasure, I will arrive safe at home. 5,500
miles from home, among strangers, I never sang
Ebenezer so sweetly before. Passing through the
beautiful plain of Sharon and Bamley, the city of
Joseph who buried our Saviour in his own new
Tomb, in which man had never been buried- 3 :00
P. M. on board ship, on our way to Alexandria,
Egypt
March 20th, 1912. After visiting Alexandria,
we take cars for Cairo passing through the most
beautiful landscape for 150 miles that mortal eye
ever rested on. 9 :00 P. M. we are on our way to
Luxor, 450 miles from Cairo.
March 21st, 1912. Spent day in visiting the
ruinp of Temples in Luxor, Egypt. They are simply
indescribable. The lives of Kings and Emperors
176 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollection.
and Priests, with iBscriptions of their lives and
reign engraved on statutes extending back 4,000 to
5,000 years ago and only discovered 27 years ago,
and they're still excavating in search of others. One
statute discovered 3 weeks ago. There are 500
young girls with baskets on their heads carrying
away the dirt, which is being removed in search of
these ancient relics of past ages. The young girl
with a bushel basket of dirt on her head singing as
merrily as a May Bird, and you have a scene diflS-
cult to describe.
March 22nd, 1912. I spent the forenoon among
the tombs of the ancient kings which were quarried
out in solid limestone rock, 500 to 1,000 feet below the
surface, some of their statutes 200 feet high, one
which an earth quake caused to fall weighs 1,000
tons. The inscriptions were made from three to
four thousand years before.
I Bead a Sebmon at Jbbusalem.
Saturday, March 23rd, 1912. The day before
we left Jerusalem, two preachers called on me, say-
ing : ' * Mr. Corey, we have been appointed by the
preachers on the ship to notify you that you have
been chosen to conduct our farewell service and read
one of your printed sermons '\ I replied: '*What!
Do you mean to tell me that 65 preachers have
selected an old John Wesley Layman to read a fare-
well sermon on leaving the City of Jerusalem f You
can say that while I appreciate the high honor paid!
me, I have given away all of my printed sermons *'.
They replied: '*Well, you can get up one that will
do^^ and I told them the time was too short ''Make
it short", they said, and I told them, *' You can tell
them I will do my best, but I have a bad cold; if I
break down, I will depend on one of you preacheiis
to read it for me", and they said: ** We will not Itffc
you stick".
Memoib and Personal Eecollection. 177
I asked a typewriter at the hotel where I wa^
stopping to write a sermon off for me, but he replied
that he did not do any typewriting on Saturday
afternoon. Knowing that they do as much writing
for 25 cents in Jerusalem as costs $1.00 in the U. S.,
I said to him : * * I am in a hole, unless you help me
out ; if you will write a farewell sermon off for me, I
will pay you one dollar * \ He consented, and it was
about 3 :00 P. M. when we got started. I wrote with
my pencil from memory and he copied it off, it being
10 :00 P. M. when we finished it
The next day at 4:00 P. M. (Sunday) the ser-
vices were held in the dining room of the American
Colony. After conducting the opening services, I
started to cough so badly it was impossible for me
to read the sermon. I asked two or three of the
preachers to read it for me, but they shook their
heads **No'\ A young lady volunteered to read it
for me. I do not think there was one of the 65
preachers, if they had all been present, who could
have read the sermon with the effect this young lady
did, and I think she will have some stars in her crown
from that large congregation of 1,000 to 1,500. After
the reading of the sermon, I said we would have a
testimony meeting, which would give us all a chance
to compare their own experience with what they
have heard. While I had not been able to get one of
them to read the sermon, before the young lady
volunteered, there were from ten to fifteen on the
floor to tell how well they were pleased with the ser-
mon. I mention this fact so that no one need to
fear to take their stand on the old-time Methodist
doctrines and experiences.
After leaving Jerusalem, we visited many other
places of interest on our tour, some of the most im-
portant places being Alexandria; Naples, Bome,
Monte Carlo, England and Ireland, to some of which
reference is subsequently made.
178 Memoir and Pebsonal Recollection.
The following letter was received from one of
my fellow passengers on the Arabic, Dr. Brown, be-
ing Rector of Calvary Church at Tarboro, N. C.
Tarboro, N, C, August 17, 1912.
Mr. J. B. Corey,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Dear Brother : —
I have been thinking of you often since my re-
turn, and wondering how you stood the trip home. I
hope you are well in body and soul, and enjoying the
Peace of God. I spent two weeks in England and
had may interesting experiences, which I wish I
would see you to tell about
Here is a picture of you on the sight of St.
John 's church at Ephesus. You recall the circum-
stances, I suppose.
I am hard at work, and God has blessed me in it
in many ways, praise be to Him I
My recollections of you and your true christian
faith, and your lifelong testimony to Jesus ' love do
me good, and help me much, and I am glad to be able
to tell you so. Please remember me in your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Bertram E. Brown.
My regards to your daughter.
ROME.
In the City of Rome, I had the most interesting
experience of my trip, meeting two persons who im-
pressed me more than any other people met on my
tour. They both seemed (so to speak) to fall in love
with me on sight, or imagine I knew a great deal
more than I did.
Memoib and Personal Bbcollegtion. 179
CaBDINAL BAMPOIiLO.
I went to the noted Cathedral in Borne, it being,
they claim, the oldest Christian Church in tiie world,
and heard a man give a very fine sermon. As ex-
plained below, I have only lately learned that he was
Cardinal BampoUo.
After Mass, I wanted to visit the Treasure
room, where they keep the robes, vestments, and
jewels of former popes. I found that tickets were
sold to only a limited number of visitors to the room^
at $1.00 each, and when I reached the ticket office, I
was told all the tickets had been sold.
I turned away disappointed, and while standing
there, the man whom I had heard preach (Cardinal
BampoUo) said to me: ^^Are you a tourist to the
Holy Land f I said I was. * * Would you not like to
visit the Treasure Boom and see the objects in it*',
he asked. I told him I only had two hours to return
to my ship and the tickets were all sold. Taking me
by the arm, he said : * * Come with me ' '. We entered
the room where I had the pleasure of seeing all the
robes and jewels from St Peter down to the present
pope, and I never expect to witness such a display
of robes and jewels until we enter the Golden Cityi
above. Cardinal BampoUo 's descriptions and exn
planations were so edifying, that all the other visi-
tors would leave their own guides and crowd around
us.
After spending an hour in the Treasure Boom,
and on reaching the exit, the Cardinal stopped and
said to me : * * I want to ask you two or three ques-
tions : First, on your tour, what of all you witnessed
made the deepest impression on your mindf Taken
by surprise, I said : * * Father, on my trip to the Holy*
Land and in the City of Jerusalem, I was made both
glad and sad*\ He quickly replied: **What of all
you saw pleased you mostr' I said: **I was de-
180 Memoir and Pebsonal Begollection.
lighted in witnessing the footprints of the Saviour
and the evidence of his compassion for the poor^\
** While I was delighted on visiting the famous
Cathedrals and Temples, with their walls decorated
with most beautiful works of art and Mosaic paint-
ingSy yety it was sad to behold the extreme cases of
poverty and misery which the Blessed Christ had
come to rescue our poor fallen humanity from*\
He said: **It is a sin*\ I said: **Ye8, but His
name was called Jesus because He came to save us
from our sins'^ He said: **Yes, but He was re-
jected and spit upon'^
'^What were the scenes of poverty which left
such a dark impression on your mind?" he asked.
T replied : * * I saw 12 or more strong, able-bodied
men huddled together in a mud hut, not over 12 feet
square, one story high, without windows, and only a
door not over three feet wide to enter it, and a small
mud hut about six feet square and a small fireplace
in which to cook their victuals. I also saw a poor
mother in her bare feet and with clothes scarcely
covering her nakedness, with a baby about six
months old on her breast, and leading another child
about two years old on one hand, and a two bushel
basket on her head, filled with marketing, for which
she received about ten cents, our money, for carry-
ing two or three mUes to the residence of the upper
crust This sight. Father, took away the pleasure
I had received in visiting the fine Cathedrals of the
Moslems with their Mosaic paintings, etc. I could
not help thinking that in a measure they might be
the cause of iV\
The Cardinal quickly and earnestly replied:
**They are the cause of iV\ Taking me by the hand,
he pronounced his benediction in Latin which I could
not understand. I said: ** Father, if we never meet
on earth, I hope we will meet in Heaven ; you are the^
kindest stranger I have ever met'^
Memoir and Pbbsonal Ebcollection. 181
In a large crowd standing at the door a man
spoke np and said : * * Do you know who that was,
who has shown you so much kindness f I said:
**He is the kindest stranger I ever met'*. He re-
plied: **He came within four votes of being our
Pope ^\ * * If we had had the deciding of it, he would
have been our Pope, although we have a very good
one ' \
I never knew the identity of this kind stranger
imtil December 17, 1913, when I recognized Cardinal
BampoUo from a photograph appearing in the Pitts-
burgh papers giving an account of his death. It is
simply impossible for me to express the thoughts
and emotions that flitted through my mind. When
I first saw his picture in the paper (before reading
headlines) I thought he was on a visit to the United
States, and I was going to have the opportunity to
reciprocate the greatest act of kindness and friend-
ship shown me by an entire stranger while in Rome,
and it was with a feeling of sadness I discovered his
photograph was the heading of his obituary notice.
Anotheb Acquaintance in Some.
My other acquaintance was with a man on sight,
quite as surprising to me as that of the Cardinal. I
went to a news-stand to buy a New York Herald or
London Times, but finding all sold out expressed my
disappointment. A large, well-dressed gentleman
spoke up and said: **Are you an Englishman''. I
said: **0n one side of the house my great-great-
great-grandfather was an Englishman ; on the other
side he was an Irishman, so you see I have a mixture
of two bloods coursing in my veins, but they seem to
harmonize on political subjects better than the Irish
and English do. I am an American, a citizen of the
United States". He said: **How do the patrioticj
respectable class of the 80,000,000 American people
182 Mbmoib and Personal Becollbction.
look upon the personal quarrel between President
Taft and Theodore Roosevelt! ' ' I replied : ' ' That
depends upon what you mean by the words * Re-
spectable and Patriotic* ^\ He said: **I mean in-
telligent men and women who regard their honor and
good name, and the reputation of their Nation to6
sacred in the eyes of the civilized world to be dis-
graced as their disgraceful quarrel is doing'*. I
said: **The addition of the word * intelligent' greatly
reduces the number of the jury to pass on your ques-
tion. If you mean by * intelligent ' the number capa-
ble of comprehending the effect upon their good
name, etc., your jury wUl not exceed ten millions.
K you mean by * patriotic', love of country more
than spoils, you will reduce it to less than five
million. If you add the words * Upright and honest'
and make your inquiry read: *How do the intelli-
gent, patriotic, upright, respectable American citi-
zens of the United States regard the disgrace being
put upon them by salary grabbers, grafters, treas-
ury loots, etc.' the number will be so small that the
answer would be that they do not stop to ask what
they think, and care less".
The reporter said : * * I am a gatherer of news4
My business is to learn from the public press of thei
world the opinions of the various Nations of the
people in regard to political conditions, social rela-
tions and religious sentiment, and formulate then|
into news so as to represent the characteristics of
the people, the public acts of Kings, Presidents, and
Rulers are the best index of personal character. My
business makes it a necessity for me to familiarize
myself with all the leading newspapers in the world.
So great is the habit of exaggeration on the part of
the public press of the United States, that to quote
flrom them is equivalent to stamping an article as
false. Take their figures on statistics on the ques-
tions of imports and exports to bolster up that un-
Memoib and PEBSONAii Becollegtion. 183
chivalrous sentiment of making other nations and
people pay the expense of your own government".
I replied : * * That is a very strong indictment of the
American people in general, and the Public Press.
That the mass of the American people, in addition
to ignorance have their share of selfishness cannot be
denied, but in these respects we have inherited a
moral principle of a very ancient origin and quite
universal, but the American people or our Public
Press is no more avaricious or dishonest than that
of other nations * \ The reporter with * * I bid you
good-bye, and hope you will get home safely", said:
* * One thing you Americans had better not let your
newspapers pick a quarrel with Japan or China, or
you wUl find you have stirred up a hornet *s nest".
I did not ask him what his Nationality was. He
looked more like an Englishman, but from the tone
and accent of his voice you would have taken him
for an American, and his expression of countenance
resembled a Pennsylvania Dutchman.
John Wesley's BBsmENCB and Chubch.
Saturday, April 13th, 1912, at London, England,
I visited John Wesley *s residence which he planned
and superintended its building by carrying bricks,
etc. Was in the little room in which he spent hours
in secret prayer in giving the world the sermons and
doctrines which created the greatest revival of re-
ligion since the days of the Apostles.
Sunday, April 14th, 1912, I attended morning
services in the little church in which he preached
three sermons a day, six days a week, first service
at 5 :00 A. M.
A greater burlesque on John Wesley ^s Method-
ism than that service is not possible to conceive.
In order not to be late for services, I went to
tiie church at 9 K)0 A. M. In the course of a half-
184 Mbmoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
hour the Sunday School began to assemble, and
about ten o^clock the organ (which Mr. Wesley said
he had no objection to being in a church, provided it
was where it could neither be seen or heard, Dr.
Adam Carke says he would save the price of the
organ) started off with a voluntary. What he
played I did not know, nor do I think many of the
150 present understood or felt any interest in it At
the conclusion of the organ performance, although I
had been advised that a surprise awaited me, I con-
fess I was not prepared to witness such a travesty
on what Mr. Wesley had taught the early Methodist
was necessary to get through the straight gate ; and
as I witnessed the choir of some ten or fifteen youn^
ladies march over the pulpit and take their stand
behind the preacher, a feeling of sadness took the
place of gladness, which I, had had at the prospect of
taking part in an old-time Methodist service in the
church which Mr. Wesley himself had planned and
in which he had preached for a third of a century.
At the close of the service the pastor came down
and took me by the hand, saying : * * Brother Corey,
how did you enjoy the servicer^ I replied: **Dr. I
am disappointed ; I stopped over expecting I would
enjoy an old-time Methodist service *\ He said:
* * Was this not an old-time Methodist service V^ I
told him: **If it was, all John Wesley's sermons and
writings are fables *'. He let go my hand, saying:
** Good-day *'.
An elderly, finely dressed lady, decorated in
latest style, said: '* Brother, how did you enjoy the
service f I replied : * * I told your pastor I had come
expecting the pleasure of enjoying an old-time
Methodist meeting". She asked: **Is not this an
old-time Methodist meeting? ' ' I said : * * Fifty years
ago you would not have been allowed to attend a
class meeting in this church '\ **Why not f said
she. I replied: **Have your pastor next Sabbath
Memoir and PEBSONAii Begollection. 185
read John Wesley's sermon on dress; your dis-
cipline, unless you have repealed them, require him
to read it once a quarter. You are tenfold worse
back-slidden than the M. E. Church in the U. S/ *
She said: *' Good-day*' and I was allowed to leave
without any further interrogations.
^*Ababic''. Passengers Tender Congratulations on
MT Eightieth Birthday.
April 27th, 1912, we landed at 12 :00 M. in New
York Harbor after three months' absence visiting
the beautiful cities on my way in and around Pales-
tine. The sweetest sight and most beautiful land-
scape on the tour was the green hills of my native
land ; but the sweetest sight of them all, was when I
saw my wife and granddaughters on the wharf boat
waving us a welcome home — ^Home, Home, Sweet
Home, there is no place so sweet as Home.
While we were returning home, on learning liiat
April 23rd was my eightieth birthday, Mr. William
White and Rev. Henry E. Brundage, Pastor of
Presbyterian Church, Washington, D. C, among our
tourists, decided to make it one of the most interest-
ing birthdays of my four score years. They took a
book among the tourists for their autograph con-
gratulations. I never dreamed before that I had so
many friends. A copy of these congratulations is
given below.
To
Mr. James B. Corey
on his 80th birthday,
April 23, 1912.
While at sea on board White Star Steamship
**Adriatic'\
12 o^clock noon. Latitude 41.06 North. Longi-
tude 41.05 West
186 MbMOIB and PeBSONAL BsCOIiLECTION.
A BOQUET OF GOOD WISHES.
From some of his fellow travelers returning
from the cruise of the '* Arabic '^
^'A safe retom to your family, and many happy re-
turns of the day are the wishes of your friend,
M. J. Condit'^ *
* * With best wishes for your continued good health
and congratulations.
Mr. & Mrs. John F. Mail,
Denver, Col.*'
**My hearty congratulations. May you live long, be
prosperous and happy.
Hattie May Condif
^'I congratulate you on this your 80th anniversary
of your birth ; and above all that you are still
permitted to do service for Him whom you love
— ^your Redeemer and Eang.
Erwin Jennett'^
^'Each birthday seems an added jewel in your
crown of noble manhood.
William H. White,
Fargo, N.D."
**Each year of a hearty old age is often God's cer-
tificate of approval that the life has been obe-
dient to his laws. Many certificates are evi-
dently yet coming to you. May you enjoy them
Henry E. Brundage,
Pastor, Presbyterian Church.
Washington, D. C."
MbMOIR and PBBSONAIi RsGOLUSCTIOK. 187
^ ^Wishing yon a birthday happy, calm and bright;
Not a shadow near yon, Joy from mom' till night.
L. A. Washburn,
Georgetown, O.'^
'^If through unruffled seas
Toward heaven, we calmly sail;
With grateful hearts, Lord to thee.
We'll own the favoring gale.
Sincerely your friend,
NelUe W.Williams."
**May your days be still prolonged, and the latter
days be the brightest and the best.
Tour friend,
Leighton William ' '.
** Thanks, thanks to. thee my worthy friend
For the lesson thou has taught ;
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought
Very sincerely yours,
Julia Willits William."
**Now we see through a glass darkly,
but then, face to face;
la the sentiment, with best wishes for a happy re-
turn of the day, of
Matthew Woods."
/•
188 MbMOIB AKD PeBSOKAL BECOUiECTION.
* * May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in
1854, saved yon through His precious Blood, be
with you through all the days of your life ; and
may each anniversary of your birth be brighter
and more glorious even unto the end.
Yours for the Master,
Erwin Dennett*'.
^ ^ Congratulations and best wishes to my friend with
silvery hair and the young heart. May Ctod
give you many years to add to your beautiful
life.
Sincerely yours,
Jessie Conaut,
Oak Park, m.**
** There remaineth, therefore, a rest for the people
of God'\ I know that when your work is done
you will enter that * * rest * '. Until then, may you
rest in Him.
Sincerely,
M. H. Stine.*'
**With best wishes for many happy returns of the
day.
Sincerely,
Mrs. M. H. Stine.*'
* * Happy is he who can look back over the achieve-
ments of a lifetime and know that he has not
lived in vain — that he has made the world some-
what better by his presence. Happy is he who
can remember the beauty of the sunrise of life
with all its promise, and yet look upon the
Memoib and Pebsokal Recollection. 189
glories of the evemng with the like feeling of
admiration which was his in the morning of
life, and with a deeper reverance for God and a
larger love for his fellow. I account you such
a one. A man of four score years who remains
young at heart, inspires us all with new energy
a larger hope and a stronger faith. May the
Father bless and keep you.
Fred W. Hendrichs,
Lazelle P. Hendrichs,
Susa Louise Hendrichs,
Brooklyn, N.Y.''
* * We never know too much of pleasure.
Though many a happy day has life.
May fate, then, give you fullest measure,
Of every joy and naught of strife.
Wishing you many happy .birthdays.
Mildred E. Bowman,
Troy, N. Y.^'
^ ^ May your life be full of simshine and happiness to
the very end. The wish of » your friend on the
* Arabic \
Harriet J. Condit,
Boseland, N. J.''
^' As the days go on and t^ie years draw nigh
May your life be happy, without tear or sigh.
Hattie May Condit
* * For you, may each succeeding year bring mem-
ories of this life, so dear.
Mrs. C. M. Bowman,
Troy,N.Y.^^
190 MeMOIB and PhBSOKAIj BsOOIiLBCTION.
'^ThoBe that be planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God. The7
shall bring forth fruit in old age.
Mary J. Condit,
Boselandy N. J.*'
^^ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore,
will I deliver him : I will set him on high, be^
cause he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I NrfU
be with him in trouble ; I will deliver him, and
honor him.
With long life wUl I satisfy him, and shew him my
salvation.
Charles Beach Condit ' '
**Ihope the rest of your life may be as bright as
your birthday.
Sincerely,
Katharine School,
Lebanon, Pa."
'*Glad to know that, our friend of eighty years
(young) on this Arabic Oriental Cruise can
realize the promise true.
To him who has kept in remembrance his Creator
the evil days come not> and the years draw nigh
in which he says he has no pleasure.
When to him time ceases an eternity of immortality
throughout the ages of ages unfolds in all its
glory through Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.
Henry M. Winslow,
Jenn W. Winslow,
Brooklyn, N. Y.'»
Memoib and Personal Bbgollbgtion. 191
'*May our friend to whom the shadow of long years
extend, have many happy returns of this day,
and may the remainder of his life be as cloud-
less and full of sunshine as our tour taken to-
gether with Mr. Clark to the Orient in 1912.
Fanny J. Ridley,
Atlanta, Ga.^'
*^ Permit me to tender congratulations on this your
natal day. May you have many returns.
J. B. Coakley,
Buffalo, N.Y.'^
"So many Gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
And just the art of being kind
Is all this old world needs.
Grace Miller,
Akron, 0."
* * They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength. They shall mount up with wings as
eagles ; they shall run and not be weary ; they
shall walk and not be faint. May health,
strength, peace, and happiness attend you until
the evening shadows gather and then may it be
light with never a night.
Rev. J. H. Hackenberg,
Beading, Pa."
**Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore
love is the fulfilling of the law.
Walter J. Baird,
Lebanon, Tenn. ' '
192 Mbmoib and Pebsonal Recollection.
* * The love of God which passeth all nnderstanding
be with you always, ifi our mutual wish on this
your natal day.
Ghas. Francis,
LUlianM. Fitch.''
'^And there shall be no night there; and they need
no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord
God giveth them light, and they shall reign for-
ever and ever.
Geo. K. AUen.''
''But seek ye first the kingdom of Gx)d, and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be
added unto you. Matt. 6-33.
Henry Harris.*'
''Your life has been an inspiration to me on the 1912
Arabic Cruise. 'Mark the perfect man, and be-
hold the upright, for the end of that man is
peace'. Psalms 37-37.
W. D. Gordon,
Minneapolis, Minn., XT. S. A."
"May fate give you her fullest joy this day, is my
birthday wish.
Mrs. K. C. Burr,
Amsterdam, N. Y. "
"For other foundations can no man lay, than that it
laid which is Jesus Christ
0. K Speer, M. D.,
Tamaqua, Pa."
Memoib and Peksonal Recollection. 193
**I have been young and now am old, but I have not
seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging
bread. Psahn 37-25.
Mrs. J. K. Webster,
The St Regis,
Cleveland, 0.'*
* * Here 's to twenty years more of good health and
happiness. N. L. Bailey. ' '
* * That you may have many more prosperous and
healthful. birthdays is the wish of
Mr. and Mrs. C, E. Reed,
Hastings, Minn. ' '
^^How^'—
Mr. and Mrs. Jno. F. Mail,
Denver, Col.''
** Wishing you many happy returns of the day, we
are
' Tours sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Smith. ' '
*^ *The God I will judge the right', Rameses H.
Charles Wright,
Detroit, Mich."
'^A good thought often elevates the mind, and i may
lead to a good action, or a generous resolution.
E. P. Clarke,
Springfield, Mass."
' ' Best wishes and happiness.
B. C. Maud Speer, M. D.,
Tamaqua, Pa. ' '
194 Memoib and Pebsonal Begolleotion.
* * May you live many years to . enjoy the remem-
brance of Cruise 1912.
C. M. Bowman, Troy, N. Y/'
*^ Wishing you many happy returns of the day.
Helen Peters. '^
'*Only a ship's passing acquaintance, but a friend's
a friend for a' that In the eventide there shall
^ ^^«^*- Ida M. Clarke,
Edmonton, Canada. ' '
**Kind wishes and congratulations from
Mrs. J. Clifford Nickels.''
* * Congratulations , on your birthday and the posses-
sion of a devoted daughter.
Ella Sprague Bill,
Springfield, Mass."
"Heartiest congratulations from ^
Mona Windish Sullivan,
Cincinnati, 0.
Adele Schwartz,
Hamilton, O."
* ^ Best wishes and congratulations.
Carolyne I Lee, Kansas City, Mo.'*
^May the remainder of your days be filled with sun-
shine . and contentment is the wish of your
Arabic friends, cruise of 1912.
W. E. Daniels, M. D.,
Mabel A. Daniels,
Madison, S.yD."
Memoib and Personal. Recollection. 195
*'Best wishes for many more happy birthdays.
Hora A. Lee,
I Kansas City, Mo. ' '
^i
May many, many happy years be added to your
sum, and late at last— in tenderest love — the
beckoning angel come. ,
Mr. and Mrs. Heber C. Peters.'*
•''With all good wishes for many happy birthdays.
, Priedericka C. Eymarzick. ' '
** Wishing you many returns of the day. With very
kindest regards and best wishes.
Gilbert T.c Raff erty.'*
*^* Hoping that you will have many more happy birth-
days.
, William J. Smith,
34 Grammercy Park,
New York City.''
^''Lord, keep my memory green — Dickens.
. S. H. Rhodes.''
**Best wishes to one of the best travelers on the
1912 cruise.
^T. F. O'Rourke,
Derby Line, Vermont. ' '
*** Hearty congratulations from a fellow traveler on
the * Adriatic'. <
D. DlQis."
196 Memoir and Pebsonal Beoollection.
Chapter 7
Experiences with Oath-Bound Secret Societies-
And Correspondence Regarding Them.
I never belonged but to one oath-bound secret
society, and was the cause of its disruption, after
eighteen months ' experience as the Secretary of the
order. It was called ** The Temple of Honor*', (a
more appropriate title would have been * * The Tem-
ple of Dishonor *'). Like all secret orders, it sailed
under false colors in appealing to the public for
patronage and support, and like Free Masonry, they
adopted high sounding titles and phrases to cover
up the real deception arid fraud underneath them.
The Temple of Honor publicly proclaimed that the
chief object in the organization of the order was to
prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating
liquors.
In the Fall of 1852, the only storekeeper in the
town of Port Perry, from whom the lodge had
rented two rooms in the second story of his store,
knowing my temperance sentiments prevailed upon
me to^ apply for membership, which I did ; and on
the night appointed, I was initiated by what, to me
although little past 21 years old, was the most dis-
^sting experience of my life. Had I known what a
travesty upon common sense and decency awaited
me, no incentive within the power of the little town
would have induced me to have consented to the in-
fix cm i ty upon my manhood.
I was a young coal boat Pilot, having piloted a
pair of boats before I was 18 years old, and pub-
hshed from Pittsburgh to New Orleans as *^The Boy
Pilot'' which brought me to the head of the profes-
sion and insured me a trip when there was a rise in
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 197
the river. It gave me a standing in the commnnity
and naturally made me feel proud, and if I made no
mistake my success in life was assured ; but when
the bandage was removed from my eyes and I saw
the class of men I was to associate with, great as
was the feeling of indignation at the initiation
through which I had passed, my surprise and con-
tempt for the sham which had been perpetrated on
me was, if possible, increased, and had I had the
courage, I would have then withdrew. The Chief
Templar was a renegade Catholic, who as a pilot had
been very successful, and yet rarely made a trip that
he did not get into trouble from imbibing too much
liquor or some other dissolute act. Then there were
Coal Operators, along with a number of other Pilots
and hands whom I knew had no affinity for me and I
had none for them, but they pretended to be de-
lighted that I had joined the lodge.
This one instance of the lack of manly courage,
and to stand by the principles that my mother had
instilled into my youthful mind, has all my life been
a cause of regret. Had I given heed to the prayer
of Job 32, 21-22, **Let me not, I pray you, accept any
man's person; neither let me give flattering titles
unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles,
in so doing, my Maker would soon take me away".
It would have saved me from unpleasant recollec-
tions. But while I was trying to formulate a reply
to their congratulations, one of the Pilots nomi-
nated me for Secretary of the lodge, seconded by one
of the Operators. I was fairly carried to the desk
and the record book placed in my hands. There
were few, if any, of the members capable of acting
as their secretary, and I think this perhaps was the
cause of their rejoicing over the new addition to
their membership.
Neglect of giving heed to another admonition of
the Good Book, Romans, 3-8, where Paul resented
198 Memoir akd Pebsonal BECOiiLECTioN.
the slander of doing evil that good may come whose
damnation is just, and the hope of reforming the
lodge and have it abolish its silly initiary manner of
receiving its members, for the moment caused me to
forget taking the obligation^ (If such a promise taken
in that way, is an obligation) to answer the sign of
distress of a brother Templar and prefer him in
business to another. I accepted the office of secre-
tary and for eighteen months, once a month, when at
home, I performed the duties of the office to ttie
satisfaction of the members.
My disgust with the conduct of the lodge as a
reformatory organization increased the more famil-
iar I became with it, especially as I saw that moral
principles and integrity of character seemed to be
secondary oonsiderations in their associations with
each other. Their chief motive was to aid each
other in taking advantage of an outsider, regardless
of conamon honesty, and I saw that the principles in-
stalled into my mind, that a good name was rather to
be chosen than great riches, was looked upon by the
majority as not in harmony with the object in or-
ganizing the lodge. Another fact which, as the
Secretary, I soon learned, increased my disgust with
the whole affair. It was that the grand lodge
claimed a percentage of all the money received in
initiating new members, and they were insisting up-
on the amount due them, $375.00. I was impatiently
waiting for an excuse to resign and withdraw from
the lodge, and I did not have to wait long until the
golden opportunity arrived.
One of the duties of the ooal boat Pilot was the
hiring of his own crew of hands. This gave him an
influence with the hands on the boats not unlike that
of a Captain on a steamboat or sl\ip, which insured
obedience to his orders. The wages of the Pilots
and hands were so much per trip. Hands received
from $18 to $20 to Louisville and $40 to $60 to New
Mbmoib and Personal Recollection. 199
Orleans, while Pilots received $100 to Louisville and
$400 to New Orleans. This also gave the pilots an
influence with the common laboring men in the town.
It was a duty the pilot owed the owner of the boats,
as well as his own interests, to hire the best and
most capable hands he could get, a good crew of
hands being as essential as a good Pilot. I was
hiring a crew right in front of the building where
our lodge held its meetings, and needed one man to
make out our full crew. I was in the act of hiring
John M , whom I knew to be a reliable and ex-
perienced boatman, when one of my brothers in the
lodge, James Madison L threw me the lodge
sign, knowing what it meant. I stepped up to him
and said: *'Mad, (his nickname) you need not throw
that sign to me — ^I will not respect iV\ I hired John
M . . and started out with the boats, making the
trip safely.
When I came home I was served with notice that
**Mad'^ brought charges against me for violation of
my obligation as a member of the lodge. Tuesday
night was the regular meeting night of the lodge,
and the rumor that J. B. Corey was to be tried for
violating his oath in not respecting Mad L 's sign,
thrown, when hiring his crew, insured a full attend-
ance of everybody in the lodge, and twice as many
others who waited outside the lodge room to hear the
result When the Chief Templar said, **Bead the
rolP ' I promptly called off the names to which the;
word *^ present^' resounded through the hall. When
order was restored the Chief Templar then read the
charges against me, and asked me if I had any reply
to make as to why a Committee should not be ap-
pointed to hear the charges. I said: ** No, I am
guilty of doing what he charges me with, and my
only defense is that the obligation is one no honest
man ought to take. George Ledlie hired me to pilot
the boats and it was my duty, as an honest man, to
200 Memoir and Personal Recollection.
employ the best and most experienced crew I could
get ; besides it was to my own interests, as well, to
have the best hands I could get You, Mr. Chief
Templar, know that between Mad L and John
M there is no comparison, and you, yourself,
would not hire Mad in preference to John, and no
owner or pilot in this lodge would have done differ-
ent from what I did. I was persuaded to join the
lodge on pretense of Temperance, and prohibition of
whiskey being manufactured and sold was its main
object, but you know that it is neither the object or
the desire of the majority of this lodge to prevent
either its manufacture or sale, and as the Bible says
two cannot walk together, I am here to pay my dues
and withdraw ' ^ The Chief Templar replied to me :
* ^ You are under charges and you cannot withdraw
without the consent of the majority of the members ;
I will put it to a vote and if they consent, you can
withdraw''. A vote was taken, and the majority in-
sisted that I could not withdraw without receiving
the censure of the chair, as I plead ** guilty''. I did
not object to this, went forward, and the Chief
Templar pronounced his censure. I then paid bal-
ance due and withdrew from the lodge. The others
remained at the lodge to decide what they would do
in regard to the money due the Grand Lodge. The
owners and pilots saw that if the principles on which
I was compelled to leave were to prevail, it was not
a very desirable association and they persuaded the
other members, many of whom, were behind in their
dues, voted not to send the money to the Grand
Lodge, but take it and go on a grand drunk. This
was agreed to on a Tuesday and on Saturday they
started in to have a good time. * * Whiskey in, Wit is
out". There was only one tavern in the town and
they started in to clean it out, but the landlord was
a Penna. Dutchman, and not being easy to clean out,
took an iron poker and broke the Chief Templar's
Memoib and Pbbsonal Recollection. 201
arm, (the one who had sentenced me four nights be-
fore) and the others were only too glad to escape
without broken heads. This resulted in the disrup-
tion of the Temple of Honor Lodge and the organi-
zation of the Good Templars throughout the United
States.
The cream in the cocoanut in these secret so-
cieties, is the receipts that the Grand Lodge re-
ceives for issuing charters. The great hue and cry
over corrupt abuse of corporations should result in
the exposure of one of, if not the most, corrupt com-
binations in the U. S., that of the Grand Lodge which
arbitrarily takes advantage of the ignorance and
duplicity of the masses and enrich themselves by
prostituting our civil government to avarice and
greed.
BuBNED MY Hands a Second Time on Same
Hot Iron.
The reader would think that an experience such
as above related should prevent a man of ordinary
conmion sense from burning his hands a second time,
but it was only a month or so until the same man
who had persuaded me to become a member of the
Temple of Honor said to me : * ^ J. B., we are going
to organize an Odd Fellows Lodge, and we want you
to become one of the charter members ' \ I replied :
* ' No, Mark, no more lodge in mine ; you got me to
n'oin the Temple of Honor, one of the biggest shams
I ever had anything to do with'\ But after palaver-
ing me with the great good they did in helping their
members in distress, I consented to be one of the
charter members and gave him the $5.00 fee asked.
They have this fee yet, which at compound interest
amounts to $
On going home and telling my wife and her
father, and my mother, what I had done, they said :
202 Memoib and Pebsonal BbgoliLectiok.
**Is it possible that you would allow Mark B to
pull the wool over your eyes a second timet'^ On
thinking it over, I decided I would tell Mark that my
wife and family were all opposed to my becoming an
Odd Fellow. He told me to go up to the lodge at
McKeesport, where he had sent my $5 and tell them
I decided not to become a member and secure the $5.
I decided I would not play the **baby acf but would
let them keep my money. However, on talking it
over with several others, we decided to go up and
ask them to return our money, which we did. Reach-
ing the hall about an hour before their meeting time,
we were standing in front of the building. When
the members came, the most of them were coal boat-
men, they went on into the lodge, intending to send a
committee down to invite us up, and did not even
speak to us, evidently because most of them did not
have any too much love for me. Therefore, I started
up whining about their treating us so shabby, saying
I was going to walk home and save my 25 cents on the
boat and started for home, the rest following me.
When the committee came down and found we had
gone, they were indignant and surprised, and sent a
committee on the packet boat next morning to learn
the reason. We told them they had treated us shabby,
as we pretended, and that we had decided we had no
desire to unite with such an order. Most of them
promised to return for initiation, but two or three
besides myself refused and they promised to return
our $5, but they still have it. I was only too glad to
get out of the hole that a little soft sodder had put
me in. Most of those men are dead, some of them
more than half a centruy. In after years, frequently
pilots and hands on the flat boats would say to me:
J. B,, your head was leveP' or, ** J. B., you showed
your good sense in not joining the lodge '\
I do not recall a single instance of any one ever
saying to me that I had made a mistake in not join-
Memoib and Pbbsonal. Beoollection. 203
iiig the lodge. I recall the miserable failure that the
majority of the pilots and hands who became mem-
bers of the lodge, made, both at Port Perry and Mc-
Keesport; also the domestic troubles which befell
them and their families, that were attributed to their
lodge associations.* For all these reasons, there-
fore, when recalling my own experience I feel as
though I had escaped by the skin of my teeth.
My next experience with secret orders was after
I was converted and appointed a class leader in the
M. E. Church. I soon found out when trying to col-
lect money for the support of the preacher that the
majority who failed to pay their quarterage were
lodge members who used tiieir dues to lodge as an
excuse for not saving money enough to pay the
preachers and requested their names to be taken off
the class book. I also later learned that a number
of the preachers belonged to the lodge.
Free Mason Methodist Preachers.
I will digress here and relate two incidents in
my early religious experiences. I had not heard of
the murder of Wm. Morgan for revealing the secrets
of Free Masonry in 1828, and was ignorant of the
diabolical principles that predominate in oath-bound
secretism.
The Eev. David Hess, in charge of the Port
Perry circuit with its three appointments, held at
Port Perry in the winter of 1858, the biggest revival
ever held in the little brick meeting house, adding
over 100 members to the society. We received our
mail once a week. On Saturday morning, I went to
the post o£Sce for my letters. The first one I opened
was from Rev. Dr. Cox, telling me that Rev. Bell of
the Central M. E. Church had died, and that he had
transferred Brother Hess to fill his appointment ;
and appointed Rev. Page Blackburn (who had been
204 Memoir and Pebsonal BecoijLECTion.
on the snperanuated list) to preac^ for us until con-
ference sent him to us. The Post Office being right
at the Lock, and Captain B. L Wood, being one of the
stewards and a leading member in our society, I
went across and showed him the letter. We both
a^eed we were being made a cats-paw to pull the
rich city *s chestnuts out of the fire, but as the time
for preaching was 10 :30 Sabbath, we decided not to
do anything in the matter until we heard Brother B.
preach, but I did not have to wait that long,
for when I reached our home at Saltsburg, I found
Brother B at my house with a letter from Dr.
C relating the above facts, and saying he
wanted me to take good care of Brother B , aa
he knew we would all be pleased with his appoint-
ment. My wife and I were very favorably im-
pressed with him, at family worship morning and
evening, I felt sure that Dr. Cox had not treated us
as we suspected he had. The news of the change of
preacher drew a large congregation who were de-
lighted with the new preacher. He was our preacher
for the next two years, in which he grew in favor
and affection of the congregation. When Dr. Cox
held our quarterly meeting I asked him why he had
sent Brother B to us and Brother H to
fill out Brother Hess's term. He replied that he
saw the opportunity to do us a good thing and there
was not an appointment in his district that interested
him as much as the Port Perry circuit This made
the presiding Elder solid. In 1860, Brother W. H.
Locke became our preacher and filled the pulpit over
a year, when he resigned to accept an appointment as
Chaplain in one of the regiments enlisted to defend
the City of Washington.
Locke was a bright young man, a good preacher,
and being about my own age, we became fast friends.
Being a member of the Masonic Order, he took it into
his head that I would make a good Mason, and sug-
Memoib and Pbbsonaii Bsgollection. 205
gested one day that I ought to make application to*
join the order. I told him that my experience with
the Temple of Honor and Odd Fellows had cured me
of all desire to belong to a secret order. He replied :
**You are a pilot and you know you are caught in
storms, and lose your boats and whole crews are
drowned. If you were a Mason you could throw a
sign to a Captain of a steamboat which would make
him bound to come to your rescue^'. I said:
'^Brother L , if he had not humanity to come
to the rescue of 20 men whose lives wer^ in peril, he
might shut his eyes to the Masonic sign of distress.
He then replied : ** You had Brother Hess as your
pastor and was paying him $300 a year. Brother
Bell, pastor of the Central M. E, Church, who re-
ceived $800 per year died. Brother Blackburn, who
had been on superanuated list from sickness was con-
valescent and applied for an appointment at the ses-
sion of conference and there being no vacancy, he
was entitled to the first one occurring. However,
Brother Hess was a Mason, so was Dr. (J!Jox, the
Presiding Elder, who makes the appointments dur-
ing the interim between conferences, and he trans-
ferred Brother Hes3 to the Central where for two
years he was paid $800 a year and Brother Black-
bum at Port Perry received $300''. When Locke
told me this, I sprang to my feet and excitedly said :
'* Brother L there is more honor among
thieves. We coal boat pilots would not take a pair
of boats to which another pilot was entitled, and you
preachers pretending to be called to preach the Gos-
pel and that the oonf erence was a big wheel which
dropped off the preacher at the point that God in-
tended them to fill ; and you Masons manipulate the
wheel so that your brother Masons drop off where
the big salaries are paid. If those are. the facts, no
Freemason will rake in any more of my money in
the future ' '. By this time we were both as excited
1
206 Memoib and Pbbsonal Becollbotion.
as our stock of grace warranted. My wife called
down from the head of the stairs, saying : ^ ^ Did you
know it was bed tunef Mrs. Locke and I are not go-
ing to sit up and listen to you wrangling about secret
oraers ' ^ We started up for our beds without stop-
ping to say our prayers and slept too long for family
worship the next morning. After breakfast Brother
and Sister L started for home, it being the last
meal they ever ate in our house. In a few months
he received his appointment and I do not remember
ever seeing him again, but I had learned the truth
about Dr. Cox's appointing Brother Hess to fill
Brother Bell's appointment, which ever after, shook
my faith in the Divine call to preach, and the M. B.
C. conference dropping off preachers at stations he
designated them to fill.
