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£ihvavy of Che trheolo^icd ^tmimvy 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Rufus H. LeFevre 
 
JLjL^ 
 
*«►• 
 
 4 
 
AUTOBIOGRAPH^y^Y '^ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REY. SAMUEL HUBER, 
 
 ELDER IN THE CHURCH OF THE 
 
 UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST: 
 
 C0NTAININ6 SKETCHES OF HIS LIFE, AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE ; 
 
 ILLUSTRATED WITH DEEPLY INTERESTING AND AFFECTING 
 
 FACTS AND INCIDENTS, SHOWING FORTH THE WORK 
 
 OF GOD IN THE CONVERSION OF SOULS, &C., &C. 
 
 EDITED BY JOHN DENIG, 
 
 AUTHOR OF THE "MOURNERS' BENCH," &C. 
 
 " The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness : come and 
 let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God." 
 
 Jeremiah 51 : 1. 
 
 CHAMBERSBURG, PA: 
 
 PRINTED BY M. KIEFFER & CO. 
 
 1858. 
 
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in tlie year 1858, by 
 John Denig, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the 
 United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 For sale, wholesale and retail, by John Denig, 
 Superintending Agent. Price per single copy, 68f 
 cents. For 73 cents, one copy will be sent by 
 mail, post paid, to any address in the United States. 
 A discount to Agents. 
 
 Address JOHN DEISTIG, care of J. E. Kirby, 
 Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pa. 
 
 Eemittances can be made by postage stamps. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 For some years past, I liave been frequently im- 
 portuned to publish my life and experience as a 
 preacher of the Gospel. But, inasmuch as I did not 
 think that the events of my life were such as to 
 warrant their publication to the world, in book 
 form, I declined to yield to this solicitation until 
 within a short time prior to the date of this work. 
 The repeated requests of my friends have at length 
 prevailed, and I Lave consented to publish such 
 matters connected with the first pioneer preachers 
 of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, as 
 came within my own observation, hearing and ex- 
 perience, and which are set forth in the following 
 pages. 
 
 I am fully aware, that my productions will not 
 suit the fastidious tastes of some of the more high- 
 ly educated preachers and people; still, as mankind 
 differ much in taste and mind, some of them may 
 be benefited by reading these imperfect sketches. 
 It must be borne in mind, that, in my youth, the 
 facilities for acquiring an education were not so 
 abundant as they are now. Our scholarship then, 
 was in German. Dil worth and the Bible were our 
 
VT PREFACE. 
 
 with attention, and by that means, become an in- 
 strument to promote the cause of God. To this 
 end, I have introduced into it deeply interesting 
 facts and aifecting incidents, well calculated to im- 
 press the heart and produce emotions of a spiritual 
 nature. If, however, I have, in any degree, neces- 
 sarily hit a little, be assured it is done from the best 
 of motives, and with the kindest of feelings. I 
 cherish no ill will towards any being on earth, and 
 as my earthly race is fast drawing to a close, I wish 
 to leave the world in peace and good will towards 
 all men. At the same time, I ask the indulgence 
 of my readers with regard to the errors of this 
 work, and desire the forgiveness of God and of 
 mankind, for the errors of my past life. I also 
 earnestly request the prayers of the Church, so that, 
 after I take my departure from this life, I may 
 meet many of those in whose conversion I was 
 made instrumental, together with all my faithful 
 brethren in the ministry and in the Church, around 
 the throne above, there to ascribe the victory and 
 glory of our salvation to God and to the Lamb 
 throughout eternity. 
 
 SAMUEL HUBEE. 
 Rocky Spring, March 1st, 1858. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Parentage and Early Life — First United Brethren 
 Preachers — A Vision — First Marriage — Horse Racing — 
 Convictions — Conversion. 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Commenced to hold Religious Meetings — My brothers 
 Benjamin and Abraham's Conversions-— Revivals near 
 Rocky Spring. 24 
 
 CHAPTER III, 
 
 First United Brethren Camp Meeting — First attempt to 
 Preach — A boaster cut down — A cross woman converted. 37 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Curious Experience about two Beardy Men — Tuckaho 
 Valley — Preaching to a wedding party — Several of tliem 
 got converted. 44 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A Preacher dropped into a hogshead — Artificial Figure 
 converted — Brother J. Ptussel dodging in time of meeting 
 — Three men struck to the ground — Ordination. 53 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Great Camp Meeting in Virginia — Spiritually blind prac- 
 titioners in Theology — A preacher bit by a snake — Fall 
 of a tree top on Camp ground — Narrow escape — Disserta- 
 tion thereon — An English Catholic young woman who did 
 not understand German, got religion under German 
 preaching. 62 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Camp Meeting on Overcash's ground — Fetterhoff's 
 Chapel — Funkstown — Revival at Plough's School house — 
 Camp Meeting near Boonsboro', Md. — Became powerless 
 — Fell down on the stand — A false report — Incident in the 
 Rev. S. Enterline's life. 81 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 First United Brethren preaching in Chambersburg, Pa. 
 — Great revival in Otterbein's church — Roman Catholics 
 converted — A converted Roman Catholic Priest — The old 
 church. 91 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Bush meeting — Camp meetings in York and Lancaster 
 counties, Pa. — Rum, cake, and beer Trafflcers expelled 
 from the latter. 106 
 
VIII CONTENTS. 
 
 fCHAPTER X. PAGE. 
 
 Curious notions about external postures when seeking 
 religion — Preaching in Lebanon county — New Franklin, 
 Botler's school house — Prayer in a tavern — Wagoners 
 scared off by it. 115 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Camp Meeting — A man rose up in time of exhortation 
 and shook his fists at me — A fracas with the preachers — 
 A lad driven from his father's house for praying — Preach- 
 ers making supper on apples — First United Brethren 
 preaching in Greencastle, Pa. — A Universalist cut u^? un- 
 der Wm, R. Rinehart's preaching — A dust with Roman 
 Catholics — Preaching in McConnelsburg — Little Cove. 125 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 First big meetig at Daniel Rosenberger's, Horse Valley 
 — Baptism — A young woman supposed to have been drowned 
 through immersion ; rose up shouting — Delegate to Gener- 
 al Conference — Trip to and attendance upon it. 147 
 CHAPTER XIII." 
 
 Affecting Scene — First big meeting at Daniel Whisler's, 
 Cumberland County, Pa. — Meetings in the Dutch Settle- 
 ment — Tom Paine ousted — Religious Experiences — Ot- 
 terbein preaching — Father Geisseman's death — Rowdies at 
 a Camp meeting. 157 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Visiting the sick — Ordered out of the house at the time 
 of prayer — Camp meeting on Middlecauff's land — A son 
 of Belial cast out. 1 73 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 My great affliction — Funeral sermon preached before I 
 was dead— Deaths of my daughter Elizabeth, Son Solomon, 
 and First wife Nancy. 187 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Mother Senseny's conversion — Two Angels — Manner in 
 which United Brethren big meetings were first held — Sta- 
 tistics of the United Brethren Church — Four children got 
 religion by themselves. 209 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 D. Funkhouser's Experience — A sinner converted on the 
 day he became one hundred years old — Old fashioned 
 preachers compared with the present ones — Conclusion. 225 
 
AIJTOBIOaRAPHY, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE — EIRST UNITED BRETH- 
 REN PREACHERS. 
 
 According to the most *correct information I 
 can obtain, my Grand Father, Christian Huber, 
 emigrated from the Palatinate, in Germany, be- 
 tween the years 1727 and 1736. He settled near 
 JS'ew Holland, Lancaster county, Pa., from 
 whence my father, John Huber, moved to the 
 Rocky Spring, Franklin county, Pa., at the time 
 the Indians lived near the I^orth Mountain. 
 
 At one time during the Revolutionary war, 
 my father hauled a load of wheat from his farm 
 to N^ewport, near Philadelphia, where he sold 
 it. On his return homeward through Shippens- 
 burg, an American recruiting officer took pas- 
 sage in his wagon to Chambersburg. When 
 they came to Col. Crawford's farm at the Cono- 
 cocheague creek, the officer handed him a 
 written paper. After reading it, he threw it 
 away, upon which the officer clapped him upon 
 the shoulder, saying, " I have pressed you for 
 2 
 
10 , AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the army. You are my soldier." My father 
 expostulated with him against the impropriety 
 of his conduct, as it was not lawful to impress 
 men in that way. The officer said : "You must 
 either go with me, or pay so much money." In 
 order to get clear, he gave him all the money 
 he had, went home, and told the circumstance 
 to his neighbors, Messrs. Grove, Burkholder, 
 Culbertson, and others. 
 
 In the mean time, the officer went to Cham- 
 bersburg, and took up his quarters in the house 
 standing on the corner of Main and King streets, 
 which was then kept as a tavern, and for many 
 years after that, was occupied by Peter Cook. 
 The idea of a man being robbed in that way by 
 an American officer, did not correspond with the 
 notions of " liberty " these cultivators of the soil 
 entertained at the time. Therefore, very soon, 
 thirty or forty of them collected together, armed 
 themselves with guns, pitch forks, axes, and 
 other implements of destruction, and went to 
 Chambersburg. It was in the night. They 
 surrounded the tavern. The officer was in bed 
 quietly snoosing at the time. One of the party 
 fired a bullet into the gable end of the house, 
 which awoke and alarmed him. He sprang 
 out of bed, and, in his haste to escape, came 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 11 
 
 running down stairs in Ins sliirt, holding his 
 pants in his hands. He was soon arrested, 
 and returned to my father his money. He was 
 then placed in irons and sent to the Carlisle 
 jail, which was the last my father heard of him. 
 
