CHAPTER V.
A. Proposition.—Visit to his Mother.—Return to Fayette.—Call to Act as State Evangelist.—Visit to Columbia, Paris, Mexico.—Providential Escape.—Meeting in the Court-house in Mexico.—Debate with Elder Wm. G. Caples.
When we had been married but a few hours, he said to me, "Now, Ella, I
want you to understand my views in regard to our future relationship. I
shall be compelled to be from home frequently, to attend conventions, hold
meetings, etc. I shall always take you with me when I can. I will select a
home where we will stay at night. You are to make all arrangements for
dining and taking tea; I do not want to dine or sup at one house and you
at another. I will always be ready, when church time comes, to escort you,
and not leave you to the care of strangers, or to find the way the best
you can by yourself."
Never, during our married life, has he failed to fulfill his
self-imposed task. He would rarely ever visit without me. I would often
say: " Doctor, it does not suit me to go today." "Then it does not suit
me," he would respond; "I am ready to go whenever you are."
Our first visit, after our marriage, was to see the Doctor's
mother in St. Louis, where we met a most cordial welcome. We only remained
a few days, when we went up to Hannibal and remained over Lord's day, the
guests of Capt. Archie Robards. We went by stage through Paris and
Huntsville to Fayette, where my work as a preacher's wife fairly began.
From that time till now, our lives
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have been so thoroughly united that I am frequently called upon to use the
pronoun we, and hope I shall not be accused of egotism in so doing.
He preached in Fayette and Howard counties until January,
except one Sunday in the month at Brunswick, thirty-five miles from
Fayette. He held a meeting of two weeks there, and I accompanied him once,
riding all the way on horseback. The snow was six inches deep, and the
roads impassable for a buggy.
In January, 1851, the State meeting appointed and called him
to accept the position of State Evangelist, as one who was able to state
fully and clearly the truths of the Reformation to the people. After some
prayerful thought, he consented, and began his work at once. He thought it
best to confine his operations to the towns and cities during the winter
months, and visit country places in the spring and summer, when churches
there would be more accessible.
Father Hayden took possession of him at once, and took him
with him to Springfield, to hold his first meeting. They went in Father
Hayden's private carriage, and held a meeting of two weeks. The result was
a large accession to the church.
On his return he began a year's work I shall never forget. We
left Fayette the last of January. The Doctor had two good horses and a
buggy; our baggage was in a trunk strapped on behind, and a small valise
in front. We only took with us what we absolutely needed. His first
meeting was held at Columbia. We were the guests of Pres. Shannon, that
prince of entertainers, and his lovely family. He was grand in his
scholarship and attainments, but grander in his simplicity. He was as
lovable as a little child.
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After Dr. Hopson had preached one or two sermons, he asked President
Shannon to criticize him in manner, matter and pronunciation. He promised
he would do so. After our return from church that night, the Doctor called
for his report. He said: "I have not a single suggestion to make as to
manner or matter." The Doctor was gratified, of course, and said, "How
many words did I mispronounce?" "Well, Doctor, how many words do you
suppose you used?" "I suppose eight or ten thousand." "Then you
mispronounced all but one leisure." The Doctor was aghast. In a
moment the President burst out laughing. "According to your standard
(Webster), all were pronounced right but one; according to mine
(Worcester), all were wrong but one." You may imagine, if you can, the
Doctor's relief at the explanation.
He preached two weeks, and closed his meeting with thirty-six
additions.
From Columbia he went to Paris, and spent two weeks,
resulting in some forty additions. Bro. J. C. Fox entertained us. Paris
was the banner church, as Monroe was the banner county, of Missouri. It
could not fail to be, with such men as brethren Thomas, Fox, Crutcher,
Conyers, Moss, and a score of others.
Mexico was the next point. Our brethren had no building in
which to worship, and the court-house was secured for the meeting.
We left Paris on a cold, rainy March morning. It had snowed
all night, and about two or three inches of beautiful snow lay on the
ground. We traveled slowly on, the snow melting and the rain increasing,
until the horses would almost refuse to face it. The streams along the
route had become so swollen that Dr.
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Hopson had taken one of the horses out several times, and ridden across them, to test the depth. We reached Skull Lick, a narrow stream four miles from Mexico, just at sunset. It did not look dangerous, and it was so late, the Doctor said he would venture across without his usual precaution. The road into it led through a deep cut in the bank, but little wider than the wagon road. He drove in, and by the time the hind wheels entered the stream the water was up to the middle of the horses. The Doctor soon saw they would be in swimming water, and told me to get up on the buggy seat and jump to the bank, which was just level with it. I was not slow in obeying my husband, and landed safely. He threw our satchel and buffalo robe after me, and drove on. In another moment the buggy was ought of sight, and only his head and shoulders visible. One horse could not swim, but would go to the bottom and spring out of the water and sink again. Fortunately, the stream was narrow, else he would have been drowned. It was an awful moment; I was paralyzed with terror and utterly powerless. Before the horses became exhausted, they struck the bank; but the swift current had washed them below the ford, and the tongue of the buggy caught on some willows, throwing both the horses down into the water. One got up, and, in the struggle, put his foot on the other horse's collar and held him under the water. The Doctor jumped as far toward the shore as he could, going completely under the water, and, swimming out, he got the horses free and their heads out of the water. He then called for me to come over and help him. I could not swim, and saw no sort of bridge; but, after wading along the bank through slush and snow, I found a fallen tree
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about fifty yards above the ford, and crawled through the branches onto
the body and got across safely.