My next tilt with Masonic preachers was over
the following article, published in the Pittsburgh
Christian Advocate, July 25, 1864, protesting
against laying comer stones of M. E. Churches with
Masonic ceremonies.
Laying Cobneb Stones op Chubches With
Masonic Cebemonies.
Is it right to have Masons officiate at the laying
of the comer-stones of our churches ? Is it best, is
it fitting? It caonot be. I was reading not long
since. Brick Pomeroy, in the LaCrosse Democrat, on
the late general conference, a low, abusive, wretched
article. Yet Brick Pomeroy is a good Master
Mason, to whom the preacher must play the second
fiddle in laying the corner-stones of new churches
where the Masonic Order officiates. Now this is a
specimen Brick for some of our progressive
preachers, who may need some good Freemason to
lay corner-stones of churches with the imposing
ceremony of this knightly order. A good brother in
the church told me the other day, if I wished to know
Memoir and Pebsokal Becolleotion. 207
what Masonry is, to get the LaCrosse Democrat, and
read it I suppose, Brick, having established his
credit as an authority on Masonry, has concluded to
try it on Methodism. I know there is no accounting
of taste; but the fellow-shipping of Methodist
preachers with such a specimen Brick, as Brick
Pomeroy in an order combining so many excellencies
as to take the precedence of the Church of Christ (as
we have learned it) in laying the foundations of his
temples, is so misty that nothing short of an article
from the editor calling out some of these progressive
divines in its defense will ever clear up the mystery.
I wish some good Freemason preacher would ex-
plain this point The seeming inconsistency to my
mind is, if Masonry is better than Methodism, why
not embrace it directly and preach it directly to the
people ? If it is not as good, why substitute it for
Methodism? If, as they profess, they were called of
God to preach his Gospel to poor sinners, through
which channel were they commissioned to convey the
glad tidings ? Is not the substituting of the cere-
monies of the Freemasons, or those of any other
midnight clan for the services of Methodism, as we
have learned them, on the part of the persons pro-
fessing to have received this divine call to preach,
the most conclusive evidence that he was mistaken in
his being called, yea, is it not more ; is it not an un-
pardonable fraud on the church?
Now a word or two upon this divine call. What
is implied by it? If an individual has a claim on
me, and he takes my note or promise to pay for his
claim, I understand him to have confidence in my
ability, as well as my honesty, to pay. If he re-
quires an endorser, I understand at once that he has
doubts either in my ability or integrity, one or both.
Now in reference to the call— of which we hear so
much — ^what is it? On the one part, God calls the
man to go into all the world and preach the Gospel,
208 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbction.
with the promise : * ' Lo ! I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world ' \ On the other hand, tho
man accepts the call and begins to prjeach the Gospel
of Christ, proclaiming to all around that ** Godliness
is profitable unto all things ; having the promise of
the life that now is, and of that which is to come".
**Buf , says the Mason preacher (for actions speak
louder than words) '*I must have an endorser. To
make the first part of the promise good, I must have
Freemason written upon the back of it". Is not this
the measure of your faith, Mr. Mason preacher? If
not, why not execute the divine call through one or
the other of the channels f On this point, I raise
the question. I never gave a dollar to the support
of the Church but what I intended to be applied to
the discharging of the claim the claimant had upon
God. In making good his promise as to ' ' the life
that now is " ; or in other words, God, in the use of
human instrumentalities, claims at our hands the
support of his chosen servants ; and in contributing
to the support of the ministry, I so understand it
And now, if, in honoring these drafts, I have paid
any with the endorsements above, I have no hesi-
tancy in pronouncing them a forgery, as I don't be-
lieve God would accept the service of so faithless
and unbelieving a servant. And in the future, any
money extracted from me under the pretense of ex-
tending the Gospel, to be applied to tiie payment of
any one having the endorsement aforesaid, will be a
dear case of false pretense ^ I will never pay it> if
I am aware of it.
This being the measure of my faith in the divine
call in these cases, I simply make this personal allu-
sion in order to make plain the point, I wish to get
out, viz. : That in contributing to the support of the
ministry, it is done, with the understanding and
under the impression that the man is called of God,
and that he has taken God for his support ; and we
I
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 209
bnt obey his requirements in yielding the support or
claim of his servants which duty requires. But we
sliould guard against imposters, or wolves in sheep 's
olothing ; the best possible evidence of which is a
claim with the above endorsement. Now, I wish to
enter my protest against the high-handed outrage of
involving a church or society, without their consent,
to the support of principles and sentiments that are
revolting to the sense and honor of every intelligent
and honest person. And I call upon every lover of
our church to resent every such innovation in our
economy, and to discountenance this most doubtful
practice, on the part of our ministers, and laity, of
uniting with secret societies, where nothing more
than some dark oath is required to hold them to-
gether, and where they must necessarily recognize
such a vile person as Brick Pomeroy, as hale fellow
and good brother. No, Mr. Mason preacher, if
Masonry has more claims and greater inducements
than the church, then embrace it; but leave us, who
prefer the church, to the peaceful, quiet, enjoyment
of the old ship of Zion. We want no Mason planks,
spars, or wheels ; no Mason captains, pilots, cham-
bermaids or cooks ; no Mason life boats or life pre-
servers. Having taken passage in the * * Old Ship ' ',
with our noble captain, we expect to out-weather
every storm, carry safely home all our passengers ;
when we get into port, we neither want to divide
costs, profits, or praise. So, if you are willing, we
will each paddle our own canoe.
P. S. Being at that time a pilot on the Ohio
Eiver, will account for the boatman ^s phrases and
figures of speech.
This resulted in my withdrawing from the
Methodist Episcopal Church in which, so to speak, I
had been bom and raised, and becoming a strong
anti-Mason and now at 82 years of age, looking as it
210 Memoib and Personal Becollection.
were into the grave, I do not regret the stand I took
on this, to me the sum of all villiany. Having ear-
nestly read the Bible through 21 times, one chapter
each day (as follows: St. James Version 8 times.
New Version, the same chapter 4 times, two other
versions, same chapter same day, in all 21 times and
one of my readings was with Dr. Adam Clark's com-
ments on each chapter), and with no unkind feeling
towards any member of the Masonic Order, nor envy
or jealousy of the members of any, I cannot possibly
see how any man can possibly hope to escape the
great day of His wrath except by Godly sorrows and
heart-felt repentance and confession and repentance
of the sin.
And of all the * * isms ' ' by which the Devil al-
lures men and women from the straight and narrow
path leading to heaven, oath-bound secret *4sm" is
his most successful '4sm''.
My article on laying ** Comer-Stones of
Churches with Masonic Ceremonies'' was subse-
quently re-published in **The Free Methodist" of
March 19th, 1884, and in the March 26th, 1885, issue
of the same paper I published the following article in
explanation of having written the article :
**I continue the subject of my after experience,
Bnd the workings of oath-bound secret orders, and
their influence in the church. At the time I wrote
this article, I have no recollection of ever seeing any-
thing on the subject of secret societies. I had never
heard of the Morgan affair and the anti-Masonic ex-
citement of 1826-8, resulting therefrom, nor of
President Finney's book. A United Presbyterian
preacher on hearing of my article in the Advocate
and the stir it made among some M. E. Preachers,
asked me if I had read Morgan's book on Masonry.
I told him I had not. He referred me to TJ. P. book
store and advised me to get it, which I did. I also
bought a copy of all the different books they had on
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 211
secret societies, and was surprised to see the excite-
ment and interest that had been occasioned by
Masonry and Anti-Masonry, and no mention of it in
many of the secular or religious papers. I had read of
Knights of the Golden Circle, and kindred orders of
a political nature, as being instrumental in bringing
about the rebellion of the southern states, and the
Ku Klux, Cross-bones, etc., of the slaveholders, but
I had seen nothing in regard to Masonry and Odd
Fellowship.
I had not heard of the Free Methodist Church
Organization. Occasionally some writer in the
Pittsburgh Advocate would refer to the Nazarite
movement in the Genesee Conf erenc, which led me to
think there were some crazy fanatics in the State of
New York that ought to be in a lunatic asylum. In
fact, I knew nothing of the workings or horrible
oaths and death penalties of Freemasonry, and cared
less.
The occasion of my writing the article was the
indignation I felt on reading a vile, slanderous, abu-
sive article published by Brick Pomeroy in the La^
Crosse Democrat, and copied into the secular press,*
in which Brick had described the General Conference
of the M. E. Church in session at Chicago, as an as-
sembly of adulterers and libertines, and warned the
citizens of Chicago to guard their wives and daugh-
ters from coming in contact with these clerical
lecherous villians, and other such vile epithets. I
was returning from General Conference (where I
had gone as a visitor) to see old Peter Cartwright,
and to hear Morley Punshon, fraternal delegate
from England, preach. On my way home, a Pitts-
burgh paper fell into my hands on the train, that had
copied this vile article, and also had notice of Brick
Pomeroy 's being presented by Master Masons at St.
Louis with Past Master Mason jewels. This, and a
Pittsburgh Conference preacher by name of J. J.
212 Memoib and Pebsokal Bbcollection.
McUlyar, laying the comer-stone of one of our
ohnrohes with Masonic ceremonies, was the imme-
diate cause of this article. I handed it to Dr. S. H.
Nesbit, Editor of the Advocate, who, in reading it,
said if I had sent it to him to General Conference he
would have had them pass resolutions condemning
the innovation of Masonry into our church services.
But when this article stirred the fraternity and they
poured in on him their replies, and I wanted to reply
again, he came to me saying : * * I know you are rights
but if we allow the controversy to go on, it will stir
up strife and possibly cause a movement similar to
the Nazarite movement in the Genessee Confer-
ence ' '. He then told me Masonry was the starting
cause of that trouble, etc.
Not having had very strong convictions on the
subject, and those which I had formed were more
from my observation of the influence of Odd Fellows
and secret temperance societies on our members and
young converts who were allured into this order, 1
took his advice and dropped the matter, as I sup-
posed. But this was not to be. I had incurred dis-
pleasure of the mystic order, and good brethren in
the church and ministers who heretofore manifested
so much love for me, and who I never dreamed of
being Masons, much less had intended to offend, be-
came estranged and cool towards me. Three years
after the writing of the article a preacher whom I did
not know, except by the Conference reports, came on
to the circuit to take (as a friend afterwards told
me another Mason preacher told him) "the kinks out
of me''. On learning this, I asked the same
preacher if he had so told this man, and he admitted
that he did, and when cornered up, gave as a reason
the writing of this same article. This may seem in-
credible and childish, but yet it is true.
Let this suffice for an excuse for the republish-
ing of the article. And if you will allow the space,
Memoib and Personal Becollbction. 213-
I will try and show wherein God caused the wrath of
men to praise Him^ etc. and how, what at the time
seemed to me to be the greatest trial and calamity of
my life, turned out to be the greatest blessing '\
As of probable interest, I will now quote my va-
rious correspondence upon the subject of secret
societies.
Pittsburgh, Pa., July 29th, 1905.
Hon. John Weaver,
Mayor, Philadelphia, Pa. ,
My Dear Sir : —
You will please find a copy of letter and extracts
from letters of one of the ablest Presidents, and
wisest political economists this country has ever
produced. I mailed a copy to Mrs. Roosevelt, Hon*
Elihu Boot, Charles J. Bonaparte, Secretary. Wilson
and Postmaster General Cortelyou. My object in
sending these copies to Mrs. Boosevelt and the mem^
bers of the Cabinet was : First, to call the Presi-
dent 's attention to the most prominent source and
cause of all these corrupt grafts and scandals whick
are disgracing the American people in tibe eyes of
the civilized world. Second, to even up wittk
** Teddy ^', for the great outrage he i>erpetrated oft
the American people in publicly advising young meit
to become members of the Masonic Order. Thirds
I am in hopes of awakening the American people tOt
the most prominent ^augie and means of all these
public scandals that are disgracing our nation andi
people in the eyes of the ^vhole worldi. Now, dear
Mayor Weaver, it would take up too much of your
own time for you to attempt to read these- letters
and extracts ; but if you will have the North Amerir
can publish them, I thwk you will strike the thieves*
plundering our municipal, State and National' QtoV"
ernments right between the eyes. As I call to mind
214 Memoib and Pebsonal Becoixectiok.
the names of the men in the past who have robbed
our public treasuries, in every instance they were
members of the Masonic order, and I venture the as-
sertion that you will find that the grafters you are
contending with are members of this order. You
need not hope * * to bring a clean thing out of an un-
clean^', nor **do anything against truth '\ All
human experiences demonstrate that **What we sow
we shall reap * '. I am, dear sir.
Yours respectfully,
J. B. Corey.
Httsburgh, Pa., July 27th, 1905.
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt,
Oyster Bay, N. Y.
My dear Mrs. Roosevelt : —
You will pardon this trespass on your time and
patience. I recently read in your city newspapers
an account of your being elected to the Vice Presi-
dency of the Mothers' National Association, and
that the object of the association is to elevate our
American mothers ' influence upon the manhood and
womanhood of our nation. It occurred to me that in
view of the manifest need of a higher standard both
of the manhood and womanhood of our nation, as is
evidenced in the great increase of crime and di-
vorces, no more worthy objects or associations could
appeal to the first lady of the land for encourage-
ment and assistance. The increase of divorces
alone, that of 780 per cent, to 170 per cent of in-
crease of population, or 800,000, to 69 on Canada in
32 years, would seem to call upon the mothers of our
nations to arise and ask why this degenerate state
and condition of American man and womanhood.
Why, dear Mrs. Roosevelt, in one day last week
there was presented in our Allegheny County courts
petitions for 14 divorces or one-fifth as many as
Memoir and Personal. Recollection. 215
were divorced in Canada in 32 years. I see it stated
that in New York there is one divorce in every 32
marriages ; in Pennsylvania, one in every 22 mar-
riages ; in some of the Western States, one in every
six marriages. That a higher state of manhood and
womanhood is needed requires no argument to
prove, and that no other injfluenoe offers stronger
hopes than that of good mothers, I think is equally
true. But from an experience of over 52 years as a
husband and that also of father and grandfather, I
am fully persuaded that a mother's influence begins,
and continues, as a wife upon her husband and the
father of her children. I assure you that my own
experience and observation convince me that many a
good mother's efforts and influence have been ren-
dered nugatory through the bad precept and ex-
ample of the husband and father.
As I read of the organization of the Mothers'
National Association, I felt an inward desire to aid
so worthy an association. In reflecting upon the
subject, the various hindrances and difficulties your
association would encounter presented themselves to
my mind; none seem to be greater than those of de-
generate husbands and fathers. In dwelling upon
the numerous evil tendencies of bad husbands and
fathers, aside from the unregenerate human nature,
there are some prominent and leading evils in our
social and political system that greatly increase the
degenerate habits of husbands and fathers in our
land. The most prominent and popular evil habit of
men, and which I think will greatly add to the diffi-
culties of the Mothers' National Association is that
of oath-bound secret societies. That you may be
able to fully realize the magnitude of this great evil
and may not attribute the statement to an old man
in his dotage, I mail you a book published by one of
your husband's most illustrious predecessors, His
Excellency, John Quincy Adams, whom I do not
216 Mbmoib and PsBSONAii Bbcolusction.
think had a superior, if an equal, in the White House.
I hope you will find time to read what President
Adams says about the evil and degenerate influence
of Freemasonry upon the manhood of our people.
I also send you a book entitled ' * Freemasonry ' ',
illustrated by Bev. Charles Blanchard, one of the
noblest, purest of Christian ministers this nation
ever had. But you, yourself, if you stop to consider,
cannot fail to see the degrading effects such blood-
curdling, barbarous oaths must have upon young
men. Take that of a man swearing under no less
penalty than that of having his throat cut from ear
to ear, etc., that he will not take part in initiating a
madman, hermaphrodite, or woman, placing his
mother, sister, wife, or daughter upon the same
level as that of an idiot, or hermaphrodite, or that of
a Master Mason swearing that he will not commit
adultery or prostitute Master Mason ^s mother, sis-
ter, wife, or daughter, he knowing them to be such,
etc. Wiell, I send you a copy of a reply to a Masonic
friend who attacked me, in which you will see how
far that oath restrains their evil passions. I feel
sure that any intelligent mother would not like to see
her own son or daughter become subject to such de-
grading influences, and I call your National Mothers '
Association to this one man-degrading influence as
one of the greatest evils crying for reform in our na-
tion today. I am, dear Mrs. Boosevelt,
With sincere respect,
J. B. Corey.
Pittsburgh, Pa., July 26th, 1905.
Hon. Elihu Boot, Secretary of State,
Washington, D. C.
My dear Sir : —
Will you permit a citizen of Pennsylvania to
thank you for the great service you rendered the
Memoib and Pebsonal BeColxsotioh. 217
citizens of the Keystone State by the aid given His
Honor, Mayor Weaver. It would be impossible,
dear Mr. Boot, to exaggerate the importance of your
most timely service and advice to the people of
Pennsylvania, in particular, and to the American
people in general. I enclose you a copy of a letter to
Mrs. Theodore W. Bimey and Mrs. Theodore Boose-
velt, President and Vice-President respectively, of
the American Mothers ' National Association, with
extracts of letters from one of President Boosevelt^s
most illustrious predecessors, His Excellency, John
Quincy Adams. You will notice, Mr. Boot, that
President Adams in his controversy with Colonel
Stone, very clearly predicted the corrupt state and
condition of things which are disgracing the Ameri-
can people in the eyes of the civilized world today.
I most earnestly hope you will be able to call Presi-
dent Boosevelt's attentoin to the necessity of going
down to the very root of all these public scandals,
and how hopeless will be the eflfort to secure any real
reform while the public offices are filled with men
who are bound under penalties of having their
throats cut from ear to ear, to answer a brother's
cry of distress. I am, dear sir,
Very respectfully,
J. B. Corey.
J. B. CoBEY TO Pbivatb Dalzbll.
Open Letter.
Private Dalzell,
Washington, D. C.
My dear Sir : —
I read witii interest your letter in today's Dis-
patch, taking issue with His Honor, Judge Taft, Sec-
retary of War, on the degeneracy of our American
jury system. If you will permit a layman to sug-
gest^ I will venture to say that both you and Judge
Taft are right as to the condition of our legal af-
218 Memoib and Personal Recollection.
fairs in our courts of justice, but I am also of the
opinion that you are both oflf as to the best remedy
for the evils complained of. This, I think, arises
from a wrong diagnosis of the case.
I unhesitatingly affirm it is a case of degeneracy
of the whole people — or, in the language of** Holy
Writ '^, it is a case of **Like people, like Priest".
This being true, the only possible hope of reforming
the evil lies in the regeneration of the people. This
with the experience of the past ages, leaves us a for-
lorn hope ; but, as I take it, the most that you and
Judge Taft expect or hope to accomplish is to
limit the effect of the evil conditions by which our
social, political and moral relations are surrounded.
That is, put off the evil day as long as possible.
If I were to make a suggestion as to the best
way of reforming the abuses of which you and Judge
Taft complain in our legal proceedings or law courts,
I would call your attention to the prophecy of one of
President Roosevelt ^s predecessors, President John
Quincy Adams, who predicted this very state of
things of which you and Judge Taft complain. Presi-
dent John Adams asks this question, * * What must be
the effect upon our courts and juries when the oath-
bound Masonic criminal in the box throws the grand
hailing sign of distress, or gives the wink to the
Freemason Judge on the bench, who has sworn to
have his throat cut from ear to ear if he does not go
the length of his cable tow to answer his criminal
brother's cry of distress?" And yet President
Roosevelt recommends all our young men to become
Freemasons.
Now, dear Private Dalzell, what we sow, we
shall also reap. We can do nothing against the
truth ; but for truth, I am, dear sir,
Respectfully yours,
J. B. Corey.
Pittsburgh, Pa., July 3.
Memoib and Personal, Recolubction. 219
MoKeesport, Pa., July 15, 1905.
Hon. J. B. Corey,
Braddock, Pa.
Dear sir : —
I notice in the press an article over your signa-
ture wherein you quote President Polk, deceased
President of our beloved country, in trying to estab-
lish the fact that jury corruption was due in a great
measure to the Masonic fraternity. I feel it my
duty as a member of Accacia No. 444, to tell you that
you do not know what you are talking about and that
no sensible man would fix his signature to such rot.
Yours respectfully,
John G. Wilson.
Pittsburgh, Pa., July 18th, 1905.
Mr. John G. Wilson,
McKeesport, Pa.
My dear sir : —
I have received your letter of the 15th. You
address me as Hon. J. B. Corey. I am not aware of
having done anything to entitle me to that title un-
less it is what little I have tried to do in way of pre-
venting the evils to our beloved country from oath-
bound secretism. I suppose you refer to a recent
article of mine published in the Pittsburgh Dispatch,
commenting on articles of the Hon. Judge Taft,
Secretary of War, and Private Dalzell of Washing-
ton City, opposing Judge Taft's proposal to abolish
the jury system, the Hon. Secretary of War insisting
that the frequent and almost universal miscarriage
of Justice of the jury system, has proved it is a
miserable failure, and should be abolished. (This,
you see, Mr. Wilson, is very high authority, and it is
riot very complimentary to our modern American
citizens, is it?) Private Dalzell, in combating Judge
220 Mbmoib and Pbbsokal Bbcoi4LECtioh.
Taft's ideas of doing away with our jury system,
says it would destroy the very foundation upon
which Abraham Lincoln 's Government of, by and for
the people rests, and would restore the divine rights
of kings or autocracy and imperialism, etc. Private
Dalzell says that the miscarriage of justice is as
often attributable to the Judge on the bench as it is
to the Jury in the box.
In my article in the Dispatch, I c^ll Judge Taft's
and Private Dalzell 's attention to what I consider
the real cause of the prevalent and universal miscar-
riage of justice, and I quoted from a letter from one
of President Eoosevelt^s mqst illustrious predeces-
sors. His Excellency, John Quincy Adams, whose
eight years in the Presidential chair was distin-
guished by as high order of brilliant statesmanship
and patriotism as any of his predecessors or suc-
cessors that have sat in the Presidential chair.
President Adams predicted that very state of
things which Judge Taf t complains of and Private
Dalzell admits, and gave the American people the
most natural reasons, and only logical conclusions,
upon which he bases his prediction, when he asked
Colonel Stone (to whom he was writing) **What
must be the effect of the wink of the Freemason
prisoner in the box to the oath-bound Judge upon
the bench?'*
I suppose, Mr. Wilson, this is what you refer to,
as I never used President Polk's name in writing
upon the subject of Freemasonry. I do not .think
from reading, and knowledge of our Nation's his-
tory, we ever had an abler President, if his equal, as
a statesman and jurist than President John Quincy
Adams. In this controversy with Colonel William
Stone he convicts Freemasonry with nine of the
highest crimes known to our civil laws, beginning
with conspiracy and ending with the abduction and
murder of William Morgau of Batavia, N. Y. His
Mbmoib akd Pebsonal Beoollegtion. 221
Excellency, John Quincy Adams, gives in his letters
to William Stone, the only natural and logical re-
sults of secret, oath-bound fraternities, who have
bonded together to secure rights and privileges to
which they are not entitled, and it's no use for Judge
Taft or President Roosevelt to complain of miscar-
riage of justice and grafts while we have men bound
together by such inhuman, barbarous oaths as that
which Freemasonry imposes upon its members, to
have their throats cut from ear to ear, their tongues
pulled out by the roots, etc., if they do not go to the
length of their cable tows to answer a brother
Mason 's cry of distress. I send you a few quota-
tions from some other letters of President Adams.
I think you will see it is not such rot as you would
have us believe. What do they take such barbarous
oaths for, anyway T
Quotations from letters from John Quincy
Adams on Freemasonry:
Letters to Hon. Levi Lincoln, Governor of
Massachusetts.
Washington City, Feb. 1, 1832.
Dear sir : —
My anti-Masonry has cooled down a little, while
objects less important but more urgent absorb my
time and attention, etc. But if I had right of person
or property pending in court of justice with an En-
tered Apprentice or a Knight Templar for my Ad-
versary, I should much disincline to see any man
sworn upon my jury who had been present at the
murder and resurrection of ** Hiram Abiflf^', and
still more to any one who should have crawled upon
all fours from under the living arch. In other
words, I do hold as disqualified for an impartial
juror, at least between a Mason and anti-Mason any-
one who has taken the Masonic oaths and adheres to
them ; not excepting the 1,200 Certifiers themselves,
222 Memoir and Pebsonal Recollection.
and I have perfect confidence in their integrity ; but
I would challenge them as jurors between me and
the Master Mason; who made oath that he had been
present with me at a lodge in Pittsfield, or between
me and the Master Mason, who had the impudence
to vouch for my Father as being a patron of
Masonry. I have said that I share in no anti-
Masonic prescription, if such there be, and repeat
the assurance, nor will I press the name of him who
attempted to induce in your mind a different belief.
I have no doubt he was acting under Masonic law
faithfully as the brethren of the Eoyal Arch ; who
Morganized the bottom of the Niagra River.
**Aguosco fratem",
John Quincy Adams.
Extract of letter written Colonel William L.
Stone.
Quincy, August 29th, 1832.
Long, and I fear tedious, as you found my last
letter, I was compelled by a reluctance at making it
longer to compress the observations in it upon the in-
trinsic nature of the Masonic oaths, x)bligations, and
penalties, etc. I had said Freemasonry was vicious
in its first step ; the initiation oath, obligation and
penalty of the entered apprentice. To sutain this, I
assigned five reasons. Because they were : first, con-
trary to the law of the land ; second, in violation of
the positive precepts of Jesus Christ ; third, a pledge
to keep undefined secrets, the swearer being ignorant
of ; fourth, a pledge to th,e death penalty' for viola-
tion of the oath ; fifth, a pledge to a mode of death,
cruel and unusual, unfit for utterance from human
lips ; to go to the length of his cable tow to answer
the grand hailing sign of distress of a brother
Mason.
Yours truly,
John Quincy Adams.
Memoir and Pebsonal BECoUiECTioN. 223
Extract of letter to William L. Stone.
Quincy, Sept. 10th, 1832.
Dear sir : —
The second objection to the promise of the En-
tered Apprentice is its universality. The candidate
swears that he will never reveal, always conceal, any
of the arts, parts or points of the mysteries of Free-
masonry, to any person undey the canopy of Heaven.
This promise like the administration of the oath is in
its term contrary to the laws of the land. The laws
of this and every civilized country make it the duty
of every citizen to testify to the whole truth of facts.
No witness called before a court of justice can re-
fuse to answer any question put to him by the court
This principle becomes more glaringly obvious when
applied to the Masonic brother's oath never to re-
veal, and always to conceal, the secrets of a brother
Mason, under no less penalty than to have his throat
cut from ear to ear.
Yours truly,
John Quincy Adams.
Now, Mr. Wilson, does that read like rot, that a
sensible man should be ashamed of? I certainly
would be ashamed to have it said that I belonged to
a cut-throat institution, that a man of President
Adams ' wisdom and patriotism had written up so
clearly as he has done, this cut-throat institution.
Masons boast that masonry control all our municipal
State and National Governments; and yet, there
never was such a disgraceful and corrupt condition
of public affairs in the civilized world as is in the
United States today. President Adams and others
opposing it caused over 2,000 lodges to disband,
throw up their organizations ; and for 25 years or
more they did not dare to have their meeting places
known. Now, Mr. Wilson, are you not ashamed?
224 Mbmoib and Pebsonal BbgolijECtion.
Another extrax^t from letter to Colonel William
L. Stone, Sept 10th, 1832 : * * The simple question —
I take it to be this : I suppose a Freemason to be
summoned before a judicial tribunal. Is or is he not
bound to answer any question put to him by their
authority? If he is, can he keep his Masonic oath
of secrecy? And of what avail are the Masonic ob-
ligations ? If his Masonic oath of secrecy is para-
mount and supersedes the laws of the land with re-
gard to the mysteries of the craft, where is the prin-
ciple that restores the supremacy of the law of the
land? By that oath the Master Mason promises to
keep the secrets of a brother Mason as securely and
inviolably as if they were locked up in his own
breast, murder and treason not excepted. That is
excepting two specific enumerated crimes. Why
these exceptions ?' ' asked Mr. Adams. Had I been
told Mr. Stone, Mr. Wilson, I would have answered
thus : President Adams, these are the same as those ;
when the Master Mason swears he will not know-
ingly violate the chastity or prostitute a Master
Mason's mother, sister, wife, or daughter, knowing
them to be such. Would not that have answered his
question, don't you think? And yet, Mr. Wilson, a
gentleman whose word will be takon anywhere or
place where he is acquainted, told me the other day
that there are two women, well known prostitutes,
one the proprietress of a house of ill fame, that were
schoolmates of his, children of a father and mother
who stood high in the wealthier classes, the father
himself being a Freemason, and belonged to the
same lodge in this city in which the fc^o lecherous
libertines who prostituted both his daughters at the
age of 15 and 18 years, on the same night, at a noted
pleasure resort to which they had induced the young
girls to go. The father, who himself had not been
free from such acts, condoned these brutal acts of a
brother Master Mason in consideration of some
Memoib and Personal Becollection. 225
financial assistance in time of a business trouble.
This, I suppose might be called respecting the
Masonic brother's cry of distress. Again President
Adams asked : * * Have I proved that the Entered Ap-
prentice 's oath is a breach of law, human and
divine? That is, its promise i^ defined, unlawful
and nugatory? That its penalties are barbarous, in-
human, murderous, in its terms and in its least ob-
noxious sense null and void. If so, my task is done.
The first step in Masonry is a false step. The En-
tered Apprentice 's obligation is a crime, and, like
all vicious usuages, should be abolished.
Yours truly,
John Quincy Adams.
Now, Mr. Wilson, compare that advice of John
Quincy Adams with that of the recent advice of
Teddy Roosevelt, advising all the young men of the
United States to become members of the Freemasons,
swearing to have their thi'oats cut from ear to ear if
they do not keep their Brother Mason's oath as
secret as their own. Is it any wonder that we are
afraid to open the morning newspapers for fear of
reading some of the most disgraceful slanders that
ever disgraced the history of the civilized world?
Now, Mr. Wilson, read this list of peccadilloes, and
if you can get some paper to give it to their readers
I will furnish you with some other extracts from
John Quincy Adams and other patriots that left
honorable records for us to imitate.
I am, dear sir, very truly yours,
J. B. Corey.
226 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbgtion.
Cliapter S
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE
HON. THOMAS MEJLLON.
(By James Henry Seymour).
Among the noble and successful men who have
given character and influence to the bar of Western
Pennsylvania, Judge Thomas Mellon of Pitts-
burgh, has a right to a prominent place among the
distinguished jurists. During the last decade and a
half, he has given his , attention to his own personal
matters of business, but for thirty years of the best
portion of his life, he could be found at the bar or
on the bench; doing one man's full and loyal duty;
and again, each day a new hold on the confidence
and respect of the public. As a lawyer, he had few
peers within the circuit of his work;* as a Judge, he
was just, learned, and able; and as a man, he ever
lived uprightly, and with . marked loyalty to every
personal and public relation in life.
Judge Mellon was of Scotch Irish descent, came
of a family that has long been held in honor and
esteem, and has given many useful men and women
to the world and many examples of the highest
worth. The genealogical tree, of which he was one of
the latest and most worthy productions, finds its
earliest roots in a period over two hundred years
back, or shortly after the massacre of the Prot-
estant by the Catholics in Ireland in 1641. Archi-
bald Mellon, who sold his ancestral home and emi-
grated to' the United States in 1816, died at his home
in Unity, Westmoreland County, September 5th,
HON. THO.S. MKLLON
■ I
Memoir and Pebsokal Recollection. 227
1835y beloved by all who had fallen in the range of
his acquaintance. His son, Andrew' Mellon, was
bom on February Tth, 1785, and married Rebecca
Wauchob, in 1812, a descendant of a noted and
honorable Holland family, and is the Grandmother
of A. W. Mellon, President of the Mellon National
Jbank of Pittsburgh, Pa. As a wife, she was a help-
mate in* all the qualities indicated by that forcible
term ; and as a mother, she was all that tenderness,
and self-sacrifice could make her. Her strong com-
mon sense made her a valuable adviser even in the
most important affairs. She had a philosophy of
her own by which she guaged everything that tran-
spired, and believed in the wisdom of desiring neither
poverty nor riches ; but struggling for wealth and
competence as affording independence. She shunned
extremes, and approved the middle course in life*
She survived her husband eleven years and died
May 9th, 1868, in the 79th year of her age.
Hon. Thomas Mellon, the oldest child of this
worthy couple was born February 3rd, 1813, at
Camp Hill cottage, on his father's farm lower Cas-
tleton parish of Cappaigh, County of Tyrone, Ire-
land. When he was five years old his parents de-
cided to follow the fortunes of the majority of their
family, who had already emigrated to America.
They landed at St. John, New Brunswick, and as
England at this time was in no friendly mood towards
the United States and would clear no ships except
to porte in her own domain, the voyage occupied
twelve weeks, and on landing, they reshipped on a
coasting vessel to Baltimore, which they reached
October 1st, 1818. After a couple of days there, the
father chartered a Conestoga wagon, and team, and
the last stage of their journey was commenced. At
night they halted and slept in the wagon ; their meals
were cooked at fires built by the roadside; and,
finally arriving at the homes of their relatives in
228 Memoir and Pebsonai. Begollegtion.
Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pa. In April
they moved to a farm of their own, purchased in
Franklin Township, and felt they had indeed found
a welcome home in the new land across the sea. In
this home, Hon. Thomas Mellon passed the next fif-
teen years of his life, covering the i)eriod of youth,
and taking him up to the door of manhood of which
he made such noble use. It was in the home train-^
ing that were implanted in his nature those rootf
principles of right and duty, tenacity of purpose,
patient industry, and perseverance in well-doing
which have accompanied him through life. His
work at times was severe ; and there were not many^
luxuries to be had in those early days, but he was
strong and his heart pure, his mind clear and active,
and his hope of the future strong and well defined.
He had courage and faith in himself, and his youth
was full of brightness, even if it was full of soil. He
was put to the plough when only twelve years ofi
age, but such was the bent of his mind, and his thirst
for knowledge, that even at that tender age he was
reading Shakespeare, which he had found in pamph-
let form belonging to an uncle. When he was 14
years old, a dilapadated copy of Benjamin Frank-
lin's autobiography fell into his hands. It de-
lighted him with a wider view of life, inspired him
with new ambition, started his thoughts in new chan-
nels. He read the book again and again, and hope
grew strong in his heart, that the path upward to
usefulness that enabled one poor and friendless
boy's feet to ascend the ladder of fame might be
open to others of his like. The older he grew, the
more he studied and read, the less affection did he
feel for the farmer's life. He aspired to an educa-
tion better than his school facilities afforded, and in^
this desire, he had his mother's encouragement and
helpful suggestions. The father was strong in the
belief that a farmer's life was the best and truest
Memoir and Personaij Recollection. 229
to which men could aspire, opposed his purpose of
entering a profession, but the determination of the
son was so strong that even this barrier was finally
worn away. In the summer of 1834, after a pre-
paratory course, he entered the Western University
and with diligence made marked progress from the
start, but his father often needed his assistance on
the farm, and in the summer months he frequently
would walk home from the city, 11 miles, between
sundown and midnight to be ready for the harvest
field the next day. Receiving his diploma, in the fall
of 1837, he entered the office of Hon. Charles Shaler,
ex- Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and began a
diligent course of legal study, accepted a position in
the Prothonotary's office. The light and training
he received there were of the greatest possible use
in his profession and gave him an insight into the!
law that nothing else could have afforded. He
passed a credible examination, and was admitted to
practice law December 15th, 1838. He had now en-
tered on the serious labor of life ; well equipped in
education and principles, and armed with a strong
and earnest purpose, he opened a law office in Pitts-
burgh in June, 1839, and almost from the first re-
ceived a satisfactory share of the legal business
then being done. His first office was located on
Fifth Street) today Fifth Avenue and Market Alley.
He has written a description of the situation of the
lawyers and their offices in Pittsburgh in those early
days, and I take the liberty of quoting it as a bit of
interesting local history. ** Fifth Avenue was not
then a business street ; mine was the first law office^
opened on it. The law offices were chiefly on the
west side of the Diamond, behind the Court House.'
A few on 4th Street between Market and Wood. It
was before the Court House was removed to Grants
Hill. As yet, a part of the lawyer Ross ' apple or-
chard rather out of town. The old Court House
230 Memoib and Peesonaij Rbcolkection.
stood where the Diamond Market house stands on
west side of Market Street The young lawyer
made his way rapidly and the business and profits of
the first year exceeded his most sanguine expecta-
tions. But his friends were not surprised at his ad-
vancCy as 'they knew he possessed all the qualities
demanded in his profession. His judgment was
sound, he was of an earnest, cautious and pains-tak-
ing disposition. He already had much experience
in the* methods and practice in the courts. These
qualities won success, and in a short time, he found
himself with all he could do, and with a fair start in
a financial way. On August 22, 1843, Mr. Mellon
took an important step in life but one he never had
reason to regret, and that was fruitful of happiness
and content. This was his marriage to Miss Sarah
J. Negley, a daughter of one of the oldest families
in Western Pennsylvania. To their union a number
of children have been born, and several of the sons
are among the most substantial business men of the
City of Pittsburgh, among which are J. E., A. W.,
and E. B., the principle stockholders and officers of
the Mellon National Bank, the largest and most
successful National Bank in the Iron City. In ad-
dition to controlling interests in the leading Trust
Companies, in 1859, he was elected assistant Judge
of the Common Pleas Court, having equal authority
with the present Judge. Judge Mellon, while on
the bench, was such as might have been expected of
a man of his character and training. He worked
hard and tried to administer justice as it had been
revealed to him. The course he pursued as Judge
can perhaps be described in a better way than an
extract or so from a speech he delivered at the
Monongahela House in November, 1878, at a banquet
tendered Judge Daniel Agnew on his retirement
from the bench of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
The toast to which Judge Mellon was to respond
Memoib and Personal Bscollbgtion. 231
was **The Judiciary of Allegheny County *' and in
course of his remarks he fully described by implica-
tion some of the principles tbat guided his course
while on the bench. Among other things he said:
'* There is no oflSce of greater importance to the
well being of society than that of the County Judge.
The rights of person and property of every citizen
are depending on its proper administration. Shin-
ing qualities are not essential but no human attain-
ments are beyond its requirements. In the Su-
preme Court, the Judge has to deliberate with un-
divided attention to the law of the case ; but the
Judge of the lower Court must shoot on the wing as
he is expected to bag two different flocks with the
same shot. He must include both the law and facts
and couple them together in their true relations as
they arise in the shifting panorama of the trial. All
judicial experience proves that justice cannot be
judicially administered by tossing the evidence to
the jury as a farmer would a bundle of hay to his
cattle to be devoured indiscriminately, weeds and all ;
and although the law and the evidence may be ex-
plained ever so clearly, the Judge will find it fre-
quently incumbent on him to grant a new trial to
prevent injustice *••**••,
Success in the discharge of these varied duties
requires not only a knowledge of the law, practical
experience at the bar, but also a large stock of com-
mon sense and an intimate knowledge of the springs
of human action. Such varied good qualities in a
Judge can, of course, be found only in degree ; but
according to the degree, so will be his qualifications
for the oflBce ****** Judge Mellon 's private in-
terests had grown to such a point that he decided
toward the end of his term of office that under no
circumstances would he accept a re-nomination of
the office. In 1849, he became largely interested in
the coal business on the Pennsylvania Canal in
232 Memoir and Pbrsonal Bbcollection.
Tarentuin, Allegheny County. In 1859, he became
a silent partner in the firm of J. B. Corey & Co. en-
gaged in shipping coal to the southern markets via.
Ohio, and Mississippi Eivers. He also was inter-
ested in a large furnace property in West Virginia,
in addition to being interested with his sons in the
real estate business under title of Mellon Brothers -
He decided that he would engage in the banking busi-
ness and purchased a lot on the comer of Fifth Ave-
nue and Smithfield Street and on January 1st, 1870,
the present banking house of the Mellon Bank was
ready and the bank of T. Mellon & Sons opened up
and started a successful career. He also interested
himself in the various banks and other financial in-
stitutions of Pittsburgh, and invested largely in coal
lands on the lines of the various Eailroads entering
into the City, constructing some of the most exten-
sive coal mines in operation; and through these
lines of business activity and many others, Judge
Mellon was as his sons are today, one of the potent
conmiercial and financial forces that are working to-
gether to make The Iron City the great mart it is
today. Great as was his interest in the business
welfare of his adopted city, he, nevertheless, with-
out sounding a trumpet in the synagogue and on the
streets, took a deep interest in the moral and social
welfare of his friends and neighbors and fellow citi-
zens. To his co-partners in any of the various busi-
nesses in which he was interested, he, in case of ad-
versity wherever the man proved himself worthy
of his confidence made personal sacrifices to pre-
vent loss. In this, I write from my own personal
experience as a silent partner of the J. B. Corey &
Co. When the Southern States seceded and confis-
cated our coal lying at New Orleans, bankrupting
our company fifty thousand dollars worse than noth-
ing, as things looked having a large amount of notes
falling due and no money to meet them, I called on
Memoir and Personal Becollection. 233
the Judge and said to him^ I am not able to pay my
share of what we owe ; if you will take my share of
the property and pay the notes as they fall due, I
will give you my notes for ten thousand dollars in
ten annual payments. He replied : * * I will take care
of the notes ; you take care of the mine and stock ;
they will need coal and it may turn out better than
you expect '\ I took his advice, and the result was,
we recovered our coal confiscated by the confeder-
ates at New Orleans, and the great increase in the
price of coal along with the sale of our coal mine and
personal property, when we dissolved our co-part-
nership in 1864, we had over two hundred thousand
dollars to divide equally between the five co-part-
ners. But that which has been of even greater
financial benefit to me was friendship for and confi-
dence in each other, of him and his sons in the busi-
ness relations maintained during the past 55 years,
by which I have been enabled to add to the dividends
of Coal and Bank stocks. But pleasant as has been
these business relations, that which affords me the
greatest pleasure in 1914, as my eyes grow dim and
my ears grow dull of hearing, in recalling the pleas-
ant relations of my old and best friend is the recol-
lection of his confidence in my integrity, and friend-
ship by which I had the pleasure of making him
weekly and monthly visits during his declining
years, when he was shut in from the active pursuits
of his early life. The seeming pleasure it gave him
when I used to sing Psalms and hymns for him,
making melody in our hearts to the Lord. It stirs
my emotions as I recall my last visit when we stood
on our feet and sang the 23rd Psalm. He, with de-
light, said: **I8 not that beautiful f I little
thought that would be the last time I would see my
oldest and best friend alive. But a day or two after,
he closed his eyes on earth, as I firmly believe, to
284 Memoir akd Pebsonal Bbcollection.
open them in heaven, (Amen, so let it be). On his
95th birthday, February 3rd, 1908, where I hope I
shall, in the near future, meet him.