 I was born January 31st, 1782. My parents 
 w^ere members of the Mennonite Society. Be- 
 fore the United Brethren in Christ preached in 
 our parts, my father's house was the regular 
 place for Mennonite preaching. After the United 
 Brethren preachers began to preach the Gospel 
 here, the Mennonite preachers ceased to preach 
 at my father's house. The first United Breth- 
 ren preachers, who came amongst us, were 
 William Otterbein, George A. Guething, Mar- 
 tin Boehm, Christian I^ewcomer, Joseph Hoff- 
 man, John Neiding, Martin Crider, Abraham 
 Draksel, Christopher Grosh, Phelix Light, 
 Christian Smith, Mr. Zentmire, with a few 
 others. These were the pioneers of the United 
 Brethren in our parts. 
 
 This was the only preaching place for our 
 Brethren between Harrisburg, Pa., and Hagers- 
 town, Md., as father ]^ewcomer frequently told 
 us. Times w^ere not then as they now are, re- 
 specting stopping places for preachers. 'Now 
 a days, preachers can make apj)ointments with- 
 
12 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 in a few hours' travel of each other. At the 
 time alhided to, they had frequently to travel 
 from forty to sixty miles, to reach an appoint- 
 ment, and that, without even having accommo- 
 dations for man or horse, excepting at taverns. 
 It was not, however, hecause there was not suffi- 
 cient provisions in the country to entertain trav- 
 elers, that they had no stopping places. The 
 reason that people refused to give those preach- 
 ers entertainment, was : They were looked upon 
 as false prophets, deceivers, and bewitchers of 
 the people. 
 
 Such indeed was the ignorance, superstition, 
 and blindness of the people, upon the subject 
 of true religion, that they were afraid to enter- 
 tain a preacher of this sort, fearing, that if once 
 in the house, he would bewitch the whole fam- 
 ily, and in many instances, refusing to shake 
 hands with them, for fear of becoming spell 
 bound. But, as the preaching of these false 
 prophets, so called, tended to create an excite- 
 ment upon the public mind, different in its 
 effects, from that powerless moral Theology, so 
 prevalent in that dark age, curiosity frequently 
 led people out to hear what these " babblers " 
 had to say ; and those preachers, having been 
 brought out of their old nests [religious dogmas), 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 13 
 
 through the power of God's converting grace, 
 their preaching took deep root, and produced 
 results such as always attend a ministry second- 
 ed by the Spirit of God." 
 
 At one time, near the Kocky Spring, at fath- ^ 
 
 er Boehm's appointment, a certain Mr. W , 
 
 being anxious to hear what this false prophet 
 had to say, after many foreboding fears upon 
 the subject, at length took courage to go and 
 hear him. Such, however, was his apprehen- 
 sion of evil, lest he should become spell hound 
 and bewitched by the preacher, that, with great 
 caution, betook his seat behind the door, think- 
 ing, no doubt, should he feel the moving of the 
 spell upon him, he could make a rapid egress 
 before he would be completely bound up. 
 Whilst hearing the word preached, he thought 
 the whole discourse was directed to him alone. 
 He also afterward blamed my father for telling 
 the preacher all about him, although my father 
 had not spoken to him upon the subject. But 
 such were the effects of God's word upon his 
 heart, that he became deeply concerned for the 
 salvation of his soul. His convictions increased 
 during some months. In the fall, he had ne- 
 glected to haul in his fire wood, and so was un- 
 prepared for winter. A heavy snow had fallen. 
 While pondering over his situation, it was sug- 
 
14 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 gested to his mind that, as he had not made 
 preparation for cold weather, even so he was 
 also unprepared to meet death. His convic- 
 tions hecame deeper. Feeling his wretched 
 condition, he fell upon his knees, and wrestled 
 with God until he found peace to his soul ; and 
 afterwards his wife, and five children, also em- 
 braced religion. Five of the family have since 
 passed over Jordan. The remaining two are 
 still on their way to Zion, giving thanks to God 
 for having sent those loonderful preachers into 
 their neighborhood. This is what was called 
 bewitching the people in those days. Such was 
 the ignorance and prejudice of the times. 
 
 It was through the preaching of these men, 
 who travelled and preached at their own ex- 
 pense, preaching Christ crucified, that I first 
 became alarmed in consequence of my sins, and 
 future state. When about thirteen years of age, 
 under the preaching of Rev. Joseph Hofi:man, I 
 became more deeply convinced of " sin, right- 
 eousness, and of a judgment to come." Then 
 I prayed to God at times, but was in a great 
 measure carried off from Him through the follies 
 of youth. My convictions, however, did not 
 leave me altogether. Sometimes I would pray 
 and then sin again. 
 
 At another time, under father Newcomer's 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 15 
 
 preaching, God sent another arrow home to my 
 heart. I felt awful. The thoughts of death 
 and judgment produced alarming emotions in 
 my soul. These emotions again, in a great 
 measure, wore off'. Fondness for youthful com- 
 pany repeatedly drowned them. Sometimes I 
 would leave off" my company, resolving never 
 to sin again, and lead a new life. But I was 
 bound fast by the chains of sin. I had no peace 
 of soul. Although I was not habituated to the 
 use of profane language, yet I was fond of 
 worldly and sinful company and pleasures ; and, 
 by this means, I was prevented from seeking 
 the Lord with all my heart. In this state of 
 mind I continued to grow up to manhood. My 
 life and experience corresponded with that of 
 the poet, when he said : 
 
 '•Now I repent and sin again, 
 Now I revive and now I'm slain, 
 Slain with the same unhappy dart, 
 Which 0, too often wounds my heart." 
 
 At one time, during my convictions, there 
 was presented to my mind, in a vision, a view 
 of heaven and of hell. I thought I saw heaven 
 in its beauty. I beheld the saints, clothed in 
 white raiment, in a state of inexpressible hap- 
 piness. They appeared to be standing in ex- 
 tended rows, with uplifted hands praising God. 
 There was an appearance similar to a flight of 
 
16 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 stairs. The older saints were on the top, while 
 the younger ones were standing on the lower 
 steps ; the whole presenting a scene of beauty 
 and happiness beyond description. There ap- 
 peared to be two ways or roads, the one leading 
 to a state of bliss, and the other down to a bot- 
 tomless pit. As the righteous passed by me, 
 they went into the society of the just. As the 
 wicked came on, they turned to the left. Their 
 movements were as vivid as lightning, and they 
 plunged into a pit of darkness. I looked down 
 into the pit, and saw them in extreme torment, 
 being in constant agitation and misery. They 
 appeared like a den of serpents, crawling over 
 and around each other. Their condition seem- 
 ed horrible in the extreme, being in torments, 
 cursing each other, and blaspheming the name 
 of God. Deep groans and lamentations were 
 heard in tones of wo ! wo ! wo ! in consequence 
 of their having rejected the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ. This vision made a deep impression on 
 my mind, respecting the future state. 
 
 In the year 1805, about the twenty-fourth 
 year of my age, I went to Winchester, Virgin- 
 ia, where I formed an acquaintance with Miss 
 IN'ancy Weaver, daughter of Mr. Abraham 
 Weaver, residing near that place, and to whom 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 17 
 
 I was married on the 10th day of June, 1806, 
 by the Rev. Mr. Hill, Presbyterian minister at 
 Winchester. 
 
 During my stay in Virginia, I became addict- 
 ed to horse-racing. To such an extent was this 
 the case, that I was drawn away by that kind of 
 sport, in the face of all considerations against 
 it. My convictions and religious impressions 
 were nearly overcome by such worldly amuse- 
 ments. After some time I removed back to 
 Rocky Spring ; but such was my propensity for 
 horse-racing, that, on pretext of visiting my 
 father-in-law in Virginia, during horse-racing 
 times, 1 went there three years in succession 
 to the races. Strange to say, notwithstanding 
 all the operations of God's Spirit upon my heart, 
 I yet took delight in spending my time in such 
 places, where the devil has full sway. Gamb- 
 ling, drinking, cursing, swearing, fighting, are 
 the characteristics of the field, carried out to 
 their full extent. Here the devil reigns tri- 
 umphantly. Under the influence of intoxica- 
 ting drinks, and even without that, men's 
 minds are subverted and brought to submit to, 
 and practice all manner of evil. " Wo to the 
 wicked, for it shall be ill with them." 
 
 In the fourth year of my horse-racing career? 
 
18 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 I Lad attended the races near Chambersburg 
 for two days. On the morning of the third day 
 as I was leaving home for the race ground, my 
 wife asked me: 
 
 " Are you going to the races?" I replied, 
 
 " Yes, I am." She responded, 
 
 ''Don't you know that Joseph Hoffman is to 
 preach at your mother's house to day?" I 
 answered, 
 
 '' Yes ! I do know. You may go to the meet- 
 ing ; but I will go to the races." With tears in 
 her eyes, she rejoined, 
 
 " If you go on in this way, you will become 
 a ruined man, body and soul." 
 