I held the horses' heads above water by the bridles until the
Doctor could cut the harness loose and get them up the bank. The poor
things shook as if with ague, they were so thoroughly chilled in the icy
stream. The Doctor called repeatedly for help. At last a man who was
skinning a deer half a mile away heard him and came to his assistance.
After a severe struggle they succeeded in getting the buggy to the bank
and over a deep gully into the road. By dark they had mended the harness
with raw deer-hide.
We had a long hill to ascend, up which I walked to restore
the circulation to my chilled feet. It was dark when we reached the top. I
could but think of the darkness we read of as covering Egypt-it was simply
impenetrable. We could not see our hand before our face, and still had
four miles of dangerous road to travel. There were few, if any, houses
near the road, and we pushed on, trusting in God. We reached Mexico at 9
o'clock. No one expected us after dark, but we received a warm welcome at
the home of John B. Clark, a noble Jason whose good wife was a member of
the church. We could scarcely convince our friends we were really there,
and the next day several gentlemen rode over part of the road we had
traveled the night before, to see if we were telling the truth. We had
indeed come over a bridge on which there was not a single plank. The
bridge had washed away a number of times, and the county determined to
build a substantial structure next time. They had cut down large trees,
and laid them across for stringers; after hewing the top level, they were
nearly, if not quite, eighteen inches wide. There were four of them laid
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down, a few feet apart. When the horses came to it they refused to move.
The Doctor knew something was wrong, and got out of the buggy, and with
his whip handle, felt his way along and struck one of the stringers. He
knew it must be something like a bridge by the sound. He walked across and
back, rapping with his whip. He then took hold of the bridle of his
leader, which would follow him anywhere. Each horse and the wheels took a
log, and we were landed safely on the other side instead of at the bottom
of a ravine thirty feet deep. When the gentlemen found the tracks on the
hewn logs and told us of the awful danger we had escaped, I felt that God
had most wonderfully preserved our lives that day, and I felt so thankful
for his mercies that I did not grieve very much when I opened my trunk,
which was under the water half an hour, and found everything in it
saturated with water, my Sunday bonnet ruined, the color of a green
cashmere dress washed out, and discolored ribbons, gloves, handkerchiefs.
I thought of the old story of the milkmaid, "And green it shall be," and
tried to make the best of it. Some may call our escape good luck; I call
it a special providence. This was my baptism and consecration as a
preacher's wife.
For two weeks he preached to a crowded court-house. He had
thirty-five additions, the church was greatly strengthened, and took a new
impetus, and has become one of the leading churches of the State. He held
several meetings there afterwards, at one of which he had ninety
additions, and at another forty or fifty. Elders
Jacob and
Joseph Coons both lived there, and always aided the Doctor by prayers
and exhortations, and Bro. T. M. Allen would always come to the Doctor's
meetings when he
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could leave home. The Doctor was always proud of the sympathy and
encouragement of these dear old men.
From Mexico the Doctor went to Hannibal, to hold a meeting,
which was turned into a debate by the following appeal from twenty-five
gentlemen, none of whom were members of the Christian Church:
"HANNIBAL, March 25, 1851.
"Rev. w. G. Caples and Rev. Dr. Hopson, Gentlemen:-We, the
undersigned citizens of Hannibal, would be gratified if you would meet and
publicly discuss the points of difference between the Methodist Episcopal
Church and the Reformed or Christian Church. An early answer is required.
" Respectfully, etc. (Names)."
"Gentlemen:-In compliance with the above invitation, the undersigned agree
to meet at the Methodist Church South, in the city of Hannibal, on the 7th
day of April next, at 9 o'clock A. M., and discuss the following
propositions:
" First Proposition-Sprinkling or pouring water on a
believer, by an authorized person, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, is Christian baptism. Mr. Caples affirms.
"Second Proposition-To the Penitent believer, baptism is for
the remission of sins. Dr. Hopson affirms.
"Third Proposition-The infant children of believing parents
are proper subjects of Christian baptism. Mr. Caples affirms.
"Fourth Proposition-The Holy Spirit in conversion operates
only through the word. Dr. Hopson affirms.
"The debate to be continued from day to day, until the
several propositions are disposed of.
" Wm. G. Caples,
" Winthop H. Hopson."
Bro. S. S. Church, of St. Louis, was selected by Dr. Hopson to consult
and advise with. The debate occupied the whole week and was very exciting,
but did not engender bitterness, as both parties were courteous and
maintained a Christian demeanor throughout. After the debate the Doctor
held a very successful meeting, to the great gratification of the
brethren.
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