In that sunbright clime, unhurt by sorrow, un-
dimmed by time.
Where amid all things that is fair are given.
The home of the blessed and its name in heaven,
The name of that sunbright clime.
APPENDIX
_of—
Miscellaneous Events, Correspondence,
Opinions, Etc.
TOBACCO.
My ViBWB AMD Obbbevatioks.
My personal experience and observations on
tiie Qse and effects of Tobacco have been so forcible
that I have always felt it my dnty to lend all the in-
fluence in my power against this filthy and pemicions
habit
Id view of the great repatation of James J.
Jeffries, a former heavy-weight Champion Boxer of
the Wortd, I will quote below my correspondence
with him showing the deleterious effect of tobacco,
particularly because it is pretty well known that the
cause of his fidlure to defeat the pugilist, Jack
Johnson, was his inability to regain his strengtii and
nerve, due to tobacco.
(My letter to Mr. Jeffries, March 8, 1909).
"If you will pardon me (an entire stranger who
was never in sympathy with prize fighting) for tak-
ing this liberty, I will suggest you have it in your
power to atone in a great measure for the manifest
and great moral evil, your profession exerts upon
236 Memoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
the young men of the civilized world in general, and
of your own nation in particular.
I acknowledge that in athletic training, that
there are some good physical benefits that counter-
act to some extent the evil effects resulting from
prize fighting, but I think you will admit that the
evil effects are greater than any, or all, the good that
results from the profession.
If you will allow me, I will say that if you take
advantage of the opportunity, you have it in your
power to render the young men of our own country
a greater good than had ever been rendered them by
any and all of the prize fighters that have ever en-
tered the American ring. Not only so, but you can
deliver with your right hand a * Solar Plexus' to the
greatest physical and social curse to which our
American Boys are addicted — the Tobacco habit.
The filthy tobacco habit which is destroying the
manhood and leading to other vices, our young men
and boys, has been increased of late one hundred
fold from reading, as they ride in cars, painted on
board fences, pig pens, cow stables, outhouses, whis-
key saloons, and tobacco dives, such disgusting ad-
vertisements as * Judge Taft smokes 5 cent Cigars'
or * Smoke Judge Taft', *5 cent tobies', etc., using
the prestige of the President of the United States to
allure young men and boys to engage in this filthy
habit What a spectacle for Jehovah, Angels and
Men ! The man that is not ashamed of such an un-
patriotic display of vileness is only capable of
* Strategy, Treason and Spoils'.
I do not think that any man since we were a
nation ever had the opportunity to deliver a great
physical and moral evU, the body blows that Jim
Jeffries has of dealing to this filthy tobacco habit
Not only so, but you can do it without even being
suspected of giving this great curse, a solar plexus
Memoir and Personal. Recollection. 237
under the fifth rib. If, Mr. Jeffries, you will say to
the newspaper reporters that your greatest trouble
will be, which you know it is, to get in shape to wrest
the Champion 's belt from the Negro, will be to get the
nicotine out of your blood, which has been secreted
there from the filthy tobacco habit, and also add
that a man who expects or desires to be a Champion
Athlete, wants to let tobacco alone in every shape.
I hope, Mr. Jeffries, that you will favorably
consider this suggestion and render our American
Boys the greatest possible good anyone has ren-
dered them and counteract the filthy example set
them by *Bill TaiV. Please consider this private
and confidential. I have written this myself on the
typewriter. I will be 77 years old if I live to the
23rd of next month.
I am, dear sir.
Sincerely yours,
J. B. Corey.''
Mr. Jeffries' Reply of March 16, 1909.
"Answering yours of March 6th, will state that
I am sincerely in sympathy with your efforts on the
subject of the use of tobacco, and any time, or in
any way, that you can suggest that I can be of ser-
vice in advising young men to avoid this habit, I
will be pleased to do so. I always mention it in ar-
ticles that I write for papers.
With best wishes for yourself and again ex-
pressing my sympathy with your idea, I remain.
Very sincerely yours,
Jas. J. Jeffries."
238 MbMOIB and PsBBOKAIi BECOLLBcnosr.
As of possible farther interest I will give below
an extract from an address delivered to tiie General
Class Meeting in the United Evangelical Church,
Braddock, Pa., September 14th, 1913 :
** Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthi-
ness of the flesh, and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God.'' 11. Cor. 7-1.
I do not think that there is a candid man in
house but will admit that it has been and is demon*-
strated, that the use of tobacco is a filthy habit, and
a dangerous, useless, expensive habit, involving the
health of the user of the weed. It will not be denied
that prominent professors of all our churches in-
dulge in it— chewing tobacco, defiling pavements,
station houses, railroad and street cars, blowing
their smoke into the faces of other persons, espec-
ially ladies, to whom it is very offensive; and other
acts of incivility which no Christian man would be
guilty of. Now as to its being a filthy habit, I wiU
give you the testimony of one or two Christian min-
isters, who are regarded as not only the highest au-
thority on religious questions, but by long evangel-
istic experience in preaching the Gospel and rescu-
ing the perishing, knew whereof they were testify-
ing. Before naming them let me quote from even a
higher authority. ** Though hand join in hand the
wicked shall not go unpunished, but the seed of the
righteous be delivered".
The Methodist Episcopal Church and all its
branches, The Wesleyan Methodist, Free Methodist,
etc., and the churches of the Evangelical Associa-
tion, all have established rules that no one can be
licensed to preach unless he promises to have noth-
ing to do with tobacco in any form. I have not had
an opportunity to get authoritive statistics from
many of the churches, but I am sure that a test
Memoib and Pbrsonaij Bboollbction. 239
would show that true Ohristiaiiity and cleanliness —
Christian purity — go hand in hand in most of them,
and that people generally have more respect for,
and confidence in, Ministers who do not use tobacco.
The steam railroads, says Bev. Sewell, are obliged
to pen off the tobacco users from the clean x)eople in
smoking cars. ' ' In the electric cars, which run past
my home, a partition is run across the front end so
that the smokers can be set off by themselves ; other-
wise, the company would lose much cash, because
clean folk would seek other conveyance. ' ' Mr. Alfred
L. Sewell, Editor of the ** Little Corporal* for more
than 60 years a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and Editor from whose article in the Pitts-
burgh Christian Advocate, above quotations are
taken, says: ** Tobacco is an Indian weed; it was
the devil that sowed the seed."
There is a great *'howl in Denmark" over the
cost of living today; E. R. Langworthy, in the
Minnesota Spring Valley says this country spends
annually $1,200,000,000 for tobacco, $400,000,000 are
used for pipes, that 7,500,000,000 cigars are smoked
annually, and over 11,000,000,000 cigarettes. Think
of it! I have been doing a little figuring. Suppose
the cigars averaged four inches in length and the
cigarettes two inches, the cigars and cigarettes
smoked annually by the people would extend
about 820,707 miles or enough to encircle our
globe more than 32 times ; the money spent annually
would build over 200,000 homes at $1,000 a piece, and
figuring five persons for each house would build
homes for 6,000,000 people.
D. L. Moody was once asked : * * Can a man be a
Christian and use tobacco ?'* His answer was:
'*Yes, he can be a dirty Christian '^
The great evangelist, Billy Sunday, when asked
the same question in South Bend recently quoted
Mr. Moody's reply.
240 Memoir and Personal Recollection.
** Whoever heard of a dirty Christian? Yon
might as well talk of clean sinners. A man cannot
keep saved and use tobacco in any form. Church
members may and do smoke, professing Christians
do, but none who are really walking in the footsteps
of Jesus do. It is about time that preachers drew
the line closely where it belongs. A man that is
using tobacco is not a fit candidate for sanctifica-
tion'^
H. R. Hastings, in the **Safe Guard'* asks and
answers the question :' * Is it a sin to use tobacco T ' '
Why not? Using tobacco is an expensive and waste-
ful habit ; tobacco costing more than bread ; and is
not needless waste a sin? What right have Chris-
tian men to waste the Lord's money in useless and
expensive indulgence? What right have they to
bum up that which might feed and clothe the poor?
The use of tobacco is certainly needless ; for many
do without it and are none the worse. Many who
once used it have abandoned it to their great ad-
vantage, and the civilized world got on comfortably
without tobacco from the time of the creation down
to the discovery of America, when white men learned
the nasty habit from the naked savage, giving them
in return the devil 's firewater to ruin them body and
soul.
Tobacco using is an unhealthy practice. Thou-
sands are doubtless in their graves today who might
have been alive and well if they had let this poison-
ous drug alone. Another writer says that it is ad-
mitted that tobacco is the cause of eighty diseases,
that kill 20,000 annually. It also creates an appetite
for liquor. There is now and then a dyspeptic old
glutton who thinks that tobacco does him good, and
that he cannot digest his food without it ; just as
there are men who think that they can do without
strong drink, but if such men were put on short
allowance for a little while and made to earn the
Memoib and PebsonaIi Recollection. 241
little they eat, their stomachs would soon take care
of a reasonable amount of food without the aid of
this narcotic.
Tobacco, like other narcotics, holds men with a
grasp which they do not anticipate or realize. Any
healthful article of food can be dispensed with with-
out inconvenience. It is the case with all unnatural
appetites. They become tyrants and drive their
slaves headlong to ruin.
Farewell Sermon Read by Request in City of
Jerusalem, April 7th, 1912.
^'Follow peace with All Men and Holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord".
To disarm your fears and allay the thought that
Brother Corey, like all novices in preaching, selects
one of the most profound subjects and important
doctrines in the Bible, you will permit me to say,
while I am not a preacher, nor the son of a preacher,
the thoughts which I propose to read upon the text
quoted are not the product of my own brain and re-
search ; but in addition to being the teaching of Him
who spake as never man spake, and His inspired
Apostles, they are also the testimony and experience
of some of the most eminent scholars, teachers, min-
isters, laymen, and holy men and women, the history
of the Christian Church has given to the world.
My reasons for selecting this subject in addi-
tion to those given in the text are these : Having
received from you this high tribute of respect, you
will appreciate my desire to reciprocate your khid-
ness by rendering you the best possible service in
1
242 Memoib and Psbsonal Bscollsction.
my power. The object of religious services like
these is to aid each other id acqniring a knowledge
of what the Bible teaches is necessary for us * * To
read our titles clear to mansions in the skies". To
lead into and build each other up in our religious
experience. It seems to me that I could not do bet-
ter than to call attention to what Jesus says in His
sermon on the Mount, ^^ Blessed are the pure in heart
for they shall see God". And without which the
Apostle says: **No man shall see the Lord". Here
we have not only the strongest possible doctrinal
truth of the necessity of holiness that can be given,
but also in the testimony and experience of the holy
men and women, whose pure lives, peaceful and
triumphant deaths, give to the history of the Chris-
tian Church its strongest claims upon the confidence
of the world. The only stronger testimony that any
individual can have is the divine impartation or
baptism of the Holy Spirit on their own hearts, wit-
nessing to their own conscience that they have be-
come heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ
to an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled
and f adeth not away. Confirming in their individ-
ual experience all the benefits of the promises in the
atoning Blood of Jesus Christ.
John Wesley admonishes Methodists to take
heed to doctrine ; to take heed to experience ; to take
heed to discipline. He says, to give heed to doc-
trine and neglect experience is to become antino-
main. To give heed to experience and neglect doc-
trine is to become enthusiasts. To give heed to
doctrine and experience and neglect discipline is to
leave a highly cultivated garden to the wild bear of
the woods. The Apostle says : * * Having these prom-
ises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God".
Memoib and Personal Becollection. 243
The doctrine of Holiness is the theme of our
text Ton will permit me to say that the history of
the Christian Church does not furnish an instance of
any great revival of religion that has ever taken
place in the world in which the doctrine of holiness
has not been the preacher's most prominent theme.
Salvation from sin, and entire sa notification wher-
ever preached is always accompanied with a revival
of religion that has left its mark on this sin-cursed
earth. It was the promulgation of this Bible doc-
trine that enabled Jonathan Edwards to plant Pres-
byterianism solidly on this continent over one
hundred years ago. John Wesley said : * * That God
raised up the Methodist to spread abroad scripture
holiness ' \ I am afraid it will have to be admitted
that both in doctrine and experience, we latter day
Methodists fall far short of the high ideal that our
recognized founder in his sermons and his Brother
Charles in his hymns, assign as the reason for God
raising up the Methodist Church over one hundred
years ago. It was the preaching of this same doe-
trine of salvation from all sin that gave to Charles
G. Finney's labors such wonderful success. It was
also the secret of the power that enabled the late D.
L. Moody to leave his mark upon the history of the
Christian Church. These eminent ministers are all
sleeping in their graves, but their works do follow
them and their names continue to grow brighter and
brighter, leaving us an example that ** Obedience is
better than sacrifice". God has ever had His true
witnesses, both in the old and new dispensations.
The tendency of the church has ever been to back-
slide from the standard set up in God 's Holy Word ;
that has in all pEust history of the Church been its
one great weakness. It has not been the Jews alone
who have cried: **Away with Him, give us Barrab-
bas ' '. The epidemic of crime and wickedness seen
everywhere would seem to indicate that we are in
244 Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection.
the last days and that perilous times are upon us.
What the world needs ; what the church needs ; is a
revival of the old-time doctrines which ever have
given it its greatest influence and power in the
earth.
It is not a spectacular Christianity, consisting
of fine cathedrals and $300,000 churches, but a re-
vival of the Gospel of Holiness that changes the
hearts and lives of men and women, we need today.
Mr. Wesley warned the Methodists against buildiQg
fine churches. He said fine churches necessitated
rich men, and that when rich men became a neces-
sity, farewell to spirituality.
The Why and How of Depravity in the
Rbgenebate Man.
Rev. Coffee says an investigation of the status
of man before and after conversion will assist us in
understanding why and how it is original sin re-
mains in the heart of the regenerate man. Let us
inquire what is the spiritual condition of man in
sin ? The scriptures teach us that he is dead spirit-
ually. The Apostle Paul describes men as living
alienated from the life of God. The Apostle John
teaches the same thought '*We know we have
passed from death to life ' \ The Saviour describes
the conversion of a man passing from death unto
life in John 5:xiv. It is clear from the scriptures
that a maa in sin is spiritually dead. Spiritual
death is the universal inheritance of the race. Be-
ing dead, his spiritual faculties by which he ap-
proaches God and spiritual things, are asleep. In
this condition sin has permeated his soul, and entire
being. He is described as follows : The whole head
is sick ; the whole heart is faint ; from the sole of the
foot to the crown of the head there is no soundness
in him. Let us now inquire what is requisite to con-
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 245,
stitute a man, a new creature in Christ. He needs
new spiritual life. This is the reason he needs to be
bom again. His birth by nature is a moral failure.
In that spiritual life was not transmitted, he must
be born of God, the generative source of all spiritual
life. We must come into Union with the Son of
God. He that hath the Son, hath life ; he must feel
the Spirit's power; the soul must become dominant
instead of the flesh. A new heart is a requisite.
The will and affections must be changed and set in
the right direction. * * The things I once loved I now
hate, and the things I once hated I now love ' ^ In a
word, he must be made a new creature in Christ
Jesus ; a new moral character is the result. And
while all this has taken place in the soul being, there
has been but a reconstruction, not a re-creation.
The soul taint has not been removed, but remains
and so far has not been dealt with. The incoming
of life has quickened the faculties. The soul now
quickens to new desires, new appetites, and new
spiritual passions are enkindled. In all this expe-
rience a new creature has been bom. The soul
awakens, sees her prostitution to the dominance of
the flesh, and has arisen to a sense of its own im-
portance; but the soul has not been wholly renewed
in the image of Him who created it, nor cleansed
from the taints of sin. Hence the necessity of the
orthodox second work of grace or entire sanctifica-
tion.
But to the text: **Follow peace with all men
and holiness without which no man shall see the
Lord''.
A writer in the *' Evangelical Messenger" says:
* * One phase of holiness is that it is a real and con-
scious power by whomsoever experienced. It is
power in action conducting to man's highest well-
being, and to God's glory. Holiness is not intended
to be so much ornamental as diffusive, and in every
246 MbMOIB and PeBSONAL BECOIIiEGTIOH.
way possible effective in acoomplishing good. The
!Kible lays great stress upon holiness and so should
the church as a body, and each minister and Chris-
tian in particular. There is something peculiarly
fascinating about the subject of holiness when prop-
erly presented. The bulk of Christians love to hear
sermons on the subject It reveals some noted,
privileges and blessings under the economy of grace
if properly directed and controlled. Holiness and
power are inseparable. ^^Te shall receive power
alter that the Holy Ghost is come upon you'*.
1. ^^ Holiness is divine power. As holiness is
not self -evolved but divinely inwrought, even so that
the power that goes with the realization of holiness
is divine in its nature, operations and effects. Holi-
ness is a gift from God, even so is the power insep-
arable connected with holiness a gift from God. We
are to be holy even as He is holy. Of course, not in
the same degree, but in essence and effectiveness.
God's power is commensurate with His holiness the
christian power is in ratio to the degree of holiness
he possesses. The results of this holiness power
are often divine. This was demonstrated on the day
of Penticost. Peter was vacillating prior to his ex-
l^rience of the baptism of the Holy Ghost in Pente-
cost fullness'*.
2. ^ * This is power for victory. That minister
in Germany uttered a tremendous truth when he de-
clared in a paper which he read before a body of
ministers * The Holy Ghost knows no difficulties '. If
tiiat is so, then sermons and a true Christian life
should be well nigh overwhelming and conclusively
convincing, leading to glorious and Pentecostal vic-
tories. The victory to be achieved is first indi-
vidual, then collective. As our discipline so forcibly
puts it. *We have complete victory over sin, both
inwardly and outwardly'. It is a complete personal
victory over sin and selfishness which is tiie very
Memoir and Pebsonal Becoiulection. 247
quintessence of sin. It gives the individual the
mastery over the onslaughts of the devil and evil
disposed men. Then it gives power to win men to
Christy and thus it becomes instrumentally helpful to
others in gaining the victory ' \
3. **This is power for service* Service in the
church, in the f amily, in the community, in the state,
in the nation, social, industrial, financial, and polit-
ical. This is an age that calls for, and demands con-
centrated and heroic service. Paul says: *The love
of Christ constraineth ub\ Holiness intensifies ac-
tion, and stimulates service, so genuine holiness will
be a strong impulse in the direction of manifold and
divinely guided service. Holiness in action is love
at white heat. This will provoke good works. It
will, yea must, eventuate in God honoring, and man
benefiting fruitfulness. Holiness is power and en-
durance. *We are to endure hardness as good sol-
diers of Jesus Christ*. This holiness power is what
sustained the pious Payson in his life of continuous
suffering, the poet Milton in his blindness, as also
the blind poetess Fannie Crosby, and the charming
singer Sankey, and many other departed, and some
still living personalties among the heroic soldiers of
the cross '\
4. ** Holiness power is for self-denial. There
are strange and divergant views among Christian
people as to what really constitutes self denial. Beal
self denial will cost the individual something. It
will be a privation for the sake of others, it may be
to bear a heavy cross for Christ's sake, and for the
advancement of his kingdom. This is exemplified
in Paton, the almost life long missionary, having
been denied the privileges, blessings, and associa<
tions of kindred institutions of his native land.
The same spirit of self denial is exhibited by our
missionaries in foreign lands as also by our workers
248 Mbmoib and Pbbsonal Becollectiok.
at home. Holiness supplies the needed grace and
strength. It upheld Polyoapus when lying in a
damp cell, his freedom having been offered to him on
condition that he recant his faith in Christ ; he re-
plied : * Eighty and six years he has been my best
and truest friend, why should I now, in my old age
forsake him? I will remain in this cell until the
moss grows over my eye brows, rather than recant
my faith in Christ' '*.
Dr. Adam Clarke, the greatest Biblical com-
mentator Methodism ever gave to the Church, hav*
ing no superior if an equal, comments as follows on
the text : ' * Cultivate as far as you can a good under-
standing both with the Jew and Gentiles, pursue
peace with the same care, attention, and diligence as
beasts do their game ; follow it through all places ;
trace it through all winding circumstances, and have
it with all men, if you can with a safe conscience and
holiness; that state of continual sanctification, that
life of purity and detachment from the world, and
all is lusts without which detachment, and sanctity
no man shall see the Lord. Shall never enjoy His
presence in the world of blessedness. To see God is
a Hebrew phrase ; to enjoy Him ; and without holi-
ness of heart and life tiiis is impossible. No soul
can be fit for heaven that has not suitable disposi-
tions for the place. It will hardly be possible to
harmonize Dr. Clarke's doctrine with that type of
religious sentiment that finds more pleasure in
eucher parties than the class or prayer meeting; in
attending theaters, and the ball rooms ; having these
promises; says Paul: *'Let us cleanse ourselves,
etc. '' Dr. Clarke says that the Apostle means, from
drunkenness, fornication, adultery, and all such sins
as are done immediately against the body ; and filthi-
ness of the spirit; all impure desires, unholy
thoughts, and polluting imaginations. If we avoid
and abhor evil inclinations, and turn our eyes from
Memoib and Personal Becollbction. 249
beholding vanity, incentives to evU being thus les-
sened, there will be less danger of our falling into
outward sin. If we avoid all outward occasions of
sinning, evil propensities will certainly be lessened.
All this is our work under the common aids of the
grace of God. We may turn away our eyes and
ears from evil, or we may indulge both in what will
infallibly beget evil desires, and tempers in the soul,
and under the same influence we may avoid every
act of iniquity, for even Satan himself cannot by any
power he has, constrain us to commit uncleanness,
robbery, drunkenness, murder, etc. These are
things in which both the soul and body must con-
sent But still the withholding the eye, the ear, the
hand, and body in general from sights, reports and
acts of evil, will not purify a fallen spirit. It is the
grace of Christ alone, powerfully applied for this
very purpose that can purify the conscience, and
heart from dead works. But if we do not withhold
the food by which the man of sin is nourished and
supported, we cannot expect God to purify our
hearts. While we are striving against sin, we may
expect the Spirit of God to purify us by His inspira-
tion from all unrighteousness, so that we may per-
fectly love, and magnify our maker. How can those
expect God to purify their hearts who are contin-
ually indulging their eyes, ears, and hands in what
is forbidden, and tends to increase, and bring into
action all the evil propensities of the soul? Per-
fecting holiness. Getting the whole mind of Christ
brought into the soul. This is the object of a gen-
uine christian pursuit. The means of accomplishing
this, are, first ; resisting and avoiding sin in all its
inviting and seducing forms. Second, setting the
fear of God before our eyes, that we may dread His
displeasure, and abhor whatever might excite it, and
whatever might provoke him to withhold his manna
from our mouth. We see therefore that there is a
250 Mbmoib and Pebsokal Becollectiok.
strong and orthodox sense in which we may cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit^
and thus perfect holiness in the fear of God. If
those latter day saints, who are so much opposed to
the doctrine of holiness, will carefully weigh D. C. 's
reasons, and arguments, they may see that they rest
upon the strong foundation of scripture and comi-
mon sense, and that they may not be so much in-
clined to ^^ remove the ancient landmarks which our
Fathers have set". The beloved disciple, St. John,
in his first epistle 2-1 says: ^^My little children, I
write unto you that ye sin not*'. This is tiie lan-
guage of the whole scripture, of every dispensation,
ordinance, institution, doctrine, and word of Qod.
Sin not, do not run into ruin. Live not so as to pro-
mote your own misery; be happy, for it is the will
of Ood that ye should be so. Be holy. Holiness
and happiness are inseparable. Sin and misery are
equally so. The Apostle Paul certainly makes the
experience of holiness the sole condition upon which
any man or woman shall see Ood. Jesus Christ in
His sermon on the Mount says: ^^ Blessed are the
pure in heart for they shall see God''. A principal
part of the Jewish religion consisted in outward
washings and cleansings. On this ground they ex-
pected to see God and to enjoy eternal glory. But
Christ here shows that this purification of heart
from all vile affections and desires, is the one thing
needful. He whose soul is not delivered from all sin
through the blood of the covenant can have no
scriptural hope of ever being with God. In the 48th
verse we read : * * Be ye therefore perfect even as
your Father in heaven is perfect". God himself is
the grand law, soul giver, and only pattern of the
perfection which He recommends to His children.
The words are every emphatic. * * Ye shall be there-
fore perfect — Ye shall be filled with the spirit of that
God whose name is Mercy, and whose nature is
Mbmoeb and Pebsonal Begollection. 251
Love". God has many imitators of his power, in-
dependence, justice, etc., but few of his love, con-
descension and kindness. He calls himself Love to
teach us that in this consists the perfection the at-
tainment of which he has made both our duty and
privilege, for these words of our Lord include both a
command and promise. Can we be saved from sin
in this world is an important question to which this
text gives a satisfactory answer. * * Ye shall be per-
fect even as your Father in heaven is perfect". ** As
in His infinite nature, there is no sin, nothing but
goodness and love, so in your finite nature, there
shall be no sin, for the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus shall make you free from the law of
sin and death". Romans 8:2. Ood shall live in,
fill and rule your heart, and in what he fills and in-
fluences Satan nor sin can have no part.
These quotations to which I might ad-mfinitum
are the foundation principles upon which John and
Charles Wesley and Mary Fletcher, and other Holy
men and women, under the special blessings of God
were instrumental in the great revival of the Eigh-
teenth Century which resulted in the organizing and
giving to the world the Methodist Church. Let me
now give the testimony of three of the followers of
those holy men and women who today are contend-
ing for the faith once delivered to the Methodist
saints.
Brother W. G. McVey on some of the many
hindrances of his work says : ^^ Mistaken conceptions
of inherent depravity misleads persons seeking for
this great blessing. Inherent or inbred depravity
is more talked of than understood. Many preachers
in eflPorts to clearly define the necessity of entire
sanctification mystify their hearers instead of clari-
fying their subject. J have seen holiness preachers
give a blackboard exercise working a simple example
of subtraction and then, as they supposed, anal-
252 Memoib and Pbbsonal Bbcollegtion.
ogically tell their congregation that entire sanctifi-
cation was a process of subtraction. Again, I have
seen a glass of mud and water used, the water pre-
sumably representing the soul after regeneration,
and the mud in the bottom of the glass the sediment
of sin remaining until entire sanctification. Such
teaching and such illustrations are erroneous and
misleading ' \ The soul is not a bucket into which may
be poured so much grace, leaving a sediment of de-
pravity which may be stirred upon provocation, pro-
ducing what some, using their peculiar terminology,
are pleased to call a condition of * ' riling up ' \ The
process of sanctification is not, and cannot be, in this
sense a process of subtraction. What then is it?
We must first understand the nature of inherent de-
pravity before the fact of entire sanctification can
be made intelligible. Depravity is a propensity to
sin. It is not sin in itself until the remedy for its
correction is rejected ; hence, we are not responsible
for its being. It is natural and inborn. In justifi-
cation, the actual transgressions (sins in act) are
forgiven, and the inclination produced by the sins in
act are corrected. What then remains ? The inborn
propensity to self -gratification ; the innate proneness
to sin; the bent to wrong doing; hence, the justified
soul may well express itself. *' Prone to wander.
Lord I feel iV% and Charles Wesley correctly sings:
**Take away our bent to sinning*'. Moreover this
view of depravity is the only one consonant with the
doctrine of inherited corruption. With the defini-
tion before us, we can now understand the process
and nature of entire sanctification. It is a process
of rectification of soul tendencies. These natural
inclinations and propensities of the soul are under
the baptism of the Holy Spirit directly and posi-
tively changed away from sin and self to holiness
and God, so that the soul with all its powers, facul-
ties, desires, tendencies, and affections finds its rest.
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 253
satisfaction, and joy in the center of the divine will.
If we would further the cause of scriptural holi-
ness we must exercise care as to statement, defini-
tion, and illustration. Let us in doctrine show in-
corruptness, gravity, sound, speech that cannot be
condemned.
Sister Laura A. Sill, whose dear definite expe-
rience entitles her testimony to our earnest consid-
eration, says : * ' Of all the soul qualities of which the
Christian experience is composed, I know of few, if
any, more valuable and necessary than endurance".
Some time ago, I heard a new convert say I can-
not understand the doctrine of holiness. The Bible
says : * * He that shall endure unto the end the same
shall be saved '^ And it also says: *' Without holi-
ness, no man shall see the Lord. ' ' Sanctified people
claim they have such an easy time, and nothing
troubles them, and they don't have to endure any-
thing. Now, I can't reconcile the two. Who are
the people that endure ? I fear the same question is
in the minds of many new converts. The sanctified
people have something so much better to speak of
than their trials and temptations that they don't
worry very much about them. They feel that it
will glorify the Lord more to tell of their joys, tri-
umphs, and victories, yet I fear this is sometimes
misleading to new converts. They somehow get the
impression that the experience of entire sanctifica-
tion will bring them into a place where it is all joy,
and everythng is easy, and where no trouble can
come upon them. This is a very mistaken idea, and
all christians who think this, are almost sure to go
down when testings and trials come to them, as they
do to all. We never get to such a high place, spirit-
ually, that we will never have to endure things as
long as we are in the probationary state ; even Jesus
had to endure. It is written of Him: *'Who for the
joy that was set before Him endured the cross, de-
254 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollection.
spising the shame and is now set down at the right
hand of the throne of God'\ And the Word tells us
to ^^ Consider Him who endured such contradiction
of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint
in your minds ' '. How often we wonld faint in our
minds if we did not consider Him. The Apostle
James says: ^'Blessed is the man that enduretii
temptation ' \ Anyone who has been assailed by the
power of darkness so that it has seemed blacker
around the soul than the darkest night Ihat ever was
when the heart has felt as heavy as lead so that it
seemed impossible to lift it in prayer, knows there is
something to endure. Though the same Apostle
says: **My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall
into divers temptations". I believe it must mean
when we have passed through the temptation, and
have obtained victory, though in the darkest temptar
tion, when faith claims the victory, there is some-
thing that sustains us which some might call joy, but
I prefer to call it endurance. The Psalmist say^ :
'^I had fainted unless I had believed to see the good-
ness of Ood in the land of the living". (Psalm
27:13). He looked right over and beyond the trials
and temptations and believed that Ood was going to
deliver him, and he kept his soul from fainting,
which is only another way of saying it helped him to
endure it Another thing we have to endure is the
chastening of the Lord. The best of us are so slow
often times to learn the lessons. He is trying to
teach, and we make so many mistakes, that He has
to occasionally apply the rod of correction. Hence
we are told: **If we endure chastening God dealeth
with you as with sons". And further on in the
chapter it says : "Now no chastening for the present
seemeth to be joyous but grievous ; nevertheless,
afterward it yieldeth the peaceful fruits of right-
eousness to them who are exercised thereby".
Sometimes the chastisement comes through physical
Memoib akd Pebsonal Begollectiok. 255
pain, and though we may be so yielded to the will of
God ID the mattery that there is no murmur or comr
plaint^ and we may even feel blest in our souls at the
time^ that the sufferings of the body are simply en-
dured, not enjoyed. Or the suffering may be men^
tal or spiritual. But whichever it is, it is only after
we see **The peaceful fruits of righteousness'*,
which it has worked in us, that we are enabled to
** Count it all joy'^ Trouble must be endured. I
once heard some one say: ''A Christian has trials
but no troubles if he is where he ought to be * '. ' * He
will cast his troubles on the Lord'*. Is this so? Can
we get to such a place that nothing however griev-
ous, will make the heart feel trouble ? Let the sanc-
tified mother answer, whose son comes reeling home
from the saloon night after night, or perhaps is con-
fined behind prison bars, or the mother whose
daughter is an inmate of a brothel, given over to a
life of sin and shame, or asked one who has some
dearly loved one who commits suicide or becomes
hopelessly insane. How wonderfully the grace of
God can sustain those on whom even such troubles
fall, so they can go through life and endure. But
can such troubles be so entirely cast on the Lord
that they become as though they were not, and never
again trouble the heart while on earth? I cannot
think so. Entire Sanctification never was designed
to make stoics out of us, so that we cannot feel.
Though it kills out the hyper-sensitiveness in us, so
that our feelings are not easily hurt, we still have
the capacity for enjoyment and suffering left, and
there are still things to endure, else it would not
have been told us in that beautiful love chapter,
**Love endureth all things'*. What an admirable
quality of soul, endurance is I Yet it is so silent and
obscure that it is often lost sight of, and the other
virtues- exalted above it. But of what use would it
be to have a heart filled with love, peace, joy, and all
^
256 Memoir and Personal Recollection.
the other graces of the Spirit, and not endure to the
end? Here and there all over the world is an ob-
scure saint whose life is made up of patience and en-
durance which scarcely anyone but the Lord takes
note of. Herein is one of its beauties. It is not a
showy gift of grace that people see and admire^ and
if it were asked who are the most spiritual members
of your church, most people would point to those
who often get blest and go leaping, shouting, skip-
ping, and jumping over the house.
I have nothing to say against these demonstra-
tions of the spirit. Running, leaping, dancing,
shouting, crying, laughing and singing, are all
scriptural and I always love to see the saints get
blest that way. But there was a deep Amen in the
soul of the writer to a testimony she heard in a camp
meeting recently. A sister said : * * I do not meas-
ure my religion by how high I can jump, or how loud
I can shout, though I often do both, but I measure it
by what I can endure ^ \ Then she went on to tell
how the Lord had helped her to endure months of
suffering and to hold on when she didn't feel any
special blessing in her soul. Ah I that is the truest
test after all. Though I think no one would claim that
endurance may not go with these demonstrations
also, and often does. It is a wonderful thing to get
where God can trust us, where He can look down
into our hearts and see that no matter what He per-
mits to come upon us, that our souls will not give
way, that we will not be shaken from the foundation,
but that we will endure and remain steadfast to the
end. He could trust Abraham, Job, and Paul, and
many others both of the Old and New Testament
saints, and their examples are left on record for our
help and encouragement. All who will, can get to
such a place. Has there ever been a Christian since
the days of Paul who has not been inspired and
strengthened by His words: **None of these things
Mbmoib and Personal Recollection. 257
move me". He had come to the abiding place.
When people get there, they need not be overthrown
though all the powers of darkness be arrayed
against them. They can ask the triumphant ques-
tion as Paul did — * ' Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ?" And if need, they can also say
with him:*'ForI am now ready to be offered".
Moses endured as seeing the invisible. That is all
the way we can endure some things. If we get our
eyes off Jesus, ^*The author and finisher of our
faith" onto the hard things of life, we will go down.
But if we keep hid away in the cleft of the rock and
only view things in Him, they look small and we are
enabled to endure. We need often to pray: **Lord
help us to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus
Christ".
We will now give the testimony of Rev. M. L.
Schooly on another phase of this experience, and
will close with what the beloved John says in his
first Epistle 3-x. Maturing holiness. By maturing
holiness we mean constantly increasing conformity
to the image of Jesus Christ Complete holiness
having the internal marks, first, the absence of de-
pravity, and second, being filled with all the fullness
of God is not maturity. It is the great advance-
ment over initial holiness or conversion. Among
the manifestation of maturing are : Great quietness
of spirit and rapturous communion with God in the
midst of adverse environment I saw a mature
saint once at an annual conference, in a roomful of
people who were visiting, laughing, and having a
good time together, sitting serenely quiet, her face
lighted with glory, speaking pleasantly when ad-
dressed, but evidently communing with God as
really as though in secret prayer. It made a lasting
impression upon my mind. Another manifestation
of it is, as Upham puts it, ^^ Union with God in His
providence". The peace of a mature saint is undis-
258 Memoir and Personal Rbcoijl.bction.
turbed by those sudden adverse providences whiet
throw the immature into consternation. Adverse
providences are sure to come suddenly into every
life, but there is a place of *^cahn and imdisturbed
repose, this side of death. The greatest lessons in
life to be learned only in yoke-fellowship with Jesus
are meekness and lowliness. These qualities were
exhibited by Him in their superlative degree, meek-
ness during all His mock trials by ** Opening not Bfis
mouth ^' and lowliness in the awful hour of bloody
sweat in Gethsemane when He prayed : * ' Father if
it be possible, let this cup pass from me, neverthe-
less not as I will but as Thou wilt ' '. Human nature
and especially carnality, is always on the defensive.
This is manifested particularly when one's reputa-
tion is at stake, and under false accusation. Meek-
ness is the quality that keeps one from it It is a
mark of great strength, and shines forth conspic-
uously in the mature saint Lowliness is absolute,
unalterable fidelity to the Father's will. It has it
firmly settled that His ways are always best, and
seeks nothing else even when, to human sight, it
seems that His will is being thwarted and His cause
sure to suffer. How much we will need to learn this
lesson none but God can telL Joseph had to learn
it in the long years of Egyptian bondage, which all
the time became more and more severe. It must
have seemed to him that his fair, youthful dreams,
prophetic though they were, were never coming true.
To us, who read back to it, it seems so like God. All
men must learn under adverse circumstances to
**rule their own spirits''. He who truly does this,
emerges suddenly as Joseph did, into a service sur-
passing his fondest dreams. Will some of us ever
learn this ? Moses was forty years learning it in the
** Desert College of Arabia". Others have spent
forty years in the school of adversity and have not
apparently begun to learn it yet You and I are in
Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection. 259,
the ** School of Christ'^, and it is our unwillingness to
learn these two lessons, in the only way they can be
learned, by * * taking His yoke upon us and learning
of Him^^, while winning others into reconciliation to
God, that makes our lives so evidently and fearfully
immature. God is very patient. He knows how
blind we are, so slow to learn, so quick to forget the
lessons already taught us. He is gently and per-
sistently, in His own way, operating in our lives-
Had we taken patiently the apparently adverse
providences of God, and ** spelled our disappoint-
ments with an ''H^' (His appointments), we should
have been much farther on. Have not the hardest
trials been by far the greatest blessings that have
come into our lives ? Have not we grown more in
grace under them, than when on the mountain top of
blessing? And had we meekly submitted and not
struggled to avoid **the things that seemed to harm
us ' \ how much more mature we all might have been.
It is true there are ^'many adversaries'*. Paul
says: **We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities (a compact organization of
individuals), against the rulers of the darkness of
this world (beings of princely kin, not common folk),
against wicked spirits in the heavenlies (spirit be-
ing in vast numbers having their headquarters above
the earth '*). But we can each hasten our own
maturity by never letting go the thought that in all
He permits to come upon us He seeks the highest
good of each that is consistent with the highest good
of all. Much of the time that is wasted in trying to
bring *'the other fellow'* to time could be much more
profitably spent in learning these lessons from Jesus
Until one can rule his own spirit, he is not in proper
shape to succeed in ruling with a rod of iron his fel-
low man. K the time spent by so' many in back
biting their neighbors, and especially their brethren
and sisters in the church were spent in confessing
260 Memoir and Personal. Bbgollection.
their own faults and getting others to help them
pray through to victory, there would be more mani-
festations of Christian maturity in the world than
now. In conclusion, let us hear what the Beloved
Disciple said on the subject
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons
of God ; therefore the world knoweth us not because
it knew Him noi Beloved, now are we the sons of
God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be;
but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be
like Him ; for we shall see Him as He is. And every
man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself,
even as He is pure. Whosoever commiteth sin
transgresseth the law ; for sin is a transgression of
the law. And ye know that He was manifested to
take away our sins ; and in Him is no sin. Whoso-
ever abideth in Him sinneth not ; whosoever sinneth
hath not seen Him, neither known Him.
Little children let no man deceive you. He that
doeth righteousness is righteous even as He is right-
eous. He that commiteth sin is of the devil for ihel
devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose,
the Son of God was manifested that He might de-
stroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is bom of
God doth not commit sin ; for His seed remaineth in
Him and he cannot sin because he is bom of Gk>d.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the
children of the devil ; whosoever doeth not right-
eousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
neighbor.
Plunged in the gulf of dark despair.
We wretched sinners lay,
Without one cheering beam of hope.
Or spark of glimmering day.
With pitying eyes the Prince of Peace,
Beheld our helpless grief,
Memoib akd Personal Bboollbgtzon. 261
He saw, and O I amazing love,
He flew to our relief.
Down from the shining seats above.
With joynl haste he fled;
Entered the grave ra mortal flesh.
And dwelt among the dead.
01 for His love let rocks and hills,
Their lasting silence break,
And all harmonious human tongues,
The Saviour's praises speak.
Angels, assist our mighty joys,
Strike all your harps of gold;
But when you raise your highest notes,
His love can ne 'er be told.
Copy op Lbtteb to England's Pbbmieb, W. E.
gliadstonb^ consoling him on his death bbd.
Pittsburgh, Penna.,
March 29th, 1898.
Bt Hon. W, E. Gladstone,
Hawarden, England.