 This rebuke, coming from a beloved wife, 
 who then had no religion, but otherwise was of 
 good moral character, sent daggers into my 
 heart, causing very uneasy feelings. However, 
 I went. When I came to my mother's house 
 on my way, she enquired of me : 
 
 " W^here are you going ?" I answered, 
 
 " To the Chambersburg races." She rejoined, 
 
 "You will rue that some day, perhaps when 
 it is loo late." 
 
 I kept on my way. When about one mile 
 from Chambersburg, I met Joseph Hoffman. 
 Fearing a rebuke from him, I gave my horse 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 19 
 
 the whip, turning my face in an opposite direc- 
 tion, thinking, that after passing him, I would 
 be safe. When I arrived on the race ground, 
 the devil had his servants fully at work. There 
 was fighting going on in full play. I remained 
 on the ground till towards evening. After 
 taking a drink, while in the act of mounting 
 my horse, like " Saul of Tarsus," I was smitten 
 with a stroke of divine power, similar to a flash 
 of lightning. The scales fell from my eyes. 
 They w^ere opened. I saw at a glance, that all 
 these people, with myself, were on the broad 
 road to hell, ^' with all the nations that forget 
 God." The alarming thought of losing my 
 soul was impressed upon my heart with a pow- 
 er, Such as I never felt before. I made a halt 
 in the midst of my mad career — pondered — and 
 resolved to pursue this course no longer. In com- 
 pany with some of my comrades, 1 rode tow^ards 
 town. Intending to leave them, I slacked my 
 pace, riding somewhat in the rear, took a differ- 
 ent route, and rode home. But I was wretched, 
 and filled with feelings of remorse, on account 
 of the state of my soul. I knew I had so fre- 
 quently grieved the Spirit of God, that I de- 
 served to be sent to hell. 
 
 I now began to pray and call upon God for 
 
20 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 mercy in good earnest. It was suggested : 
 " You have sinned so long against light and 
 knowledge, that your day of grace is gone. You 
 are a reprobate, and may as well continue in 
 your old course. There is no mercy for you." 
 But I continued to seek God. I read the Bible 
 with eagernesa, looking for some promise of 
 mercy there. The promises to the penitent I 
 could not apply to myself. Its denunciations 
 against the wicked fell heavily upon my guilty 
 soul. I could not believe that such an unwor- 
 thy, guilty, wretched sinner, as I felt myself to 
 be, could obtain mercy. Still, I could not give 
 up. I continued to pray. 
 
 *' Approach, my soul, the mercy seat, 
 
 Where Jesus answers prayer ; 
 There humbly fall before His feet, 
 
 For none can perish there." 
 
 In this state of mind and feeling, I continued 
 for nearly two years ; sometimes praying in 
 the woods, in the fields, in the house ; groan- 
 ing, crying — " chattering like a swallow, and 
 moaning like a dove." My constant prayer 
 was : " Lord save, or I perish — save or I sink 
 into hell." Fully determined not to give over 
 the conflict, I resolved, that, if I must perish, I 
 would perish at the feet of Jesus, crying for 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 21 
 
 mercy ; and also determined, at all events, never 
 again to serve and do the works of the devil, as 
 I had formerly done. 
 
 In this unhappy state I continued until Au- 
 gust, 1813. One morning I went out with the 
 mowers to mow grass in the meadow. After 
 returning to the house for breakfast, I told the 
 hands to go to work without me ; for I could 
 not go with them, in consequence of my deeply 
 excited feelings. I told them I thought I should 
 not live much longer ; that the wrath of God 
 was upon me. My sins, a burden too intoler- 
 able to be borne, felt like mountains ready to 
 press me down. I spoke from the depth of my 
 heart in prayer : Lord, if thy justice requires 
 my damnation, it is just, and if I must perish, 
 send me to hell, rather than permit me to live 
 longer in sin, as I have heretofore done. In 
 this depth of horror I cannot live much longer. 
 If there be mercy, for Christ's sake, let me feel 
 it ; or if not, cut me down as a "cumberer of 
 the ground." 
 
 I went into the woods, fully resolved to fast 
 and pray one day more. While I was walking 
 in the woods, bemoaning my wretched condi- 
 tion, in extreme agony, a voice said to me plain- 
 ly, " There is yet mercy for you." It was the 
 
22 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 voice of mercy, in the distance, portending a 
 sudden change. Hope sprang up in my soul. 
 I cried out, " Yes! thank God, there is yet mercy 
 for me. Here, Lord, I give myself soul and 
 body, into thy hands. Do with me as seemeth 
 thee good." The instant I thus gave myself up 
 to him, God spoke from his mercy seat, through 
 the "whirlwind," and the "storm." A ray of 
 light, bright as the sun at its meridian, vivid as 
 the lightning flash — powerful as the arm of the 
 Lord revealed — shone into my heart. All my 
 horror, guilt, doubts, and fears were gone. 
 " Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven 
 thee," was spoken to my heart. Unspeakable 
 joy filled my soul. The heavens — earth — trees 
 — leaves — appeared a new creation. I went 
 forth praising God, adopting the language of 
 the Poet : 
 
 " Break forth into singing, ye trees of the wood, 
 Far Jesus has brought " Samuel Huber "to God." 
 
 In this state of rejoicing, I continued in the 
 woods about four hours. When I returned to 
 the house, my wife asked me, 
 
 " Where have you been so long ?" I an- 
 swered, 
 
 " In the woods, where I found Him of whom 
 Moses in the law, and the prophets did write." 
 
 She looked at me with surprise. I said, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 23 
 
 " You need not think that I am beside my- 
 selt. I feel myself the happiest man that ever 
 lived." 
 
 In this happy state I continued two years. I 
 had the world and the devil completely under 
 my feet. The evil spirit did not tempt me, 
 " finding nothing in me." My daily song was, 
 
 *' How liappy are they, 
 
 Who their Saviour obey, 
 
 And have laid up their treasures above." 
 
 Sometime after I had obtained mercy, my 
 wife got under conviction for her sins. I told 
 her to pray on ; that the blessing of pardoning 
 mercy was free for her and for all that would 
 repent and turn to God ; that she should give 
 up her soul into God's hands at once, and not 
 confer with flesh and blood, &c. She had been 
 well instructed in religious principles. By 
 reading "Fletcher's Appeal," she was convinced 
 that, to obtain God's mercy, it was necessary to 
 give up the heart to Him at once, without go- 
 ing about to establish her own righteousness. 
 At one time, in my absence, while she w^as 
 reading in that work a case suited to her ov^n 
 state, she dropped the book, kneeled down to 
 pray, and in an instant her soul was set at liber- 
 ty, and she rejoiced in God her Saviour. We 
 
24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 now set out together in newness of life, fully 
 determined, through grace, to " spend and be 
 spent for God." 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 COMMENCED HOLDING RELIGIOUS MEETINGS. 
 
 Having thus set out to serve the Lord, my 
 conduct and conversation were different from 
 what they had been, when I was a horse racer. 
 Then, my theme was all about such matters 
 and things. I owned a horse, which generally 
 beat the field in scrub races, and being a ring 
 leader of the turf, my conversation and actions 
 corresponded with my character. But now, as 
 God had turned my heart from nature to grace, 
 my thoughts, feelings, and actions, had taken 
 another course ; and, as I had been such an ac^ 
 tive instrument in doing the devil service, I 
 felt it my duty to use all my powers, soul and 
 body, in God's service. I was determined, 
 through grace, to do the devil all the harm I 
 could, having bidden him an everlasting fare- 
 well, by endeavoring to bring sinners from the 
 error of their ways into the service of God. In- 
 fluenced by such motives, my conduct was reg- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 25 
 
 ulated accordingly, and through God's blessing, 
 I was made insti*umental in doing good within 
 the sphere in which I moved. There were sev- 
 eral domestics living in my family, two of whom, 
 young w^omen, shortly after my wife's conver- 
 sion, embraced religion. Thus a family, who, 
 a short time before, had been in the devil's ser- 
 vice, was now set free, moving heavenward. 
 
