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Chapter11:EXCELLENCIESANDECCENTRICITIES.AUNITEDSTATESpassportdescribes‘whatmannerofman’LorenzoDowwas.Theofficialdocumentisagraphicpen-and-inksketchoftheoutwardappearanceoftheAmericanEvangelist.Heissaidtobe‘aboutfivefeetteninchesinheight,ratherlight-complexioned,andmuchmarkedwiththesmall-pox,havingsmall,lighteyes,darkbrownhairandeyebrows,smallfeaturesandshortvisage,ascrofulousmarkonhisneckunderthechinontherightside.’WilliamCloweswasprivilegedtoseeandhearLorenzoDowduringhisvisittoEnglandintheyear1807.Hewrites:-Averyremarkableindividualmadehisappearanceinthiscountry,ofthenameofLorenzoDow,whopreachedandspokealittleontheAmericancampmeetings.HepreachedintheMethodistchapelatBurslem,atfouro’clockintheafternoon,andIwenttohearhim.Hismannerwasremarkablysingular,buthispreachingwasuncommonlypointed.Beforeheconcludedtheservicehebroughtthepeopleintocovenantbyashowofhandstomeethimatathroneofgracetwiceadaytoprayforarevivalofreligion.AftertheserviceCloweshadaconversationwithDow.ThenextmorningClowesheardDowatCongleton.‘Inhissermonhetoldananecdotewhichwasveryaffecting,andaddressedawomanwhosatinthegalleryofthechapel,warningher,andexhortinghertodoherduty,andtobefaithfulinthedischargeofit.’TheRev.M.Lanktree,aMethodistministerstationedinIreland,givesthefollowingtestimonyofDow’smoralworth.Hesays:-‘lmetthatextraordinarycharacter,LorenzoDow,fromAmerica.IheardhimpreachinEnniscorthy,andaliving,powerfulinfluenceattendedhisministry,whichconvincedmethatGodwaswithhim.LorenzoDowvisitedtheprincipalplaceswherewepreached,andeverywherewasownedofGodinthesalvationofsouls,manyofwhomwillblessGodonhisaccount.’Hefurtherobserves‘thatonetestimonyofthegraceofGodinhimwasworthyofobservation.Ihearditfromseveralpersonswhohadheardandseenhim,thoughfardistantfromeachother,anditmusthaveresultedfromhissolemnappearanceandextraordinaryearnestnesstosavesouls.Thattestimonywas-‘thattheyneversawapersonwhosomuchremindedthemoftheLordJesus!”OnewhosawLorenzoDowduringhislastvisittoEnglandthusdelineateshim:‘Thefirsttimewewereintroducedwethoughthewasthemostsingularpersonweeverbeheld.Hewasnotamplysuppliedwithboneandfleshconsideringhisheight;hehadsmallfeatures;hiseyeswereverypenetrating.Thecolourofhisfacewassallow.Yankee-like,hehadahatinQuakerfashion,withalowcrownandbroadbrim.Heworeablackspenceruponabluedouble-breastedcoat,andhistrouserswereofthesamecolour.Hishairreachedtothebottomofthecuffofhiscoatsleeve,andhisbeardcoveredhisbreast.Hewasveryperceptive,andpossessedalivelyimagination.Hewasamanofdeeppiety,butbysomewhosemindswerecontracteditwasnotseentoadvantageonaccountofhissingularities.HisviewswereclearonthegreatfundamentaldoctrinesoftheGospel.’Dowmanifestedarestlessactivityforthesalvationofmen.ItissaidthatheequalledWesleyinthenumberofmileshetravelledyearlyinthefulfilmentofhismission.InhisdayherankednexttotheeloquentGeorgeWhitefieldforthegreatnumberofpeopletowhomheannouncedthegladtidingsoftheGospel.lntheperiodofalimitedlife-timeheproclaimedthegreatsalvation‘inhisnativeNew
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England,inthefrostsandsnowsofCanada,inthefervidsunshineofGeorgia,inthetownsandvillagesofGreatBritainandIreland,andamidthewildsoftheMississippiValley.’Histravellingthroughthenighttobepresentatthefiveo’clockserviceonthefollowingmorning;campinginthewoodsandsleepingintheloghutsofthesettlers,wherethesolitarysilenceofthenightwasbrokenbythehowlingofthewolfandthegrowlingofthebear;fordingdeep,swollenrivers,andclimbingtheslipperyrocks,provehisintenseearnestnessforthesalvationofmen.Inpastoralvisitations,inpreachingservices,andinprayermeetingshewaseminentlysuccessfulinturningmenfromdarknesstolight,andfromthepowerofSatanuntoGod.HewasaMethodistinbeliefandcustom,althoughhedidnotalwaysactinconcertwiththem.Onewriterhassaid:‘TheslightestpressureofChurchordergalledhimseverely.Hebrokeloosefromallrestraints,andcareeredaroundtheContinentandovertheBritishIslesathisownwildwill.Hewasanexceptiontoallrules.ThecharitableconstructionisthathewasachosenagentoftheAlmightytoaccomplishmuchgoodinan