My Dear Sir :
It is with mingled feelings of sorrow and pleas-
ure that I venture to offer you my earnest and sin-
cere sympathy in this your severest trials and afflic-
tions incident to mortal life. As we realize your
career is so near its ending; that the parting is so
near, a feeling of sympathy tinged with sorrow
creeps over our senses. But this momentary grief
is chased away by the more pleasing reflection that
through the gracious wisdom, mercy and kindness of
Him who endowed you with so many good gifts, en-
262 Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection.
abling you to fill up those four score and eight years
with a life so resplendent with noble ambitions ; so
rich and transcendant in illustrious acts and deeds ;
so beautifully illuminated with a sublime and trans-
parent faith in Him who has conquered death, hell
and the grave as to enable you to meet this last great
enemy of our race, with the exultant shout : * * O !
death where is thy sting?, ! grave where is thy
victory^
May the great head of the church triumphant
who is able to keep that which thou hast committed
into his hands vouchsafe to you the consolations oif
His Grace and Spirit, is the earnest prayer of youi*
friend and admirer.
I am, with great respect.
Sincerely yours,
J. B. Cobby.
Lbtteb of Hon. Thomas Mellon, Decembeb 31,
1900, AND MY Reply to Same.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
December 31, 1900.
Mr. J. B. Corey:
I have no friend outside of my own family
whom I regard so highly as you, always sincere and
true.
I have looked over the papers you sent me Satr
urday. I am old and well stricken in years, but
have hope for a future life. I believe in God and
believe He is greater and better than He is usually
preached or prayed to. I should not address Him,
as he or him, for I regard Him as the Infinite cause
of all in this and all other Worlds, and that His be^^
liefs and ways are infinitely greater than our
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 263
thoughts and ways, that we get iii that regard are
but glimpses of feeble rays.
Mr. Corey can you believe in Adam's fall, or do
you believe that the wise and learned of modem
times are right in disregarding the story of Adam's
fall at all, of the age of which it was written. I do
not say it was, because I do not know it was, and
what can we reason but from what we know, as I
have always believed to be a principle.
Now if Adam 's fall is mythical, of course there
is no foundation for the redemption of sinners, on
the modem plan, this with (*Hhat in Adam's fall we
sinned all") is very beautiful and comforting, and
we feel of Adam and of his eating an apple of the
wrong tree in the orchard certainly deserves a
stronger proof than it has yet obtained, and that so
trifling a mistake should have such momentously de-
grading effect, is rather^terrible. Do not mistake me
as inclined to disbelief in religion. No I not against
religion, no, but, mistakes or untruths in religion if
any are found to exist should be eradicated by all
religious men. If anything should be pure and
eradicated of all mistakes or errors, it is religion.
I would not bother you with this kind of stuff.,
but know that what I get from you will be the truth
as you understand it. In this life I have arrived at
the outlet gate, and have no better friend than you
to tell me where I am to go, when let out.
Some of my wise and pious friends have sug-
gested to me that all such doubts are answered by
faith alone, ^'Well", but if the doubts are real, faith
alone would be very inadequate support, it would be
as if I came to a bridge in my journey through life
that was so decayed and rotten that it must cer-
tainly break down if the weight of myself and team
is placed upon it, and I should be told that it was
certainly a safe crossing, if I should believe in it and
trust to faith alone, I could cross it in safety.
264 Mbmoib and Pbbsokaij Bbcollbotiok.
I do not disbelieve in any alleged fact or doo-
trine however absurd or unreasonable, unless I know
it to be untrue, and therefore I do not say that anyj
Bible doctrine is untrue, all that I can say is, that I
do not know whether it is true or not I believe in
Qt)d and that God is good, I trust in Him. That
there is a God all nature affords full evidence, real
evidence, satisfactory to the senses and mental
faculties which God has supplied me with.
Your sincere Old Friend,
(Signed) Thomas MeuliON,
per Helbling.
Pittsburgh, January 7th, 1901.
Hon. Thomas Mellon^
East End, City.
My most highly esteemed Friend and Benefactor:
It does seem to me that you never tire in plac-
ing me under debts of gratitude, which I can never
repay. Your most kind and tender letter of the
31st December inst. reached me at my home on
Saturday last, and I beg to assure you that it is
simply impossible for me to formulate into sen-
tences words that will express the gratitude, and
pleasure the kind words have awakened in my
breast ; and as the chain of most pleasing reflection ;
extending over a period of forty-three years flitted
through my memory to the day when our first ac-
quaintance began, and I was introduced to you by
an act of kindness, which has seemed to characterize
your every act from that day to the present, and has
impressed me of your being actuated by a kindness
of heart, and nobility of mind, seldom met with in
the daily walks of life ; and to me, personally, you
have been my warmest hearted friend, and benefac-
tor, aud I assure that there is nothing that will
Mbmoib and Pebsonal BBCx>LiiBonoF. 265
add to your comfort and pleasure in your declining
years that I would not most gladly do. In a word,
my one greatest desire is to prove myself worthy of
so good a friend, and you will here permit me to
add, that a shade of sadness passed through my
mind, as I could plainly notice in the writing of your
signature, to your letter, that your right hand gives
strong proof of your statement that you are near-
ing the outlet of which you speak.
I will now attempt to answer some of the re-
ligious doubts or questions propounded to me ; and
here permit me to say, were it not for the strong
faith I have in your friendship, knowing as I do
your superior knowledge, and research into, and up-
on all questions, social, religious, and political, over
those of my own, and that you will make all due al-
lowance for my weakness, and lack of knowledge, or
even to aid you in reaching a conclusion upon such
a momentous question ; but from your having writ-
ten me upon the same subject in several former let-
ters, and you having said to me that my letters af-
forded you pleasure, I will try and present my
views in as concise a manner as I possibly can, hop-
ing, if I do no more, I will aflford you the pleasure
of seeing I have endeavored to reciprocate your
many kindnesses to me.
First: You ask me if I believe the story that
**in Adam's fall we sinned alP^ I answer, I un-
hesitatingly believe the Bible story of Adam's fall,
including the eating of the apple off the wrong tree ;
and if my dear friend will bear with me, I will add
that that strongest argument of the wise and
learned skeptics ; namely, that of ridicule, does not
for one moment shake my faith, or weigh against
the Bible statement of Eve tempting her husband to
disobey God, their Creator. Now, dear Judge, you
will permit me to say that the pivotal fact upon
which the story of man 's f aU rests, was his obe-
266 Memoib and Personal Bbgollegtion.
dience, not the maimer of it This, I think your
logical mind will see at a glance. The origin of sin
into the world, and by sin the passing of death upon
all mankind, is wholly the result of Adam's disobe-
dience ; and it is a matter of such little moment,
whether the disobedience of Adam was manifested
by the eating of an apple off the wrong tree, or not,
and that the wise and learned skeptics have never
been able to offer a stronger argument than ridi-
cule is of itself strong proof in favor of the divine
inspiration of the Bible. This my learned friend
will admit; viz., that ridicule is no argument. Let
me ask you this question? Has not the exi)erience
of the world demonstrated this truth, that from the
smallest things in nature and grace we have the root
principle or seed that produces the greatest results,
and also that a chain is no stronger than its weakest
link. God the Creator, having placed men upon the
earth, had the right to test His creature, in any way
His infinite wisdom deemed best; but my letter will
become too long if I follow a line of reasoning such
as I offer you here, and besides, I cannot banish the
thought that any argument I am likely to offer, you,
yourself, have already thought them out, and I am
like that of a little child attempting to instruct its
teacher. But I will ply you with some Scripture
texts, which after all, afford the only real light upon
the question ; if these are discarded there remains
nothing stronger to be given, and right here let me
dispose of these wise-acres, these learned and wise
skeptics, who are only wise in their own conceit, and
who take issue with divine inspiration or the Holy
Bible, viz., resting my plea upon the Bible state-
ments, I do not overlook the fact that with those
who doubt the fact of the Bible being the divinely
inspired word of God, my arguments and proof will
have no weight This being true, it remains for us
to fall hack upon the only other possible evidence or
Memoib and Pbbsonal Eecollection. 267
test any man under the power and dominion of sin
can offer, or ihe soul-damning, sin-being that of un-
belief — can have ; viz., that of proving by his or her
own personal experience whether the statements of
the Bible are true or not, and you will admit that this
is the more reasonable, and rational appeal to pur
intelligence upon such a momentous subject; that
is, when we come to want to find out in the economy
of grace whether God is able and willing to save us
from our sins, and the inherited penalty of Adam's
transgression of God's law, we must meet the con-
ditions; viz., that of repentance towards God, and
faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. We can then
by stepping out on the promises, and getting under
the blood, demonstrate and know for ourselves that
His words are true. This is the divinely revealed
plan of salvation, and no other will fill the bill ; and
right here is where to all the wise and learned skep-
tics the plan of redemption, through Christ's death
and atonement for sins, becomes a stumbling block.
But, nevertheless, my dear friend, **To the law and
the testimony, if they speak not according to this
word it is because there is no light in them". You
will remember that the Blessed Christ thanked His
Father that these truths were hidden from the wise
and prudent, and revealed unto babes. The Apostle
Paul says **not many wise men after the flesh are
called, not many mighty, not many noble are called,
but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world
to confound the wise ; and hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty; and base things of the world, and things
which are despised, hath God chosen, and things
which are not, to bring to naught things that are ;
that no flesh should glory in His presence. And, I,
Brethren, when I came to you, came not with excel-
lency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you
the testimony of God. For I determined not to
268 Mbmoib AMD Persohai. BBCouLaonoir.
know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and
His cmcifie<L And I was with you in weakness, and
in fear, and in mndi trembling, and my speech, and
my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power ; that your faith should not stand in the wis-
dom of men, but in the power of Qod. How be it we
speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not
the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this
world, that come to nought; but we speak the wis-
dom of God in a mystery, even the hidden mystery,
which God ordained before the world unto our glory,
which none of the princes of this world knew, for
had they known it, they would not have crucified the
Lord of Glory. But as it is written, eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love Him. But God hath revealed
them unto us by His Spirit For the Spirit seardi-
eth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the
spirit of man, which is in him even so the things of
God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. Now
we have received not the spirit of the world, but the
spirit which is of God, that we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God, which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's
wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches
comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of
God; for they are foolishness unto Him, neither can
he know them because they are spiritually discerned.
Buf he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he
himself is judged of no man. For who hafh known
the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him, but
we have the mind of Christ'*.
Now, my dear friend, let me ask you if you,
yourself learned in the law, having been a judge and
Memoir and Pbbbonal Bbgollbction. 269,
expounder of our civil law, who was, and always
have been such a stickler for first principles, and
that of testing any doctrine by giving it a fair trial
before confirming it^ does not the Apostle in these
texts which I have quoted offer every intelligent and
thinking person, the only possible rule that can be
given, by which to prove the doctrine of salvation
from sin. You nor I do not need any proof of the
fact of sin, that men are sinners, yea that we our-
selves are poor undone and helpless sinners, and
what we need is to be shown and made known to us,
how we may escape from the wages of sin, which is
death ; and if not saved from them, is death eternal.
Now, my dear friend, is it possible for fallen men
and women to have a more reasonable, and wise
plan offered to them, to escape the penalty of sin,
than that which God offers in his sacred word.
Jesus says: ^'Come unto me aU ye that are weary
and heavy laden, and I will give you rest Come
taste and see that the Lord is good' '• This we see is
the divinely ordained plan for saving sinners from
their sins, and let me ask you, are not the testimony
of those who have accepted the offers of mercy, and
have proven that His promises are true, a thousand
fold more reliable evidence than the ridicule, and
vaporings of professedly wise, and learned skeptics,
who only have a theory and not an experimental
knowledge of the facts to give us? Is not the testi-
mony of the learned scholars, like that of the Wes-
leys, and others who have experienced the trans-
forming power of God in their own hearts and lives,
and who exclaim what we have felt and seen, with
confidence we tell, and publish to the sons of men the
signs infallible, a more reliable teslimony to rest
upon. Jesus says. ^^I am the light of the world, he
that foUoweth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life'\ The wise-acres of His
day, the Pharisees, accused Him of bearing record
270 Memoir and Pbbsonal Recollection.
of Himself, saying His record was not true. Jesns
answered : * * Though I bear record of myself, yet my
record is trne, for I know whence I came and whither
I go. Te judge after the flesh ; I judge no man, and
yet if I judge, my judgment is true ; for I am not
alone, for I and the Father which sent me are one.
It is also written in your law that the testimony of
two men is true. I am one that bear witness of my-
self, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of
me*\ Then said they unto Him: ** Where is thy
Father?*^ Jesus answered: *'Te have neither
known me nor my Father. If ye had known me, ye
should have known my Father also*'.
Now, Judge, I submit that if in view of the
momentous interests we have at stake, and the ter-
rible consequences involved in rejecting the testi-
mony of Jesus Christ concerning the atonement He
has provided, is it wise for men and women to
hazard their eternal interest on the mere conjectures
of professedly wise, and learned skeptics, when we
ourselves can demonstrate the truth, by meeting the
conditions laid down by the all wise Creator and
Saviour, in His revealed and written Word? You
speak of faith in Christ's atonement under the figure
of an * * old bridge so decayed and rotten that it must
certainly break down if the weight of myself and
teams are placed upon it, and I should be told that it
was certainly a safe crossing if I should believe in it,
and trust to faith alone I should cross it in safety''.
Now, dear Judge, allow me to say, your pen por-
traiture, or figure of speech, while a good pen pic-
ture of our modem, worldly conformed, Chris-
tianity ; that type of religious professors that find
their chief delight in worldly folly, such as theatre-
going, card playing, dancing, base and foot ball
crazes, and such like travesties upon the Christ life,
which I heard you, more than thirty years ago, (as
we sat eating our dinner at George Reineman's res-
Memoib and Pebsonal Begollection. 271
taurant)y style as being a burlesque on the self-
denial and self -negation of Christ, and still, I think
you will admit it in no wise represents the Christian
faith, or applies to the faith once delivered to the
Saints. No, No, dear Judge, there are no rotten
timbers, or unsound wood in the faith that works by
love, and purifies the heart. I freely admit that it
is not strange that you, and intelligent man like you,
turn away in disgust from such popular delusions,
as characterizes the mass of professing christians
today. But that intelligent men like yourself should
neglect the faith once delivered to the Saints be-
cause of such manifest inconsistencies on the part of
dead formal Christless professions, exemplified by
the twice Dead, and plucked up by the roots, of our
back-slidden Protestant professors and preachers, is
surprising. But Judge you should remember that
men never counterfeit a bogus coin. There must be
a genuine article on which to base the hope of the
counterfeit currency. But ' * Cui, bono ^ \ I must not
weary you with repetition of scriptural or unscript-
ural phrases. I am certain I can add nothing to
your stock of knowledge on this or any other ques-
tion. Christ is the great Teacher. He spake as
never man spake. He laid down as the basis, and as
the foundation principle of the Christian hope, the
necessity of the new birth. He said to Nioodemus :
** Marvel not, I said ye must be bom again". No
reasoning, no argument, no philosophy, can possibly
supplement the new birth, or give any man or
woman a knowledge of, or an experience in, by which
they can comprehend the Christ life until Christ has
been formed within their hearts, the hope of eternal
glory, by a saving faith obtained, and granted on
condition of repentance toward God, and faith to-
ward our Lord Jesus Christ, and also having the
witness of the Holy Spirit with their spirits, that
272 Memoib and Pebsonaij Bbgollbctiok.
they are bom of God ; then, and not until then^ eaji
they with Charles Wesley sing :
My God is reconciled,
His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for his child,
I can no longer fear ;
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And Father, abba. Father cry.
Then and not tiU then can we know of the doc-
trine whether it be true or no. This I declare unto
you, not only on the authority of the written Word,
but from an experimental knowledge extending over
the period of our personal acquaintance of forty-
three years.
On the first Saturday evening of February,
1858, a few weeks after I saw you in your office on
WyHe avenue, I, myself, at an old time Methodist
altar, in a little brick meeting house in Port Perry,
under a deep conviction of my sins, and of my need
of the merits of the atonement of Jesus Christ, I
cried unto the Lord and he heard my cry, and he
took me out of the horrible pit and out of the miry
olay of unbelief, sin and misery. The spirit answering
to the blood, told me that I was bom of God, and
from that day untU the present, dear Judge, I never
have had any doubts about the truth of the inspired
Word of God ; and while I have not been as stead-
fast in the faith, and have not witnessed as good a
confession as I should have done, still I trace to the
divine impartation of His great love wherewith He
loves me, and a measure of the Holy Spirit given to
me, what little I have accomplished in life. I attri-
bute among the many great kindnesses I have re-
ceived from you, and your sons, along with that of
others, as among the divine blessings I have re-
ceived at the hands of my Heavenly Father. I
thank Him for enabling me to order my walk and
Memoir and Pbesonal Eecollection. 273
conversation, so as to retain the confidence for these
many years of such a noble friend as you have been
to me, and if in this long, and possibly the last letter
I shall write you, I shall give expression to a word
or thought that shall in the least contribute in aid-
ing you in laying hold upon the hope set before us in
the Gospel, so that you shall have no need to cross
over that old, rickety, rotten bridge in order to find
the haven of rest, but shall even now by faith * ' enter
into the rest prepared for the people of God'^ (We
who do believe have entered into rest) and have a
Heaven to go to Heaven in ; then I shall feel I have
attained my one great desire of having done my life-
long friend the greatest possible return for his
many acts of kindness to me.
f
Let me give you the experience of an old Meth-
odist minister, which you will remember as the man
for which your father was sessioned, in the old
Covenanter Church, for allowing him to preach in
an unfinished tenement house your father was build-
ing. He was familiarly known and called ** Uncle
Jimmy Sansom'' by us Methodists. The Eev. Dr.
Hunter, the Methodist poet, puts Sansom ^s story of
his conversion into verse. Dr. Hunter said that
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Sansom 's
relating of his conversion at a camp meeting re-
quired but little changing of the words to set it up
in verse :
There is a spot to me more dear.
Than native vale or mountain ;
A spot for which affection's tear.
Spring's grateful from it's fountain;
'Tis not where kindred ties abound,
Although that were almost Heaven;
But where I first my Saviour found,
And felt my sins forgiven.
274 Memoib and Phbsonaij Becollegtion.
Hard was my toil to reach the shore,
Long tossed upon the ocean ;
Above me was the thunder's roar,
Beneath the waves' commotion.
Darkly the pall of night was thrown
Around me faint with terror;
In that dark hour how did my groan
Ascend for years of error !
Sinking and panting as if for breath,
I knew not help was near me ;
And cried, Oh Lord save me from death ;
Immortal Jesus hear me.
Then quick as thought I felt Him mine ;
My Saviour stood before me,
I saw His brightness around me ^iue,
And shouted, Glory, Glory.
Oh, Sacred Hour, Oh, Hallowed spot,
Where love divine first found me ;
Wherever falls my distant lot,
My heart will linger around thee ;
And when from earth I rise to soar,
Up to my home in Heaven,
Down will I cast my eyes once more ;
To where I was first forgiven.
And now may Heaven's richest blessings con-
tinue to rest upon my aged friend, and his dear
companion while your stay is prolonged upon the
earth, and Heaven's eternal bliss await your en-
trance upon the great eternity beyond the shores of
time, the outlet upon which you are now standing.
I am sincerely and always your friend.
(Signed) J. B. Corby.
Memoib and Pebsonal Begollegtion. 275
Beab ADMiRAii Forsyth of U. S. Navy's Lettbb.
48 West Lincoln St,
Shamokin, Penna,,
June 14th, 1907.
My dear sir :
My wife and I have been oflf on a little trip and
have just returned to find the splendid likeness of
you, that you have so kindly sent me. All think it
an excellent picture of you. I add it with great
pleasure to my collection of friends and thank you
for sending it
Yours very truly,
Jas. M. Forsyth,
U. S. Navy.
J. B. Corey, Esq.,
Pittsburgh, Pa,
Shamokin, Pa,,
May 13th, 1907.
Dear Mr. Corey :
Tour letter received. My wife has been having
the regular ** spring house cleaning "and found some
photographs of herself, which were taken just a
year after I married her and she says I can send
one with her compliments to Mrs. Corey. It was a
perfect likeness of her when taken and is still very
good. If we ever come to Pittsburgh I shall let you
know and would be glad to see you should you visit
this town.
Tours truly,
Jas. M. Forsyth,
U. S. Navy.
J. B. Corey, Esq.,
Pittsburgh, Pa,
276 Memoib and Personal Begollegtion.
48 West Lincoln St,
Shamokin, Pa.,
July 8th, 1907.
My dear Mr. Corey:
I am much obliged for the picture of your good
wife. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Helfenstein, has
taken it into her special care.
I was also pleased to get the papers. * * High
Tide ' ^ gives a good idea of how things went in the
days gone by. I myself, was stationed at the Navy
Yard, Washington, in Sept, Oct and November,
1861 ; under instruction, and saw President Lincoln
quite often, you see we have been near to each other
and did not know it I was much interested in your
anecdotes of our great President, who is to me the
greatest American that ever lived.
With kind regard, I am.
Yours truly.
Jas. M. Forsyth,
Rear Admiral,
U. S. Navy.
J. B. Corey, Esq.,
Pittsburgh, Pa,
48 West Lincoln Street,
Shamokin, Penna*
May 8th, 1907.
My dear Mr. Corey :
Your letter to me, after wandering around a
bit; fell into hands of some naval officer at the New
York Navy Yard, who knew my home address and
sent it to me here. I don't know how you got the
idea I was a New Yorker. Ever since I landed in
Philadelphia, as a boy, in 1853 ; that city has been
my home, as far as a sailor can have a home, and
smce my second marriage, in 1903, I have made my
rl:.mi admiral korsvth.
WIKK UF ADMERAI. FuriSVTH.
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 277
home in this town with my wife ^s people. I remem-
ber you very well and our talks about the coal busi-
ness at New Orleans. You are mistaken about my
commanding one of the ships of Commodore Farra-
gut^s fleet when he captured New Orleans, April 24,
26, 1862. I was only a youngster 20 years of age,
and serving as a junior volunteer officer on board
the Gunboat Wissahickon (No. 4) one of Farragut^s
fleets. Commander Albert N. Smith. My rank was
that of Acting Master's Mate. I am glad that we got
there just in time to save that coal for you and so en-
able you to weather financial storm. I remember
your Sunday service on board the ''Comus** and my
wife and mother-in-law often refer to it. I send you
a photo of myself. If you notice a change, it is be-
cause I have shaved off my ** goatee** and may look
strange in uniform. My wife regrets that she has
not one to send to Mrs. Corey. With kind regards
and wishing you both many more years, I am.
Yours truly,
JaS. M. FOBSYTH,
Bear Admiral,
U. S. Navy.
J. B. Corey, Esq.,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Bjeng Gbobgb V. ON TrrANio Disastbb.
BuckinghamL Palace.
The Private Secretary has received The King^s
commands to thank Mr. J. B. Corey for the kind ex-
pressions conveyed in his communication of the 15th
ulto.
March 2nd, 1911.
278 Memoib and Personal Recollection.
STATE OP MICHIGAN
Executive Chambeb
Lanbino
Big BapidSy Michigan, Jan. 11, 1914.
My dear sir :
I have your letter of January 5th. In the Cop-
per Country the bone of contention is the recogni-
tion of the Western Federation of Miners. Both
sides are equally stubborn in regard to the one
bone. I have read with care your co-operative
agreement I shall read it several times more. I
wish to say that I am personally grateful to you for
sending me this agreement. Just at this time I am
pausing for certain events to take place that are in-
evitable. Every day I am doing some wiring in
the last hope that the great industrial dispute in the
Copper Country may end speedily.
Gratefully yours,
WOODBBIDQB N. FeRBIS,
Governor.
J. B. Corey.
Braddock, Pa.
WNF-NB
Wm. H. White & McCtjllough Lumbeb Co.
General Office, Fargo, N. D. i
Fargo, N. D., July 18th, 1912.
Dear Bro. Corey:
I was very glad to hear from you, and in your
own hand writing. Some time I will try to see you.
I don't know when, but you did me a great deal of
good when we were together. Please remember me
kindly to your daughter. Some time I hope to meet
her again.
Sincerely yours,
Wm. H. White.
Memoir and Pebsonaij Recollection. 279
Letter of Key. Babbi Levy and my reply to same.
Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec 24, 1902.
Mr. J. B. Corey,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
My dear sir:
In reply to your communioation which awaited
me on my return from the East, I beg to state that I
regret my inability to be present at Wesley' Chapel
on Sunday or Wednesday evening of this week.
I feel very sorry indeed that you should be dis-
turbed by my imputation of the insincerity of con-
verted Jews, but if you knew this class of people as
well as I do, you would not be at all surprised at the
position I have taken. I believe that I am render-
ing every sincere Christian a distinct service when
I wrote as I did through my paper. I do not think
I am ungenerous, nor do I impugn the motives of
men who are honest and whose lives give evidence
of their honesty. I am amazed that any thinking
Christian should be blinded by the palpable self-
seeking of those who leave Judaism for Chris-
tianity, though in this case, as in others, none are so
blind as those who will not see. My contention is
fair and should be convincing to reasonable people ;
Preach ' * Christ and him crucified * * to the Jews with-
out bribe, without favors, without social gain and
see how many converts to Christianity you will get I
Motives are for God to judge, but the presump-
tion of insincerity will always be held against those
who leave the struggling minority to join the ranks
of the majority. I am very familiar with the
methods of the missionaries. I know the work they
have conducted for years in London, in Palestine
Place ; I know how they have met the refugees from
Continental Europe, as they land in free countries;
I know the tempting baits offered to innocent chil-
280 Memoib and Personal Becollection.
dren and I know the awards made to those who
prosecute this work with ardor. The Christians
who contribute for missionary efforts among tiie
Jews are guilty of insulting the intelligence and the
religious feelings of many of those who are devout
followers of *' Moses and the Prophets*^, as Jesus
himself was, as well as being guilty of sustaining,
generally speaking, people, who by personal expe-
rience with large numbers of them, I have discov-
ered to be of the tribe of Goldberg in England and
Warszawiak in New York. I cite here two isolated
cases, but my experience has been considerable with
this class of people. I am not building a theory on
an exception. I have met in my life a number of
so-called ** converts'' to Christianity. I have at-
tended some of them, at their request, on their
death-bed, and I know whereof I speak when I say I
can cite cases in which the greatest perfidy and
scurrility have been practiced by them.
I am no more sweeping in my denunciation of
this class of people than was the gentle Nazarene in
his indignant outcry recorded in Matthew xxiiL of
which a very spiritual Christian says ^ ' that terrible
invective has never been equaled in severity in any
known human speech''. You certainly justify Jesus
in his wholesale and indiscriminating denunciation;
and while I make no pretence, in any respect, to the
character of the Nazarene, and while I feel for this
Jew of Nazareth great reverence, (as I have always
stated both privately and publicly) I think I have
not been harsher in my judgment of those who, I
feel, should be condemned, than was he of those
against whom he launched his condemnation.
In the economy of religion and in God's wonder-
ful providence, it seems wisely ordained that there
should be division of opinion. I cheerfully admit
the necessity of varying views and I feel that great
good must come from different methods of reason-
Memoir and Personal. Becollection. 281
ing honestly pursued. To my mind nothing could
be better than that each sect should first perfect the
members attached to its own branch of thought It
were well first to have all Presbyterians, Methodists,
Baptists, etc., etc., upright, honest. God-fearing,
spiritually-minded men and women, and that the
members of these various denominations should get
their members to lead the "Christ "-life. When
they have succeeded in that it will be time enough
for them to look to the ways of others. You have
no doubt heard of "the mote and the beam". There
are hosts of Non-Jewish people in this country,
without God, without religion, without knowledge of
the Bible, upon whom it might be well to exert some
uplifting influence; and while I make no claim that
the Jews are perfect, I feel that they can be left to
be cared for by their own as I think tiie various sects
ought to look after their own. To me as a free bom
Englishman and a free citizen of America, it seems
the height of unwarranted impertinence for people
to interfere in the religious beliefs of their neigh-
bors. I care not how noble be the motive, such ac-
tion, to my mind, savors of unpardonable
Pharisaism. If souls have to be saved, it were well
to begin at home first, and when Christians are true
Christians, and when they can point to the conver-
sion of the Christian world to Christianity, it will be
time enough for them to speak of going outside of
Christian ranks. The ends do not sanctify the
means, according to my ethical standard, but if you
must convert someone, begin by converting nominal
Christians ; the Jews, having a religion of their own
which was and is satisfying to them, can be left
alone.
I cannot tell you how deeply I regret the need
of having to write in this tone, especially as I have
met so many people who, I believe, are genuinely
Christian, and who have expressed to me their opin-
282 Memoib and Personal. Recollbction.
ion that the whole conversion movement is a farce
and most reprehensible in their sight I have met
so many sweet and pure people, members of the
Christian Churchy that I regret very much to find
those whose characteristics should be sweet humil-
ity, lowliness and righteousness, presuming to under-
take a work, which no one would condemn more bit*
terly than the Nazarene himself.
The remaiks you make about myself I pass over
in that spirit of brotherly forgiveness which I have
been taught as a Jew to practice. From my child-
hood I have offered daily the prayer at the close of
**The Eighteen Benedictions", in which I have
asked for divine help to answer the slanderer by
forgiving him, and the maligner by asking for him
the pardon of God. This is why I made no refer-
ence to the article which you published in the Brad-
dock paper after my address in Carnegie Hall. I
was informed that you had purchased the space in
the paper to publish the article and that you had
prompted a converted Jew to challenge me on the
evening that I spoke. Of course I cannot vouoh for
the truth of this, but such was my information from
private sources. You may remember that I did not
even raise my voice in protest against what I felt
was an act on the part of one, calling himself a
Christian, who appeared to me to resort to methods
which are not exactly what I believe the Nazarene
would have followed. For your private informa-
tion, I would tell you now, and now only because
this is a personal communication, that I am not at
all hurt by the fact that you disapprove of the size
of my salary. My people here pay me what they
do for reasons best known to themselves. I have
never asked for a position in my life. Every pulpit
I have occupied has been filled by myself in response
to an invitation, and I have resolved never, under
any circumstances, to '* apply" for a pulpit In the
Memoir and Personal 'Recollection. 283
future, as in the past, wherever I shall teach, I shall
do so in response to the call of my people and not
because I seek any other place than the sphere in
which I find myself. I graduated from my college
an orthodox Jew, son of an orthodox minister of the
Jewish faith, and for some years I was an orthodox
Babbi in England. I outgrew, as I felt, the restric-
tions imposed by orthodoxy and found myself out
of sympathy with the forms of my father's faith.
At tiiat time I was earning the equivalent of more
than $4,000 a year. I left England and came to
America in response to a call from a congregation in
Sacramento, California. I gave up my home, my
country, my friends, my family and although mar-
ried but eight months, my young wife and I came to
this country to teach what I felt was a better view
of my faith, sympathizing as I did with the Prophets
of Israel rather than with the formalists. You can
never know, and even if you are possessed of a lively
imagination, you can little understand, the sacri-
fices I brought for my conviction's sake, besides re-
signing a most successful rabbinate and what was
conceded to be by all who knew me, the certainty of
a brilliant future in England, and accepting a posi-
tion for $1,800 a year. This is many years ago and
I am where I am in response to my people 's wishes,
not as the result of my self-seeking. I never raised
a finger, and never by hint or allusion, sought to
leave any position I occupied. I have always been
with the minority of the minority and expect to so
remain till the end. I have told you this not be-
cause I am especially interested in standing well
with you, nor because I care to defend myself, but
simply because having brought the charge of self-
seeking against others, you bring it against me.
You are at liberty to make your own deductions, and
I claim for myself an equal degree of liberty to
make mine. I stand exactly in the position to-day
284 Memoib and Pebsonal RecouliECtion.
where I did when I wrote the article to which you
take exception, not varying one whit in my belief
that I am doing society a service in exposing those
whom I believe are totally unworthy of serious con-
sideration after the large experience I have had
with the class of people against whom I now, as in
the past, lodge my protest You may think me
illiberal and I am sorry for it As soon as the gos-
pel of the Nazarene is preached, as soon as all
favors, bribes, rewards are withdrawn from the or-
ganized system of conversion methods, as soon as I
find Christianity has converted the morally sub-
merged portion of Christian society, to whom it of
right should apply, you will find that I shall not
speak as I have spoken. The burden of my whole
plea and plaint is : Take care of those who come
legitimately within the scope of Christian thought
and save them first This done we may be able to
say : ' ' Come now and let us reason together, saith
the hoTd'\
Yours truly,
J. Leonabd Levy.
Rev. Rabbi Levy,
Dear sir :
Your seven-page letter was duly received. My
motive in addressing you the short note which you
answered at such great length was only to remind
you that men fully your equal mentally and morally
who had lived in our community for years were en-
titled to the same respectful consideration that your
short tenure in our midst entitled you to. When I
read your cruel, unjust public attack upon men
whose reputation and character as Hebrew converts
rested upon as solid foundation as your own, I felt
led to write you my feeble protest against your
illiberal and uncalled for attack upon the motives
and principles of men and women who had as good
Memoib and Pbbsonal, Recollection. 285
a right to change their religious opinions and follow
their religions convictions, as you had to change
your opinions and follow your convictions.
Now, Dr. Levy, surely you cannot reconcile your
cruel abuse of Jewish converts with your statement
that it was wise in divine providence that there
should be a diversity of opinion on religious ques-
tons and dogmas, for, when a Gentile or Jewish con-
vert differs with you as to his or her religious con-
victions, you feel called to sit in judgment upon
them, anathematizing them as sordid hypocrites, etc.
Might I not properly exclaim : * * On what meat doth
this Hebrew Caesar feed!'' or ''who made tiiee a
judge of other man 's motives T ' ' But I am opposed
to three men piling on one, even if their cause is
just, and as Dr. Chalmers, a Gentile, and Rev. A. R.
Kuldell a Jewish convert, have both replied to your
editorial in a much more able and masterly manner
than I am capable of doing, I will not attempt to an-
swer some of your illogical attacks upon Christian
doctrine and practice, but content myself by re-
pudiating some of your personal insinuations and
charges of sordid motives, such as bribing Hebrew
converts, etc.
As my own knowledge of missionary efforts to
the Jews is limited to our Hebrew Mission in Pitts-
burgh, I shall endeavor to show that your charges
against the Pittsburgh Jewish converts or their
Christian friends has no foundation in truth, and if
I do it will go a long way towards proving that your
charges against other Hebrew converts and missions
are also groundless.
My knowledge and interest in the conversion of
the Jews began with my going down to Dixmont
hospital to see Maurice Ruben, which resulted in my
instigating proceedings to have him liberated. The
incidents which followed are all so well known that I
will not reiterate them, but will call your attention
286 Memoir and Personal BecolxiEction.
to a few facts which clearly refute your charges of
bribery, and that the Jewish converts accept Christ
for the money there is in it When Mr. Buben was
brought before His Honor, Judge White, he pro-
nounced it the greatest outrage upon an innocent
man that had come before him in his thirty years
experience, and told the doctors who lent themselves
to the crime that they all ought to be sent to the
penitentiary. Forgetting the admonition of your
Jew and my Saviour, to ^^do good to them that de-
spitefully use you'', I thought I saw a good oppor-
tunity to even up and teach the rich Jew, Charles
Buben a lesson. I set myself to have Maurice Buben
bring suit against his brother and the doctors for a
big bill of damages, to which he at first gave his con-
sent, and attorney Wm. Yost prepared the papers
necessary, when to my utter disappointment and the
disgust of Mr. Yost, Maurice Buben came to my of-
fice and said : ' ^ I cannot consent to go ahead with the
suit against Charles. What he did, he did through
love for me as his brother, and I would have had him
sent to Dixmont had be been converted while I was
in my Jewish blindness". Now, I think, you must
admit that if Maurice Buben 's motive was to make
money, he threw away as good a chance as he is ever
likely to have. I am certain (and I think Mr. Yost
felt sure that he had as good a prospect for a fat fee
as lawyers usually have), if Maurice had not inter-
fered, Charles Buben may have retired from busi-
ness as he has done, but the credit side of the ledger
would not have shown as big a balance.
I admit, my dear sir, that I was little less dis-
appointed when Brother Buben refused to accept
either of his brother's offers to give up his call to
preach and go back to the store at a salary of $2,500
per year, or accept an advance of $5,000 to start
himself in business, both of which offers were de-
clmed in my presence in my office, as also was his
Memoir and Personal. Eecollection. 287
declination three years later to become united with
his family on condition that he gave np his call to
preach and returned to business. But I assure you
we are all glad today that he was able to stand the
testy and I do not believe his noble little Christian
wife would for one moment consider the three large
Jewish stores of our city if offered them on condition
that she and her husband would give up their faith
in Christ His brother himself has told me that he
is proud of Maurice, and is glad that he is successful
in his labors. Both Mr. Yost and myself are glad
he had more of the Christ spirit than we had, and I
am ashamed of how very little Christian sympathy
and love I showed him ttie first three years of the
Christ-life, when brother and sister, wife and chil-
dren, all had forsaken him ; and yet I think he will
tell you that I showed him more aid and kindness
than all the sweet-scented Christians (so-called) in
this locality.
Now, Dr. Levy, here is one instance, whether
you will admit it or not, where a Jewish convert did
accept the cardinal doctrines of Christianity. His
brother thought him insane, hireling doctors pro-
nounced him insane, but an able and experienced
Jurist declared him to be a saner man than his per-
secutors.
Again, in reply to your statement that you are
not hurt at my disapproval 6f the size of your
salary, allow me to say that I do not disapprove of
the size of your salary at all. In ringing the changes
on your $8,500 salary, my object was to force home
on your mind the illogical absurdity of your cruel
accusation against Hebrew converts whom you
charged with giving up the faith of their fathers for
the money that was in it, when you yourself say you
have out-grown orthodox Judaism and have turned
away from the traditions of the elders, and in so do-
ing you have improved both your social and financial
288 Memoib and Pbbsonal. Recollection.
interest over one hundred per cent (from a salary of
$4,000 to $8,500 per year). In calling attention to
your charges of sordid motives against apostate
Jews, I only intended to remind you that an apos-
tate rabbi with such great advancement of his finan-
cial interest, is liable to be suspected of becoming a
reform Jew for the money there is in it No, no,
Dr. Levy, I am not ignorant of what the Bible and
all human experience proves to be true, that the
preaching of an emasculated theology, the holding
of truth in unrighteousness, always commands a
higher salary and pays better socially than an ad-
herence to truth. All the prophets and apostles
unite in declaring that both Jews and Gentiles turn
away their ears from the truth to fables, and heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears.
In reference to the 23rd chapter of Matthew,
which gives the Nazarene's strong denunciation of
Phariseeism — ^if you will read that chapter carefully
you will see that it was not to the poor fisherman,
his disciples and missionaries to Jew and Gentile,
that the Nazarene directed His denunciations, but to
those who sat in Moses * seat — the rabbis. He told
them to call no man ** rabbi'', comparing them to
whited sepulchres. You will have to read that
chapter more carefully. You will find nothing in it
justifying your intolerant spirit.
Let me call your attention to one or two things
you overlook in your complaint against efforts to
convert the Jews. First, your Nazarene claimed
that He came unto His own, and His own received
Him not; second, in commissioning His disciples to
preach His gospel. He told them to begin at Jeru-
salem. Paul, who sat at the feet of Gamaliel and
profited in the Jews' religion above many of his
equals, declared that his gospel was *'to the Jew
first". This you will see, answers your objections
to missionary efforts among the Jews, especially
Memoib and Pebsonal. Recollection. 289
with reference to all persons who acknowledge their
allegiance to Christ Then, in regard to your com-
plaint of unwise acts and un-Christlike spirit of
missionaries, I would say that if these complaintis
are true, they only hold against the unfaithful mis-
sionary or those who have a zeal not according to
knowledge. You know men never counterfeit a
worthless bank-note or bogus coin. That there are
so many counterfeit or anti-semitic Christians is the
strongest proof of true Christianity. You can see
the effect of this anti-christian spirit in the many
Roumanian Jews driven from home and seeking
shelter in this country. My oflSce of late has been
like an employment agency, and not only so, but I
am called to relieve the pressing needs of some of
these poor wanderers. Now, Dr. Levy, for fear of
being suspicioned of taking advantage of their
necessities to induce them to accept Christ, I am
willing to enter into an arrangement of this kind
with you and your wealthy Reform Jews. I will
send these Jews seeking employment and aid to you
and your friends and let you assist them, and we
will take our chances of converting them after they
learn our American language and customs. You
see I am willing that you should have my share of
the reward your Nazarene Jew promises to all who
feed, clothe and visit the distressed and needy.
One more thought and I am done. I think you
overlook the fact that cause and effect always fol-
low. Intolerance is a very prominent trait in human
nature both among Jews and Gentiles. This in-
tolerant spirit among Jews manifested towards
Christ in causing him to be crucified, perhaps more
than all else, has brought down upon the defenceless
head of the Jews all the intolerant bigotry they have
had to endure for the past 1,900 years. The com-
mon idea among GentUes is that the only way to deal
with a Jew is to allow him to go so far and no far-
290 Memoib and Pbbsonal Becollegtion.
ther. Your letter to me, and your artide in tiie
Pittsbnrgh Post manifests this trait to stteh a degree
that nothing but the Christ-spirit saves you from
the natural effect*
I dose with this one suggestion. If Reform
Judaism has notiiing better to offer a man of your
ability than the vaporings of Oerman rationalism
and infidelity, or French agnosticism, then your
$8,500 salary is a poor compensation for the sacri-
fice you are making xq[>on tilie altar of Baal. I hope
tills letter controversy may lead you to see the dark
veil of Jewish unbelief lying upon your heart, and
like St. Paul and Brother Buben, you may hear a
voice saying: **It is I, Jesus of Nazareth; why per-
secutest tiiou mef Dr. Levy, is it not hard for you
to kick against tiie priekst Surely conscienoe must
prick you when pretending to reverence and eulogize
the greatest imposter that ever trod the earth. If
Jesus is not the Christ of Ood, second person in the
Trinity, the promised Messiah to the Jews, I am
astonished that your wealthy congregation do not
call you down. The hypocrisy is so transparent to
every intelligent man and woman ; and all you gain
in the way of flattery from hollow-hearted, back-
slidden preachers will never compensate you for the
wounds you are ^ving your own conscience.