 One Sunday afternoon, in the summer of 
 1814, as my wife and myself were sitting to- 
 gether, on the porch of our house, there were a 
 great many young men and girls spending the 
 Sabbatb in playful frolics within sight of us. 
 I asked her, 
 
 " Do you think that God is satisfied with us, 
 sitting here doing nothing for his cause, while 
 so many are running to ruin in the neighbor- 
 hood through their wickedness ?" She an- 
 swered, 
 
 "What will we do? We cannot prevent 
 them doing so." I said, 
 
 '' If God spares rae until to-morrow morning, 
 I intend to go to Chambersburg and see if I can 
 get a converted man to come here to hold meet- 
 ings and talk to the people, i don't want an 
 unconverted one. We have too many of that 
 kind of religionists in the neighborhood al- 
 3 
 
26 AUTOBIOGRAPHY QF 
 
 ready. "We want a man who lias been con- 
 verted and enjoys true religion, and can preach 
 from his own experience." 
 
 l!^ext morning I went to Chambersburg and 
 called upon brother Jacob Braiser, who then 
 was an Elder in the German Reformed Church, 
 and had been converted, as I had been inform- 
 ed. I requested him to come and hold meeting 
 in my house. He said " he was no preacher, 
 but would read a chapter in the Bible, sing, 
 pray, and talk to the people, and warn them to 
 flee the wrath to come." An appointment was 
 made for him to hold a meeting in my house, 
 and as the news of my conversion had, prior to 
 this time, been carried upon the wings of the 
 wind through the country, great was the talk 
 about it. Some took me to be a deluded being. 
 Others looked upon me as a well meaning but 
 deceived man, bewitched by the false prophets. 
 Others enquired about Huber's new doctrines, 
 of which the respondents knew as little as the 
 questioners. So there was a general turn out 
 of the folks. The house could not contain the 
 twentieth part of them. All were anxious to 
 see what this Huber, formerly a ring leader 
 among horse racers, was about to do, since he 
 had forsaken his former master, the devil. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 27 
 
 Brother Braiser attended the appointment. 
 He read part of the Scriptares, and spoke to the 
 people, who paid great attention to what was 
 said ; after which the meeting was closed ; 
 many going away wondering how these things 
 would end. This was the first public religious 
 meeting held in my house. Another appoint- 
 ment was then made by brother Braiser, for the 
 following Sunday, at 10 o'clock. In the inter- 
 val between these two meetings, the opinion 
 had gone out, that Huber's meetings were not 
 so dangerous to the community, as was at first 
 supposed. A more favorable opinion, respect- 
 ing my motives, had obtained among some. 
 "When brother Braiser came the second time, a 
 large audience was in attendance. After sing- 
 ing and prayer, he read a portion of Scripture, 
 and exhorted. Unusual attention was given by 
 the people. He then made another appoint- 
 ment for the next Sunday evening. 
 
 After this second meeting was dismissed, my 
 brother, Benjamin, invited me to his house the 
 same evening. Accompanied with my wife 
 and one of my hired girls, who had obtained 
 religion, we paid him a visit. On the way, I 
 retired into the woods, fell upon my knees, be- 
 seeched the Lord to give me grace, and enlight- 
 
28 AUTOBTOGKAPHY OF 
 
 en my mind, so that I might inBtruct my broth- 
 er and his family. 
 
 After we arrived at the house, he interrogated 
 me respecting my religious experience, "Wheth- 
 er any particular change had taken place in my 
 heart?" 
 
 I told him, "Yes, there had " — gave him an 
 explanation of my former and present state and 
 feelings, and added, that, unless he would come 
 to experience a change of heart, he would be 
 lost. 
 
 We sung a hymn. At its conclusion he fell 
 upon his knees and cried out, "Let us pray." 
 We then kneeled and prayed. After some time 
 thus spent, my wife, myself, and girl, who came 
 with us, arose from our knees. He remained 
 on his, still imploring for mercy. We knelt 
 again in prayer. 
 
 After we rose up, and were singing, his soul 
 was blest. He then rose and walked about the 
 house rejoicing, and inquired, " Whether the 
 house had turned around," saying, " It appear- 
 ed so to him." I told him "his heart had been 
 turned around and created anew. The house 
 stood as formerly." It was a new and strange 
 scene to me, that my brother should ask me to 
 pray for him in public, and openly express his 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER 29 
 
 feelings, and '^ get religion'' in so short a time, 
 when I had to struggle under the pangs of the 
 new birth, for nearly two years, before I was 
 born again ; and then it was in secret, in the 
 woods, no person being present at the time. 
 
 Such a thing as calling out mourners to be 
 prayed for, was not known among us then. I 
 had not been present at the conversion of a soul, 
 save that of ni}^ own, prior to this time. There- 
 fore, it appeared marvellous in my eyes, and 
 more so, inasmuch as I was then only a babe 
 in Christ, knowing but little of the ways of 
 God with man. Since that time, however, I 
 have become more experimentally acquainted 
 with such matters, and have long since ceased 
 to wonder at outward demonstrations upon reli- 
 gious subjects. As we progress in religious 
 knowledge, we become more acquainted with 
 the operations of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 But to return to the meeting which brother 
 Braiser had held on Sunday at 10 o'clock, in 
 my house. My neighbor, J. E., went home 
 from there, reflecting upon Braiser's exhortation 
 and the object " Huber" had in view, by having 
 such meetings in his house. After he retired 
 to bed, he dreamed, that the day of judgment 
 had come ; that the whole world was on fire — 
 
30 AUTOBIOGllAl'HY OF 
 
 the earth quaking — and his house sinking clown. 
 In his dream he jumped out of bed — fell upon 
 the floor — awakened out of sleep — but contin- 
 ued lying upon the floor in agony, crying for 
 mercy until four o'clock next morning, when 
 God revealed himself to his soul in forgiving 
 mercy. 
 
 During the same morning on which this oc- 
 curred, he came over to my house. I said, 
 
 " Good morning, Jacob." He replied, 
 
 "Yes; good morning. Indeed, Sir, this is 
 the best morning I ever enjoyed in my life. 
 God has blessed my soul." 
 
 I told him, that m}' brother Benjamin had 
 experienced the same blessing last night, and 
 that, on next "Wednesday evening, there was 
 to be a religious meeting at his (Benjamin's) 
 house." 
 
 The meeting took place, and such w^as the 
 increasing religious excitement, that people of 
 almost all denominations came to it. Among 
 the crowd of hearers, there was a number of 
 new converts, Abraham Wiugert, A. Crider, 
 John, Jacob, and P. Zolliberger, with many 
 others. 
 
 On the following Sunday evening, according 
 to appointment, the meeting was held at my 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 31 
 
 house. Brother Brasier did not come. The' 
 house was crowded with people. 1 told them, 
 that, as we were disappointed in a speaker, we 
 should sing and pray. After this was done, the 
 people continued on their, seats in silence, and 
 there beiug no other person to address them, 
 for the first time in my life, I commenced speak- 
 ing to a congregation. Whilst doing so, I felt 
 the Spirit of God moving my heart. The word 
 took effect. Tears began to flow from many 
 eyes. Some began to cry out, and pray for 
 mercy, and fell upon their knees. This gave 
 me great encouragement to speak in this way. 
 I felt my unworthiness, fearing to speak in pub- 
 lic, in consequence of my ignorance in such 
 things. 
 
 I had frequently before this, besought the 
 Lord to give me some company in the way to 
 Zion. But at this time, he gave me such a man- 
 ifestation of his grace, that I took up the cross, 
 being convinced that a dispensation of the gos- 
 pel was committed unto me. Although it was 
 with much weakness, fear, and trembling, that 
 I spake, there was here an evident demonstra- 
 tion, that God inspired and owned his word, 
 through such a weak and unworthy instrument 
 as I w^as. So I felt it to be my duty, to speak 
 
32 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OE' 
 
 on in his name. After this first attempt to 
 speak publicly, I gave out appointments to hold 
 meetings. We held from two to three meet- 
 ings a week, and the work of the Lord w^ent 
 on rapidly — sinners convicted — mourners con- 
 verted — new converts established in the faith ; 
 and an increasing religious excitement took 
 place in the neighborhood. 
 
 About this time, my brother Abraham was 
 reconciled to God. We had a meeting in his 
 house. The Eev. John Sneider, from Sher- 
 man's valley, attended. He was one of that 
 kind of gospel pioneers, who did not think it 
 too much to travel from twenty to thirty miles 
 to hold a meeting, in order to get souls con- 
 verted. He preached for us that time. 
 
 After preaching, I spoke out : " We ought 
 to sing and pray again." Sneider replied, 
 "Yes ! that's right." I gave out a few verses, 
 sung and prayed, after which I called upon 
 brother Balsar Basehore to pray. This request 
 took him by surprise, inasmuch as he had not 
 prayed in public before. But, being deeply 
 afi'ected at the time, he commenced in such 
 strains of eifbrt, that the deep emotions of his 
 heart broke through his vocal powers, like the 
 rushing of water through the opening of a flood 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 33 
 
 gate. His prayer was effectual. It took deep 
 root in my brother Abraham's heart, who was 
 kneeling at Basehore's side at the time. In an 
 instant, my brother sprang upon his feet and 
 then fell, upon the floor. This he did twice in 
 succession. The third time, attempting to rise 
 up, he fell upon his back, his head resting upon 
 a bench and his feet extended on the floor. In 
 this condition he remained for some length of 
 time, stiff and powerless. After going through 
 this process, he rose up, giving God thanks for 
 his mercies. 
 
 Meetings continued to be held at his house. 
 He afterwards became a preacher amongst us, 
 and continued to preach the Gospel for many 
 years, until he w^as afilicted with a cataract in 
 his eyes, when his physician advised him not to 
 exert himself in that way, as it would be inju- 
 rious to him. Since then he moves in a more 
 private life ; but is still on his way heavenward. 
 After some time, his wife and two of his daugh- 
 ters, embraced religion. 
 