irregularway.’TheRev.H.B.Kendall,B.A.,inhisadmirableHistoryofPrimitiveMethodism,speaksofDowasbeing‘oneofthestrangestearthenvesselsthateverGodcondescendedtouseandhonour.’Hewasliberaltoafault.Dowrefusedmorewealththanhereceived.Duringhisjourneyshedeclinedtheofferofscoresofpoundsandmanyhandsomepresents,inordertoavoidanywhisperingofsinistermotives.Sometimeshewalkedwhenhecouldhaveriddeninthecomfortablecarriagesofhiswealthyadmirers.Withhimitwasahand-to-mouth
existence,forhesimplyreceivedwhatwouldmeethispresentnecessities.Inhislateryearshegavetheprofitsarisingfromthesaleofhisbookstowardstheerectionofchurchesandthefurtheranceofphilanthropicinstitutions.NumerousarethestoriescirculatedofLorenzoDow’speculiaritiesandeccentricities.AfterpreachinginSouthCarolina,heonceannouncedthatheshouldbetherethatdaytwelvemonthsto
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preachtheGospel.Tothehourtheeccentricmanfulfilledhisengagement.Onthedayprevioushemetasmartladofcolour,whowasamusinghimselfwithatinhorn.‘Whatisyourname?’askedDow.‘Gabriel,sah!’wasthereadyanswer.‘Well,Gabriel,haveyoubeentoChurchHill?’‘Yes,massa,I’sebeendarmanyatime,GabrielalsoknewtheloftypineunderwhichDowwasannouncedtopreach.Bythepromiseofadollarheconsentednextdaytoclimbthetalltree,hidehimselfamongthethickbranches,andatthementionofhisnametoblowlustilyuponhishorn.Animmenseconcourseofpeopleassembled.Dowpreachedaterrificsermononthelastdayandthegeneraljudgment.Lorenzosolemnlyasked:‘WhatshouldyoudoifGabrielweretosoundhistrumpet?’AtthementionofhisnametheyouthfulGabriel,perchedaloft,andhiddenbythedensefoliage,blewhishornwithsuchanalarmingvigourthatitseemedlikeatrumpet-blastfromtheskies.Fragilewomenshriekedwithterrorandfainted.Strongmenbecameghastlypale,andcriedformercy.Thecrowdanticipatedinbreathlesssuspensethedawningofthedayofdoom.Dowwaiteduntilthestormofterrorhadsubsided,andthenmadeatellingapplicationupontheconsciencesofhisvastauditory.SometimesLorenzoDowcarriedhiseccentricityandplainspeakingbeyondtheboundsofpropriety.Dr.WentworthassertsthatduringoneofLorenzoDow’sitineratingtours,arelativeofhiswithwhomhehadexperiencedconsiderabledifficulty,hadpassedthroughthevalleyoftheshadow.Onhisreturntohishome,thefirsttownsmanthatDowmet,toldhimofthedeceaseofhiskinsman.‘Waal,’exclaimedDow,youannouncetothefolksthatther’llbeafuneralsermonpreachedinmymeetin’-housenextSabbath-dayatteno’clock.’Dow’sso-called‘meetin’-house’wasapinewood,situatednearhisownresidence,withthestumpsofatreeforapulpit.Atthehourappointed,thegrovewascrowdedwithanexpectantcongregation,andtheywerenotdisappointed.Dowselectedforhistext.