Believe me, my dear sir,
Very sincerely yours,
J. B. Cobby.
/
MeMOIB and PsBSONAIi RECOLLECTION. 291
THE DEATH AND RESUEBECTION
OF JESUS CHRIST.
Easter Sermons, prepared hy J. B. Corey from Ex-
tracts of Sermons of John and Charles Wesley
and Dr. Adam Clark.
Db. Adam Clark's Comments on 15th Chafteb
1st Cobinthllnts.
Dr. Adam Clark, in his oommentary, says:
It appears from this chapter that there were
some false apostles at Corinth who denied the Resur-
rection. In consequence of which St Paul discusses
the questions it contains as follows:
FiBST — ^Whether there be a resurrection of the
deadf (Verses 1-35.)
Second — ^What will be the nature of the resur-
rection bodies? (Verses 35-51.)
Third — ^What will become of those found alive
when the last trumpet shall sound? Verses 51-57.)
FiBST — He proves the resurrection from verses
lto4.
Second — From eye-witnesses, from verses 5
to 12. In the second place he proves the resurrection
by the absurdity of the contrary doctrine.
First — ^If the dead rise not, Christ is not risen.
(Verse 13.)
Sbcond— The apostles must be false witnesses
who attest this resurrection. (Verse 15.)
Third — The faith of the Corinthians must be
vain who believe it (Verses 16-17.)
Fourth — All the believers who have died in ihe
faith of Christ perished if Christ be not risen.
(Verses 18.)
Fifth — ^Believers in Christ are in a more miser-
able state than others if there be no resurrection.
(Verse 19).
\
292 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollection.
Sixth — Those who are baptized in the faith that
Christ died for them and arose again are deceived.
(Verse 29.)
Seventh — The Apostles, and Christians in
general, who suffer persecution on the ground that^
after suffering awhile here, they shall have a glor-
ious resurrection, are acting a foolish and unprofit-
able part (Verse 32.)
Fob He Shall Save His People fbom Theib Sins.
The Apostle in Verse One says : ' ' The Gospel
which I preach unto you is contained in Christ dying
for our sins, being buried and rising the third day
for our justification. * '
Second— By which also ye are saved ; that is, ye
are now in a saveable state; and are saved from!
Gentileism and from your former sins ; if you keep
this in memory, your future salvation, or being
finally brought to glory, will now depend on your
faithfulness to God and the grace which ye have re-
ceived.
Verse Third — For I delivered unto you, first of
all, that which I also received, as the chief things
are matters of greatest importance, and fundamental
truths. That which I received by revelation from
God himself and not from man. That Christ died
for our sins. The death of Jesus Christ as a vicar-
ious sacrifice for sin is among the things that are!
of chief importance, and is the essential Gospel
scheme of salvation according to the Scriptures. The
sinner who was an heir to all God^s curses has,
tiirough the sacrifice of Jesus, a claim on the mercy
of the Most High and a right to be saved ; even Jus-
tice itself gives salvation to the vilest who take
refuge in this atonement ; for Justice has nothing to
grant nor heaven to give which the blood of the Son
of God has not merited. It is not said anywhere in
the Scriptures, in express terms, that Christ should
DR. ADAM CLAItK,
Memoib and Personal Becollection. 293
rise on the third day; but it is fully implied in the
foreshadowing of that event, as in the case of Jonah,
-wiip came out of the belly of the fish onl the third
day ; but particularly in the case of Isaac, for as his
being brought to Mt Moriah, bound and laid on the
wood in order to be sacrificed, pointed to the death
of Christ, so his being brought alive on the third
day from the Mount was a figure of His resurrec-
tion, which two Gospels, having been written at the
time Paul wrote this Epistle, properly called Sacred
Scriptures. And that he was seen of Cephas, then
of the twelve ; after that He was seen of five hundred
brethren at once; five hundred persons saw him at
one time.
**What a remarkable testimony,** says Dr.
Clarke, '*this is to the truth of our Lord's resur-
rection.** After that He was seen of James. Then
of all the Apostles. And, last of all, was seen of me
also, as one bom out of due time. For I am the least
of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an
Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God;
but, by the Grace of God, I am what I am ; God by
His mere grace and good will has called me to be an
Apostle; nor have I been unfaithful to the Divine
call. I have labored more abundantly than they all.
The Apostle not only clearly establishes the doctrine
of the resurrection, but also gives the clearest proofs
of his own call to the Apostleship or ministry of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ Therefore, whether it was I
or they, so we preach and so ye believe; all the
Apostles of Christ agree in the same doctrines and
preach the same thing; and as we preached so ye
believed, having received from us the Apostolic faith
that Jesus died for our sins, and rose again from the
dead for our justification; and that His resurrection
is pledge and proof of our resurrection ; and whoever
teaches contrary to this does not preach the true
Apostolic doctrine.
294 Mbmoib and Pebsokal. Becollxction.
Dr. Adam Clarke says : ''The absolute necessity
of a divme revelation is sufficiently established. IP
God be the whole foundation of light and truth, all
knowledge must be derived from Him. The spirit of
man may know the things of man, but the spirit of
Qod He alone knows, and teaches the things of God.
How unspeakably we are indebted to God for giving
us a revelation of His will and His works. Who then
are they who cry out the Bible is a fable t The use
of revelation and a pious study of it was the grand
means of producing the greatest kings, the most en-
lightened statesmen, the most accomplished poets,
and the most holy and useful men and women that
ever adorned the world.**
Thb Post Most BBAuriFin^LY Expbbsssd
This Hops.
He says :
''The Christian's hope is a glorious hope,
A hope through Jesus given,
A hope, when days and years are past,
We all shall meet in heaven. * *
Thb Pbimttivb Apostles.
Dr. Clarke further says that Paul was the last
of the primitive Apostles. The primitive Apostles
were those who had seen Christ, and got their call to
the Apostate immediately from Jesus. Paul says :
"Now if it be preached that He aroselfrom the dead,
how say some among you that there is no resur-
rection of the dead?" That there were some false
prophets or teachers among them who were endeav-
oring to incorporate Mosaic rites and ceremonies
with the Christians, worship and even to blend Sad-
duceism with the whole, appear pretty evident To
confute this false teaching the Apostle wrote this
chapter: '^If there be no resurrection of the ^ad.
Memoib and Pebsonal Begollectiok. 295
then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen,
then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also
¥ain'\ Dr. Clarke says: '^ There seems to have been
8(Hne at Corinth who, though they denied the resnr-
rection of the dead, admitted that Christ had
risen." The Apostle's argnment goes therefore to
state if Christ was raised from the dead, mankind
may be raised; and if manldnd cannot be raised,
then the body of Christ was never raised, and our
belief in a false doctrine is useless, void and un*
profitable. But could five hundred persons agree in
this imposition? And if they did, is it possible that
8<nne one living at the time would not have discov-
ered the deception, when he could have no interest
in keeping the secret and might greatly promote his
peculiar interest by making the discovery f Such a
case never occurred, and never can occur. The
testimony of Christ's resurrection is incontrovert-
ibly true. If Christ has not risen from the dead,
there is no proof that He has not been justly put to
death. If He has not been raised from the dead,
there is a presumption that He has been put to
death justly; and if so, consequently He has made
no atonement, and ye are in your sins under power
of guilt and condemnation. All this reasoning goes
to prove that at Corinth, even among the false
teachers, the innocency of our Lord was allowed,
and that the reality of His resurrection was not
questioned. The Apostle further says : * * Then they
which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
All those who, either by martyrdom or natural
death, have departed in the faith of our Lord Jesus
Christ are perished. Their hope was without foun-
dation, and their faith had not reason and truth for
its object, and their bodies are dissolved in the
earth, finally decomposed, notwithstanding the
promise of Christ to such that He would raise them
up at the last day''. **If in this life only", says the
296 Memoib and Personal Bbcollegtiok.
Apostle, **we have hope in Christ, we are of all
men most miserable ' \ If in this life we have no
other hope and confidence but in Christ, (and He
still is dead and not risen), we are more to be pitied
than all men; we are sadly deceived; we have
denied ourselves ; and have been denied by others ;
have mortified ourselves and been persecuted by
others. But then Christ is risen from the dead,
and became the first fruits of them that slept. His
resurrection has been clearly demonstrated ; and our
resurrection necessarily follows. As sure as the
first fruits are proof that there will be a harvest, so
surely the resurrection of Christ is proof of our
own resurrection. For since by man came death,
by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Mortality came by Adam; immortality by Christ
Jesus, our Lord. But every man in his own order.
First Christ in His order rose from the dead; sec-
ond, them that are Christ's, all His Apostles,
martyrs, confessors and faithful followers; third,
then Cometh the end, when the whole mass shall be
raised in the twinkling of an eye ; for we are told all
shall stand before Him to be judged for the deeds
done here in the body.
Death Shall be Destboyed.
The last enemy. Death, shall be destroyed. But
death cannot be destroyed by there simply being no
further dead. Death can only be destroyed and
annihilated by a general resurrection. Therefore,
the fact that death shall be destroyed assures the
fact that there shall be a general resurrection ; and
this is proof, also, that after the resurrection there
shall be no more death among them that axe saved.
The doctrine of the resurrection of our Lord was a
grand doctrine among the Apostles; they consid-
ered and preached this as the demonstration and
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 297,
proof of the Gospel. The multitudes who em-
braced Christianity became converts on the evi-
dence of His resurrection, which was considered the
pledge and proof of the resurrection of all believers
of Christ to the possession of the same glory into
which He had entered.
Baptism an Emblem op Death.
The baptism which they received they consid-
ered as an emblem of their natural death and resur-
rection. This doctrine St. Paul most pointedly
preaches (Romans 6:3, 4, 5) : Know ye not that so
many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into His death. Therefore we are buried
with Him by baptism into death ; that like as Christ
was raised up from the dead, even so we also walk
in newness of life, for if we had been planted to-
gether in the likeness of His death, we shall also be
in the likeness of His resurrection. It is evident
from this that all who died in the faith of Christ
died in the faith of the resurrection, and therefore
cheerfully gave up their lives unto death. As they
took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in
themselves that they had in heaven a better and en-
during substance, many of the followers of Christ
sealed the truth with their blood. They were there-
fore baptized in reference to this martyrdom. Jesus
asked his disciples : * * Are ye able to drink of the
cup that I shall drink oft etc. Can you go through
my sufferings f They say unto Him, *'We are
able^\ He saith unto them, *'Ye shall indeed drink
of my cup. Ye shall bear part of the afflictions of
the Gospel. ^ ^ The Apostle says : * * So I have a bap-
tism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened
until it be accomplished!*^ The sum of- the Apos-
tle *s reasoning appears to be this : If there be no
resurrection of the dead, those who in becoming
Christians expose themselves to all manner of pri-
296 MkMOIB and PeBSONAL BECOLLECnON .
vatioBS, crosses, sufferings and violent death can
have no compensation to indnoe them to expose
themselves to such misery. But as they receive
baptism as an emblem of death, so they receive it as
an emblem of a resurrection into eternal life.
A Vital Question.
** There are many questions", says Dr. Clarke,
^^ connected with the doctrine of the resurrection I
could not introduce here witiiout writing a book in-
stead of short notes on long chapters. One remark
I cannot help making. The doctrine of the resur-
reotion appears to have been thought of much more
importance among the primitive Christians than it
is at the present age. How is this? The Apostles
were continually insisting on it, and exciting the
followers of God to diligence, obedience and cheer-
fulness through it But their smscessors in the
present day seldom mention^ it So the Apostles
preached, and so the primitive Christians believed;
8o we preach, and so our hearers believe'*.
The Blessed Hope and GijObious Appbabino.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus
Christ (Titus 2:13).
There is sometiiing grand and soul inspiring
about this text of Scripture, but we must have the
upward gaze to realize it The hope which we look
for is the ** blessed** appearing of the Saviour
Whose name, Jesj^s, was proclaimed by the angel,
because **He shall save His people from their sins**.
Hallelujab. This hope was cherished by the primi-
tive Church for the first three centuries. For this
they looked, waited, and prayed; for this they
strove, that by any means they might attain unto
**the first resurrection**, and be counted worthy to
Memoib AK0 Pebsonal Becollsction. 299
stand before the Son of Man. They were not satis-
fied with obeying the call ^^from darkness to light' 'y
^'and fronk the power of Satan unto God'V nor the
call of holiness. But, ^^ forgetting the things" that
were behind, they pressed toward the mark of their
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Not only did
they ^' count all things but loss for this hope", but
they literally '^suffered the loss of all things," that
they might win Christ. It was not a matter of
Christ winning them; thia had been done at their
conversion, and they were '^accepted in the Be-
loved." They wanted to win Christ as a Bride
would win a Bridegroom. They were espoused to
one husband, and waited mid trials and temptations.
That the tiial of yofir faith, 'being much more
precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be
tried with fire, might be found imto praise, and
honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,
Whom, having not seen, ye love ; in Whom, though
BOW ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with
joy unspeakable and fuU of ^ry (1 Peter).
A PxjBiF¥iNG Hope.
Although he tarried, they were exhorted to
' ^ Gird up the loins of their mind, be sober and hope
to the end, for the grace that was to be brought to
them at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Verse 12).
This hope is blessed, and those who have it are
blessed, and must be holy to share in the glory of
the same and have part in the first resurrection
(Bev. 20:6). This hope is an incentive to holiness
and purity. St John, the Divine, declared when
Christ appeared we should be like Him. *'For we
shall see Him as He is". **And every man that
hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure" (1 John 3:3). This hope is a lively hope.
Peter declared "that we are begotten again unto ai
lively hope by the resurrection of JeiSus Christ from
300 MbMOIB and PbBSONAL BECOIiUBCTIOK.
the dead'' (1 Peter 1:3). This hope is to *'aii in-
heritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
f adeth not away, and is reserved in heaven, ready to
be revealed at the last time''. This hope, says
Paul, is based on the resurrection. **If in this life
only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable" (1 Cor. 15:19). ^^And if Christ be not
raised your faith is vain" (Verse 17).
But he assures us * ' that Christ is risen, and be-
come the first fruits of them that slept" (Verse 20).
Why should we then sorrow as those having no
hope t * * For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will
God bring with Him" (1 Thess. 4:14). This takes
place at the coming of Jesus. ''For the Lord Him-
self shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangely and with the trump
of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise
first, then we which are alive and temain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the
Lord" (1 Thess. 4:16, 17).
Here the righteous dead are raised, and the
holy living changed. This is the mystery that Paul
was explaining in 1 Cor. 15:51 when he said: ''Be-
hold I show you a mystery ; we shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the
trump shall sound, and the dead «hall be raised in-
corruptible, and we shall be changed". The change
will be the same as took place in Christ, Who was
the first fruit of the resurrection (or of them that
slept) from corruptible to incorruptible, and in the
case of Enoch from mortal to immortality (Verse
53). Then and not until then will be brought to
pass the saying that is written, ' ' Death is swallowed
up in victory". Then will the victors be able to say,
"O death, where is thy sting t grave, where is thy
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 301
victory?'* Truly this hope is blessed, and would
that all of God's children might realize it To this
end we join the great Apostle in his spirit-en-
lightened prayer that * * the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit
of wisdom, and revelation in the knowledge of Him ;
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;
that ye may know what is the hope of His calling,
and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance
in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of
His power to us, who believe according to the work-
ing of His mighty power, in which He wrought in
Christ when He raised Him from the dead" (Eph.
1:17-20).
You are aware that this teaching will seem
*4ike a cunningly devised fable to all those who
have not the **eyes of their understanding en-
lightened", and **who have not taken heed to the
sure word of prophecy, until the day-dawn, and the
day-star has arisen in their hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
The Thbee Appeabings.
So much for the blessed hope. Let us now con-
sider the ** Glorious" appearing. The first feature
that calls our attention is that the appearing is to be
glorious. In the 9th chapter of Hebrews, verses 24,
26 and 28, we see three appearings of Jesus clearly
pictured. His first appearance, in verse 26, was not
a glorious appearing, but one of humiliation. **He
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Him-
self." We get a picture of this appearing in the
53rd chapter of Isaiah. **He had no form nor
comliness", and was not beautiful in appearance,
but was a '^Eoot out of dry ground". *'He was de-
spised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our
faces from Hun ; He was despised and we esteemed
Him not"
302 Mbbcoib akd Pbbsoh al BBooUiBCTiofir.
He was striokeii^ smitten, afflicted, wonnded and
bruised, and bore chastiBement for our sake. Ai-
though He was Lord of all, He humbled Himself, and
'^Became obedient unto death, even the deatii of
the cross/'
The next appearing (Hebrew 9:24) waa in
heaven, now tiiere to appear in the presence of Qod
for us. We get a picture of His entrance there in
the 24th Psalm, when the everlasting doors were
lifted up, to welcome and receive the conqueror of
earth's greatest battle. We think of Him coming
on the scene of action — ^taking His stand on the
same battle-ground where the first man Adam fell,
and there, single handed, against the combined
forces of earth and hell, that were martialed against
Him in battle array. He fought the fierce battle to a
finish, and proved Himself more than a match for
all His foes. Conquering man's last enemy and
purchasing an eternal redemption for us. He arose
triimiphant over death, hell and the grave. ** As-
cended up on high, leading captivity captive". Was
it any wonder that the hosts of heaven would cry
out? ''Lift up your heads, O ye Gates, and be ye
lifted up ye everlasting- doors, and the King of
Glory shall come in. Who is this Song of Glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty in battle" (Psahn
24:7, 8).
Jesus took His place at tke Father's right hand,
on the tihirone of grace, and is there to appear in the
presence of God for all mankind (Jew and Gentile
alike). Having broken down the middle wall or
partition that was between us (Jews and Gentiles),
and abolished in the flesh the enmity. **Por to
make in Himself of twain one new man". "And
that He might reconcile both unto God in one body
by the cross". "For through Him we both have
access by one Spirit unto God in one body by the
cross unto the Father" (Eph. 2:15, 16, 18).
Memoib akd PebsonaIj Beoollbction. 303
His CoioKo Again.
Jesus is ooming again ; but while He tarries the
Spirit is calling a people, from among the Jews and
Gentiles^ to be ready for the advent In the 15th
chapter of Acts, the 14th and 15th verses, we find:
'^How that God at first did visit the Gentiles to take
out of them a people for His name". And to this
agreed the words of the prophets, ^' After this He
shall return". From among the Jews also there is
a remnant being gathered out accfording to the
election of grace, gathered, to share in the same
Glory (Romans 11:15).
St Peter says : * * For we have not followed cun-
ningly-devised fables when we made known unto
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ; but were eye witnesses of His majesty" (2
Peter 1:16). As a good Ijrother says, ** These
words were written by the Apostle Peter towards
the close of his life, when he felt the time of his
departure was at hand. He had fought many hard
battles since the night he witnessed the Transfigura-
tion on the Holy Mount He is now warning the
Church to keep their faith in Christ As a proof
that Jesus was the son of God, he first mentions the
incident on the Mount No doubt this was a great
event in Peter's life, and the voice that he heard
from heaven confirmed the reality of his belief, that
Jesus was the Divine Son of God. In the 19th
verse of this chapter he sets aside, as it were, this
experience, and says that ^'we have also a more
sure word of Prophecy", viz., Ihe Scriptures,
'^whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a
light that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." Peter
knew that if his hearers rested their faith in what
he had seen, instead of the inspired word of God, it
would be easy for some one to tell them that he had
304 Memoib and Personal Eecollbction.
been dreaming, or else that the story of the Trans-
figuration was a **myth''. But Peter takes his
words from the Scriptures and tells his hearers that
they are not of private interpretation, but easily
understood, and that if the people take heed thereto
the * * day star * * will arise in their hearts. In other
words, if his hearers put their trust in God's word
and believe in Jesus with their whole heart, the
whole course of their lives will be changed. To use
the words of Jesus, '*Ye shall know the truth and
the truth shall make you f^ee'^
The Ebbobs of the Day.
The popular churches of this day actually por-
tray the Gospel as a fable. They claim to believe
that the Bible is God's word and law, but that in
many things it cannot be realized in this life. For
instance, if a person sLould become convicted of
his sins and sinful life, and should enter one of
these latter-day places of worship seeking relief and
expecting to receive help, he would be greatly dis-
appointed. The advice he would receive would be
to join the society and come under its influence.
The people would tell him that it is impossible for
him to live a life free from sin ; that they themselves
commit sin every day — ^in word, thought, and deed
— and not until one died would he be free from sin.
How would one to whom this doctrine was taught
feel, having previously read the words of Jesus —
^'Except a man be bom ag^n he cannot see the
kingdom of God, and whosoever is bom of God doth
not commit sint" Imagine his disappointment
after such an interview, for he still feels that load
of sin bearing him down. He would feel much as
did Ponce de Leon when, after searching for tiie
fountain of youth, where he mighf Bathe and have
his youth return to him again, he found the story of
Memoib and Pebsonal BbcouoEction. 305
suoh a fountain to be but an Indian fable. They
claim that they are the followers of the lowly Jesus^
yet they deny that His teachings can effect their
lives. Therefore their " religion does not do any-
thing for them ; they fare no better spiritually than
the heathen, except that their worship is more
civilized and human, than that of the heathen. They
deny that we can be saved from sin in this present
world. Is it any wonder that people are becoming
careless and indifferent how they live, when they
see how the churches of the land have drifted into
unbelief and higher criticism is cutting the Bible in
pieoesT Surely church members are following the
devices of the devil.
The Subb Word op Peophbcy.
**We have also^*, says Peter, **a more sure
word of prophecy *^ and how true it is, that if one
puts the word of God into practice that he is
changed, and his life is made different from what it
was before. He finds that a power has come into
his life which makes it possible for him to live above
sin. The Mohammedans and other Eastern re-
ligionists, who are following the devices of men, re-
ceive no results from their beliefs; they realize
nothing but disappointment. A missionary who
went to China and began to preach to the heathen,
telling them that their worship was wrong, that the
Bible contained the truth of God, says they were able
to meet every argument that he presented out of
their own books, but when the missionary told them
what his faith had done for him, and that the blood
of Jesus had transformed his life, giving him happi-
ness and peace, they were put to silence ; their re-
ligion had performed no such miracle in their lives.
Thank God there is power in the blood of Jesus that
passes aU understanding. The great mass of peo-
ple are not able to comprehend this fact, yet those
306 Memoir and Personal Bbcollection.
who have experienced salyation from sin and holi-
ness of heart know that the Gospel of Christ is trae.
Paul was not ashamed of what it could do because
he knew it was true — ^the truth of God unto salva-
tion, to every one who would believe it is true. So
let us proclaim the truth of the Gospel to every land,
until every one shall know that it is possible to live
godly in this present evil world, and to be sanctified
wholly and to be ready to meet Jesus when He
comes.
The Shorter Catechism asks : (1) What is the
chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify
God, and to enjoy Him forever. (2) What rule
hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and
enjoy HimT The word of God, which is contained
in the Scriptures of the Old an'3 New Testaments, is
the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and
enjoy Him. (3) What do the Scriptures principally
teach? The Scriptures principally teach what man
is to believe concerning God and what duty God re-
quires of man.
Trying to Blast the Rock of Ages.
In the Chained Bible, Rev. F. D. Helm says:
**The history of the world is a history of the oppo-
sition of Satain against God At all times since he
was oast out of Heaven he has been arrayed against
God, and against the truth pf Jehovah. He has
used various means, but seemingly the one most
pleasing and fascinating to him is to make the Bible
a closed book, thereby keeping the sons of Adam
from learning the way of life ! ' '
Many times do we see, as we scan the dusty
pages of antiquity, where he has sought to destroy
the Bible and make it only a leaf in the memory of
some old devout saint. He has sought to use every
ingenuity of Hell to blot out the last traces of God's
Memoir akd Pbrsonaij Eecollection. 307
letter to mankind. He has enlisted prinoes, gen-
erals, and emperors. He has even come into the
pale of the Church and enrolled priests, popes, and
clergymen, called higher critics to completely wreck
the holy canon. When Luther made his defense to
Charles V. of Germany, defending the doctrine of
salvation by faith, as taught in the holy writ, the
emperor publicly declared that he was * * determined
to employ all his kingdom, friends, body, blood, and
even his life, to prevent the godless undertaking
from spreading.''
About the middle of the sixteenth century we
find a copy of the Bible, translated by Tyndale and
revised by Coverdale, chained to the desk in every
church in England. Crowds of common people
flocked around to hear its truths read to them in
their mother tongue. But soon even the Chained
Bible was closed. The dust of years gathered upon
its cover. We read in ** Knights of England'': **In
1543, an act was passed which limited the reading
of the Bible and the New Testament in the English
tongue to noblemen and gentlemen, and forbade the
reading of the same to the* lower sort' — to artificers,
prentices, journeymen, serving men, husbandmen,
and laborers, and to women, under pain of im-
prisonment" (Vol. 2, p. 445).
High Cost op Scbiptubbs.
A Bible at that time cost as mu^ch as a good,
comfortable house does now. There were only a
few thousand copies in existence. But God pro-
posed that His message should be heralded from the
glaciers of the cold, cold, bleak North to the sunny
olimes of the Southern seas, and from the fairy land
of the rising sun to the last hill tops kissed by its
evening splendor.
308 Memoir akd Psbsonal Bbcollection.
The handicraft of Guttenburgy of Meatz,
ushered in a new era for the spread of the Gospel
and the Bible. Now, instead of a scribe laboring
months to produce a single copy of the Holy Writ»
mUlions are turned off the press in the same time.
Thomas Paine once boasted, in the Broadway
Hotel in New York, that in five years there would
not be a Bible in America. How we smile at his
folly. Last year there were printed and circulated
three or four hundred times as many copies of the
Bible as there were in all the world when Thomas
Paine died ^^Now there are in existence enough
copies of the Bible so that if all men, women and
children who can read, of all the earth, were
gathered in one vast congregation, and were accom-
modated with Bibles, and could be suited as to the
tongue, all, at once, could look upon the printed
page of the word of God and read in concert the
Sermon on the Mount'*.
**A quarter of a century ago CoL Robert G.
Ingersoll, in the zenith of his infidelistic glory, as he
boasted, ridiculed the Bible out of existence. Where
are his successors? Upon whom has his mantle
fallen T His blatant skepticism has disappeared and
his spectacular godless life work is lost in oblivion,
as a pebble is lost that is dropped into the sea, while
the power of the Bible upon the life of humanity is
mightier than ever before '^
Tbying to Extinguish the Light.
^^Men have thought that they could extinguish
the light from the Holy Book, and it shines into the
darkest hovel in the world. Better strive to extin-
guish the noon-day sun with a dipper of water. Men
have thought that they could hew down His Cross
and dethrone the Lord of Glory; they have striven
to overturn the Bock of Ages. Easier could they
Memoir and Pbbsonal BbcoIiLBGtion. 309
take liie wing of morning and fly to VaiuB and cut
her loose from the universey or shatter the Bock of
Gibraltar with a pop-gun. Centuries have come
and gone ; kingdoms have risen and fallen ; republics
have been erected upon their ashes, and fallen into
decay and forgotten, save for the moldy, time-worn
pages of history. Still the Bible lives on and
shines as the one bright star amid the decay and
ruin. Though it is older than tbe oldest histories
that fed the flames of the four thousand baths of
Alexandria for six months, yet it is as fresh as the
latest crisp from the press. Though its truth is as
old as eternity, yet it is as new as the last sunbeam
that kissed your cheek".
The WoNDBBFuii Book.
The Bible is the foundation of all truth. No
matter what our study may be, there we will find the
acropolis of beauty; there we find the sublunest
astronomy, the star of Bethlehem, and the Sun of
righteousness. And within these covers we are told
of the grandest botany ; it tells us of the plant of
renown, the **Lily of the Valley" and the **Bose of
Sharon." Or do we study geology? Here we read
of the Bock of Ages and the white stone, with the
name graven there on which no man knoweth save
he that receiveth it Or are we seeking for wealth t
Here find we **Gold tried in the fire". Or do wel
love to pore over the annals of the misty ages of the
pastT Here is the most ancient of all records of the
history of the human race. Whatever your science,
whatever your theme, records of this would bow in
reverence before the Book of Ages and there gain
inspiration to set your heart on fire.
Every great book that has been published since
Guttenberg invented printing has, directly or in-
directly, derived much of its power from the sacred
oracles. Scan the books that have had great weight
310 Memoir akd Pebsonal BscoiiLBCTioK.
in civilization and you will see that the authors
dipped their pens in the fountain of divine truth
and receved their inspiration. Goethe, the admired
of all skeptics, had the walls of his home at Wiemar
covered with the religious maps and pictures. Mil-
ton *s ** Paradise Lost*' breathes forth a part of the
Bible story in verse. Spencer received his eleva-
tion sentiment from the parables of Christ
**Macauley, as if to put a wreath of diamonds
around his gigantic sentences, crowns them with
Scripture quotations. Addison's * Spectators' is
bathed in the stream that broke from beneath the
throne of God, clear as a crystal." **Hobbes drew
from the * castle of truth' the weapons with which
he afterwards assaulted it Lord Byron, Pope, and
Johnson drank deep of the style of the inspired
Orientals. And where e'er we go, roaming o'er the
hills and plains of this imperial domain of Bible
truth, we find all the American, English, Italian,
German, and Spanish poets, painters, orators, and
rhetoricians there seeking the inspiration that will
make their names go down to posterity in letters of
gold".
In the face of the fact that higher critics are
telling us that the Bible is neglected, full of errors,
and **not even good history", its sale is wonderful.
Last year, and the year before, and the year before
that, and so for many, many years, there have been
more copies of the Bible sold than any other book,
more than all of the so-called **best sellers" com-
bined; yes, it outshines all other books, as the sun
in its noon-day magnificence outsplendors the tallow
candle.
His ABroiNG Word.
When the last skeptic has been buried in the sea
of f orgetf ulness ; when the last infidel and agnostic
Memoib and Personal, Recollection. 311
has passed from the stage of action; when the last
higher critic has been numbered with the nameless
dusty the word of God will still be as fresh and as
full of power as it was before they attempted to
vent their spite against it And long after the last
Pyxrhonist has molded into red dust, and the marble
slab that marked the spot of his interment has been!
covered with moss and sunk into decay and oblivion,
the truth of God's Bible will then stand out in let-i
ters of gold to bless mankind. ''The word of oui^
God shall stand forever. ' '
The Prophet Job, who wrestled with doubts and
fears as we do today, asks this question : * * If a man
die shall he live again f ' ' And adds, ' ' All the days
of my appointed time will I wait, till my change
come'* (Job 14:14). Again he exclaims (chapter
19:23-27) : **0h, that my words were now written;
oh, that they were printed in a book — that they werei
graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock f or-l
ever ; for I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that
He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yelj
in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see iot
myself, aud mine eyes shall behold, and not an-
other.''
Brother J. W. Crouch, in commenting on theses
texts, shows how much greater is the Christian man,
or woman 's triumph over their latest foe, and hope'
of eternal happiness than that of the agnostic or
infidel. He says of The Hope of Immortality in
these inspiring words :
**When the sun goes down will it rise the sameT
Can infidel breath blow out his flame ?
In the day when the clouds have left the sky
Will he shine no more to the hopeful eye!
312 Mbmoib and Pbbsokal Bbcollbction.
**The seed I plant, is it sown in vainT
At the proper time will there be no grain t
The countless dead beneath the sod.
Will they prove indeed there is no GodT
**The sun, no doubt, will arise and shine;
And *the life', who built me this house of clay,
Will raise it immortal and fair, some day;
The finer extracts, ttie pure from the baae.
* * The potter, of clay, forms ft beautiful vase :
My change I wait till, in glad surprise.
Creation is again a Paradise."
The United Presbyterian publishes this Bieauti-
f ul comment on 2nd Tim. 4 :6-8, E. V. :
A Pbisoneb'b Dying Thoughts.
^'For I am already being offered and the time
of my departure is come.^ I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the
faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me the crown
of righteousness, which the Lord^ the righteoua
judge, will give me at that day; and not to me only,
but also to all them that have loved His appearing. '*
Such are the thoughts of the dying prisoner, Paul,
in the dungeon at Rome. Let us read the topic this
way, **A Dying Prisoner's Undying Thoughts^',
for certainly these words are deathless. They have
been preached from thousands of lips, they have
been on the tongues of the dying for two thousand
years.^ They have the assurance of unnumbered
souls in every age since their utterance. They are
words that will never die until all kingdoms of men
shall be brought to a knowledge of Jesus and His
love, nor even then. There are few men, however,
who could give expression to this sentiment as
MbMOIB and PeBSONAL BsCOLIiECTION. 313
• J«
heartily and confidently as the man who was waiting
his execntion at the time he gave them utterance.
Surely Paul had fought a good fight No man ever
fought the world, the flesh and the devil more hero-f
ioally than this great apostle to the Gentiles. He
lived and died for Jesus. His banner had but one
insciptiou — Jesus and the resurrection of the dead
And, now that the end is at hand, he confidently
writes : '*I have fought the good fight Well done,
good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy
of the Lord. I have finished the course ' \ The race
was now finished. He was down at the stadium,
ready to receive the victor's crown. He ran, look-
ing unto Jesus, and so finished his course. There
were thorns in the way, and the sharp stones
pierced his feet and left the bloody footprints in
the sand, but he ran on. He heard the jeers and the
scoffs of men, yet he held on resolutely for the goal,
and he reached it victoriously, triumphantly, and
before the innumerable company of witnesses in
heaven and on earth he proclaims, ''I have finished
the course; I have kept the faith''. Blessed treas-*
ure. It was worthy of being kept Many a time his
faith was tried, but he held it fast It was a hard
thing to go back to Jerusalem and defend the oause
he had persecuted, but he kept faith with Jesus and
did it It was no small trial to go into the Jewish
synagogues and tell the story to those who hated the
doctrines he preached. But he kept the faith. He
was stoned, and flung out through the gates of
Lystra, as one dead, yet still he trusted and kept on.
Henceforth — ^bless God for that henceforth. What
a consolation it has been to the dying in all agesf
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of|
righteousness. It is all over now; the end has
come ; the fight is fought ; the course is run ; the
faith is kept — ^now for the crown. It is up to the
Crown Keeper now. And still he is keeping the
314 Memoib akd Pebsokal. Becollegtion.
faith, believing that Jesus will make good to him,
and also to all them that have loved His appearing
May God grant that each one of us may have a like
assurance when we come to face the final hour.
A Lamp to Our Feet, and a Light to Oub Pathway-
With John Wesley, I want to know one thing —
how to land safe on that happy shore. God Him-
self has condescended to teach the way; for this
very end He came down from Heaven. He hath
written it down in a Book. Oh, give me that Book,-
at any price alone, only God is here. Li His pres-
ence I open, I read His Book, for this end — ^to find
the way to Heaven. Is there any doubt concerning
the meaning of what I read! Does anything appear
dark or intricate ! I lift up my heart to the Father
of lights. Lord, is it not Thy word T If any man
lacks wisdom let him ask God ; Thou givest liberally
and upbraidest not Thou hast said : * * If any man
is willing to do Thy will, he shall know'^ I am
willing to do. Let me know Thy will. I then
search after and consider parallel passages of
Scripture, comparing spiritual things with spir-
itual. If any doubts still remain, I consult those
who are experienced in the things of God, and then
the writings of those who, being dead, yet speaketh ;
and what I thus learn that I teach. i
Father Boehm^s Testimony.
How many of those departed saints with whom
we worshiped in this chapel that have gone on be-
fore and are waiting for us to comet Let us close
with the farewell peoration of Father Boehm, who
for over 70 years proclaimed that this hope was
the power of God and the wisdom of God to all who
have been saved from their sins. t
Memoir akd Pebsonal Becollegtion. 315
Preaching his farewell sermon from the text
Bev. 3 :20 — * * Behold, I stand at the door and knock ;
if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will
come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me'^
— ^he says: *'We have here set before us an,
astounding condescension. The great Being con-
descends to come and stand at the door of our
hearts, and waits for an entrance. This indeed isl
a wonderful oondescension, for here it is set before
us that Blessed Jesus, Who has all power in heaven
and earth, condescends to come down to dependent
sinful beings and waits at the door of their hearts
for a voluntary entrance. * I stand ', He says, * at the
door and knock; I will not break the door'. There
must be a voluntary consent on the part of sinners
who hear His voice. They must invite the Holy
Spirit to come in, with His gracious influences and
divine power. * Behold I stand at the door and
knock ; if any man hear My voice and open the door
I will come in ; I will turn out all that is contrary to
the divine influences, I will sup with him, and he
with Me^ Glory to God in the highest for this
mianifestation of His love, for His goodness, for His
mercy, for His long suffering extended to us. 0,
the goodness of God in sparing us for another call,
another gracious touch, another divine influence.
O, that our hearts may be opened ; and may this be a)
day long to be remembered — a day of mercy and
power in the salvation of many precious souls.
Blessed be God for His divine mercy and goodness.:
I rejoice that the enjoyment of the favor of God i^
something that does not grow old. It is ever new;
and precious. It is as new to my soul today as it;
was many years ago. In the days of my youth the
Lord manifested Himself to my soul, and led me to
see the evil I should shun, and His grace led me on.;
And I bless the Lord, now in old age, it is the source
of comfort, of joy, and hope. Look beyond and what)
316 Mbmoir ahd Pbbbohai* Bsoollbctiok.
do we see f A bright and heavenly day, a glorious
day^ awaits us beyond this vale of tears".
Amazing grace; how sweet the sonnd^
That saved a wretch like me;
I once was lost, but now am f onnd,
Was blindy but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear.
And grace my fears relieved ;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed t
Through many dangers^ toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus f ar.
And grace will lead me home;
The Lord has promised good to me^
His word niy hoi>e secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yesy when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall ceascp
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snoWy
The sun forbear to shine,
But Oody Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
Mbmoib and Pebsonal Becollbgtion. 317
March 21, 1893.
New York **Voioe^^
New York City.
Dear sir: t
I send you herewith a letter, addressed to the
Hon. Henry Watterson, the veteran Editor of the
Louisville Courier Journal, and his reply to same,
which after several months since I wrote mine, I re-
ceived through the mail yesterday. It would seem
that on reading between the lines, that Mr. W.
would not feel averse to seeing it in print, even
though no Southern newspaper would dare to pub-
lish it If not, why did it not find its way into the
waste-basket instead of being returned after a lapse
of six months. Since I wrote my letter, which waa
retrospective of men and deeds of the past, the great-
est political revolution of modem times had taken
place in our nation. That such change in our civil
government should awaken the deepest concern, is
but natural. That the eyes of the civilized world is
turned towards it, is evident. While my letter to
Mr. Watterson related to men and acts of the past,
yet, on reading it in connection with the three
columns in the ** Voice", publishing the debauchery
of the Hon. J. G. Carlysle, and Mr. Cleveland's
knowledge of same before appointing him to the
high office of Secretary of U. S. Treasury, it seems
almost prophetic of the present It has been fre-
quently said that history repeats itself. If those
scandalous charges of drunkenness, licentiousness,
and dishonesty and their corrobora^g proofs are
true, then the history of the great crime and dis-
grace that attended the overthrow of the Democrat
party in 1860 repeats itself upon the first restora-
tion of that party in 1893. It was the licentiousness
of the Southern Statesmen and the imbecility of a
318 Memoir and Pebsonaij Recollection.
Northern Democrat as President along with the sub-
serviency of a subsidized public press that placed
that dark blot upon our national character. The
treason and disgrace accompanying the downfall of
the Democrat Party, was due to the same utter dis-
regard of patriotism and same partisan abuse of a
sacred duty. The placing of dissolute characters in
positions of the highest responsibility and trust
The late revolt resulting in the overtiirow of the
Republican Party was due to an effort of the
people to rid their government of corrupt
public officials. But I ask, where in any in-
stance has a Republican (during the time that party
controlled the government) made such a scandalous
appointment as this is, if these charges are true.