 Thus, whilst the work of God was progress- 
 ing, and the devil's kingdom destroyed in many 
 hearts, my soul rejoiced in God. I felt heaven 
 within me, and w^as deeply humbled and grate- 
 ful, to think that God should have selected such 
 
84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 a sinner as I had been, as an instrument in his 
 hands, in aiding to promote his cause. 
 
 The report of such religious revivals spread 
 throughout the country, like the rolling of thun- 
 ders heard far away in the distance. It reached 
 the ears of many of the United Brethren preach- 
 ers, who lived at a distance from us. Some of 
 them buckled on their armor and came to the 
 help of the Lord against the mighty. Amongst 
 them were Jacob Bowlus, Presiding Elder, J. 
 Crider, Abraham Meyers, David Snider, Mi- 
 chael Bear, Henry G. Spayth, together with a 
 number of others. They came and preached the 
 Gospel. God seconded their ministry with 
 signs following. Old and young, men and 
 women, experienced the new birth — and pray- 
 ed and prophesied. The old dogma, " that wo- 
 men should keep silent in churches," was lost 
 sight of. Old women and young girls, when 
 their souls were blest and made happy, would 
 break forth into singing — shouting — praising — 
 exhorting — prophesying— and talking about the 
 Saviour in public congregations, to the utter 
 consternation of old dry Pharisees, who beheld 
 this new way with horror and dismay. 
 
 Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Joel, 2 : 
 28, 29, " And it shall come to pass afterward 
 
Qf; 
 
 KEV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 60 
 
 that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh ; 
 and your sons and your daughters shall prophe- 
 sy, your old men shall dream dreams, your 
 young men shall see visions. And also upon 
 thy servants and upon thy hand maidens in 
 those days, will I pour out my Spirit." And so 
 it was here, and became marvellous in the eyes 
 of formal professors of religion. 
 
 One time, when in conversation with two old 
 men upon the subject of religion, a certain mor- 
 alist, yet a great controversialist, whose heart 
 had not been changed by grace, approached us. 
 After giving attention to our conversation for 
 some time, he said, 
 
 " Your professors of religion are all good for 
 nothing ; they are all hypocrites." I replied, 
 
 " i^ot all. Sir. There are some good persons 
 among them. But, according to your views, 
 the disciples of our Saviour were all good for 
 nothing, because one of them became a devil." 
 I then asked him, 
 
 '' Have you had any counterfeit money in 
 your time ?" He answered, 
 
 " Yes." I replied, inquiringly, 
 
 " Suppose you had a five dollar counterfeit 
 among one hundred dollars good money, would 
 you throw away the whole on account of the 
 bad?" He answered, 
 
86 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 "1^0." I replied, 
 
 " Good money will pass anywhere, and so 
 will a good Christian, although there are some 
 bad professors of religion. 'A good tree is 
 known by its fruit.' So a good Christian is 
 known by his walk and conversation." I con- 
 tinued, 
 
 " You admit, that there is frequently cheat 
 and cockle among good wheat." 
 
 He answered in the affirmative. I replied, 
 
 "We farmers are not the men, who throw 
 away the good wheat, because there is some 
 cockle among it. But we separate the cockle 
 and cheat from it, and then use the wheat for 
 making good bread. According to your doc- 
 trine, however, you throw away the good, be- 
 cause there is some bald among it. l!^ow when 
 we sow the seed of the word, it falls promiscu- 
 ously ' on the way side ' — ' stony places ' — 
 ^ among thorns ' — and ' on good ground,' from 
 which spring up both good and bad professors 
 of religion ; and so we let them grow together 
 until the sifting time arrives, when the good 
 shall be separated from the bad." 
 
 I advised him to get religion, and not to 
 trouble his brain about other people's failings, 
 but to live a holy life and give a good example 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBEK. :i7 
 
 to others ; referriug him to Matthew 13, chap- 
 ter throughout, but particularly to the 24th and 
 and 27th verses. He said no more — remained 
 silent and went off. Afterwards one of the 
 old men remarked, that he, meaning the con- 
 troversialist, had met his match this time, and 
 I had served him right. 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 MEETINGS CONTINUED — FIRST CAMP MEETING NEAR 
 ROCKY SPRING. 
 
 I now return to the revival meetings mention- 
 ed in my last chapter. Meetings were held at 
 brother Benjamin's, Abraham's and also at 
 Balsar Basehore's, and other places in the 
 neighborhood, as well as at my house. Preach- 
 ers of other denominations than those of the 
 United Brethren, preached for us, such as the 
 Iviver Brethren, Dunkards, Methodists, Presby- 
 terians, Lutherans, Mennonites, &c. When 
 God converted my soul, he gave me that love 
 which enabled me to unite with all his true fol- 
 lowers. Love to all mankind, and hatred to 
 none ; " Prove all things, hold fast that which is 
 good," was my motto. 
 
 The first Camp Meeting which the Church of 
 
38 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the United Brethren in Christ held, was on my 
 brother Abraham's land, near the Rocky Spring, 
 at which many sinners fell down, through the 
 power of the word preached, as if dead, but 
 rose again, shouting victory. Some time after 
 this camp meeting, there was a large meeting 
 held near brother Abraham's house. Amongst 
 the preachers who attended, were A. Meyer, 
 Presiding Elder, H. Kumler, J. Crider, and A. 
 Draksel. Brother Draksel preached on Sunday 
 forenoon. The word took deep root. Many 
 were slain of the Lord. Souls were made hap- 
 py — and much good was done at this meeting. 
 
 Protracted, or "Big meetings," were held 
 then, differently from what they are now. Com- 
 mencing on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, 
 they were continued until the following Sunday 
 afternoon. Sacrament was then administered, 
 after which the meeting was closed, and the 
 people retired. Many of them with hearts fill- 
 ed and glowing with divine love, frequently 
 parted with shouts of joy, while sympathizing- 
 tears rolled down their cheeks. 
 
 Toward the close ot this meeting, God gave 
 me such a spiritual blessing, that I was over- 
 powered by it, soul and body. I fell and lay 
 upon the ground for some length of time. After 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 39 
 
 I carae to myself and rose up, I felt an inex- 
 pressible degree of happiness, which constrain- 
 ed me to offer myself anew to my heavenly 
 Father — '^ to spend and be spent " in his service; 
 and I resolved, through his grace, to speak more 
 frequently in public, depending on Him for 
 help and strength in every time of need. It 
 must be borne in mind, that heretofore I had 
 not preached. At one time I was requested by 
 a person to preach a funeral sermon. I replied, 
 that " I did not think myself capable of doing 
 so, although I had frequently delivered exhor- 
 tations." He said, that, " If I did as well at 
 preaching, as I had done at exhorting, he would 
 be satisfied." This gave me more encourage- 
 ment. I took up the cross, and tried to preach 
 accordingly. 
 
 Some time after this, I was called upon again 
 to preach, upon the death of a young lady. I 
 gave the same answer as before, not thinking 
 myself called to preach, but only to exhort. 
 The applicant answered, that he had heard me 
 preach a funeral sermon, and was satisfied with 
 it. He repeated his request. After some hes- 
 itation, I complied. But notwithstanding these 
 repeated calls to preach, I had many doubts and 
 fears upon the subject, feeling my own insuffi- 
 ciency for such a responsible work. 
 
40 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 At length I resolved to make another trial, 
 but out of my own neighborhood. Heretofore 
 I had not officiated out of it. Accordingly, at 
 the request of brother David Fleck, a young 
 man w^ho had been converted in mv house, I 
 went with him to Amberson's Valley. We went 
 there through a deep snow. When we arrived 
 at his father's house, the father asked me, 
 ''TV hat brought you over here." I replied, "I 
 came to hold meeting in your house this night." 
 He sent his youngest son on horseback, to in- 
 vite the people to come to meeting. About 
 eighteen persons attended. I opened the meet- 
 ing with singing and prayer, and then deliver- 
 ed an exhortation. After this, we continued to 
 sing and pray, during which time five persons 
 remained on their knees, being under convic- 
 tion, crying for mercy ; and before the meeting 
 concluded that night, the mother of the family 
 and two of her daughters, were made happy in 
 a sin pardoning God. On this occasion, my 
 doubts respecting my call to the ministry, were, 
 in a great degree, removed. I had a stronger 
 evidence of my call to preach the Gospel than 
 ever before, seeing that God worked with such 
 a weak instrument as I was. 
 