‘AndtheLordsetamarkuponCain,’andsuchatempestofwitheringsarcasmprobablyneverfellfromthelipsofanypreacherandwereappliedtothememoryofthedeparted,asthosewhichthedeceasedoffenderreceivedashiseulogyonthatmemorableSabbathmorning.ItissaidthatononeoccasionLorenzoDow,havingtopreachinalargechurchinAmerica,insteadofgoingintotheold-fashionedtub-pulpitbythestair-way,climbedupthepedestalonwhichthepulpitstood.Clamberingoverthepulpitsides,withoutanyintroductoryservicehebegantopreachbyannouncingforhistext,‘Hethatclimbethupsomeotherway,thesameisathiefandarobber.’Onanotheroccasion,tomakehissubjectofwatchfulnessmoretelling,heheldoverhisheadthelargestpockettime-piecethathecouldborrow.Inmeasuredtoneshesignificantlyannouncedforhistext,‘WhatIsayuntoyou,Isayuntoall-Watch.’Thispracticalillustrationfastenedthetextinthememoriesofthehearers,wholistenedtohisferventsermondeliveredtherefrominthecityofNorwich.Somefowlshavingbeenstolen,Lorenzopledgedhimselftodetecttheculpritinthefollowingoriginalmanner.Dowplacedthebirdunderaninvertedkettle,badethesuspectedmenentertheroomseparately,andassuredthemthatwhenthethiefplacedthepalmofhishandflatonthesootykettlethecockbeneathitwouldcrow.Theyfollowedhisdirections,butnosoundwasheardfrom
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thebird.Hethenexaminedthemen’shands,andfoundoneofthemunsoiled.Hedeclaredhimtobethethief,andthemanacknowledgedhisguilt.Anaxehadbeenstolen,andDowdenouncedthethieffromthepulpit.Drawingahugestonefromhispocket,hethreatenedtohurlitattheheadofthethief.WhenDowraisedthestoneasiftothrowit,theguiltymanmovedhisheadtoandfro,andthusconfirmedhiswrongdoing.Onenight,Dowunceremoniouslyenteredahouse,andcravedpermissiontostayuntilmorning.Thewoman,afterconsiderablereluctance,gaveconsent,andbarredthedooragainsttheentranceoffurthervisitors.Towardsmidnightthehusbandreturned,whenaman,whowasinthehousewhenLorenzoentered,hidhimselfinalargeboxunderahugeheapofflax.Thehusband,whowastheworsefordrink,wasintroduced.MostoutrageouslyheinsisteduponDowraisingthedevil;notthathebelievedinSatan,butifsuchapersonexistedheshouldliketoseehim.Dowsawhisopportunityandsaid,‘Ifyouaredeterminedtoseehimopenthedoorwide,putoutthelightandstandoutoftheway,orhemaypossiblytakeyouwithhim.Whenhecomesitwillbeinaflameoffire,andIwarnyouoftheconsequences.’Dowlitabunchofbrimstonematchesandmutteringsomeunintelligiblewordssetfiretotheflaxunderwhichthemanwashiding.Hecriedout,‘Comeforth,thouevilone,andbegoneforever.’Theman,feelingthathislifewasindanger,jumpedoutenvelopedinflames,andwithanunearthlyyelldisappearedthroughtheopendoorway.TheintoxicatedmanwasfullysatisfiedwithwhathethoughtwasDow’sextraordinarypowerto‘castoutdevils.’Hisextravaganteccentricitiesweresometimesmanifestedinthecirculationofjinglingrhymes.AchurchofficialhadincurredLorenzoDow’sindignationbyhisextremerigourofSabbathObservances,andhislaxattentiontothe‘weightiermattersofthelaw.’Hisconductwascondemnedinthefollowinghumorouslineson‘ThePresbyterianDeacon’sCat,’which
‘Wentouttoseekherprey;SheranaroundthehouseAndketchedamouseUponaSabbathday.
Thedeaconbeingmuchoffended.Thecrimewassoprofane,Helaiddownhisbook,
Thecathetook,Andboundherwithachain.
Youfilthyjade,ain’tyouashamed,Don’tyoudeservetodie,TocarrydowntohellMyholywifeandI?’
LorenzoDow’sfancifulstyleofdress,alongwithhisextraordinaryappearance,hiseccentricdoings,andhisextravagantspeech,werethemeansofawakeningtheattentionoftheslumberingmultitudes.Theywerethemeansofbringingthousandsofpeopletoattendhisministry.Hisshrewdnessanddiscernmentofcharactergavehimgreatinfluenceoverthevastnumbersthatlistenedtohislife-givingwords.Hehelpedthousandsofearnestseekersafterdivinethingstocross
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thethresholdofthekingdomofGod.Asaglorifiedsoul-seekerandsoul-winner,hetakeshisplacewiththosethatshallshineforever.Atthetimeofhisdeath,aNorthAmericannewspapersaidthatLorenzoDow‘wasawandererthroughlife.ItisbelievedhewasasincereChristianpilgrim,seekingaheavenlycountry,andhenowrestsinthecityofGod.’__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesChristian Messenger 1900/324
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