Take any of these three charges, if true, and known
to the President before he made the appointment,
the American People should not have been sub-
jected to such a disgrace. The drunken scene at
Senator Beckys funeral alone (under the circum-
stances) was sufficient cause to have prevented the
putting a man (so lost to all sense of decency) in a
position of such high responsibilty. I called a
prominent Democrat (and news-papermau^s) atten-
tion to these charges in the ** Voice'* and asked him
why Cleveland would pass by thousands of upright,
pure men in the Democrat Party and appoint a man
with such a record as that ; bringing disgrace on his
party and the Nation; bringing his own administra-
tion into well merited contempt by appointing a
man who had betrayed every trust ever imposed in
him. His reply was John G. Carlysle was the
brainiest man in the United States and had it not
been for the fact that the periodical debauches
could not be denied; he would have been
the nominee instead of Cleveland. I replied
that was the veriest **rot'^ that I could name a
score of dissolute lawyers at the Pittsburgh Bar,
Memoib and Pebsonal BecolxiECtion. 319
whose only distinction is their diBSolute habits and
yet frequently do we hear the remark **he is a
brainy man''. Away with all such rot There are
two more reliable ways for accounting for the
parody on common sense. First, — Distance lends
enchantment, Second, — * * Birds of a feather flock to-
gether". Let us apply this dissolute, vile, brainy
sentiment to other walks in life. What would be
thought of the steam ship company, that in order to
secure great ability, would employ the most dis-
solute captains and pilots in the profession to navi-
gate their vessels! The management of the great-
raUway systems that to secure efficient engineers anc^
conductors would make inebriety a test of eminent
fitness. If drunkenness is an essential qualification
in a statesman, why not in a bank cashier or a phy-
sician T If licentiousness adorns the Halls of Con-
gress, why not the presidential mansion? If it is
the highest requisite for a Kentuckey Senator and
Cabinet Minister, why not adorn the parlors of ouii
distinguished public officials ; with Kate Eileys, with
Mariah, Mauds and Daiseys. * * This is not a parti-
san screed ; it is the indignant protest of an Ameri-
can citizen, who never held or aspired to hold office,
a man who has proven to be able to earn a livelihood
outside of the public treasury; a citizen whose in-
telligence and manly independence resents such a
travesty upon his rights as a free American citizen,
no matter how high the source it comes from. What
a commentary upon our boasted civilization ? What
a reflection upon the most ordinary business pru-
dence t If this man has proven himself in every
station of life false ; what possible hope has the
president that he will not prove false to the high
trust he has placed upon him. If he has proven un-
trustworthy to his clients, who trusted their money
to his care, what security has the government that
he will not prove more so with their treasure? If
320 Mbmoib and Personal BBCoii^ECTiON.
he disgraced the state of Kentucy after being so
highly honored is he not just as likely, when in one
of his drunken debauches to bring disgrace upon the
Nation f And even though he should not, is it any
less imprudent to say the least for the President to
appoint a man with such well established dissolute
habits f What a shining example for the young men
of America, for the president of the United Stated
to set, said a Father (of several grown up sons, who
himself had voted for Cleveland) to me. A young
la¥^er' just entering upon the profession, said to
his friend : ^^Bill, I am going to learn to drink whis-
key'*. **Whyf '' replied his friend. **Why, don't
you see if I become a drunkard and whore-master,
the people will all see what a brainy man I am, then
I will go and take the Keeley cure and my fortune
is made''. I submit to any fair-minded man (whose
partisan greed for spoils and office has not eat out
every vestige of patriotism) if this young man's
commentary upon that brainy **rot" is not a fair
one whether eminating from a president ; or a peas-
ant Since I began writing this article I met a
prominent Democrat on the street He is one of
our wealthiest and most upright citizens, a life long
Democrat; his business enterprises run up to mil-
lions annually. I called his attention to the charges
against Carlysle saying: **Why did Cleveland pass
by all you decent Democrats to appoint a man with
a record like that!" **0 ! those charges are not true<
Carlysle, like m&ny other good men has the weak-
ness of taking a drink occasionally and when he
does, he sometimes will go on a spree for two or
three weeks". I replied: **Good men don't get
drunk; much less go on a drunk for three weeks".
He answered: ** Carlysle is the greatest financier
this Nation ever Had; just wait and see". I said:
**If Kate Riley story is true his greatest financial
ability was not apparent, and besides does your
Memoir and Pebsonajl Recollection. 321
treasurer go on a big drunk'*. **0h, no, I never em-
ploy a drinking man in my business. I have no use for
a man that gets drunk". This was the language of a
man whose business sagacity, success, and integrity
and good moral character is such as would not only
insure the people against dishonor and disgrace, but
would give promise of a faithful, honest administra-
tion of a public oflSce. When I asked my first Dem
ocratic friend why the President passed by such men
in the Democratic Party to give so important an
office to a notorious drunken politician, his answer
was: ''The American People did not require good
moral character in their public officials, only ability
was demanded". I answered: ''Ability to dema-
gogue you mean". Where outside of getting drunk
and disgracing the state, have the people any prac-
tical demonstration of transcendent ability; that
takes precedent over the thousands of upright Dem-
ocrats of good character and business success to
commend him for the place. But cui bono — If such
a travesty upon the public decency, good sense, and
ordinary business prudence is to be regarded as the
fulfilling of those pledges of reform and integrity.
Then can we well understand why the natural ele-
ments ; and the heavens as it were ; in fiery indigna-
tion on the 4th of March showered down upon the
heads of that senseless mob of office seekers, the
pitiless snow, and bleak winds of disapproval. The
wonder is in view of the fate of Sodom and Gomor-
rha that such a display of hypocrisy did not call
for fire and brimstone ; rather than hail and sleet
But then it is written that ' ' hail shall sweep away the
refuge of lies". Just imagine a righteous God,
looking down with complacency on that scene of
American Freemen, dragging in the dust their man-
hood while listening to the glittering generalities,
and high sounding platitudes of a political dema-
gogue, whose first acts had stamped all these prom-
322 Memoir and Pebsonal Becoixegtion.
ises as bosh. Have we as a people, boasting of our
intelligence and courage, degenerated until an un-
scrupulous politician can stand up and proclaim
that drunkenness and licentiousness is wisdom par
excellence; that appointing a man notoriously false
to every trust; is an honest prudent administration
of public office. If this is the verdict of the Christian
enlightenment of the 19th Century, then might the
grand old man, the Ehiglish premier have reason to
fear that 90 odd years of upright life, pure endeavor
and good moral character would go down in gloom.
Well might the admirers of Abraham Lincoln fear
lest that immaculate example of fidelity to right-
eous principles and integrity to the ri^t with the
people upon whose altar his life was sacrificed,
should come to regard treason as a virtue, and lofty
patriotism as a vice to be shunned as a bar to office
holding under the American Government. Oh, you
American Freemen from Maine to Oregon, from
Alaska to Hawaii, from East to West, North to
South, let a plain citizen with no wrongs, political
or otherwise to revenge no partisan screed to
avenge and with no desire other than the good of
our civil and religious institution at heart proclaim
in the strongest language, I can use if you will stand
by and see our Congressional Hall, our Senate
Chamber and Presidential Mansion prostituted to
the beastial passions of unscrupulous politicians^
and drunken lawyers, then may you write ichabod
upon your banners. Then may it be truly said of
the American people they are a nation of advent-
ures ; capable only of treason and spoils. If these
charges cannot be denied, then let us hang our heads
with shame. For be it known drunkenness is drunk-
enness, licentiousness is licentiousness, whether in a
president or a peasant on a throne, or on a farm..
And ^^Falsus in uno; Palsus in ornmwm**.
As an American Citizen entitled to a respect-
Mbmoib akd Pebsonal Begollection. 323
able government and in behalf of every honest man
and decent woman in the United States (if charges
cannot be refuted) I demand of President Cleve-
land, the instant dismissal of John GriflBth Carlysle
of Kentucky. Righteousness exalteth a Nation
while sin is a reproach to any people.
J. B. Cobby.
His Excellency, John Qxtinoy Adams, Sixth
PKBSmBNT OF THE UNITED StaTES.
(His Fatheb Being the Second).
"Who when but eleven years of age, took a
tearful adieu of his mother, and rowed out in a
small boat to a ship anchored in the bay, to sail with
his father for Europe, through a fleet of hostile
British cruisers. The bright, animated boy spent a
year and a half in Paris, where his father was asso-
ciated with Franklin, and Lee as Minister Plenipo-
tentiary. His intelligence attracted the notice of
these distinguished men and he received from them
flattering marks of attention'*. Upon leaving Col-
lege at the age of twenty, he studied law for three
years. When Great Britain commenced war
against France in 1793, to arrest the progress of the
French Revolution, Mr. Adams wrote some articles,
urging entire neutrality on part of the United
States. The view was not a popular one. Many
felt, that, as France helped us we were bound to
help France. But President Washington coincided
with Mr. Adams, and issued his proclamation of
neutrality. June, 1794, he being then but 27 years
of age, was appointed by Washington, resident min-
324 Memoir and Personal. Recollection.
ister at the Netherlaads. In July, 1797, he left the
Hague to go to Portugal as Minister Plenipoten-
tiary, Washington at this time wrote to his father,
John Adams, extolling the fitness of his son for the
position. Mr. Adams was very reluctant to accept
the mission to Berlin, as it was an appointment
made by his father, who had succeeded Washington
in the Presidential chair. But his father wrote to
him, informing him of the earnest wish of Washing-
ton that the country might not lose the benefit of his
familiarity with the European courts. To his
mother, John Quincy wrote in reply— '*I know with
what delight your truly maternal heart has received
every testimonial of Washington's favorable voice.
It is among the most precious gratifications of my
life to reflect upon the pleasure which my conduct
has given to my parents. How much, my dear
mother is required of me to support and justify
such a judgment as that which you have copied into
your letter''.
It was said of him, that to a very remarkable
degree he was abstemious, and temperate in his
habits; always rising early, taking much exercise.
President Adams, stood almost alone in Congress,
and single handed opposed the sum of all villianies ;
in its incipiency in the United States. In 1829, after
having served his country in its highest offices, retir-
ing from the Presidential chair; but «uch was the
esteem in which he was held that in November, 1830,
he was elected as representative to Congress.
In accepting it, he thus recognized the Boman
principle that it is honorable for the general of yes-
terday to act as corporal today, if by so doing he
can render service to his country. Deep as are the
obligations of our Nation to him as ambassador, as
secretary of State, and as President, in his capacity
as legislator in the House of Representatives; he
Memoir and Personal Recollection. 325
conferred benefits upon our land which eclipsed
them all; and which can never be ovei -estimated.
' * For seventeen years, until his death, he occu-
pied the post of representative, towering above all
his peers, ever ready to do battle for freedom and
winning the title of *old man eloquent*. On one
occasion Mr. Adams presented a petition, signed by
several women, against the annexation of Texas for
the purpose of cutting it up into slave States. Mr.
Howard of Maryland, said that these women dis-
credited not only themselves, but their section of
country, by turning from their domestic duties to
the conflicts of political life*'. **Are women**, ex-
claimed Mr. Adams, ^ ^ to have no opinions or actions
on subjects relating to the general welfare! Where
did the Gentleman get this principle! Did he find it
in sacred history — ^in the language of Miram the
prophetess, in one of the noblest and most sublime
songs of triumph that ever met the human eye or
earf Did the Gentleman never hear of Deborah, to
whom the children of Israel came up for judgment!
Has he forgotten Esther, who by her petition saved
her people and her country! To go from sacred
history to profane, does the Gentleman there find it
discreditable for women to take an interest in polit-
ical affairs? Has he forgotten the Spartan mother,
who said to her son, when going out to battle : * My
Son, come back to me with thy shield, or upon thy
shield?* Does he not remember Cloelia, and her
hundred companions, who swam across the river,
under a shower of darts escaping from Porsena?
Has he forgotten Comeloa, the mother of Gracchi?
Does he not remember Portia, the wife of Brutus,
and the daughter of Cato? To come to later per-
iods, what says history of our Anglo-Saxon ances-
tors? To say nothing of Boadiciea, the British
heroine in the time of the Ceasars ; what name is
more illustrious than Elizabeth ? Or, if he will go to
326 Memoir and Pbbsonaij Recollection.
the Continent, will he not find the names of Maria
Thersa of Hungary, of the two Catharines of Russia,
and Isabella, of Castille, the patroness of Columbus.
Did she bring discredit on her sex by mingling in
politics f In this glowing strain, he silenced and
overwhelmed his antagonist — Congress yielding to
the prosla very spirit of the South, passed a resolve :
* * that all petitions relating to slavery without being
printed or referred shall be laid on the table, and no
action shall be had thereon". Some of the pro-
slavery party forged a petition as from slaves to see
if Mr. Adams would dare to present it On the 6th
of February, 1837, Mr. Adams rose with this forged
petition in his hand, and said : * * I hold a paper pur-
porting to come from slaves, I wish to know if such
a paper comes within the order of the house respect-
ing petitions". A storm of indignation was
aroused, Waddy Thompson of South Carolina,
Charles E. Haynes, of Georgia, Dixon H. Lewis, of
Alabama, sprang to the floor with resolutions that
John Quincy Adams, by attempting to present a
petition purporting to be from slaves, has been
guilty of gross disrespect to the house, and that he
be instantly brought to the bar to receive severe
censure of the speaker. Never were assailants more
thoroughly discomfited. **Mr. Speaker'^ said Mr.
Adams, **to prevent the consumption of time, I ask
the Gentlemen to modify their resolution a little, so
that when I come to the bar of the house, I may not
with one word put an end to it. I did not present
the petition. I said I had a paper purporting to be
a petition from slaves ; and I asked the speaker
whether he considered such a paper as included in
the general order of the house, that all petitions re-
lating to slavery should be laid on the table. I in-
tended to take the decision of the speaker, before I
went one step toward presenting that petition. This
is the fact I adhere to the right of petition. Where
Mbmoib and Personal Recollection. 327
is your law which says the mean, the low degraded,
shall be deprived of the right of petition? Petition,
is supplication, entreaty, Prayer. Where is the de-
gree of vice or inunorality which shall deprive the
citizen of the right to supplicate for a boon or pray
for mercy! Where is such a law to be found! It
does not belong to the most abject despotism. There
is no absolute monarch on earth, who is not com-
pelled by the constitution of his country, to receive
the petitions of his people whosoever they may be.
The Sultan of Turkey cannot walk the streets and
refuse to receive the petitions from the meanest and
vilest in the land. The right of petition belongs to
all ; and, so far from refusing to present a petition
because in the estimation of some it might come
from those low in their opinions ; it would be an
additional incentive if such was wanting ^^ Therei
never was perhaps a fiercer battle fought in legisla-
tive halls, than Mr. Adan;is waged for a score of
years in Congress, with the partisans of slavery.
In every encounter he came off Victor,
In the summer of 1843, Mr. Adams took a tour
through Western New York. His journey was a
perfect ovation. In all the leading cities, he was re-
ceived with the highest marks of consideration.
The whole mass of the people rose to confer honor
upon the man who had battled so nobly for human-
rights, and whose private character was without a
stain. The greeting which he received at Buffalo
was such as that city had never before conferred
upon any man. The National flag floated from
every masthead. The streets were thronged with
tiie multitude, who greeted with bursts of applause
the renowned patriot and statesman, as soon as he
appeared. The Hon. Millard Fillmore, subse-
quently President of the United States, welcomed
him in the following words. — ^You see here assem-
bled the people of our infant city, without distinc-
328 Memoib and Personal Bbcollection.
tion of party, sex, age or condition — ^all^ all, anx-
iously vying with each other to show their respect
and esteem for your public and private worth. Here
are gathered, in this vast multitude of what mast
appear to you strange faces, thousands of whose
hearts have vibrated to the chord of sympathy
which your speeches have touched. Here is reflect-
ing age, and ardent youth, and lisping childhood^ to
all of whom your venerated name is dear as house-
hold words, — all anxious to feast their eyes by a
sight of that extraordinary and venerable man, that
old man eloquent, upon whose lips of ** Wisdom^*
has distilled her choicest nectar. Here you see
them all, and read in their eager and joy gladdened
countenances, and brightly beaming eyes, a wel-
come, thrice-told, heartfelt, soul-stirring welcome,
to the man they delight to honor. It has been said
of President Adams, that when body was bent, and
his hair silvered by the lapse of four score years,
yielding to the faith of a little child, he was accus-
tomed to repeat every night, before he slept the
prayer his mother taught him in his infant years.
**Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep ;
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep ;
On the 21st of February, 1848, he rose on the
floor of Congress with a paper in his hand to ad-
dress the speaker. Suddenly he fell stricken with
paralysis and was caught in the arms of those
around him. For a time he was senseless. With
reviving consciousness, he opened his eyes, looked
calmly around, and said: **this is the end of earth '\
Then after a moments pause, he added : * * I am con-
tent'^ These were his last words. His family
summoned to his side in the apartment of the
Memoib and Pebsonal Recollection. 329
speaker of the house, beneath the dome of the
Capitol, the theatre of his labors and triumphs — ^he
soon breathed his last. The voices of denunciation
were now hushed, and all parties united in tributes
of honor to one of the purest patriots and one of the
most distinguished statesmen America has pro-
duced.
A NEW BALLOT BOX.
August, 1905.
The One Which Was Given a Pkaotioal Test
Yesterday Pboved to be a Success.
The deserted police headquarters in City Hall
was the scene of much excitement and bustle yester-
day. As early as 7 o'clock A. M. the crowd com-
menced to gather and at least 10,000 sightseers and
curious individuals thronged the chamber. The
cause of the crowd was that J. B. Corey's patent
voting machine was to be tried. To test the ma-
chine the new charter was selected, to vote for or
against. In each of the three booths were placed
two of Mr. Corey's machines, one labeled **For the
charter", the other one ** Against the charter".
The booths were erected on the Smithfield
street side of the room and a regular election board
engaged. The routine is very similar to the old,
way. The voter went to the clerk, gave his name,
address and ward, and the clerk handed him a rub-
ber stamp, on which his register numbei was ; he
took this to the booth, stamped his number on the
endless slip of paper, pushed the button and his vote
was recorded. He then returned the stamp to the
clerk, who by an automatic device sets the machine
for the next voter. The advantages of the machine
330 Mbmoib and Personal Becolubgtion .
are manifold. It renders ^'padding" impossible, as
but one vote can be cast and then it locks and re-'
mains so until the stamp is returned to the clerk,
and it does away with the counting of votes, and
saves time and labor.
The opinions of all who tried it were that it was
the greatest thing that they ever saw for voting
Judge **Boley*' Mullen was an early visitor. He
came in at 9 and stayed around all day. He refused
to try the scheme, but watched intently and interest-
edly the way ** to do it". Ajax Jones came in smil-
ing and asked to **be shown the dark secrets '*, and
said he ** wanted to vote against the charter". When
he had voted he said: **That*s the greatest ever
happened". Philip Flinn was next He did not
linger long, but voted and disappeared. Robert
McGonnigle was the next man to push the buttoUi
He watched the system for an hour. Coroner Mc-
Dowell followed and was greatly pleased with it,
and told Mr. Corey it was the best thing he ever saw.
Ex-Comptroller Morrow and County Commissioner
J. C. Mercer came next. * * Cyclone ' * Kirkland came
next P. W. Seibert, County Clerk, one of the best-
posted men in politics in the city, expressed him-
self, saying that **it is something fine". Many
other equally prominent men are of the opinio©
that it surpassed the Baker ballot in every possible
way.
At noon a crowd of 39 colored drivers from
Booth & Plinn *s came in, and for a time things went
at a lively pace. Owing to the time involved in ex-
plaining the method over 5,000 persons were unable
to vote. The total number of votes cast was 680—
331 ''tor the charter" and 349 ** against", a major-
ity of 18 for the anti-charter faction.
The machine used yesterday is a small box two
mches wide, six inches high and three inches deep.
The mechanical apparatus is very simple. It con-
Memoib and Personal Bbcollection. 331
sists of a roll of paper that rolls on three wooden
rollers. The paper is one inoh wide and is visible
on the face of the box. The name of the candidate
and his picture are placed below this. When the
voter stamps his number on ihe paper he pushes the
button and the number disappears, registers and
locks itself. The machine cannot be used again
until unlocked by the clerk, which is done by means
of a switch. The machine is in a crude state, but
demonstrated yesterday that it would do what was
wanted of it Improvement will be made at once.
Great labor-saving and rapidity is shown in taking
the results, only five minutes being necessary to ob-
tain the entire county. The paper is cut and on the
opposite side is the registered votes, showing exactly
what has been polled. When there is more than
one candidate there will be a box for each one, and
one can cut or split his ticket as he chooses. The
boxes that will be used later on will not be any
larger than a silver dollar. At a Presidential elec-
tion 200 registers will be used, providing the Corey
ballot is adopted, that number being necessary to
make all combinations.
332 Memoib and Pebsonal Bbcollection.
THE COBEY BIBLE-
A Pbicslbss EEeibloom Handed Down Thboxjgh
Nine Generations.
It is yellow with age, but still held firmly to-
gether by strong calf skin binding. The book, whidi
is an almost priceless heirloom in the family and has
passed down through nine generations, is now the
property of James E. Corey of Pennsylvania, who
at the recent reunion was re-elected President of the
Corey organization.
The ** Great Bible'' has a remarkable history,
and it is only within the last few years that the
present owner succeeded in locating the book after
he had for ten years conducted a search for it
James E. Corey learned of the existence of the his-
toric volume through the mention of the book in
some of the old family wills. It was found in the
possession of the late Mrs. Hannah Bartram Corey,
who afterward willed it to her son, William Smith
Corey, with whom she lived until her death, at the
age of 98 years in December, 1903. She died in the
house built by her husband, Elnathan Corey, in
1833. James Corey obtained the book from W. H.
Corey. The history of the book has been traced
back as far as 1611, when the family records show
that John Corey *s mother gave the Bible to her son
as she wished him godspeed when he left his home
in Scotland to try his fortune in America. John
Corey landed at or near Boston soon after the com-
ing of the Mayflower.
For a while he lived at New London, Conn.,
where he was married. He afterwards crossed
Long Island Sound and for a short time lived at
Southampton, where the records show that on
Memoib and Personal Recollection. 333
March 7, 1644, he was Whale Commissioner for the
district of Southampton. He died at Hash-
amomack, L. I., in 1665, leaving four sons and two
daughters. Two brothers and two cousins came
from Scotland to America before the death of John
Corey, and Giles Corey, the martyr to witchcraft,
who was executed at Salem, September 1, 1692, at
the age of 77 years, was either a brother or a cousin
of John Corey.
When John Corey died he willed the Bible to
his son Elnathan. Thus the book has been handed
down through nine generations and bids fair to re-
main a family heirloom for many years to come. It
has about 500 leaves of English parchment of pages
8x12 and it is printed in old English type in the
spelling of that age. It was published in 1603.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH GENERAL
GRANT.
I saw in the paper that there was a great deal
of sickness in General Grant's army lying camped
at Cairo. Our company had laid in quite a large
number of empty boats before the secession of the
South. These boats were an expense to take care
of and we had no use for them. I conceived the
idea that if I could induce Grant to use them, they
could be fitted up into much healthier quarters for
our soldiers as a preventative of disease from camp-
ing on the low, wet grounds which the river over-
flowed, and would prove a great benefit for our sol-
diers. I wrote General Grant suggesting that he
have the Government buy them, side them up and
make a fighting flotilla to be towed wherever needed.
General Grant *s chief of staflF answered my letter,
saying that the General instructed him to thank me
334 Memoib and Pebsonal Bbcollection.
for my interest in the anny, saying my snggestioA
would receive his consideration. I never heard of
them being acted upon, although I feel sure they
would have made fully as secure quarters, muck
healthier and cheaper tiian tents, and would havci
enabled him to transfer his army quicker from one
point to another.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH PRESIDENT
LINCOLN.
My next attempt to dictate to our public officials
was a letter to President Lincoln advising thai
Grant be placed at the head of all armies. Instead
of allowing General Lee to first defeat one of our
armies and then detach his veterans to defeat an-
other, all should be placed under conunand of one
man, and when an engagement was ordered let it be
made along the whole line, eta I had before me a
map published at the time by the New York Tribune,
showing the positions of the contending armies, and
constructed my letter of advice from the basis as
shown on the map. This letter was written next
day, if I remember right After Grant had taken
Vicksburg I received a formal reply from Lincoln ^s
Private Secretary acknowledging the receipt of my
letter, thanking me for my suggestions, etc.
Memoir and Personal, Becollection. 335
J. B. CoRBY^ Candidate for Governor of Pennsyl-
vania, ON His Platform of Reducing Public
Officials Salaries — Candidate of the
National Party.
The platform of the National Party^ as adopted
in mass convention at Braddock, September 1^ is as
follows :
Besolved, That we look with grave apprehen-
sion upon the strides which an ofi^ial aristocracy
has made upon our republican system of govern-
ment of late years, by which our millionaire Con-
gressmen. United States Senators and representa-
itves of powerful corporations and trusts are colon-
izing at the capital of the nation, building costly
residences and establishing an aristocratic style of
living contrary to the principles of our democratic
institutions and exceeding in cost the salaries of our
representatives and public officials, and which can
only be maintained by accepting bribes, voting
themselves perquisites, as is done, or by increasing
their salaries far in excess of what the same service
will command outside of public office.
Resolved, That the evils of party spirit have re-
sulted in fastening upon our civU government tiie
very worst type of an official aristocracy, in which
nepotism in its most degrading form is practiced by
our political bosses, who dominate our public offices,
use franchises of the people as their own personal
assets, bequeath from father to son as their lateral
inheritance our highest public offices, and fill the
municipal, State and national offices with the mem-
bers of their own families and relatives or **ward
heelers ' ^
Resolved, That in order to do this, we must
unite and concentrate all the forces of the wage-
336 Memoib and Pebsokal Recollection.
earners and producers against the tax-eaters and
non-producers, and in order to more effectually ac-
complish this purpose, we recommend that the Na-
tional Party, instead of setting up candidates, shall
unite when it is possible, upon a candidate or candi-
dates, of any party who will pledge themselves to
vote for the reduction of the exorbitant salaries and
the reduction of the number of public officials; to
abolish all sinecures and offices known as political
reward offices ; to reduce the number of Representa-
tives in Congress and State Legislature; to amend
the Constitution to limit the Presidency to one
term ; provide for the election of United States Sen-
ators by the people and such other amendments to
our States and National constitutions and laws as
will eradicate all these abuses and protect the civil
government of the American people from avaricious
political adventurers, for which we appeal to the
American people and to the benedictions of Him,
whose grace the father of our country invoked upon
his children.
Memoir and Pbbsonal Recollection. 337,
Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist f
A few days since J. B. Corey, a coal operator of
this city, received a letter from a Philadelphia pub-
lisher, asking him if it were true that he was pres-
ent with Abraham Lincoln at a spiritual seance held
in Washington City in 1862, just before the emanci-
pation proclamation was issued. The writer said
he had been informed that Mr. Corey had heard Lin-
coln give expression to a positive belief in spiritual-
ism, and wanted him to affirm or deny the statement.
Mr. Corey was surprised upon receiving the letter,
but sent back the following breezy reply :
His request is that it be published in the new
work on spiritualism shortly to be published. The
letter is as follows :
* * I am exceedingly glad to be able to aid you in
your express desire *that your book will contain no
statement incapable of complete verification*, and
also of volunteering one or two rules or principles
that, in my humble judgment, will prevent the inser-
tions of any other statements incapable of complete
verification, and of detecting any false statements,
or facts or doctrine, that may have already crept
into it.
In the first place allow me to state I was never
present at a spiritual seance in my life, neither at
Washington City or elsewhere, and consequently
was not present at this and did not hear President
Lincoln give expression to a belief in spiritualism,
and nothing could be more annoying to me than to
be quoted in support of such a gross falsehood and
slander upon the name of our martyr President.
The attempt to propagate and gain credence to
any system of belief by such a dubious manner as
your letter to me implies is, in itself, to a man ot
338 Memoir and Pbbsohai. Bbcollbction.
ordinary intelligence^ enough to stamp it as a false-
hood unworthy of credence by any sane i)er8on.
This would render any further reply unnecessary,
but as this is an age ^When evil men and seducers
are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being
deceived ^ you will permit me to give you one or two
infallible rules by which all such false doctrines or
systems may be known and detected, in attempting
to palm off their falsehoods upon the credulity of
men. First, truth, like pure gold, has in itself the
inherent virtue of truth and does not need, require,
nor ever resort to any such dubious ways to gain
credence, or establish its claims upon the confidence
of mankind, and never resorts to a medium so sua-
pectible of imposition and fraud. A moment's re-
flection should convince you how very unreliable
your proof, or evidence, of President Lincoln hav-
ing expressed his belief in spiritualism would be.
Your mode of gathering evidence bears on its face
a lack of good intentions or good judgment
From your letter I infer someone, possibly your
mediumistic authors, has informed you I was a
negro servant of Abraham Lincoln's, and that
would be one way of accounting for the confidential
relations between him and myself, by which I would
be privileged to attend a seance with the President
Now you will see what a temptation to falsehood, in
order to gain public notoriety, this is. It is taking
advantage of a well-known trait or weakness of our
human nature, that of securing confidence by claim-
ing intimate relations and acquaintance with the
great and noble of the earth, especially with the
dead heroes of the past, which we see so many poli-
ticians and newspaper men are claiming to have had
with Abraham Lincoln. This trait with the colored
portion of our people is especially strong. I do not
know that as a race it is more prominent with the
negro than with the white race. Their degrada-
Memoir and pEBSONAii Recollection. 339
tion by slavery naturally causes them to desire to
push themselves forward ; and what an opportunity
to a colored man to attain that end does your ques*
tion afford^ ^Were you present at a seance in 1862^
with Abraham Lincoln, just before the emancipar
tion proclamation was signed! If he was to answer
yeSy who could contradict him or say he was notf If
the person intent on propagating such a false state-
ment says he was present, who could contradict
himt Don't you see how easy of imposition and
how unreliable such evidence would be. Another
meaas so very popular with every false system is
that of claiming as its patrons the great men and
the great majority of mankind for its adherents.
Truth never was popular, never requires or seldom
has the support of the great and noble, much less the
mass of mankind on its side. Truth has always had
to compel recognition to its claims against the very
class upon which error rests its claim. There was
never any false system or doctrine attempted to be
palmed off on mankind that would not herald the ad-
herence of the great men of the earth who were its
patrons. Freemasonry — *That great banter upon
the intelligence of the nineteenth century and the
twin sister of spiritualism which promulgates its
superior virtues in the dark (proving the declara-
tion of Him who said, ^Men love darkness rather
than light, because their deeds are evil) has had for
years a kind of special privilege to this manner of
establishing its superior virtues by claiming all the
wise and noble of the earth ; claiming King Solomon
as its first Grand Master and George Washington as,
being one of its first Master Masons in the United
States. This is such a very unreliable evidence of
superiority that truth could never rely on it George
Washington could not tell a lie, yet he cut a cherry
tree with his little hatchet, and in his nonage he may
have been inveigled into joining a Free Mason
340 Memoir and Personal Becollection.
lodge. If so, in his maturer years he said he had not
been inside of a lodge for 33 years. Solomon in all
his glory was not arrayed as beautifxd as some of
God's little flowers of tmth^ and besides, the Mor-
mons claimed Solomon in support of the polyg-
amous marriages. That witchcraft and spiritual-
ism, one of the last of the ^sms', vomited from the
pit, should resort to this very popular way of
spreading its falsehoods is not surprising when we
see the dead back-slidden churches resorting to the
same superstitious means of keeping alive their,
dead corpses. Why, if you had attended the
Ecumenical Council of Methodists held at Washing-
ton City and heard their elegant perorations on
John Wesley, and heard them read the Scriptnrt
lesson from the old Bible used at Epworth Chapel,
you would have got the idea they were all dead in
love with his doctrine and discipline. And yet, were
Mr. Wesley to arise from the dead and insist upon
the same general rules which he said were taught
in God's word and written upon every scripturally
awakened heart, there is not a church in England or
the United States of the popular Methodist denomi-
nation that would tolerate him any more than the
Episcopal Church did when he was upon the earth!
*The fathers stoned and killed the prophets and
their children build them sepulchers and monu-
ments'. Sitting on a chair made from the wood of
John Wesley house is a more popular religion
than the holy thing he insisted upon.
Our boodler legislators frequently resort to this
same means of raiding the public Treasury. They
have been known to resurrect men that had been
dead a quarter of a century to find an excuse to loot
tne State Treasury. So you see how very easy this
plan you have resorted to can be used to establish
any false doctrine or system. Truth never requires
or never resorts to such dubious means. My ao-
Memoib and Pbbsonal Becollbction. 341
quaintance with and knowledge of Abraham Lincoln
leads me to believe he never gave any such expres-
sion in favor of spiritualism. My acquaintance with
him was only that of most citizens, from reading of
his great deeds. I had the pleasure of seeing and
hearing him speak from the balcony of the Monon-
gahela House, Pittsburgh, when he was on his way
to be inaugurated as President of the United States.
In the years of 1861 and 1862 I frequently saw and
heard him make public speeches, and I never saw or
heard of anything that would indicate such a weak-
ness as this spiritual seance would indicate in the
character of this great and good man. I believe it is
a fake. I also take advantage of this to me provi-
dential opportunity of bearing testimony to my be-
lief that this story and the means of propagating it
bears the same earmarks that all false systems, re-
ligious or political, that have cursed our poor fallen
humanity, bear. Hoping you will give it a place in
your book as an antidote to this last diabolism and
superstition, I am, dear sir,
Tours very truly,
J. B. Cobby".
342 Memoib and Pbbsokal Becollbctiok.
TO HON. JOHN HAY ON SALARY GRAB ACT.
Hon. John Hay,
Secretary of State, U. S. A.,
Washington City, D. C.
Dear Sir — ^Reading your recent speech attack-
ing the record of the Democratic party in general
and the platform principles of candidate Alton B.
Parker in particular several thoughts were awak-
ened in my mind, among which was my first ac-
qoaintance with you as Private Secretary of Presi-
dent Lincoln ; in a letter I received to one I wrote
President Lincoln from Louisville, Ky., on my way
home from New Orleans. November 25, 1860, in
which I urged Mr. Lincoln to tender the Hon. Alex-
ander Stevens of Georgia the position of Secretary
of War in his Cabinet. Then again I stood by the
side of you and the President, as Mr. Lincoln, from
the balcony of the Monongahela House, addressed
the people of Pittsburgh on his way to Washington
City. I remember you again seated at your desk in
the White House the afternoon that Secretary W. H.
Seward introduced me to Mr. Lincoln after I had en-
tered the Government service in the Commissary.
Department at the foot of G street, Washington
City. I saw you frequently during the first three
months of the Civil War, and also from reading
the records of the different Republican Presidents
that have occupied the White House. I am reminded
tiiat with the exception of the two terms of Grover
Cleveland you have held one office or another since
1861, a continuous pull upon the* United States
Treasury for nearly forty years, a longer period
than the average life of a man on this earth. The
reading of your speech charging upon the Demo-
cratic party and their administration of our Na-
Memoib and PebsonaIi Becollegtion. 343
tional Government all ills that have befallen us as a
nation^ and claiming for the Republican party credit
for all the good that has come to us as a nation, I
felt that if anyone understood our politics, the acts
of Congress, the administration of the various
Presidents, the cost gf our general Government^
along with the sources of our revenue whence they
are derived, and who paid them, you ought to. There
being some things in your speech I cannot reconcile
with my own personal observation and recollection,
and views of the relations and obligations which our
political parties and public officials and private citi^
zens sustain to each other, I thought I would f ormu-*
late several questions, and propound the same to
you to answer. This, in view of the importance of
the impending campaign and the great interest in.
volved, you will see is pertinent, and demand an an-
swer at your hand as a public servant. The burden
of your speech charges upon the Democratic party
all the ills that the American people have expe-*
rienced, and claims for the Republican party credit
for all good that has come to us as a nation. I am
aware that politicians of both parties claim the
privilege to indulge more or les& in demagogy in
time of a political campaign, but then I think the
people have a right to expect a higher standard of
official rectitude on the part of our public officials in
the administration of our Civil Government. But
as corrupt abuse and extravagance in the adminis-
tration of our national public Government, involv-
ing the increased cost of same, is charged against
the Republican party, and denied by you. Here are
my questions :
First — ^Was it a Democratic Congress that
passed the back-pay steal act in 1873, which so
greatly aroused the American people T
Second — ^Was it a Democratic Congress and
Democratic President that passed and signed the in-
344 Memoib and Personal Becollbgtion.
famous salary grab act of 1873, doubling up all flie
salaries of our public officials that caused the people
to repudiate U. S. Grant's Administration T
Third — Did not these corrupt acts of a Republi-
can Congress and President arouse the indignation
of the people to such an extent that Samuel J. Til-
den was elected, but was counted out, and was fol-
lowed by the election of Grover Cleveland, and a
Democratic Congress, who failed to redeem their
promise to the people to repeal the infamous salary
grab actf The American people thrust out of office
the Democratic party and restored the Bepublican
party to the control of our National Govenmient on
the assurance that honesty should characterize the
administration of our public affairs.
Fourth — ^Did not President Harrison attempt
to make good and redeem these pledges of the Re-
publican party, and did not the corrupt political
bosses in control of the Bepublican party and in Con-
gress turn in and crush President Harrison, defeat-
ing him for a second termt
Fifth — Did not the passage of that infamous
salary grab act inaugurate an era of political cor-
ruption which has resulted in the prostitution of all
our municipal. State and national public offices to
the avarice and g^eed of political bosses who regard
our public offices and public franchises as their own
legitimate spoils, to be divided up between them and
their henchmen, as the assets of corporations divide
the profits of their business among their various
stockholders, and is not this corrupt condition of
our public affairs attributable to and the natural
effect and result of that infamous salary grab act
by the Republican party in control of our National
Government in 1873 T
Seventh — ^If these statements are true, does it
not account for the unseemly and undignified con-
duct of the highest public officials, who are drawing
Memoib and Pbbsokal BecolxiEction. 345
big salaries out of the United States Treasury for
services to be rendered to all the American people,
said Treasury belonging alike to Democrats, Bepub-.
licans and Prohibitionists and Populists, all having
an equal interest in the services of the high-salaried
officials. But to such an extent has the corrupting
influence of this corrupt abuse grown since the pas^
sage of the salary grab act that we see men who for
nearly half a century have had their hands in the
public Treasury up to their armpits, leave their
desks and the duties which they are paid to perform^
and go off on an electioneering tour in the interest
of a brother public official, who himself from time
inmiorial has had his pull upon the public Treasury,
forgetting that the people, his real masters, are en-i
titled to his services.
Now, dear Mr. Hay, if you will answer one of
the people the foregoing questions and oblige,
Yours truly,
J. B. COBBT. .
P. S. — ^I am an old Bepublican, who helped to
organize the party in our city in 1856, voted with it
until passage of the infamous salary-grab act, since
then for Prohibition party, except for President
Harrison's second term.
1
346 Mbmoib and Person al Bbgollbction.
TO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ON EXTRA
SESSION OF CONGRESS ON NATIONAL
CURRENCY.
'^To His Excellency Theodore Roosevelty Oyster
Bay, N. Y.,
My Bear Sir : — It is reported and going rounds
of public press that you propose to call an extra ses-
sion of Congress to tinker with our national cur-
rency in order to afford relief to Wall street stodc
gamblers and multi-millionaire adventurers, whose
artistic printed certificates of stocks and bonds fill
our national bank vaults, and which have brought on
the present panic
As an American citizen, feeling a deep interest
and pride in the good name of the American people
and honor of our national Government, I sincerely
hope that the dignity and honor of our national Gov-
ernment, the good name of the American people, as
well as the success of your own administration, will
cause you to refuse to commit such a grave mistake
as that of calling an extra session of Congress will
be.
If you will stop and consider for one moment
you will find it a fact that the majority of the men
composing our national Congress are as mentally
unfit to legislate upon a financial or currency meas-
ure as they are morally incapable of resisting the
temptation to fall victims to Wall stock gamblers
and adventurers. It is a well-established fact that
the political and business interests of the Americao
people are never so safe and free from disturbance
as they are when Congress is not in session.
As an encouragement and incentive to resist the
pressure of these Wall street gamblers and stock
brokers allow me to call your attention to the patri-
I
Mbmoib and Pbrsohal Bbcollagtiok. 347
otic stand of one of your illustrious predecessors.
General Andrew Jackson, the hero of New Orleans,
who made his own name famous and immortal with
'By the Eternal, I will veto the United States bank
biU\
While I do not approve of his profane use of
the sacred name of Jehovah, I do admit his courage-
ous patriotism as President of the United States in
withstanding the gamblers and speculators of his
day, which resulted in a greater good to the Ameri-
can people than did his victorious defense of the
oity of New Orleans. May we not hope that Presi-
dent Theodore Roosevelt will not be less courage-
ously patriotic in 1903 and that no such travesty
upon truth, righteousness and justice will be perpe-
trated upon the good name of the American people
and dignity and honor of our national Government
as that of allowing it to be used to bolster up Wall
street gamblers and stock brokers. I am, dear sir,
with respect, sincerely yours,
J. B. Corby''.
P. S. — I hope you will allow cause and effect to
work out a cure without Governmental interference,
that must in the end work greater hurt to the mass
of American people. The fever is a congestion and
needs aperients instead of stimulants in the shape
of Government promises to pay. Let the debtors
alone in their folly, and do not blind them to the
price due therefor.
J. B. C
348 Memoib akd Pebsonal Begollection.
Controversy Over a Word — J. B. Corey Beproybb
United States Senator Nelson for Loss op
Temper — ^Latter Bepues at Length —
Local Philosopher Then Takes
Opposition View and Advises
Various Legislative Be-
FORMS — Discusses the
Tariff Issue.
One little word has caused a letter contro-
versy of national interest to arise between J. B.
Corey of Braddock and United States Senator
Knute Nelson of Minnesota. While lauding the
work of the inhabitants of Alaska and urging that
the Government take steps to better their condition,
the Senator said: **A11 this they have done, Mr.
President, and in return we have not done a d — ^n
thing for them * ^ The laughter and embarrassment
which followed in the Senate chamber spread
throughout the country. Mr. Corey, who has known
the Senator for some time, read of the remark and
wrote the following letter to Senator Nelson :
Pittsburgh, April 19, 1904.
Hon. Knute Nelson, Senate Chamber,
Washington, D. C.
My Dear Sir : — ^You must be careful and not
lose your temper. You will remember that he who
controls his own temper is greater than he who
takes the city.
I thought I had given you a better example tiie
day you got me into holts with Ignatius Donnelly
and the lot of long-haired cranks and short-haired
women the day you insisted I should make a 8i>eedi
at the anti-trust convention in Chicago, 1893, of
which you was president Surely you did not have
Memoib and Pebsonal. Becollegtion. 349
as crazy a set of lunatics like the lot I had to con-
tend with that day, and yet I did not use any cuss
words, even though you did lose the head of your
nice mallet made from the wood of that old ship of
Commodore Perry's that. fought against the Eng-
lish Navy in 1812. I have been aware from the pub-
lished reports of the United States Senate that the
proceedings in that dignified body frequently do not
arise above the ordinary political meeting round the
country taverns, but then our humble Senators
should not lose their tempers.
I have been one of your admirers ever since the
tilt we had with Donnelly and his crowd of fanatics.
I am, dear sir,
Very truly yours,
J. B. Cobby.
Sbnatob Nelson's Beplt.
Washington, D. C, April 21.