 After this, I was invited by brother John 
 
EEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 4l 
 
 Bear to preach at his house in Path Valley. A 
 young man, Mr. B. M., having some notions of 
 his own about preaching, went ahead before 
 the meeting day, telling the people, " that 
 Huber was coming there to preach ; but he 
 would show them, that he could beat him preach- 
 ing." With this kind of talk and blowing, he 
 created an unusual excitement and curiosity in 
 the minds of many of the good people in the 
 valley. At the time appointed, I arrived. The 
 meeting took place in day time. B. M. was 
 the first person who came to it. A large turn- 
 out, of course, took place. He took his seat 
 beside me. After the meeting had commenced, 
 in the usual manner, I began to preach, and 
 after proceeding some time, B. M. got under 
 conviction. He placed his head between his 
 hands, his elbows resting upon his knees, and 
 began to tremble like a man with the ague, 
 crying out lustily in prayer for mercy. I clap- 
 ped him on the shoulder, and told him to pray 
 on, which he did for some time. After meeting 
 closed, he rushed out of the house through the 
 crowd in double quick time — went home — 
 bundled up his clothes — and made his exit that 
 same night for Ohio, thinking to drown his 
 convictions through worldly pursuits. After re- 
 4 
 
42 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 maining there three years, — his convictions still 
 increasing, and not finding peace — he returned 
 to Path Valley — called upon David Bear, en- 
 quiring what he should do to be saved. He was 
 directed to the Saviour, and at last " got reli- 
 gion," in the same neighborhood, where, three 
 years before, he had boasted he would beat the 
 preacher preaching. He proved faithful to his 
 Saviour, and after a few years' fighting the good 
 fight of faith, died a triumphant death in Stras- 
 burg, Franklin county, where I preached his 
 funeral sermon. Such is sometimes the way in 
 which God brings sinners to himself. 
 
 That night I preached in David Bear's house. 
 He was sick, confined to bed, and requested me 
 to pray for him, which I did. At that time he 
 had no religion, and through this means he be- 
 came awakened, and afterwards converted to 
 God. He continued to hold meetings in his 
 house, and became a zealous and useful preach- 
 er in the Church of the United Brethren in 
 Christ. I made an appointment to preach at 
 his house in six weeks from that time, when I 
 attended and preached. After meeting, a Mr. 
 Martin Hammond, who had been convicted 
 through my preaching the first time I preached 
 in David Bear's house, and got converted be- 
 
HEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 43 
 
 tween that time and this, invited me to preach 
 at his house. An appointment was made. 
 When I came there, his wife looked daggers at 
 me, blaming me for leading her husband astray 
 from his former religious ways. She took me 
 for one of the false prophets and deceivers, &c. 
 I offered to shake hands with her, but she re- 
 fused to do so. When the people began to 
 gather, she went about the house storming as if 
 seven devils were in her. At length she took 
 her seat in a corner of the room. The relis^ious 
 exercises went on. During the time I was 
 preaching, a thunderbolt from heaven entered 
 her heart. She fell upon her knees roaring out 
 for mercy, as if the devils were tormenting her. 
 Singing and prayer were continued. She 
 wrestled on, until the strong man armed was 
 cast out, and a stronger than he, Christ, took 
 possession of her heart before the meeting 
 closed. After she had got religion, her coun- 
 tenance and conduct, comparatively speaking, 
 were as different as light is from darkness. In- 
 stead of storming about the house, showing 
 angry frowns in her features as before, she now, 
 with smiles of joy and peace, recommended her 
 Saviour to others. In short, the lioness was 
 turned into a lamb. To God be all the glory ! 
 
44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 CURIOUS EXPERIENCE ABOUT TWO LONG BEARDED MEN« 
 
 The repeated manifestations of God's appro- 
 val of my weak efforts to promote his cause, as 
 heretofore stated, convinced me more fully, that 
 He had a work for me to do. From this time 
 I made it my duty to exhort and preach on 
 every opportunity, in order to turn sinners from 
 the error of their ways to Christ. In the year 
 1815, I was licensed as an exhorter, by the Uni- 
 ted Brethren in Christ, at an Annual Conference 
 held at brother Henry Kumler's, four miles 
 from Greencastle, Franklin county. Pa. The 
 year after that, I was licensed to preach by the 
 Pennsylvania Annual Conference. 
 
 During my travels and associations, I had 
 many opportunities of hearing the religious ex- 
 periences of God's children, a few of which I 
 will state in this work, showing some of the 
 different ways God takes to bring sinners to 
 himself. At an Experience meeting, the fol- 
 lowing experience was related by B. Carper. 
 He rose in the meeting and said : 
 
 " Brethren and sisters, I will tell you how 
 the Lord brought me out of darkness into his 
 marvelous light. At the time the United 
 Brethren preachers first came into our parts, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 45 
 
 there was one of them called old "Father 
 Boehm." He wore a very large beard. On 
 one occasion, he had a meeting in the neigh- 
 borhood of the Conowaga, Virginia. My neigh- 
 bor Brand and myself lived on intimate terms. 
 Brand invited Boehm to preach at his house. I 
 was highly offended, that Brand should bring 
 one of those so called false prophets and deceivers 
 amongst us ; and the more so, as it w^as gener- 
 ally reported, that they had such bewitching 
 powers over the people, that, when they once got 
 into a family, there was no knowing where mat- 
 ters would end, and, in many cases, they had 
 caught whole families, and sections of country 
 around. 
 
 Indignant at such things, I thought it would 
 be best to put a stop to these preachers in the 
 commencement. *So, when Boehm came to 
 preach at Brand's house, I went there intending 
 to kill him, and as I was a strong, stout man, 
 not fearing half dozen men at a time, I had 
 made up my mind how to take the preacher. 
 When he would come out of the door, after 
 preaching, I intended to pounce upon him, and 
 with one blow knock him down — then jump 
 upon, and kill him. And so, while he was 
 preaching, I stood outside of the house, waiting 
 
46 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 until he would be done and come out. At the 
 same time, I was listening to his discourse. It 
 appeared to me, that Brand had told Boehm all 
 about myself, what sort of a man I was, &c., &c. 
 The word preached went into my heart, like 
 arrows from a strong bow. In an instant, a 
 fearful trembling came over me. I took to my 
 heels and ran home as fast as my legs could car- 
 ry me. When I came to the house, my fears 
 increased so much, that I was at first afraid to 
 enter it in the dark. 
 
 That night I spent in awful fear and tremb- 
 ling, — not knowing what had come over me, 
 as I had never felt fear before. isText morning 
 I took my axe, and walked into the woods. I 
 there imagined I saw a man with a long beard 
 coming towards me in great haste. This in- 
 creased my fears. I looked at him. His eyes 
 were fixed upon me, as he came still nearer. I 
 could stand the sight no longer. With horror 
 I ran from him. At the same time, he made 
 after me. I continued fleeing towards the fence 
 — and threw away the axe in the flight. When 
 I got to the fence, I made a jump, raising 
 my feet, intending to leap over it. When on 
 the top of the fence, another beaKly man met 
 me on the other side. He took hold of me, and 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 47 
 
 pulled me down from off the fence. The first 
 man then jumped upon me. It appeared that, 
 when these men held me down, the earth open- 
 ed, and I went down into hell. 
 
 My body lay in the fence corner nearly the 
 whole day. I knew nothing of this world du- 
 ring that time. After I recovered, I found my- 
 self a new creature in Christ Jesus. I rejoiced 
 that I was brought out of the thraldom of the 
 devil, and liberated from hell, where I thought 
 the devil had me. After this, I had no more 
 desire to kill the false prophets, so called, but 
 found them to be God's true preachers, who 
 preached his word faithfully. I united with 
 them in Christian fellowship and now have 
 meeting in my house, and am striving to serve 
 the Lord, with my family and the brethren." 
 
 In 1816, a request was made to Conference, 
 to send a preacher to Tuckaho valley. Pa. The lot 
 fell upon brother John Bear and myself. We 
 went first to Path Valley, thence to Aughwick 
 Valley, thence to Hill Valley. Passing through 
 Huntingdon county, to {Sinking Valley, we ar- 
 rived in Tuckaho Valley, and tarried to preach 
 at brother Buttenberger's. These strange 
 preachers were looked upon as a phenomenon. 
 Some people looked at us with terrified glances, 
 
48 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 afraid to come into the house, but stood gaping 
 in at the windows. After eying us for some 
 time, it was discovered from our appearance, 
 that we looked just like other men. We invi- 
 ted them into the house. After some hesitation, 
 they began to enter. The house became crowd- 
 ed. Brother Bear preached, after which I fol- 
 lowed with exhortation. The word took effect. 
 Some were deeply wounded. One woman, a 
 Lutheran preacher's wife, got under conviction, 
 and prayed earnestly. 
 
 Next day we went to Warrior's Mark ; put 
 up with Mr. Rumberger, and preached there. 
 Returning home, we preached at the several 
 appointments we had made on our outward 
 route. These appointments extended eighty- 
 five miles, from where we started to the Alle- 
 gheny mountains. The preaching was then 
 done by local preachers. They preached 
 gratuitously, and paid their own expenses. For 
 about two years' time, the Lord wrought such 
 works among the people, that preaching places 
 were opened in such numbers in these parts, 
 that we could not fill them. A circuit was then 
 formed for two preachers. Circuit preachers 
 were sent out to serve the people with preach- 
 ing, &c. 
 
* REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 49 
 
 During these times a new preacliing place 
 was opened at Mr. Conrad's at the Iron works, 
 near Warrior's Mark. Brother David Bear, 
 Henry Troub and myself, on our way to the 
 Furnace, were informed that an appointment 
 had been made foi;us there. When we arrived 
 at the place, there was a wedding party in wait- 
 ing. Brother Troub tied the knot for them. 
 There was meeting in the evening. I preached. 
 The Holy Spirit wrought powerfully. Seven of 
 the wedding party fell, as men slain in battle, 
 crying out for mercy, and were married to the 
 Lamb of God. Afterwards the manager of the 
 Iron works requested brother Troub to preach 
 legiilarly in that place, a meeting house having 
 been erected there. The work of God contin- 
 ued to progress through the valley, and extend- 
 ed to the environs of Bellefonte. This was the^ 
 commencement of the United Brethren preach- 
 ing in that region of country. 
 
