pleasant conversation. In compliance with their earnest request we agreed to preach at their school house the next night. The appointment was well circulated that day, and we had a good audience to talk to that night. It was Lord's day evening, however, before they would agree for us to close and pursue our journey.
Soon as we had dismissed the audience Lord's day evening, a sister came to the pulpit, and having introduced herself, said, "I live at a little place called Fidelity. It is on the road, from what I learn, that you will travel. We need preaching very bad. Just give me the privilege of circulating an appointment for you tomorrow night. One discourse will do good." We called the attention of the audience and announced that we would preach at Fidelity the next night. That night two came forward, which called for baptizing next day. We found no stopping place till Lord's day night, and that night there was one confession, a somewhat noted infidel, but we attended to the baptizing next morning, and started for Columbus. While at Fidelity we had no preaching through the day. A Bro. Reed that was stopping there had occasion to drive to Joplin, and asked us to go with him. We had to go through the little town of Scotland. Bro. Allen Scott lived there. While at Jenkins and Fidelity we had heard him spoken of as a good preacher, and a noble brother.
I told Bro. Reed that I wanted him to halt in Scotland long enough for me to see Bro. Scott. I found him very busy, superintending some butchering. I introduced myself. He eyed me from head to foot, turned, and went about his business. I went back to the buggy. Bro. Reed said, "You did not stay long." I said, "No. He would not even pass the compliments of the day with me. I guess he judged me by my home spun garb, and think they have no use for an Arkansawyer." Bro. Reed said, "There is something wrong. I cannot think that is the spirit of Bro. Scott. He is an old fashioned Tennessenean, not inclined to be stylish, but very open hearted." When we got to Scotland on our return that evening, I said, "Bro. Reed I am going to see Bro. Scott again. It may be that he was somewhat out of humor this morning." I again went to where he was, but he was so distant I did not tarry. I said, "Bro. Reed, that old man has about enough religion to make a regular old fashioned forty gallon Baptist." Bro. Reed said, "I cannot think that to be Bro. Scott's disposition. There is something out of joint."
After attending to the baptizing on Monday morning, as suggested, we started on our road to Columbus. We had, however, to pass through Scotland. We determined to stop and stay long enough to find out what kind of man Bro. Scott was. They had a small congregation there, and as we had spent so much time on the way we concluded that we would go no farther, provided we could get to preach a week in Scotland. When I reached Scotland, I found Bro. S. very busily engaged in preparing a discourse, to be delivered in a school-house, two miles from there, to be delivered that evening, in reply to a sermon preached by a Materialist. Being seated I said, "Bro. Scott, I had started to Columbus, Kansas, but on my way here I have spent so much time that I concluded, if it was desired, to stop here