Mr. J. B. Corey,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
My Dear Mr. Corey: — ^I thank you very much
for your kind letter of admonition of the 19th, and
for again calling my attention to that anti-trust con-
vention which we held years ago in Chicago. By
the way, that ' anti-trust issue is as much alive today
as it was and wUl not down. You and I will never
know how many thousands of poor people have
been .^fleeced by investing in the inflated stocks of the
large trusts. Carnegie sold his plant — ^which, I be-
lieve, he had offered to Frick or someone else for
$100,000,000— to the steel trust for $300,000,000. He
has been careful to take his pay in first mortgage
bonds, but the poor fellows who were deluded into
buying the common stock of the steel trust have lost
350 Memoir and Pbbsonal Becollbgtiok.
all their savings. Even the holders! of tbe second
mortgage bonds have been badly squeezed. I was a
member of a sub-committee which visited AlaBlm
last summer! and am greatly interested in that coun-
try. It has been sadly neglected by our Govern-
ment It is a country of vast resources and aU it
needs is a little help and encouragement ot make it
among our most valuable possessions. There is no
end of placer gold mines. The only difficulty is to
get to them, for there is an entire absence of trans-
portation facilities; neither railroad nor wagon
roads; simply trails of ''cow'' paths which the
miners have constructed and over which they have
to pack their supplies and everything they need,
either on horseback or on their own backs. I hope
we will soon awake to the real situation and do
something for that country. With kind regards, I
remain,
Tours truly,
Kntjtb Nelsok.
A Bbply by Mb. Cobby.
Pittsburgh, April 23, 1904.
Hon. EjQute Nelson,
Washington, D. 0.
My Dear Sir : — ^Yonr letter of the 21st and copy
of Congressional Record in reply to mine of the
19th inst, came duly to hand. Ton wUl please ac-
sept my thanks for your kind consideration in af-
fording me the pleasure of reading your views on
the trust question, as also on the Alaska questioit
I appreciate the goodness of your heart which leads
you to sympathize with victims of the stock gamb-
lers, as also your desire to aid the people of Alaska
in developing the great resources of their country,
but I confess I am unable to reach the same conchr-
Memoib and Pebsonal Bbgollbction. 351
sions you arrive at in either case. It strikes me, in
the face of the statements in your letter, in which
you name Mr. Carnegie's selling out his steel inter-
ests at $300,000,000, which he had previously of-
fered to Frick at $100,000,000, that neither National
nor State paternal legislation is going to cure the
evils you complain of. In my humble judgment the
effect of which you speak is the only possible and
natural resrdt of State and National Government
paternalism.
Uboes Repeal of Tabiff.
If I were in the United States Senate and
waiited to render a real service to the industrial
classes and the poor ignorant masses whose haste
and anxiety to get rich quickly makes them the easy
victims of the stock gamblers who have been fleeo-
ing them I would urge the repeal of the tariff and
all other forms of National Government paternal-
ism. Also the repeal of the infamous salary grab
act of 1873, which inaugurated an era of corruption,
making our municipal. State and National Govern-
ment^ offices the means of supporting a corrupt offi-
cial aristocarcy, that is a thousand fold more op-
pressive than all the trusts that have ever existed.
Take the case of Mr. Carnegie and Frick, to whi<^
you refer. This was simply an instance of a man
taking an advantage of his experience, judgment
and superior knowledge of the state and condition
of business, by which he acquired all the steel works
in the locality when the holders were only too anx-
ious to sell and nobody else had the courage to buy
them, and when the advance in the product of these
works caused everybody in haste to get rich to want
to buy them. Mr. Carnegie sold out at the advance
which you name.
As a matter of course, some of his partners, on
seeing that Mr. Carnegie's foresight and business
352 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbgtion.
sagacity exceeded theirs, were envious and ready to
find fault with him, but we who have witnessed Mr.
Carnegie 's unprecedented success, by which, from a
poor boy he has risen to that of a multi-milliomdre
and also witnessed his generous disposition of his
great wealth, are not clamoring for any National
Government paternalism to restrain men like Mr.
Carnegie, whose enterprises have proven such a
blessing to our people. No, no, Mr. Nelson, if I had
the ear of the people of Alaska I would urge them
to rely on those rich deposits of gold, silver, lead,
tin and coal, and if they cannot prevent Congres-'
sional committees from invading their territory
with their paternalism in any other way, I would
advise them to erect forts, with armed watchmen^ to
shoot the first delegation that came along.
SUGGBSTION FOR CoNOBESS.
Why, Mr. Nelson, just stop and review the ex-
perience of our people in the United States, with
their fifty odd governments and their horde
of public officials, which the industrial classes
are compelled to support at salaries from
ten to fifty times what the same poor people can
earn, and you can have an idea of what the indus-
trial people of Alaska may expect when they come
under the paternal care of the United States Con-
gressmen. Now, Mr. Nelson, allow me to suggest if
Congress will repeal the present tariff laws, by which
all this corrupt official aristocracy, composing our
fifty-odd governments or less, thrives, and also re-
peal the infamous salary grab act of 1873, you can
safely adjourn and go home for ten years and allow
the trust and anti-trust people to look out for them-
selves. I am, dear sir, with respect.
Tour humble servant,
J. B. CORBT.
Memoir and Personal Becollechon. 353.
I^TTBB to Peesidbnt Wilson ON $100,000,000
Special Internal Taxation Bill.
His Excellency, Woodrow Wilson,
President, of U. S. A.,
Washington City, D. C.
My dear sir :
Not wishing to intrude on your time or pa^
tience; and in hope that your Excellency will con-
descend to recognize the right of an 82 year old,
loyal and law-abiding citizen to appeal to tiie Presi-
dent of the United States ; even though you may not
agree with his views upon a question of political
economy.
That which in addition to my constitutional
right as a citizen of the United States, which incites
the desire of an interview or exchange of opinions,
is the reading of your appeal, or excuse for asking
Congress, to devise ways of raising $100,000,000, by
special internal taxation, to meet the United States
Treasury emergency or unforseen results of the
European war. Or in your own words: ** Gentle-
men of the Congress, I come to you today to dis-
charge a duty which I wish with all my heart I
might have been spared, but it is a duty which is
very clear, and, therefore, I perform it without
hesitation or apology '^
This preface to your address to Congress, Mr.
Wilson, is the best possible excuse as an American
citizen I can, and do offer you and Congress as a
reason why you should not increase the burden of
taxation on our American wage earners and
farmers who are already groaning under the burden
of excessive taxation ; many of whose families are on
the verge of starvation. It reads very pretty and
creates a sentimental feeling of patriotism on part
of $7,500 a year statesman ; to say to them : * * The
people of this country are intelligent and profoundly
354 Mbmoib and Personal Becollectiok.
patriotic *\ But Mr. Wilson, it will not provide
bread to feed that American wage earner who has
ten of a family to feed after there has been sweated
out of him, $23.50 to pay the cost of our National
Government alone. Our State and Municipal gov-
ernments increasing it to about $50 per capita.
Take your pencil, Mr. Wilson, and figure out where
these intelligent wage earners are likely to get out at
after the Landlord sweats his taxes and rent out of
them, and butcher and storekeeper sweats his taxes
out of them. I take it for granted, Mr. Wilson, yon
as president of the United States, you would not
want to be suspected of indulging in sentimental
gush. Well, Mr. Wilson, is not intelligent pro-
found patriotism as virtuous trait with which to
adorn the character of our statesmen and public
officials as it is when practiced by the common peo-
ple f If you admit it is, I can from your own state-
ment in your appeal to Congress, tell why you
should not attempt to get up a panic in Congress in
order to have them vote an increase of $100,000,000,
special taxation on pretext of a desire to protect
business and the National credit from being de-
faulted. Your appeal to the fears of our $7,500 dol-
lar a year legislators is both unwise and unpatriotia
To make haste slowly, Mr. Wilson, is a conunon
sense maxim recognized in business, and political
economy.
Taking it for granted that you will admit that
the cost of our Governments is sweated out of the
farmers and wage earners, whose incomes according
to statistics, is only $700 and $500 a year. Now,
don't you see Mr. Wilson, that by appljdng the same
intelligent profound patriotism to our high salaried
public officials that you pretend to admire in the
common people how very easy and quick you can
remove all cause not only of a bankrupt National
Treasury, but can wipe out the cause of the danger
Memoir and Pbbsonal Becollection. 355
you axe in from such a state of alarm. Do you ask
me how you can do it? I answer by repealing thei
infamous salary grab act restoring the President
and his subordinate salaries to what the Immortal
Abraham Lincoln and his subordinates received and
instead, Mr. Wilson, of receiving two hundred times
as much wages as our wage earners today receive,
on which to support their families you will still be
paid 50 times as much under our Democratic sys-
tem as the wage earners are paid, many of whom
have to work seven days a week, and you will re-
duce the cost of our National Government to what
it was before the infamous salary grab act of 1873
was passed. Not only so, but you ^ill Mr. Wilson,
redeem your promise to the American people on the
plank in your platform promising to return to that
simplicity and economy which befits a democratic
government, and by a reduction of the number of
useless offices the salaries which drain the substance
of the people. Mr. Wilson, the redeeming of plat-
form and personal promises are as distinguishing
a virtue upon part of the president of 100,000,000,
people as is standing and being shot to death by
grape and canister ball in defense of the National
Government.
One more question and I am done. I ask this
question of the College President and School mas-
ter. Is it possible, Mr. Wilson, to conceive of a
greater burlesque on the word Democrat, or trav-
esty on justice and decency than the sweating out
of American wage earners whose incomes are not
over $500 a year, $100,000 salary a year for champ-
ion Golf Players and $25,000 a year for Chautauqua
Blatherskites T
This, Mr. Wilson, is the natural effect that the
82 year old constituent returning home today after
reading the proof sheet of his 74th year recollec-
tions ; the first on politics attending an ox-roast in
1
356 MeMOIB and PeBSONAL BECOUiBCTION.
the year 1840^ in the middle of a river on a bar ex-
ten(^g along the front of the wharf at the City of
Pittsburgh ; where I heard my first political speech
from the lips of Henry Clay, the whig candidate for
the position you hold. The only thing Mr. Wilson,
that I remember was that, like an 8 year old boy 1
was glad when he finished, and I got a chance to fill
my hungry stomach with a part of the roasted ox,
and its accompaniments. From that day I have
taken but little interest in political economy, but
from what little I have seen, the people like the ox
of 1840, are roasted. I know this long letter will be
thrown in the waste basket and except the amuse-
ment it afifords me while passing the time away
while all alone, I think I will make it the closing in-
cident in my memoir. There is one more suggestion
I will make ; there is a book which you pretend to
reverence which says: **We can do nothing against
truth, but for the truth; and whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap ' '.
Patriotically yours,
J. B. Cobby.
The Reply to the Above.
Treasury Department,
Washington, September 18, 1914.
Mr. J. B. Corey,
Braddock, Pennsylvania.
Sir:
By direction of the Secretary acknowledgment
is made of the receipt in this Department of the
communication which you addressed to the Presi-
dent, relative to the subject of internal taxation ; and
you are advised that the communication has been
placed on file. Respectfully,
Wm. p. Malbubn,
Assistant Secretary.
Mbmoib and Pebsonal Begollbgtion. 357
THE QUESTION OF EUCHEE.
J. B. COREY ^S LETTER HAS STIRRED UP AN
INTERESTING ARGUMENT.
He Thought it a Joke.
One Catholic Stands up for the Position Coal
Operator Takes.
Waiting on the Pope.
Considerable interesting discussion has been
caused in religious circles lately by the letter writ-
ten by J. B. Corey, the Braddock coal operator, and
a leading Methodist, on the question of church
euchres.
The original letter of Mr. Corey was written to
the Braddock ** Herald^*. A copy as has been noted,
went to Pope Leo. The letter read as follows:
** Editor * Herald'. — ^I received from the com-
mittee, of St. Thomas' Roman Catholic societies a
complimentary invitation to come to St. Thomas'
haU this evening, and take part in their euchre
party. I have no doubt but this is intended as an
innocent joke on me on the part of the committee,
for my well known opposition to our churches, lend-
ing encouragement to card playing, gambling, etc.,
and for the recent article I wrote for the 'Herald'
against progressive euchre, circulating tracts, etc.
The committee and friend McGuire, pay me
quite a compliment in dubbing me an old fogy Meth-
odist They associate me with that most highly
honored man who said it was * A Methodist's busi-
ness to spread abroad Scripture holiness'. If
Friend McGuire and the committee had stopped a
moment to consider, they would see I could not ac-
cept their complimentary invitation, so that, while
they were poking their fun at me, I feel highly com-
plimented.
358 Memoib and Pbbsonal Recollection.
Old fogy Methodistfi are never found at a pro-
gressive euchre party, and I confess I am both sorry
and ashamed to see such a large, professed Chris-
tian church as St. Thomas, enrolling so many of our
citizens, and their most highly esteemed pastor.
Father Hickey, lending their influence and school
hall to promote the habit of card playing and gamb-
ling among our young people a habit that has
proved the ruin of so many young men and women.
One would think pride in the good name and
honor of a church that claims to be the mother
church, to whom the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ
and his apostles was committed, would cause its
members to rise up en masse and condemn and re-
volt against such a scandal and travesty on the
cross of Christ. No, no, Mr. McGuire, I cannot ac-
cept your complimentary invitation. I shall attend
service this evening in a little old fogy Methodist
chapel, where a higher standard is raised, a nobler
testimony upheld, a purer gospel preached, a holier
example to old and young is set, than card playing
and gambling.
I would as soon be seen in company with a
Mexican priest, with a game rooster under my arm,
on my way to a cock fight, as to be found around a
card table in the school hall of a professed Chris-
tian church, with backsliding Methodists, Presby-
terians and Catholics playing progressive euchre
for prizes. St Paul, whom you Catholics profess
to highly reverence, says: 'We are not of them who
do evil that good may come, whose damnation is
just^ That is, neither St. Peter nor St Paul would
engage in card playing, or gambling, to promote the
cause of religion, in or out of the church.
So you see, Mr. McGuire, an old fogy Methodist
cannot consistently accept your invitation to take
part in your euchre party ; but, as one good turn de-
serves another, I invite you and your conmiittee to
MeMOIB and PeKSONAL. RECOIiLECTION. 359
oome with me this evening and attend* an old fogy
IMethodist service in Wesley chapel, where they are
trying to make saints, and not gamblers.
You know the Catholic church has a proud rec-
ord for making saints. You never canonize them,
however, until after they are dead. A Catholic
friend took me last week into St. PauPs cathedral.
I was very much pleased with the beautiful paint-
ings and images of saints before whom I saw devout
Catholics bowing and paying homage ; but this text
of the Bible came into my mind : * Why seek ye the
living among the dead r
Come with me this evening. Friend McGuire,
and see if you and your committee will not admit
what you see and hear is more consistent with the
calling and dignity of a Christian church, than card
playing or making gamblers. j g Corey."
Anent Mr. Corey ^s letter, the following from
James Carrolson, also published in the '* Herald^',
is also interesting :
''Editor 'Herald': — If you will give the follow-
ing few words space in your valuable paper you
will accord many of your Catholic readers that fair
play our American people demand. An article ap-
pearing in the 'Herald' Thursday evening, October
30, 1902, seems so strangely out of place. It seems
some misguided Catholic sends Mr. Corey an invita-
tion to a euchre given by a Catholic society, which
was certainly a mistake, when this man knew Mr.
Corey's views on card playing, which he erro-
neously calls gambling.
Every man has the undoubted right to his opin-
ions. As a gentleman, Mr. Corey had the right to
rebuke this particular Catholic, but not the faith and
convictions of his fellow-citizens. Mr. Corey no
doubt has allowed his prejudice to get the best of
himself and lets go, as he truthfully says, on the
360 MeMOIB and PeBSONAL BsCOLIiBCTION.
mother church, which, like its divine founder, Jesus
Christ, was always assailed, and reminds me of a
cartoon appearing in a certain paper. It repre-
sents Bismarck (who had no love for Catholics)
working desperately trying to destroy all the Catho-
lic churches. His Satanic majesty appears, asking
Bismarck what he was trying to do. Bismarck re-
plies : * I am trying to do away with the Catholics \
Satan laughingly replies : * I have been trying to do
that for 1900 years, and am as far ofif as ever, '
I have no apology to oflfer for the evils of way-
ward Catholics, as the church teaches we should of-
fer up our prayers for their conversion. Mr.
Corey's ideas of the saints, sacred paintings,
images, etc, are amusing to the Catholic mind. He
evidently has not allowed himself to become ac-
quainted with the teachings of the church in these
and other serious matters.
In regard to card playing, it is a matter of in-
dividual Catholics. Some oppose card playing per-
haps as much as Mr. Corey, while I do not see any
more harm in innocent card playing, for amuse-
ment, than many of our separated brethren's so-
cials, camp meetings, etc., which are sometimes
abused. *Be temperate in all things'. I am cer-
tainly (as every true Christian should be) opposed
to gambling, whether among the rich or poor,
saloons and disreputable places, and especially to
the great crying evils of the day; Divorce, legallized
prostitution and our society, barring marriages, is
sanctioned by some Methodist bishops. We who
live in glass houses should not throw stones.
This is not intended to slur any of our sep-
arated friends, but a weak defense to an attack on
Catholics and our holy church, which has always
been persecuted, but relying on divine promise,
never destroved.
James Cabbolsok^.''
MsMOiB AND Personal BBCOLiiSCTiON. 361
AN UNUSUAL COINCIDENCE:
Beminiscbnces op the past along with daily oocur-
bbnces conpibm the inspired declaration
that '^god is not mocked/ but
whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap'\
— Galations 6-7.
On Saturday evening, July 26th, 1913, after
having spent the day in distributing tracts over the
hills from Port Perry to McKeesport where I spent
my boyhood days in going to school, hunting rabbits
and squirrels and witnessing in some localities the
wonderous changes time has made the past 73 years
since I was a boy, after relating to my wife some of
the incidents of 'the day, we were sitting on our
porch watching the crowds of people as they wended
their way down to Braddock. My wife handed me
a paper saying read the account of that young girl
leaping from 10th street bridge, Pittsburgh, into
the Monongahela river. Taking the paper I read
the head line saying: **Thb girl must supper and
THE MAN GOES preb'' aloud. My wife said **She
hoped the man would not go free of exposure if he is
to blame; but that in many of these scandals like
that, it was often as much the girPs fault as it was
the man's and more their Fathers and Mothers
fault than either. That little girls not yet in their
teens were allowed to romp and parade the streets,
until late at night, when they should be at home in
their beds ; and they need not be surprised when a
calamity like that falls on their home. Had they
taken the care to see who their playmates were and
not allow them to run at large, these sad wrecks of
young children especially girls, would not so fre-
quently happen as they do of late'\ Yes that is
true ; but that increases the grief of the parents.
362 Mbmoib and Pebsonal Recoixbction.
Your observations suggest the appropriateness of
the words on back of the envelope in which I had en-
closed the Tracts and booklets I distributed today :
* * Fathebs and Mothers; where is thy boy and gibLi
TONIGHT?'' and as our buggy attracted attention,
I tossed the envelope into doors and on porches as
we passed by. This is an unusual coincidence. I'
have been distributing tracts more or less since I
was a boy when the first old time Methodist circuit
rider in 1840, stopping his horse at our door
alighted, opening his saddle bags, taking from them
eight copies of ' ' Baxter 's Call to the Unconverted ' ',
he said: ''James take these tracts and leave one at
each house and tell them there will be Preaching at
your house tonight" No 8-year old boy ever cov-
ered the distance between the 8 houses, (they being
all the houses in the locality at that time), or was
more elated than I was on seeing our neighbors
crowd my Sainted Mother's one-story 16-foot
square cabin to hear the first Methodist sermon ever
preached in the locality. In distributing tracts and
booklets since 1858, when the preacher said: **We
will put Brother Corey to work to keep him from
backsliding, and appointed me Superintendent of
the Sabbath School, and a class leader announcing
that in his absence next Sabbath I would read Wes-
ley 's sermon on the marks of the new birth". I do
not recall of ever giving away tracts that were re-
ceived so cordially, or the people seemed so anxious
to receive them. Mothers, little girls coming out to
the buggy with: ** Please give me one". Gray
headed mothers or grandmothers would beckon me
to throw them one. I never in my life enjoyed my-
self more than last Saturday. In addition to visit-
wig the scenes of my childhood, was the casting of
oread upon the waters in hopes of finding it many
days hence, Eccl. H., I. On seeing a group of six
young men dressed in the latest style going down
i
Memoib and Pbbsonai. BecoiiLegtion. 363
8l;reet» my wife said : * * Where do you think those
young men are going they seem so jolly t'^ On see-
ing a group of as many or more young ladies follow-
iug after, I said: ^^ Where are those young girls go-
ixig this late in the evening f H their fathers and
mothers were asked : * Where is thy boy and girl to-
night r Their answer likely would be I do not
knew''. I hope it may not be that of that poor out-
cast who finding no escape from the penalty from a
i^ayward life, sought rest in a watery grave. Those
young people have started out to have some f im to-
night, where it will end and what the result will be,
time alone will telL Calling to mind some of our
young associates who for years have been moulder-
ing in premature graves, I said: ** Where are they
tonight f She replied: **this is a queer worW. I
replied: ^^young men and young girls who form
themselves into groups and start out on a lark this
late Saturday evening, are not likely to form habits
that wiU result in their future well being. With the
wail of that young woman who cast herself off the
bridge into the river echoing in my ears, I said was
it possible that the poor girl had reached that point
that like David: She exclaims before taking the
fatal leap **No man cares for my soul''. I then re-
called how on the hill above Crooked Bun, a young
man dressed up in a good suit of clothes lay along
side of the road in a helpless' drunken condition and
yet we Christian people for a revenue to pay ex-
pense of our civil government will license men to
manufacture intoxicating liquor to make drunkards
of our sons and encourage other vice as destructive
of virtue and happiness of our daughters t On Sab-
bath afternoon a large stout man about 40 years old,
dressed in what a short time ago would have been a
respectable suit of clothes, but filthy and dirty,
asked me for something to eat. **What", I said, **a
young man in prime of life; with work as plenty as
364 Memoib and Pbbsonaij Becollectiok.
it is today, and at good wages ; begging for some-
thing to eatt How can yon reconcile that with any
type of manhood!^' He replied: ** Whiskey has
knocked me out^'. **Why do you not ask the dog-
gery keepers for something to eatr' "Oh, they got
my money and kick me out*'. I said, *^if I give you
money to get something to eat you will go and spend
it for whiskey^'. Our girls having taken a walk, and
my wife is asleep, I gave the poor man something to
get a lunch ; telling him not to spend it for drink. He
started for Braddock whether for more booze or
something to eat I trow not. But as I watched him
sta^ering out of my yard, I said: **Is it possible
for any man or Nation, or City, to reap any perma-
nent good from a business that puts a man in a con-
dition like that t ^ ' And I reached this conclusion by
quoting these texts I have often heard quoted but
will do to repeat with emphasis. "Woe unto him
that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that
he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered
from the power of evil :*' "Woe to him that buildeth
a town with blood, and establisheth a City by in-
iquity*'. "Woe to him that ^veth his neighbor
drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest
him drunken also that thou mayest look on their
nakedness, Habukuk 2-9-12-15 & Amos 6-1 '^ "Woe
to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust i;n the
Mountain of Samaria, V. 44, That lie upon beds of
ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches,
and eat lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of
the midst of the stall ; That chant to the sound of the
viol, and invent themselves instruments of music,
like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint
themselves with the chief Ointments : but they are
not aggrieved for the affliction of Joseph. When the
Disciples asked Jesus to declare unto them the par-
able of the tares of the field. He answered and saidt
unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son
MbMOIB and PeBSONAIj BBGOLIiBGTION. 365
of man ; the field is the world ; the good seed are the
oliildren of the kingdom ; but the tares are the oliil^
ciren of the wicked one ; The enemy that sowed them
is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the world ; and the
ireapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are
gathered and burned in the fire ; so shall it be in the
end of this world". The Son of man shall send
forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his
kingdom all things that offend, and them which do
iniquity : And shall cast them into a furnace of fire ;
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth, Then
shall the righteousness shine forth as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear,
let him hear." St. Matthew 13: 36-43. While beer
guzzling and whiskey soaking are the Devil's most
effective agencies in peopling the region of the lost
yet the old serpent has many snares, by which he en-
traps the feet of the young and unwary, and recruits
the ranks of the legions on their way to perdition.
These snares are dance halls, ball rooms, moving
pictures, theaters, and card tables in the parlors of
mistaken fathers and mothers. The admonition of
Bev. A. L. Haywood, of Wayland, Michigan, to min-
isters of the gospel very clearly shows one of these
death traps of our boys and girls of today. May
we not hope that the christian father or mother will
read it aloud to their boys and girls.
WHAT ABOUT DANCING!
By Bbv. a. L. Haywood.
There was a man one time who had the moral
courage to preach against a certain popular sin, and
the result was it cost him his head. He won out all
right though, for he died with a clear conscience. We
as ministers of the gospel and as Christians in cry-
ing out against the popular sins of the day are sure
366 MbMOIB and PsBSONAIi BsCOLLECnON.
to stir up the animosity of the proud and haughty,
who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God
But we are not out in search of f riends, or to court
public opinion. We cannot afford it, for our time is
too precious. But if it costs us f riends, dollars, or
even our head, we can well afford it^ if we can only
live and die with a clear conscience.
To my mind, one of the most popular, diabolical
and successful plans that was ever conceived in the
mind of any devil incarnate, to corrupt the morals
of the youth of our land, and to degrade, debase and
drag down the pure and innocent to shame, disgrace
and everlasting ruin is dancing.
I am glad I belong to a church that is not afraid
to come out boldly and take a decided stand against
this wicked thing.
As for myself I would rather have a daughter
of mine in her cofiSn than to see her a public dancer.
I would hardly say, **Than to have her attend a
dance ^', for some few have attended, and have had
.common sense enough to see folly, indecency, and
wickedness of it, have been disgusted, and turned
away, never to return again.
According to statistics more girls have taken
the first step on the downward road to destruction
from the dance hall than from any other place. In
a certain city the houses of shame were visited and
the fallen girls were asked where they took the first
step or what led to their downfall. Nine out of ten
answered that the dance hall had been the cause.
The dance hall is no place for a decent woman,
to say nothing about a pure, innocent and refined
young lady. Further, no young lady can attend a
dance and take part in the round dances of today
and go away as pure as when she went. This is the
mam thought, and in making the others, and consid-
ering them we would like to prove it
Memoir and PEBsoKAii Beoollbction. 367
1. No woman can take part in one of the dances
to today and not be insulted. If she resents it and
turns away, well and good ; but if she submits to it a
work of destruction has already begun in her heart
and life. The coming in contact with the opposite
sex, in all the familiar touches and embraces that is
necessary in dancing today all have a tendency to
defile, debase and degrade the individual.
2. There are liberties taken there that would
not be allowed anywhere else. If I was a man of
the world, and a so-called gentleman (say nothing
about a foul-mouthed, beer-bloated libertine) should
meet my wife or daughter, and attempt to put his
arms around her, and assume the positions taken in
dancing, I would think that about the first mission I
had on earth was to knock that man down, and the
. next would be to kick him into the road. Then why
is it allowed in the dance hallt
Last of all, it is a production of hell to intoxi-
cate the mind, bewilder the brain, and inflame the
baser passions of men and women. It is a trap for
the young men, a robber of the virtue of girls, a de-
stroyer of womanhood, and demoralizing to society.
Were there a law passed that men must dance
together, likewise ladies, the dance would be forever
abolished I heard a preacher say, (although he was
a good preacher, he was an awfully homely man)
that he did not believe that there was a young man
in the country that would give fifty cents to hug him
all night, as good looking as he was.
After every dance that was ever held, there has
been a jubilee in hell, while heaven has had to put on
mourning.
Here is a little word picture : In a humble cot-
tage home, on a certain evening, I see first a woman
sitting in a rocking chair, rocking to and fro, and as
she rocks and works, she sings to herself, and seems
to be happy. And why shouldn 't she, for over there,
368 Mbmoib and Pebsonal Bbgoi^legtiok.
fast asleep in the cradle, lies a sweet, little, baby
girL As she rocks she is thinking of the future of
her darling child, and how bright it is.
She is going to be good, noble and pure, and as
she pictures out a glowing future for her child that
she loves so much and thinks how safe she is there in
the cradle asleep she is very happy. But is she
safef Poor woman, she does not see those two
slimy, shadowy forms over there in the comer with
their fiendish eyes and hideous gestures, and they
whisper to each other, as they point their long, bony
fingers towards the cradle where the little babe is
sleeping. They are sent of hell to plan the destruc-
tion of that pure and innocent little chUd. Will they
do itf Let us see.
Time rolls on. This little child grows to be a
beautiful young lady. Her mother is proud of her,
and still anxious about her future. She would like
to have her daughter go out in society, and, after
consulting her pastor, decides to take her to the
dance. The shadowy forms whispered to the pastor
and said, **Tell her there is no harm in dancing",
and then they whispered to the woman and said,
** There can^t be any harm in it or the pastor
wouldn 't advise you to go ' \ Mother watch that
girl, for don't you see those shadowy forms over
there in the comer of the hall. They are watching
you. Watch her, I say.
*' Watch hert Why, what do you mean? Is
there any danger of her getting lost there in this
public placet '^ Yes, more than in the wild forest,
the dense thicket, or the jungles of Africa. Watch
her, very closely. There are those here who would
not only destroy the body, but the soul as well. Watch
her, for that foul-breathed, unprincipled fellow that
she is dancing with is watching you.
Where is she, mother! Your eyes left her but
Mbmoib and PsBSONAXi Bbgoi^lbctiok. 369
a minute^ but she is gone. Where f God only knows,
but she is gone, gone.
Poor girl, unsuspecting and innocent, a prey to
that vulture, or demon in human form, that was pos-
ing as a gentleman, wretch that he is. He has caught
another victim; another is destroyed.
Mother, the only way you could have watched
your girl and have kept her safe, would have been
to have kept her at home.
But where is shef She has been dancing until
she was tired, her brain was whirling, her thoughts
were confused, and it was suggested that they take
a little fresh air. She trusts this man, for he seems
like a gentleman. She might better have trusted an
alligator, or a crocodile, or a hungry lion, to this
human hyena, for they could destroy only the body,
but this agent of hell would not only destroy the
body, but wreck and ruin the soul as well.
Perhaps it is a soft drink, or a dish of ice cream
ordered. He winks at the waiter ; a little something
is dropped in ; she feels a sort of dizzy, confused
feeling, and the rest is easy. She has been robbed
of a priceless jewel.
For the world has a heart for a prodigal boy.
Who was caught in sin's mad whirl,
And they welcome him back with songs of joy,
But what of the prodigal girlf
I believe that if hell has one place that is hotter
than another it will be reserved for such cursed
libertines as the one described.
What of the rest? Down by the river side a
scene. It is about midnight ; the moon is shining at
times down through the clouds ; all seems to be quiet,
but hark, I hear a low moan, I look around and see
a young woman coming down the bank. She was
once beautiful, but now pale and haggard. She
seems to be talking to herself. She is saying, ^^It
370 MbMOIB and PBBSONAIi RBOOIJiBCnON.
will soon be all over. These waters will hide and
bury it all. I have been so unhappy since that
night. Oh, if I could only live my life over again
how different it would be. But that first step down
ruined my whole life, Oh, that I never had seen a
dance hall, but it is too late, too late, too late ! I be-
Ueve I will end it all tonight''. I see her as she
stands leaning for a moment against the railing as
if she would hesitate. Then she places her hand on
the top of the railing, and looking up she moans, **0
my God! forgive me, for I did not mean to do
wrong'', and with one last heart-rendering, piercing
cry of distress, she leaps. A splash, a rushing of
water and all is over. I look down and see those
shadowy forms standing on the bank rubbing their
hands with glee. They have destroyed another soul.
But they do not stand there very long, for they must
go in search of another victim.
Brethren, ought we not to, as ministers of the*
gospel, sound out a warning to every mother and
mother's daughter against the evils of dancing?
And if in so doing we may, perchance, save some of
even one pure, innocent girl from disgrace, degrada-
tion and everlasting ruin, our efforts will not be in
vain.
Having for 60 years in season and out of season
to the full extent of my ability in church and Sun-
day School, with meagre mental, intellectual and
Spiritual acquirements striven to warn our young
boys and girls against these snares of the wicked
one, yet through the indifference of parents I have
witnessed with feelings of sorrow, the ruin of many
a bright boy and girl. While on the other hand some
of the most pleasant experiences of my four score
years had been numerous testimonies like that of
two sisters (Grandmothers) in a recent old time
Methodist Love Feast, addressing me, said: ''Yon
are the man who 50 years ago led me and my brother
Memoib akd Psbsonal Beoollbctiok. 371
to the altar where we were converted. My brother
died happy", each one giving the same testimony;
and a letter from one of the miners who worked for
me 50 years ago, received this morning, saying: **I
am engaged in the Slum Mission work, trying to res-
cue the perishing, remembering your kindness and
learning that you still are distributing tracts, I
thought I would like to have some of your own com-
posing". I assure you dear friends such testi-
monies smooth my pathway to the grave.
A Bbtbospect of the Past Cbntuby.
In conclusion, while retrospecting my own per-
sonal observations, knowledge and experience on
political and religious questions, it is my own con-
viction from all I have read, seen and studied, that
it is not possible for any people to give stronger
proof of the incapacity of mankind for self-govern-
ment, or, in other words, that popular sovereignty
as understood and propagated by the American peo-
ple is a delusion.
I reiterate the statement that unless the sao
rifice of 1,000,000 of the flower of its own manhood,
five billions of money, the devastation of the homes
and property of our own people are the functions of
a good government, our first century's experiment
was a dismal failure. I also give it as my firm con-
viction derived from my own personal observation
and reading of the sayings and doings of the great-
est characters and lives this nation has produced,
along with the clearest declaration of Holy Writ, no
other result is or was possible. To be otherwise
would be to bring a clean thing out of an unclean.
This our Divine instructor is impossible. In sup-
372 Mbmoir ahb Pbbsohal SBGCojJionoK.
port of this conviction I call attention to the state-
ments of some of the greatest statesmen of our na-
tion along with the history of other nationalities. I
am aware I will be confronted right here by the
great scientific and commercial achievements of the
American people; but I unhesitatingly affirm that
these things of which we are so prone to boast are
more due to climate soil and other natural advan-
tages than they are to our political and more
boasted popular sovereignty. The great increase in
crime and immorality I hold is almost as much due
to political ideas as to the carnal unregenerate
heart President Andrew Jackson, with more
frankness than the average politician, gave the key-
note to our American manhood suffrage doctrine
when he said, **To the victor belong the spoils*',
which Mayor Weaver, of Philadelphia, and Presi-
dent Boosevelt, and his Secretary of State, Elihu
Boot, are uncovering, are the only possible and nat-
ural result upon a political system resting upon the
votes of men, who not one in ten know who or care
what they are voting for, and in addition not one
in a hundred but regard the public franchises and
offices of their municipality, state and nation as
legitimate objects of plunder.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the ablest states-
men and political economists this nation ever had,
said, * * Whenever there was a Bepublican system of
government the true principle was to reduce the
salary, making the honor and not the spoils the in-
centive to office seeking'*. But this doctrine of our
greatest philosopher was inconsistent with the Jack-
sonian doctrine, **to the victor belong the spoils".
Thus we have a $50,000-aryear President with $30,-
000 table expenses, to preside over a nation, the vast
number of whose industrial classes have to support
their families on less than $500 a year, the pur-
chasing power of whose money is destroyed 50 per
MSMOIE AKB PEBS<mAIi BsOOIiLECTZaEr. 373
cent in supportmg this official aristoeraey under the
title of democracy. It is not possible to conceive a
greater travesty of any political system than to call
ours a democracy or a * * Government of the people,
by the people, for the people ^ \
That $37,000-a-year State Treasurer, or our
$10,000 Judges, Mayors and Governors over the
people, with incomes of less than $500 a year, are as
strong proof as it is possible to give of the inca-
pacity of the people for self-government as the 100
years of Christian civilization has ever given us. I
remember when I, along with the common people
looked upon our public offices and public affairs as
sacred as our holy religion. The first political in-
terest in which I took a part was the nomination and
election of my friend, Judge Mellon, with whom I
afterward became associated with in business. T
remember when we nominated him for Judge of our
Common Pleas Court, there were several of our
most prominent lawyers at the bar contending for
the office of Judge and District Attorney, at $3,500
and $2,500. I took our company employees out to
our township political nomination and carried the
convention by a single vote for His Honor, Judge
Mellon. Our township gave him the majority in the
convention, and he received the nomination and was
elected Judge. Judge McClure died, necessitating
the election of another to take his place. Here
again, at Judge Mellon ^s suggestion, I carried Ver-
sailles township for Judge Sterrett who was elected
over his competitor. The strongest candidate com-
peting against Judges Mellon and Sterrett sue
ceeded in having our political bosses create a new
Judgeship, increasing the salary $1,500 a year, and
this in the face of the fact that both Judges Mellon
and Sterrett were, as they frequently told me, op-
pressed with nothing to do. This corrupt political
sentiment has taken such a hold upon the people
^
374 Memoib and Pebsonal Becollbction'.
that our public school and township offices also have
all become the legitunate spoils of our political
bosses and their ward heelers, who regard all our
public offices as a means of their own personal and
political aggrandizement. If we secured integrity
either in public or domestic life it might be toler-
ated, but take our religious and domestic life, and
we have the only natural and logical results, 800,-
000 divorces in 32 years to Canada's 49, and all
other crime in the same proportion. This alone
vindicates the wisdom of the Canadian people in ad-
hering to the English monarchy, as it does also the
wisdom of Norway in dissolving from the union
with Sweden. Instead of setting up a republican
system of government they have appealed to ilie
Swedish people to furnish them with a Monarch or
Prince. The Norwegians at least show their good,
common sense in not attempting to fasten upon
themselves a republican system, or, as in our case»
an official aristocracy, even if they do ignore the
good advice of one of the wisest sages of the earth,
* * It is better to bear the ills we have than to fly to.
others we know not oV\ The present corrupt con-
dition is due more to the influence of a partisan pub-
lic press than all other causes, although I admit it is
a case of **Like people, like priest*' (or like public
press).
Memoir and Pebsonal Recollection. 375
IN CONCLUSION.
As my motive in time and expense, in compiling
the recollection of my past life into a personal
memoir is that my posterity and personal friends,
may have the benefit of that which has contributed
to my greatest good during my four score years. As
I recall the past, that from which I received the
greatest benefit were from reading good books espe-
cially the Bible, which I am reading through for the
16th time ; one chapter a day, which I read the first
thing on arising from my bed. I also have been
benefited from the record of good men and women
whose noble lives adorn the history of our Chris-
tian civilization ; along with the precepts, advice and
example of my sainted mother ; which have given me
the greatest assistance in my conflicts in the battle
of life. Having already given incidents in the lives
of men and women who began their conquest on the
lowest plane and made a success in life ; especially,
the testimony of one of our most illustrious Ameri-
can statesman and distinguished patriots, against
two of the greatest hindrances, to a young man^s
success in life; viz., oath bound secret orders, and
lack of integrity in public office and positions of
trust. I close by quoting an extract from the rec-
ord of this Peerless Statesman and noblest Boman
of them all ; as published in the life of our Presi-
dents ; by John S. C. Abbott and Russell H. Con-
well ; a book that should be read by all our Young
Men ; aspiring to statescraf t, and success in life.
I hope that all my friends will read carefully
the following chapters and verses of scripture:
Christ says, ** Search the Scriptures; for in
them ye think ye have eternal life ; and they are they
which testify of me^\ John V., 39.
376 Memoir akd Pebsonal BBCOixaonoH.
St Paul, says, "All Scripture, given by in-
spiration of God, (B. V.) is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in right-
eousness, that the man of God may be perfect thor-
oughly furnished unto all good works", Timothy
IL, 16, 17.
Bead first three chapters of Genesis: The ten
commandments, Exod XX., Job Ist Chapter, and
XIV., 14; XTX., verses 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27.
Psalms, Metrical Version, L, XXIIL ; XL. 1-4 ;
and C. — Common Meter.
Isaiah LV.; Ezekial XXTTVEL, 1-14; St
Matthew L, 21; V. 1-12; and Luke XXTTT^ 14-4&
St John m., 1-18, XIV., 1-16, First Epistle of
John in., 1-15; V., VL, VIL and VIH. Chapters of
Bomans ; I. Corinthians XV.
Heb. Xn., 14 ; Rev. XIV., 13 ; Read over and
over until fastened in your memory or write them
down in your diary.
These hymns will also aid in making melody Iq
your heart unto the Lord. See index of hymn book.
**0, for a thousand tongues to sing^\
'^A charge to keep I have", (Marseillaise ot
Methodism).
**Come, ye sinners, poor and needy".
** There is a fountain filled with blood".
** Jesus my all to heaven is gone".
** Amazing grace, how sweet the sound".
** Jesus, lover of my soul".
**0, for a heart to praise my Gk)d".
**Rock of ages, cleft for me".
P. S. — That which has lessened the task, and
added to the pleasure, of putting my reminiscences
in readable shape has been the patience shown, and
MaiffOIB AND PeBSOKAIj BsCOIiLBOTIOlf . 377
assistance given in their compilation by the Pitts-
burgh Printing Co., Printers of this Volume.
If any of my friends intend to publish their own
memoir, I unhesitatingly recommend the Pittsburgh
Printing Company to their consideration.
Finis.
378 Mbmoib and Pebsokal BBCoiiLBOTioir.
MAURICE BUBEN^S EXPEBEENCE.
Beloved think it not strange concerning the
fiery trial which is to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you. — ^L Pet 4 : 12.