 Xext morning, brother Bear and myself start- 
 ed homeward, through Aughwick Valley, where 
 we had left an appointment on our way out. 
 At this place there lived a Mr. H. Kemerling. 
 The meeting was held at brother Aue's house. 
 Kemerling was a very wicked man. He came 
 to our meeting. During its continuance he 
 
50 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 became awakened to a sense of his lost state. 
 He requested us to come to his house and bap- 
 tize his wife and children. We went. I told 
 them " that baptism alone would not save their 
 souls, — but that they must seek for the spiritu- 
 al baptism, by getting them souls converted." 
 He promised, that, if I would baptize them, this 
 should be a beginning with him, and he would 
 seek the Lord, and lead a new life. I complied 
 with his request. I sung and prayed with them, 
 and left for home. 
 
 About one year after this, brother Crider, my 
 colleague, and myself, went to the same • place 
 to preach. In an experience meeting, Kemer- 
 ling and his wife related their experience, sta- 
 ting what God had done for them, by convert- 
 ing their souls. He said, that he felt it to be 
 his duty, as he had been so great a sinner, and 
 God had been so merciful to him, to spend his 
 future life in his Master's cause in a public way. 
 He became a zealous and useful preacher of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 At another time, I preached at brother Oyer- 
 ly's. He had come out from the Mennonites, 
 but, not yet being fully inducted into the new 
 light, as some termed this new way, he had his 
 doubts concerning us ; as he had been told, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 51 
 
 that we were deceivers, &c. Therefore, not 
 knowing how matters would turn out, he ap- 
 pointed the meeting to be held in his barn, 
 fearing, probably, that his house might become 
 contaminated, if we should preach in it. At 
 this meeting, his son-in-law,* J. Rider, got un- 
 der conviction, and in a short time afterwards, 
 he and his wife found the pearl of great price. 
 He became a preacher in the Allegheny Con- 
 ference. 
 
 The next appointment we had, was filled by 
 brother John Crider in brother Rumberger's 
 barn. E'ow, brother Rumberger was one of 
 those men, who did not want to work without 
 being paid, although he would sometimes labor 
 on trust. J^ot knowins: whether he would be 
 remunerated or not, having some how or other 
 understood, that there is a promise on record, 
 that "whosoever receiveth a prophet, in the 
 name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's re- 
 ward," and being somewhat religiously inclined, 
 he took it into his head to try the Lord, and 
 see whether his promises were true or not. So 
 he went to work and fitted up his barn in good 
 style for the use of these new prophets, — which 
 cost him considerable labor and expense. Ac- 
 cordingly, the meeting was held in the barn, 
 
62 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 and at this meeting brother Rumberger, his 
 wife, son, and daughter, obtained religion, and 
 went on their way rejoicing ; being fully satis- 
 fied, that God had more than amply rewarded 
 him for the cost and labor of preparing the barn 
 for holding meeting, and receiving God's pro- 
 phets. 
 
 I might go on to relate a great many interest- 
 ing circumstances, which took place at the com- 
 mencement of United Brethren preaching in 
 the aforesaid valleys ; but the cases mentioned 
 may suffice as specimens for the whole. 
 
 At one time, whilst I was preaching in broth- 
 er David Fleck's house, in Amberson's Valley, 
 the power of God arrested his brother John, who. 
 was convicted and converted in a very short 
 time. He leaped up and praised God. After 
 I had spoken in German, I was told, that the 
 congregation were mostly English, and that I 
 should speak in English. My speaking being 
 mostly m German, I was but imperfectly versed 
 in the English language. However, I consent- 
 ed to do so. After I was done speaking in 
 English, an Irish Roman Catholic, who, proba- 
 bly, never had heard the Gospel preached by a 
 Roman priest, rose up, and, with tears in his 
 eyes, said, " I wish that God Almighty had 
 
R^V. SAMUEL HUBER, 53 
 
 sent his convictions on me, in place of John 
 Fleck. I have as much need of them as he 
 has." Poor sinner ! who would not approve of 
 his candor and sincerity ? 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 PREACHER DROPPED INTO A HOGSHEAD. 
 
 In the course of our journey through this 
 life, singular occurrences frequently come to 
 our knowledge from personal observation, and 
 through information from others. The follow- 
 ing incident was related to me on good author- 
 ity : 
 
 At a certain funeral occasion, a preacher was 
 requested to preach the funeral sermon. When 
 he came to the place designated, the house was 
 too small to contain the people. It was thought 
 proper, that the preacher should address them 
 outside of it. But as there was no place pre- 
 pared for him to stand upon while preaching 
 in the hurry of the moment, a hogshead was set 
 upon its end. The preacher took his stand upon 
 it, in order to deliver his discourse. "Whilst 
 addressing the audience, he felt it to be his duty, 
 
54 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 more than ordinarily, to enforce his remarks 
 upon his hearers, particularly so, at such a time, 
 as that of a funeral. And, as he was one of 
 those who believed in smiting with the hand 
 and stamping with the foot, according to the 
 sentiments of an ancient prophet, and being 
 determined to enforce his remarks upon his au- 
 dience, he gave one stamp with his foot upon 
 the top of the hogshead, which, not having been 
 made for that purpose, gave way, and went 
 down, with the preacher after it, he exclaiming, 
 "That's the way sinners drop into hell I" He 
 sprang out of the hogshead and finished his 
 discourse. But whether the idea of sinners 
 dropping into hell through a hogshead, had any 
 effect upon his hearers or not, I was not inform- 
 ed. One thing, however, is certain. It was a 
 new item in the category of theological terms. 
 At a meeting held in brother Daniel Piper's 
 house, I preached in English. A young wo- 
 man, as she afterwards stated, took her seat 
 close to the bed-room door. Conviction seized 
 her. She got up, intending to jump out of the 
 house, to get out of reach of such power; but, 
 she fell down in the bed-room — lay there in 
 agony for some time, wrestling in prayer, until 
 she was blest. Six other persons obtained mer- 
 cy that night, before the meeting closed. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 55 
 
 Being requested by brother John Russel, to 
 help to hold a meeting in Sherman's Valley, in 
 company with my brother Abraham, we started 
 for the meeting. On our way we called upon 
 David Bear, who went with us. "We left an ap- 
 pointment for our return, at Mr. Cling's near 
 Concord. After this, we arrived at sister Hub- 
 ler's, where brother Russel's meeting was to be 
 held. Brother J. Wins^ert met us here. Broth- 
 er Russel had not yet made his appearance. We, 
 however, went on with the meeting. 
 
 A large assembly of persons were present, 
 among whom there was a phenomenon, in the 
 figure of a female. Her dress and deportment 
 corresponded with each other. She was em- 
 bellished in full regalia of worldly fashion. Iler 
 head dress, decorated with artificials, might 
 have been taken for a flower-pot. It might 
 have been fortunate for the congregation, that 
 the wearing of " hoops" w^as not then in vogue. 
 Had it been so, this personification of vanity 
 might have taken up the greater part of the 
 room, within the circle of a " hoop," to the no 
 small annoyance of the people. Judging from 
 her appearance, a stranger would have taken 
 her to be the "belle" of the country. She 
 seated herself in the middle of the room j kept 
 
66 , AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 looking about at the people with conteraptous 
 airs, pecking with her hands and fingers at those 
 within her reach, with a view of making her- 
 self conspicuous and raising fun. She was a 
 complete gazing stock to be looked at, without 
 the remotest idea of good manners, or religious 
 notions. She would all the while look me full 
 in the face, with sarcastic taunts and smiles. 
 After singing and prayer, as it fell to, my lot to 
 preach first that evening, I took for my text, 
 Malachi 4 : 1, "For behold the day cometh, that 
 shall burn as an oven : and all the proud, yea, 
 and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble : and 
 the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith 
 the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neith- 
 er root nor branch." When about the middle 
 of my discourse, the power of God struck this 
 embodiment of pride and vanity. She at once 
 fell upon her knees, imploring God's mercy on 
 her soul. 
 
 Feeling strengthened and encouraged at this, 
 I continued to pour out God's denunciations 
 against the proud. The arrows of God's word 
 continued to fly. The Philistines (sinners) see- 
 ing their championess fallen, gave way. Some 
 made for the door. Others fell upon their 
 knees, and still others upon their backs, pray- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 57 
 
 ing. The power of God went like fire through 
 stubble. Brother Wingert followed with ex- 
 hortation, exclaiming, " I feel that the power of 
 God is here." His exhortation swept through 
 the house like a storm over a grain field. 
 
