PRAYER, AND TOBACCO RAISING.
JOHN COLLINGSWORTH was a member of the South Carolina Conference. He is said to have been in some respects a remarkable man—pre-eminently so as a man of prayer. His faith, at times, seemed well nigh almighty. There is a story told of him which should not be allowed to pass into oblivion. On one occasion he was passing through Virginia and seeing so much land given up to tobacco growing, he became greatly stirred in spirit. In a sermon which he preached, after denouncing in unmeasured terms the wickedness, he offered an earnest prayer to God, in which he besought him to convince the people of their great error in spending their time, means, and toil in the cultivation of so noxious a weed. He prayed the Lord to manifest his disapproval of their course by destroying the crops, then in a most flourishing state, if nothing else would convince them. During that same afternoon a violent hail-storm passed through that section of the country, blasting the prospects of the Virginians for a bountiful crop. The fields were literally torn up, and the tobacco utterly destroyed. An old, ungodly planter, who had been a great sufferer, hearing of the Methodist preacher's prayer, resolved to follow and chastise him for the evil done. Overtaking him, full of wrath, he inquired, "Are you, sir, the Methodist preacher who prayed the Lord to destroy my crop of tobacco?" The preacher replied, my name is Collingsworth: I preached yesterday in the neighborhood, and prayed the Lord to show his disapproval of raising tobacco." "Well sir, you are just the man I am after. I am ruined for this season, and I have come to take my revenge on you, sir!' and at the same time brandishing a frightful-looking wagon whip, with which the whipping was to be done. The minister commenced slowly to dismount, coolly addressing the planter as he did so: "Well, if I must be whipped for it, I suppose I must submit, but take care that before you have done, I do not pray the Lord to overtake you with something worse than overtook your crop." That thought had never entered the planter's mind. Wishing to get as far away from such a man's prayers as possible, he put spurs to his horse and galloped off with all possible speed. Would that more such prayers might be offered in these times for the destruction of the vile weed.—Advocate of Christian Holiness.