Dr. George D. Watson writes in one of his arti-
des by way of introduction : * ' Each one of our lives
is a whole world of revelation when looked at in its
relation to God and his special providence, and if
each of our lives could be written out, as God could
do it, it would form a Bible sufficient for the pro-
foundest instruction of the entire race'\
The above will no doubt apply to a great num-
ber of the children of men. Perhaps your life has
been full of vicissitudes, of many trials, struggles,
conflicts and battles, and surely wonderful were thd
deliverances, too. If our lives were written by the
finger of God, by the test of the word of God, what a
sad commentary it would prove against our disobe-
dience, ungratefulness and unbelief, and we would
thus furnish object-lessons for the nations, as the
characters in the Book of books do, as well as many
in history. This paper is to relate my experience
in the madhouse — one of the incidents following my
conversion. I approach the subject with much deli-
cacy of feeling toward all who have been interested
in that case, because I do not at all wish it under-
stood that my motive to rehearse this experience
thus publicly, and by relating the strange proceed-
ing at that time, is for the purpose of creating sym-
pathy for myself or to cast any reflection or inflame
*"^y prejudice against those who were the actors in
the case. That battle has been fought and won. If
a lesson can be learned, a moral applied, a conclu-
sion reached which will bring Jew and Gentile to-
gether into the brotherhood for which Jesus Christ
died, or if it be helpful and a source of strength to
MeMOIB and PbBSONAIj BsGOIiLBOTION. 379
some struggling souls who are going through deep
waters, then it was, indeed, my great privilege to
have endured what I did for the glory of God as a
testimony of my unflinching faith in Jesus Christ
my Lord and Saviour.
Mt Convebsion.
My conversion came about in a sudden and rad-
ical manner. On the 19th of March, 1895, the light
of life flashed tlirough my mind ; I was spiritually
illuminated to the grasping of the spiritual facts
that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world and
that Satan was opposing the claims of Jesus.
I was directed to the study of the New Testae
ment, and heeding the instruction of Jesus to
** search the Scriptures**, the Holy Spirit applied
the words of truth from ** Moses** and the '* Proph-
ets** and the ** Psalms** which lifted me out of ra-
tionalism and Judaism, and upon meeting the condi-
tions scripturally required, viz: Bepentance toward
God and faith in Jesus Christ, I experienced con-
version which entirely changed the manner of my
life, the habits and desires from the worldly planed
to a spiritual condition of right and duty and con-
science toward God and man, and recognizing and
accepting in Christ the one power of God unto sal-
vation, that in him are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge, and who is made unto us
wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and re-
demption.
My Call into Sbbvicb and Consecration.
The awakening of my soul to the realization of
the grace and love of God toward me, who was in-
deed a '^sinner**, and the consciousness of a higher
calling, led me to a closer study of the Word of God,
and as the Holy Spirit graciously revealed to me to
380 MbMOIE AMD PteflOVAIi BsGOIiLBCTIOH.
follow in the footsteps of '^Abraham'', the man of
faith and obedience, I came out from a big business
connection and made a full and complete conseenir
tion, in accordance with the conditions of the New
Testament
''Some of these conditions are qnite critical;
see Luke 14: 26, 27, verse 33 reads: ''So likewise,
whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple '\
In view of the spiritual blindness upon the Jew-
ish people, and that such blindness is removed only
in Christ, and that "there is no other name given
under heaven among men whereby we must be
saved*' — and that the Jews evidently do not under-
stand the scheme of redemption, altiiough they had
the temple service and the law, and the sacrifices
and ought to have understood that without the shed-
ding of blood there is no remission of sin. How-
ever, "without controversy great is the mystery of
Christ'*, and as "Sterne** says: "Is it not an amaz-
ing thing that men shall attempt to investigate the
mystery of the redemption, when at the same time^
that it is propounded to us an article of faith solely,
we are told that 'the very angels have desired to
pry into it in vain**.
The Constebkation of my Belatftes.
Our readers can therefore imagine the surprise
and consternation my conversion created among my
Jewish relatives and friends — ^a "stone of stumb-
ling and a rock of offense**. Desiring to speak the
"words of soberness and truth**, my people evi-
dently thought I had gone beside myself, because
"much learning doth make thee mad**. It would
take a volume to relate all the incidents of the early
days of my Christian experience, the many compli-
cations and stumbling blocks which menaced me on
all sides. "Teach me thy way, Lord, and lead me
Memoir and PsBSOirAii Bboollbotiok. 381
in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver
me not over nnto the will of mine enemies ; for false
witnesses are risen np against me, and snch as
breathe out cruelty '\ Ps. 27: 11-12.
The Powbbs of Dabknbss at Wobk.
The hosts of darkness acted very definitely,
and as I look the battlefield over, now that the
smoke has cleared, and as by the grace of God I am
more than conqueror through Him that loved me, I
desire to give God all the glory.
Mt Arbbst.
I lived at that time in a quiet and fashionable
neighborhood in Pittsburgh, and quietly pursuing
my studies, not making myself in any way conspic-
uous it so happened that one Saturday night, at just
about midnight, our household was aroused by the
ringing of the bell and rapping on the door. The
unexpected and untimely visitors were two police
officers. The people of the house were informed
that I was wanted, as instructions had been received
from headquarters to place me under arrest Upon
what ground could not be ascertained, nor had the
officers any warrant of arrest I was informed of
the situation, and readily agreed to go, though the
manner of arrest appeared irregular and arbitrary,
as the officers had neither warrant nor anyv specific
charge against me, but I was told I must go, they
were to take me.
Impbisoned.
Having dressed myself, I went with the officers
to the Oakland Police Station and was placed in a
cell, under lock and key — the exchange from a quiet
and comfortable home, from the slumber on a com-
fortable bed to a narrow bench, a hard board in the
I
382 MbMOIB AKD PEBSONAIi BsCOIil4ECTI01!r.
prisoner's celL Dear reader, I am sure y^oii are
quite sympathetic, your feelings are touched ; vras
not that a time for prayer T Was I really a pris-
oner T It seemed unnatural, because I wanted to
obey Gk)d, because I believed in Jesus ; wanted to be
a Christian ; what could the matter be I The officers
in charge of the station-house had only the instruc-
tion to have me arrested. I did much quiet praying
and meditating on the experiences of the apostles
and disciples while they were in prison. Many of
the promises rushed to my mind, * ' I will never leave
thee nor forsake thee**, and **lo, I am with yon al-
ways*. These and other passages were most com-
forting to me — of course my environment was new
and rather strange ; there was a mixed company ia
the other cells, and the language of some of them
was foul and vulgar to the extreme.
LiNGBBiNo IN Prison.
I waited patiently for the conquest of morning
over the shadowy night. Never in my life did I so
desire to see the rays of sunshine as on that memor-
able Sabbath morning in August, 1895. I wanted a
hearing, I desired to be free to go to church. I
longed to go to the sanctuary ; my soul yearned and
thirsted after righteousness, I looked forward to the
Sabbath services, **My soul thirsteth for God, for
the living God'', my hungry soul craved the bread
of heaven and the waters of life. The songs of Zion;
and the sermon, everything was soul food for me.
Breakfast was furnished, the morning advanced, I
obtained no hearing, and the attendant (turnkey)
could give me no explanation. Romans 5: 3 en-
couraged me: *'We glory in tribulation also. Know-
ing that tribulation worketh patience'*. A certain
writer states : *' That the qualities of patience are
gentieness and serenity in bearing that which, with-
out being agonizing, is wearing or vexatious, whether
MSMOIB AND PeBSONAL BEGOIiLBGTION. 383
mtemally or from the conduct of others". My ex-
perience not only developed these qualities but also
self-control.
Visited by Expebt Physicians.
The morning hours passed without deliverance.
During the hour of church tune, I worshipped my
God, indeed, in the meditation of my heart, feeling
greatly uplifted by the devotion and meditatioit
The hours of the afternoon sped along, and toward
evening, when the folds of night gathered around
Mother Earth, the door of my cell was opened and I
was introduced to two gentlemen, who interrogated
me in reference to my conversion and religious ex-
perience. I had come to the conclusion that my
state of mind was in question, and conjectured that
these gentlemen were, no doubt, '^experts'', and
thns I was naturally prompted to be quite ** nat-
ural ' ' and to answejr in a simple manner. To speak,
for instance, to^ '* insanity experts** about the
**change of heart**, the **camal mind**, the *'Holy
Spirit**, or * * sanctification * *, from a prison cell,
would, indeed be sufficient evidence to question that
persons sanity. Our interview was brief, of about
five minutes* duration, and I looked for a speedy
release. But the hours of the evening grew late, and
still a ** prisoner in bond**. After nine o*clock
friends of the Oakland M. E. church visited me ; they
felt much perplexed and full of sympathy for me. I
learned that Mr. P. H. Laufman, the venerable class
leader of the church, who was among the visitors,
made strenuous efforts to effect my release, offering
a large amount of bail. Bealizing that I was good
for another night, the dear reader may learn that
physically I was not very strong, and though I
seemed to have much fortitude, would feel a wave of
deep sorrow. I would then think of Jesus and Geth-
semane, and of his disciples as he spoke to them :
884 Mbmoib akd Pbbsohal BBCOLUKmoir.
''Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder''. Matt
26,: 36. I prayed much and meditspted more, and I
cannot tell all my thoughts of that night The past
rose before me, Saints and Martyrs others who suf-
fered for Christy all the faithful and heroic souls —
of the past and present — ^and then to think to be
counted worthy to become partaker in these light
afflictions. Monday morning dawned bright and
clear. Again no hearing. My brother, with some
relatives, called ; he looked troubled — ^inquired after
my health and thought religion had put me in a nice
box — ^that the physicians considered me insane, and
that I would probably be taken to a private institu-
tion for treatment It seemed to me that the hand
of justice in Pittsburgh had moved back to the days
of early Christianity, so high handed was the pro-
ceeding. I said I was sane, but, bidding me good-
by they departed, leaving me to my fate and Provi-
dence. The day again grew late, and about even-
ing, the two physicians again visited me and held
another five minutes' conversation, after which the
''experts" departed.
To THE Insane Asylum.
I had about decided that I would have another
night's sojourn in the prison, when I was called and
introduced to two "strangers", who informed me
that they would take me to a "sanitariimaL", as I
needed rest I told them I needed a change of quar-
ters, as I felt all stiff from my confinemnt, and fur-
ther said, asking: "Do you mean to take me away
from here as an insane manf " They looked at each
other significantly, one of the men answering in a
patronizing tone that they were simply obeying
orders. On the way to the depot, after quite a con-
versation, one said to the other: "He appears to be
all right". We boarded the train, and finally I asked
them if they were taking me to Dixmont (insane de-
Memoib and Pbbsonal Becollection. 385
partment) of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital
At first they evaded the question, but finally they ac-
knowledged that that was my destination. In due
time we reached the point, and even by gas light, I
eould see that the surroundings of the institution
are imposing and quite picturesque. Beautiful
shade trees surround the palatial-looking buildings,
and on entering same the impression is rather en-
trancing; the wide corridois, large parlors, and the
elegant apartments of the first floor are very attrac-
tive and inviting. The preliminaries of the usuaJ
order of the business of the commitment having
been adjusted, the two men bid me good-bye, and I
was given in charge of a keeper, a young man whom
I knew in a business way ; he was surprised to see
me. He led me to an upper ward, and, upon re-
quest, I was permitted to have a bath ; then was I
taken to a ward, which was to afford me the * * com-
forts of home'*. I found myself in a large room
containing some 30 cots — ^in the company of men, inn
sane men, and as I directly learned upon asking my
keeper why they would have me here, and not give
me a quiet room, as I understood I was to be * * well
treated''. The poor man felt real sorry for me, 11
believe. He said that the rule of the institution iff
that all new patients must spend some time in this
ward, as this was the * * incurable ' ' ward.
A Fiery Tbial.
The kind reader can imagine my amazement —
that I was to be an inmate of an insane asylimi — in
the ''incurable ward", among ** incurable patients "-
the ''chronic insane", the "lunatic", the demented,
afflicted with all kinds of vagaries, hallucinations
and aberrations of the mind. Let the kind reader
pause with me a moment. I was to be a " forced in-
mate" (as stated, I asked for a single room) in the
department of the "madhouse", in one room with
386 Mbmoib and Pbbsonal Becoi4Lection.
all these unfortunate men. For a moment I was be-
side myself ; oh, what a feeling overcame me ; I lis-
tened to the filthy talk, the hellish ejaculations, the
fiendish outbursts of glee or of hysterical convul-
sions ; the calamities of hell appear to be gathered
under the roof of an insane asylum, and yet people
say, there is no hell. And here I was to spend the
night — ^how can I do thatt I felt a revulsion of feel-
ing— wiU I go mad T Can any human being endure
such trials, this humiliation T What is to be donel
How can I survive the night T The keeper showed
me my cot and led me to it I knew I was passing
through a fiery trial, an experience that was beyond
the power of language for me to describe. I needed
help, strength — oh my Lord. Presently I was lost
in prayer, and in a moment the saddest of all the
sad scenes moved before my mind's eye, the *' Cross
of Calvary*'. I was in silent prayer — ^in deep medi-
tation. The cross of Calvary — '^Must Jesus bear
the cross alone, and all the world go freeT" "No.
there's a cross for everyone, and there's a cross for
me".
And Jesus died that we might live. He died
that through death He might destroy him that had
the power of death, that is the devil. Heb. 2 : 14.
And was not even the Son of Gk)d perfected
through suffering: "But we see Jesus, who waf
made a little lower than the angels for the suffering
of death, crowned with glory and honor ; that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man.
For it became him, for whom are all things, in bring-
ing many sons to glory to make the captain of theii
salvation perfect through suffering". Heb. 2: 9, 10.
Upon that Cross of Jesus,
Mine eyes at times can see
The very dying form of One,
Who suffered there for me.
MeMOIB AKD PeBSOKAL BsCOIiLBCTION. 387
I
The Stoby op the Cross.
The very picture of Calvary was before my
mind's eye. I became insensible to my situation. I
was entirely shut within myself. My own sad ex-
perience of the previous days had faded away. The
** Cross of Calvary'' occupied my mind. Oh, how
vivid, how real ! I was watching with the crowd, aU
were watching the cruelty — ^what a heart breaking
sight T Who can measure the anguish, the great
sorrow, the awful travail of the soul of Jesus of
Nazareth at this hourf
See his hands, which for several years healed
the sick, raised the dead, cast out devils. How ter-
rible now appear these gentle hands with the gaping
wounds of the nail prints, the scarred and weary feet
win no pity ; they too are cruelly pierced. They offer
Him wine and myrrh to deaden His suffering. He
will not drink, for He desires to bear all for us. Oh,
merciful Saviour. Draw me to the foot of thy cross,
that I may sit down there and watch Thee till Thine
image is printed on my heart Oh, that I may learn
to die I My day will come, the last day, the last
hour, the last moment. That day comes, the last
minute — and voices will whisper — ^it is finished — ^he
is gone. The merchant prince will be gone, the
nabob, the philanthropist and sage will be gone, the
poet as well as the peasant, the great and the small
will be gone, immortal souls going, going, gone-pass-
ing into an eternity of glory and transcendent life,
or into an eternity of sadness and suffering, which
no earthly imagery can describe, the everlasting fire
and ''the worm that dieth nof . Let me think of
this and practice dying before I die ! "By thy cross
and passion, by thy agony and bloody sweat, good
Lord deliver us ' '.
The vividness, the spiritual fervor of my medi-
tation brought to my soul a blessed quietness, but
388 Memoib and Pebsokal Bbgoujection.
not much sleep. The ** inmates'' of the ward would
break out into all sorts of startled shrieks, accord-
ing to the nature of their affliction, so I quietly
watched and prayed for the dawn of morning. The
scene is very sad indeed, human souls in such a
state of aberration of mind and mental confusion,
stupor and delusion. I breakfasted in one of the
dining-rooms with a company of the inmates ; their
appetite was, however, much better than mine, some
of the men were gluttons, and their voracious eating
would cause some of the animals at the Highland
Park **zoo'' to blush with envy.
Life in the Asylum.
We were taken out for * * exercise ' ' on a bridge
which connects with the main corridors and which
is an affair built of iron girders, and now I had tiic^
opportunity of seeing some of the other patients,
queer and peculiar subjects indeed. One German
blasphemed like a trooper, and crowed like a
rooster, and he looked as if he was the vehicle of a
legion of demons.
Then the physicians made their rounds and I
met Dr. Hutchison, the genial superintendent of the'
institution.
Owing to my *' connection ' ' and being ac^
quainted with the ** business house '* of my brother,
the doctor inquired what I was sent out for. I gave
him my assurance that I did not know exactly my-
self ; he promised to see me again. I requested ear-
nestly to be given a change of quarters, but was
again put among the '* incurables'* for another night
of distressing experiences. I was told that new pa-
tients must remain among the incurables, as this
develops their true condition, and the phase of in-
sanity is thus definitely diagnosed. I am quite sure
that if ordinary people with a tendency to nervous-
ness were to be subjected to a similar experience
Memoib and Personal Bbcollbction. 389
they would go stark mad ; there is no doubt about
that Fortunately the grace of God enabled me
with fortitude to endure this horrible pit There
was no special ** development*' in my ** condition*'
and so I was transferred the third day to one of the
regular better-class wards^ which contain single
roomSy in which patients are locked at bedtime.
Whilst the institution, no doubt, is as well managed
as any of the kind — ^it being a Pittsburgh affair, and
Pittsburgh is slow in nothing, as my own expe-
rienced proved — ^it is intended for insane people,
and I submitted to all the rules and regulations,
some of which are, at least in practice, crude and[
imclean.
By way of illustration. On Friday or Satur-
day is **bath'' day. The men of a ward all strip,
two tubs of water are drawn, and the first one has
the clean water. Those who follow (a certain num-
ber must wash in the same water) , and I noticed
that most all were sane enough and wished for the
first chance. It was the most disagreeable expe-
rience outside of the first two nights. The ^^bill of
fare" is wholesome, the men have tremendous appe-
tites, but seem to get enough. I ate sparsely, but
my neighbor was anxious to eat all I would leave. I
spent my time in the study of the Bible and other
religious books there, and gladly joined in the after-
noon outing, which is given frequently to those who
are not ** dangerous * '.
Dr. Hutchinson and the other physicians had
daily conversations with me, and exercised their
knowledge and intuition to diagnose my case. Dr.
H. stated that I was legally committed, and evi-
dently seemed greatly perplexed over my commit-
ment I learned later that the physicians consid-
ered me * * normal * \ and that I was not a fit subject
for an insane asylum, and so informed my people,
which brought my brother to visit me, just after one
1
390 Memoib akd Pbbsonal Becoi4Lection.
week of confinement My brother seemed glad that
I was ^^unproving" so fast, and then told me I could
have my release if I would go West and not remain
in Pittsburgh. I refused to accede to such terms,
on the ground that my incarceration was unjustifi-
able, and that all the newspapers reported me in-
sane, and if he would make the proper retraction
and place me in my true light before the community,
I would feel fully vindicated and attend to my af-
fairs.
To this my brother would not agree, and so I
was left to ponder over my situation, fully con-
vinced that my action was right in refusing to en-
tertain such a proposition. I was living in the
Bible and was greatly helped by the experiences of
God^s people and His mighty hand to deliver His
own. There was Noah and Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, Joseph, Gideon and Samson, Daniel and the
den of lions, Paul and SUas, and Peter in prison,
and all of the eleventh chapter of Hebrew's heroes,
saints and martyrs.
Faith Pboducbs Hope.
In spite of many temptations, my faith was
strong and had the assurance that I would obtain
deliverance through providential interposition.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for ; the
evidence of things not seen — ^and so I accepted my
deliverance, as if it had already taken place, and
was determined not to compromise in any way. It
must be remembered that no one is so anxious for
liberty as the man who is a prisoner, especially un-
der my circumstances.
Again my brother called on me ; it was the sec-
ond week of my confinement. He came at a time
when we were all busy sweeping the floor and wash-
ing the walls. I was at my post with broom and
Memoir and Personal Becollection. 391
doth. He did not like my. employment and re-
quested that I be withdrawn from the work, which
was complied with, and I had no further outside
work to do except my own room and some other
duties. He called again the . third week with the
same proposition, and was much perplexed to think
that I would not avail myself of the opportunity to
obtain. my liberty. I expressed my views to him^
and told him point blank that I expected to get my
freedom very shortly. I had my temptations and
trials during these weeks. The tests came quite
strong at times, but in the hour of the greatest
temptation I was always strong enough to say
**No* Vl>6<^iiS6 1 did not think it was the Lord's way
of doing things. **The Lord heard and delivered
me from all my fear'\ Ps. 84: 4.
**Fbar not I AM With Thee''.
It is of ordinary occurrence to see groups of
visitors pass through the different departments of
the asylum. One afternoon as I was reading the
Bible, a gentleman came up to me, telling me he
came down in my behalf. We entered into a con-
versation about my conversion and incarceration.
The gentleman introduced himself as Mr. J. B.
Corey, saying he was going to see about my being
taken out of this place. I was delighted of course,
and stated that somehow I expected some one would
come. I learned later that Mr. Corey, who is an old
resident of Braddock, Pa., and of the Corey Gas &
Coal Co., Schmidt Building, Pittsburgh, while in his
oflSce, was suddenly prompted or spoken to by thei
Holy Spirit to go down to Dixmont to see Ruben.
Mr. Corey has been in active Christian work for a
long time, as I afterwards learned ; promoted sev-
eral Christian enterprises, and now the Lord gave
him another bit of work. Mr. Corey was not per-
sonally acquainted with me, never having seen or
392 Memoib and Pbbsonaxi BECoi4LBcnoN.
heard of me before reading the aoconnt of my being
railroaded to Dixmont for accepting Christ as my
Saviour. He called up Mr. P. H. Lanfman, my
class leader, and learning from him that my incar-
ceration was a great wrong and injosticey he ar-
ranged by telephone with Mr. Hari)ery president of
Dixmont Hospital, to go with him to see me and
learn of my condition for himself. Mr. Corey intro-
duced me to Mr. Harper and to Ex-Mayor Kennedy,
of Allegheny, who was also present.
On his return to the city, Mr. Corey at once in-
structed his son-in-law, Wm. Yost, Esq., attomey-
at-law, to institute habeas corpus proceedings in my
behalf. This was promptly executed. The case
was returnable before Judge J. W. P. White, of
Common Pleas Court.
My brother came to see me again, and later sent
one of his **confidentials*^ who was formerly a
bosom friend of mine, to accept his proposition to go
West, as he told me that I would positively be re-
turned to the asylum ; that they would surely prove
my insanity, because I said that I received a spirit-
ual call to read the New Testament, and that Jesus
Christ was the Saviour of the world. As my peo-
ple could not understand nor believe it, they thought
I had gone beside myself. Now, these threatenings
did not affect me in the least. I felt the assurance
that I would obtain my liberty, because I knew I was
right, and was standing on the promises of God, that
if they would cast us into prison for His sake. He
would deliver us.
** Judgment Shall Rbttjbn Unto Bightbousness'^
On the morning of the trial, the fifth week of mj
incarceration, quite a company had gathered at the
court room— ministers, lawyers and doctors were
present, my people and relatives and their attorney.
Memoib and Pebsonal Begollection. 393
The proceedings proved to be very interesting
and quite sensational. Dr. Hutchinson was the first
witness. He testified that I was legally committed,
was received at the institution, conversed with me
freely, found me very intelligent, rational, and of
even temperament, and had so informed my family
during the first week of my stay. Then the two
** expert*' physicians testified, and essayed to prove
my insanity, because I stated to people that I heard
a supernatural voice telling me to read the New
Testament, and that Jesus Christ was the Saviour.
Judge White then questioned them searchingly as to
how long they had been with me, did he act in a
disorderly manner, and questions along this line.
The Judge did not think, that because people
claim to hear voices or see visions they must be sent
to insane asylums. There are too many people who
claim to have heard voices and it is preposterous to
consider them insane. The judge was very definite
in his remarks, and squarely rejected the evidence
by which the defendants intended to prove my in-
sanity.
I was then called to give my testimony, told the
story of my conversion ; had drifted from Judaism
into infidelity, obtained the first literature from my
brother who was a skeptic and did not believe in
God. When Judge White heard that he looked
straight at my brother, saying: **WhatI Tour
brother does not believe in Godf My brother
rather felt the power of the Judge's remarks, but
what will the feeling be, when in the great judgment
day, the Judge of Judges will judge all men for the
deeds done in the body, the quick and the dead I
^ * The Wisdom of Their Wise Men Shall Perish * \
The attorney for my brother cross-examined
me on some questions of my former belief. The
judge now had enough, and in language which could
394 Memoir and Pebsonal BECOLiiEc4noH.
not be misunderstood, expressed himself in condem-
nation of the outrage of my incarceration, and
plainly stated that all who were connected with the
outrage should be sent to prison, and I was dis-
charged.
Thus ended my strange experience. The vic-
tory won was complete, the hand of God manifestly
overruling the powers of darkness. '^Say to them
that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not, be-
hold your God will come with vengeance, with the
recompense of God, he will come and save you".
Isa. 35 : 4.
It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I ac-
knowledge that it was the Lord's doing, in bringing
about my deliverance, and to Him be all the glory.
The Lord works through the instrumentality of
the people, sending them forth on errands of mercy
and love. The Lord used Anannias in the healing
of the Apostle Paul of blindness by the laying on of
his hands (Acts 9: 17), and in the bustling city of
Pittsburgh, the Spirit of God calls Mr. J. B. Corey
to set in motion the hands of justice. Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, today and forever, lo, I am
with you always. That is all very wonderful, but
God is wonderful, and the days of miracles are not
yet past.
How much better to pay heed to the Book of
books, which contains the Word of God.
I will confound the wisdom of the wise, and
bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent
Where is the wise f Where is the scribe f Where is
the disputer of this world! Hath not God made
foolish the wisdom of the world! 1 Cor. 1: 19-21.
Says Jesus : * * I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me shall not abide in
darkness ' \ St John 12 : 46.
(For the sequel to the above see Matt. 25;
35-41).
Memoir akd PsRsoiTAii BbcoujEsctiok. 395
A HAPPY REUNION OF MAURICE RUBEN
AND HIS FAMILY.
it
Jesus saith, have faith in God'\ Mark 11 : 22.
** Verily, I say unto you, there is no man that
hath left house, or parent, or brethren, or wife, or
children, for the Kingdom of God's sake, who shall
not receive manifold more in this present time and
in the world to come, eternal life ' \ Luke 18 : 29, 30.
Many dear friends have written to us to publish
the Testimony, * * The Victory of Faith ' ' relating in
brief review the thrilling incidents of my Christian
life introducing especially the providences in our
family, the long separation from my beloved wife
and son, the estrangement, separation and finally
the happy Reunion in answer to patient waiting on
the Lord.
Our friends who rejoice with me over the
abundant mercy of God, may be pleased to hear of
God's wonderful leading to victorious triumph.
Bless His name forever.
Victory After Many Defeats.
Just six months from the time of our marriage
Mrs. Euben left me ostensibly to go with her mother
on a visit to her native town in Nebraska. After
she left my trials began. I was placed in an insane
asylum by my relatives, as they could not under-
stand my professing Christianity. Our readers are
familiar with my experience in the madhouse, and if
not they can obtain my booklet which relates the
thrilling story.
Mrs. R. was made to believe that I was de-
mented, and under the influence of her relatives
finally obtained a divorce. At the same time I was
passing through very deep waters. The fact of my
396 Memoib and Psbsonaxi Becollbction.
incarceration left upon the minds even of Christian
people^ a lurking suspicion that I might be beside
myself, and I can never tell of the solitary hours,
days and months I spent during the first years of
my Christian life ; ignored and rejected, yet marve-
lously sustained by the giace of God, and a friend
here and there who came into my life as friends in-
deed. I can give but faint touches of all the early
days have taught me, what a school in self-denial,
self-abasement and trials of faith and patience.
But I bless my Lord now for every trial of the past ;
these light afflictions work out a * ' far more eternal
weight of glory *^
Opening of the Mission.
The Lord finally opened the way. He gave me
real Christian hearts. Brother Corey who had re-
mained my steadfast friend, was joined by Brethren
Garrison, Harris and others and the prospects grew
brighter. Much prayer was being offered and th^
Lord was asked to send in about $1,000 to equip a
new building which was then in sight for the Mis-
sion.
A Cbucial Test.
For several weeks the money did not come in,
others were after the new building, and we were
loathe to lose it, yet the pledged or partly promised
means did not materialize. Then Mrs. R., with our
boy, then three years old, visited my relatives in
Allegheny, arriving there just about the time when
we were waiting for the means for the Mission.
I had been corresponding with Mrs. R. and felt
that she was still my wife ; she had all my love, the
mother of our lovely boy, whom I had seen for the
first time on the occasion of the visit to Allegheny.
Calling at the house of our relatives, I showed
all possible attention to my family, consistent with
Memoib and Personal BBCOiiLBCTiON. 397
the circumstances. Matters opened up favorably.
I desired to win her back^ but the conditions were
fhat I should return to a business career. Then I
passed through a terrible conflict. My people did
not think religious work would afford me the living
for my family, and urged business as a safe source
of support.
I thought of Jesus, how He was offered the
kingdoms of this world. I looked at my separated
wife, the handsome son, I reviewed my experience.
Truly God does lead in a strange and peculiar way.
The testing time was at a high pressure ; can I hold
out! What is the mind of God! What back to
Egypt! And yet Canaan, i. e., the new Mission was
not yet a reality, and so for the entire week I fought
a battle between love and duty and duty and love.
for God and family.
The Final Decision.
The last day had come. Mrs. R. was to termi-
nate her visit. I could choose between the waiting
to follow Jesus, or back to the weak and beggarly
element of the world. Finally I said I would con-
tinue in mission work, building or no building. I
was doing a personal work amongst Jews and Gen-
tiles, and the Lord was blessing me and making me
a blessing. I remember the drooping disappoint-
ment of Mrs. R. at that leave-taking from wife and
child ; it was sad and did send anguish through the
heart. Such a feeling, such an experience I Oh, an
eternity to look back to our earthly battles, trials,
disappointments and victories I Blessed be our God I
—Matthew 10 : 37 ; Luke 14 : 26.
After leaving the home of the relatives and
crossing over to Pittsburgh, an inflow of indescrib-
able sweetness suffused my very being. I was so
blessed that I had to fairly praise God aloud on the
398 Memoir and Pebsonal Recollection.
open street and realized that I had decided aright^
though the world would surely condemn me, as a
cruel and heartless man. I was greatly comforted
in my soul at the assurance of having pleased my
Lord. Oh, that we may ever please Him under all
circumstances, though it may cost a hand, a foot, or
an eye. — ^Matt 18: 8, 9.
The Hand of God Moves.
Within three days of my decision means came
into the hand of Brother Corey so that $700 were on
hand the first part of that eventful week. The house
was rented and the Mission became a reality. Praise
Gor for what that Jewish Mission has stood for ever
since I
Our friends have become acquainted with the
nature of the work. I kept up a correspondence
with Mrs. R., and as the Lord prospered me I
shared with her for the support of our boy. A year
later I visited Chicago, where Mrs. R. had moved
and was keeping house for relatives. The Chicago
Hebrew Mission then held a conference and I at-
tended same and met Mrs. R. and son, and made
some progress towards making an impression that
God was with us in the Mission at Pittsburgh. In
the course of the year we corresponded more fre-
quently, and in the fall of the year I again visited
Chicago. I then met Mrs. Wittenberg, mother of
Mrs. R. The family had all come to Chicago from
the west, and, to my surprise, I found the mother
my very best friend, a firm believer in our ever
blessed Messiah. After my conversion, when mother
visited Pittsburgh, after being informed that I had
become religiously insane, we had Bible talks. As
mother was acquainted with the Old Testament
prophecies, I confirmed her thoughts concerning the
Messiah, directing her mind towards Christ, and
Memoir and Personal Beoollegtion. 399
when she departed I presented her with a New
Testament. I was made to rejoice to leam from
her own lips that she studied the blessed book and
found Him of whom Moses and the prophets have
spoken.
Mrs. Ruben Attends Meetings.
I was assisting Bev. Thos. M. Chalmers in a
special week's Mission at Messiah Mission, Mrs.
Wittenberg and Mrs. Buben attending the services,
and one morning Mrs. B. yielded, and we became
reconciled and planned to become reunited on the
date of the next anniversary of our first marriage,
February 12.
I returned to Pittsburgh a much happier man,
and the good news leaked out, though it was Mrs.
B. 's desire to keep matters quiet, as she knew that
her people would oppose the reunion, if they knew
our intentions. Pittsburgh papers found out all
about the matter. The papers were sent to Chicago
and the enemy came in like a flood. I realized that
a new trial was upon me. My refuge was in the
Lord. **In the day of my trouble I sought the
Lord ' \ * * I communed with my own heart ; and my
spirit made diligent search**.
The family sent word from Chicago that they
had discovered our plot. A letter was sent to me,
also to Brother Corey, an entire stranger to the
party. Brother Corey took the young man to task
and gave him some good sound advice, and such a
general dissection of his make-up that the young
man had the opportunity to really become better ac-
quainted with himself. I said not a word in reply,
but asked the friends of Israel everywhere to keep
on praying. My beloved brother, Thos. M. Chalmers,
and Mother Wittenberg were also deeply interested.
Six long years of separation had passed, the seventh
year was now well nigh on the decline; hope took
1
400 Memoir and Pebsonal BBCoi^LBCTioifr.
wings. Even Jacob had no longer to wait than,
seven years for his Bachel. We felt encouraged
and were definitely led of the Lord to again visit
Chicago. This time we were not expected, but word
was sent to my trusted Brother C. We arrived and
learned that some of the relatives who were espe-
cially inimical were absent from the city. We called
at the beautiful home of Mrs. B., who knew then of
our arrival. We went in the name of the Lord, and
urged the claims of salvation and her need of yield-
ing herself completely to the blessed Master. We
had several Bible studies and very precious seasons
of prayer. The Holy Spirit led all the way. He
took of the things of Christ and led captivily cap-
tive. We then planned for a reunion. Would
November 12 be the set time f was in our hearts.
On Monday morning, Mrs. R. gave herself defi-
nitely to the Lord. The hour was hallowed by His
presence. ** Truth shall spring out of the earth;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other".
Wilt thou revive us again ; that thy people may re-
joice in Thee! The battle was the Lord^s, His the
victory. Bless His name forever I
In the wake of so much mercy I pressed on and
told Mrs. R. I believed the Lord would be pleased to
have us reunited quickly, lest the enemy may get
some advantage again ; also saying that I wished to
take my little family to Pittsburgh. I knew it would
come hard to break up the well-ordered home, to
leave the refined neighborhood in exchange for what
I could offer. But the home in Congress street is
so blessed ; it has been a bethel to all of us, and we
love its memories and the hallowed experiences of
three years of infinite loving kindness from our
heavenly Father.
Mother Wittenberg now came in to rejoice with
us. We were now one in heart and faith, all bitter
ness turned into sweetness. '* Weeping may en-
Mbmoib and Personal BBcoiiLECTioN. 401
dure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning ^^
This was truly the morning of indescrible joy. We
thought that November 12 to be truly the set time
for the solemnization of the reunion by the act of a
Christian minister.
The arrangements were quickly made. On
Tuesday evening a small company of friends gath-
ered in the parsonage of Brother Chalmers. Mother
Wittenberg was the only one present on Mrs.
Ruben's side. The blessing of the triune God was
pronounced upon man and wife. The scene was,
deeply impressive. Mrs. Ruben had a final issue
with the adversary. We thought it might be physi-
cal exertion caused by the excitement of the past
few days. But we sensed quickly that it was not
physical but spiritual — ^the final defeat of the enemy
who now lost this daughter of Zion forever, as shei
answered all the questions and became the daughter
of our blessed Messiah. The joy of salvation soon
became manifest, and as the congratulations were
given by the Friends, all could see the change upon
the restored wife, as happiness and great peace
came to her soul.
The family had suspicions that something was
transpiring and were informed by Mother Witten-
berg that it did transpire. Some of the members
became quite frantic, others came to congratulate.
Packers came into the house to pack up the
household goods for shipment to Pittsburgh. Even
the landlord and his family rejoiced in the consum-
mation of the reunion. Verily, our covenant-keep-
ing God has answered our prayers. Husband, wife
and son are truly happy in the Lord. To Him be
all the glory forever. Amen I
402 Memoir aud Pbrsonal BBCOU^BCTioir.
MY EXPERIENCE.
An address delivered at the Conference of Jew-
ish workers at Washington, D. C, February, 1902.
By Mrs. Maurice Ruben.
We read in Luke 24: verses 48, 49.
** And ye are witnesses of these things: And
behold I send the promise of the Father upon you".
How I praise God that I am able to stand before you
also as a witness of these things. The Saviour
called attention to the thrilling incidents of the clos-
ing days of His blessed ministry. He opened their
understanding to the Scriptures; they marveled as
I have since, about these things, that the Saviour
should have lived, and suffered, and died, and rose
again ; all for our sakes, that we might be redeemed
from the curse of the law having obtained eternal re-
demption through the atoning death and resurrec-
tion of our blessed Saviour. I praise the Lord, that
I can testify of these things, which happened in my
own life. How impossible it was for me to believe
that Jesus should be our Saviour. I was raised in a
small town in Nebraska among Christian and Gen-
tile neighbors. I often went to church with friends,
heard many sermons, but could not believe that the
Saviour came to save me ; but bless the Lord, I be-
lieve it now. But what an experience to look back
too. You know something about it already. Well, I
must tell you I was a Jewess, with the ideas of the
Jews about Jesus. We Jews do not believe on him
as our Saviour. God is our Saviour and there is
none beside Him. That I learned in our Jewish
home, and that I believed. I was married to Mr. R.
February 12, 1895, and came to Pittsburgh. Shortly
after that my husband came home, and told me he
had found out that Jesus was the true Messiah. I
j
Mbmoib and PsBSOisrAL Bbooli^bgtion. 408
had confidence in my husband^ but my heart rebelled
against his talking that way. He was so earnest
though^ and I became greatly worried about him. I
felt that my people would not like that at all. I
spent days and nights weeping in great distress, my
happiness seemed gone ; what would my mother and
my people say! I wanted my mother, she came on,
and to my surprise she and my husband got along
well together talking about the Bible, and my
mother told me she thought Mr. Euben had found
the truth, and was glad he did. She had been read-
ing the Bible herself, and had often spoken to differ-
ent Jewish people about the prophetic passages in
the Old Testament, relating, she thought to Christ.
But they were so blind and contrary that she could
not get any satisfaction from them. Mama after-
wards told me she was so glad Mr. B. had become a
Christian ; and wanted him to study and do just
what the Lord wanted him to do. So it was decided
that I should go home on a visit with mother, as I
was all nervous and unstrung on account of the ex-
citement. My husband was to come soon also ; but
a week after we left, his people put him in an insane
asylum, and from tiie reports I got, I thought he
must be wrong. I cannot tell you about all my tron-
bles, then, I was so worried I thought I should lose
my own reason. We were married only a few
months and looked forward to motherhood, and now
my husband supposed to be insane, and the people
gossiping and telling all sorts of stories about our
troubles. Mr. Buben received comforting letters
from me while he was in the asylum, and finally he
wrote me he was set free by the court, and you who
have read Mr. B. 's experience, know how wonderful
it was for Brother Corey to go down, and by insti-
tuting legal proceedings finally secured Mr. B.*s
freedom. But my people, were so against Mr. E.
and blamed him for all the trouble. It would take
404 Memoib and Pebsonal Bbgollbction.
too long to tell you all that happened. I did not
think that I could ever live with my husband again.
My baby wae bom, my husband was East, and I was
West ; and I really hated religion for my many trou-
bles. About two years after, I entered proceedings
for divorce, and though Mr. B. wrote me, he did not
wish to be divorced, that he would soon be ready for
public work, my Christian lawyer advised me to
press the suit and get divorced. Then Mr. B. began
to do mission work, and to preach, and wrote me
nice letters, and gospel messages, and I felt he must
be a good man. He frequently sent me money, and
hoped I would yet become a Christian. So I had
great unrest and heavy trials within me, for I really
cared for my husband ; but I never told him how I
felt. I visited Allegheny three years ago with my
little boy. Mr. E. saw him then for the first time;
and he wanted me to be reunited to him at that
time ; but I could not see how he could take care of
me, and I did not then have the kind of faith he has
to trust the Lord. So I went West again and located
in Chicago, where most of my relatives lived. I be-
gan housekeeping and some of my cousins boarded
with me, and my brothers who had come, and we had
a very cozy home. Mr. E. came to Chicago two
years ago to attend a convention, and he wanted me
to become a Christian, but I could not yield. Later
my parents and family moved to Chicago, and my
mother had become a Christian. Mr. B. gave her a
New Testament when she was in Pittsburgh, and
she studied, and read it, and believed in Christ, and
would often talk to me of our blessed Saviour, as
well as Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers, and other Christian
friends. Mr. B. came to Chicago last year, and we
attended meetings together at the Messiah Mission.
We also had Bible readings, and I was willing to step
out into the light; but it was so hard to think of
losing all my friends. My folks found out our
Mbhoib Ain> Personal Bbcolx.eotion. 405
plans, or enough to spoil them, so I wrote Mr. B.
that we could not be reunited when planned, and I
became cold and indifferent, and lost the light Last
Fall in November, Mr. E. came again to Chicago;
we had corresponded regularly, but I did not know
that we would be reimited. He opened the Bible to
me, and some how the Lord was present. He showed
me these things so clearly, I could see and believe
them. Jesus won my heart. I yielded myself to
Him ; He gave me back my dear husband, truly God
is love. Oh, that we may always obey Him, and
avoid troubles and trials. And since my conver-
sion, which brought peace and happiness to my soul,
I sought and received the blessed Holy Spirit on
Monday, January 20th, who beareth witness with
my spirit that I am a child of God, cleansed from
my sins and purified in heart, and made meet for the
Master's use. How I praise God with grateful
heart that he has made me a witness of these things.
APR 5
- 1951'