 Up to this time, brother Russel had not been 
 in the meeting, but, from what we understood 
 afterwards, he appeared to be ''dodging.'' There 
 are some great big warriors in the world, who, 
 when an enemy is fleeing, are the first to pur- 
 sue ; but, in the commencement of a battle, they 
 fight under cover. Brother Russel had been 
 threatened by some rowdies with the loss of his 
 horse's tail, and, it may be, a little damage to 
 himself. These threats might have made him 
 dodge some, and it appeared to be so, from the 
 fact, that, during the first part of the meeting, 
 he was in the room above, peejnng down through 
 the stove pipe hole in the floor, watching the 
 movements below, and observing how mat- 
 ters were going on. Seeing the ranks of the 
 enemy breaking, he took courage, and came 
 down into the room, just about the time that 
 brother "Wingert was closing his remarks. 
 Brother Russel, having got another ''dip," open- 
 ed his gun and commenced exhorting in such 
 terms, that the power of God's word flew like 
 5 
 
58 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 showers of grape shot from a battery. If ever 
 God helped a man to speak in his name, he did 
 so through brother Russel, on this occasion. 
 The power of God was present to kill and 
 make alive. The meeting proceeded, some 
 getting religion and praising God ; others cut 
 to the heart, fell down in distress, to rise up 
 again with joy. Mourning — singing — praying 
 — shouting, were the characteristics of that 
 night. 
 
 The meeting continued until breakfast time 
 next morning. Among the converts, was the 
 artificial figure, and no doubt, the devil growled 
 much, when he lost such a championess in his 
 cause. Such was the work of God in the Apos- 
 tolic days, and such it has continued to be to 
 the present time. The conversion and refor- 
 mation of sinners, is a work beyond the power 
 and wisdom of man. Although he uses men 
 as instruments, " the excellency of the power 
 is of God, and not of man." 
 
 After breakfast we left, and went to our ap- 
 pointment near Concord, at Mr. Cling's. When 
 we arrived at the place, there was a good turn 
 out of people. I told brother Wingert, that, in 
 consequence of our last night's labor and loss 
 of sleep, I felt rather weak to preach, and asked 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 59 
 
 him to fill my place. He said, that he felt as 
 weak as I did, and that I must preach. Seeing 
 no alternative, I preached from Matth. 5:6, 
 " Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst 
 after righteousness ; for they shall he filled." 
 Before I concluded, the man of the house, his 
 wife and daughter, together with another aged 
 man and his wife, obtained mercy ; and one old 
 Methodist backslider was reclaimed. Mr. Cling 
 used to say, he liked to hear me preach, but did 
 not like this mourning, shouting, &c. It look- 
 ed rather disorderly, according to his notions 
 about religion. But now, when he was seeking, 
 upon his knees, for mercy, he cried out : " Kow 
 I see where the disorder lies. It is not on the 
 side of religion, but in my own heart." After 
 preacTiing, brother Wingert delivered a power- 
 ful exhortation. Six persons professed conver- 
 sion at this meeting. 
 
 From Mr. Cling' s we returned home, holding 
 meeting on the way at David Beards at candle 
 light. At one time, David Bear and myself 
 held a meeting in Strasburg, at John Kewman's* 
 On this occasion, -^ve souls were converted to 
 God. The oldest son of Mr. ^N'ewcomer, one of 
 the converts, became a preacher among the 
 United Brethren. 
 
60 AUTOBIOGllAPHY Or 
 
 At one of the camp meetings held near the 
 Rocky Spring, one night, after the people had 
 retired to rest, there were present three young 
 men. What their intentions were, no one 
 knew, probably, but themselves. One of them 
 had a pistol in his hand. They were standing 
 around one of the Camp fires. Suddenly they 
 were struck with the power of God, and fell si- 
 multaneously to the ground, w^ith their heads 
 outwards from the fire. In this condition they 
 lay as dead men, apparently without life, until 
 the forenoon of the next day, at which time 
 they began to show signs of life. When re- 
 covering, they trembled as though they had the 
 ague, and began to pray for mercy. After much 
 prayer was made in their behalf, they rose up, 
 praising God, " that the dead were made alive " 
 through his pardoning grace. 
 
 At another time, in company with Br. Henry 
 Kumler, I took a trip into Virginia, beyond 
 Staunton, preaching in our route twice a day. 
 We felt the power of God within us, whilst 
 dispensing the word of life to others. God made 
 it a "savor of life unto life," to many souls. 
 We had lively and powerful meetings. From 
 Winchester we went to Harper's Ferry, to at- 
 tend the Annual Conference. We then return- 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 61 
 
 ed home, after having travelled, in going and 
 returning, about four hundred miles. 
 
 At the Annual Conference held in Frederick 
 county, State of Maryland, May 7th, 1819, I 
 was ordained to Elder's orders by Bishop 'New- 
 comer, and afterwards elected Presiding Elder, 
 having heretofore acted in the capacity of a 
 local preacher only. 
 
 In order to attend to my duties as Presiding 
 Elder, I went through the Virginia Circuit, and 
 held quarterly meeting at John Funkhouser's. 
 Here much good was done. Many got under 
 conviction — believers were stirred up — swelling 
 shouts of joy, that the dead were made alive, 
 and the lost were found, ascended up on high. 
 There was a protracted meeting held at Father 
 Shewey's, ten miles above Staunton, which I at- 
 tended. At this place I was invited by a person 
 to preach in Staunton. I went there and preach- 
 ed to a crowded house of hearers^ in a Lutheran 
 church. As we were returning from the church, 
 it was remarked, " that if God is as well pleas- 
 ed with you, as the people are with your preach- 
 ing, you are better off than most people in the 
 world." From here I went to Middlebrook, 
 and preached there, and thence towards Green- 
 brier, not far from the ITatural Bridge, on my 
 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY QF 
 
 way to attend to the following quarterly meet- 
 ings, viz., one at Bro. Sites' ; one near 'New 
 Market, at Bro. Lauman's ; one at Bro. Blind's. 
 After this I returned home. 
 
 CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 SPIRITUALLY BLIND DEALERS IN THEOLOGY. 
 
 After harvest, I held a camp meeting six 
 miles above Harrisonburg, Rockingham county, 
 Va., on the grounds of Bro. Hoffman. Bros. 
 Christian Troub, John Brown, Henry Butner, 
 " Thomas the white coat,'' — with a number of 
 other preachers, assisted in holding it. "When 
 I arrived on the ground, the brethren were 
 much discouraged, because there w^ere not more 
 aged preachers to officiate. They said, ''they 
 thought, the meeting could not be held by 
 young preachers." Their hands were hanging 
 down. Under such discouraging appearances, 
 I took the stand, and called the congregation 
 together. But few of them left their tents — ■ 
 the most remaining in them. I commenced 
 the meeting by preaching. I told the people 
 not to place their hopes in men, and encouraged 
 them to put their trust in God. I stated, that 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. t)8 
 
 I was by no means discouraged, that my trust 
 was in the God of Israel. If he would assist 
 with his power, all would turn out well. There 
 was little, if any, singing or praying heard on 
 the ground that night. 
 
 ISText morning at 10 o'clock, it was put upon 
 me to preach again. Some of the brethren 
 followed Avith exhortation. But things contin- 
 ued to wear a gloomy cast — there was no ap- 
 pearance of a shower, as yet. There was a 
 death like calm, no apparent motion. But it 
 was a calm, similar to that which precedes a 
 hurricane. 
 
 After dinner, I requested some of the breth- 
 ren to come into the preachers' tent, and pray 
 to God for help, and so they did. Shortly af- 
 ter this, we commenced prayer meeting in the 
 tent, and ^ve mourners came out for prayer. 
 They were then taken out of the tent, into the 
 altar, near the preachers' stand. During sing- 
 ing and prayer, until preaching time arrived, a 
 number of mourners were added to those al- 
 ready in distress. The excitement began to 
 spread over the ground, like the rising of a 
 water flood, propelled forward by a storm of 
 wind, still rising more powerfully and carrying 
 before it all in its way. When preaching time 
 
04 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 arrived, there was no need further to press the 
 people to come into the congregation ; they 
 came out simultaneously. Preaching and ex- 
 hortation were then continued in German and 
 English. The w^ord was attended with power, 
 and fell, like showers of hail, upon a corn field, 
 cutting down all before it. The people were 
 pricked to the heart. Many of the "elite,'' to- 
 gether with the common people, were brought 
 to the foot of the cross. The mingling of 
 sounds, such as, singing — praying — exhorting 
 — mourning — shouting — together with the sight 
 of sipners prostrated — mourners converted — 
 new converts jumping for joy — saints rejoicing 
 — preachers giving glory to God ; afforded a 
 pleasing sight and sensation, to all who went 
 in for propogating the cause of God, and de- 
 stroying the works of the devil, in this way. 
 
 I am aware, that such religious exercises do 
 not meet with the approbation of all kinds of 
 people. There are some honest, good meaning 
 persons, who do not see into such things as 
 many others do. "We, therefore, pass them by 
 with our best wishes. But there is another race 
 of beings in creation, whose eyes are blinded by 
 the god of this world, whom we cannot pass by, 
 without some notice. They claim to be the ex- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 05 
 
 elusive benefuctors of mankind, and hail, as 
 they speak, a new order of things, by which, 
 according to their views, the world is to be re- 
 generated by a religion and philosophy of their 
 own make, consisting in outward forms and 
 demonstrations upon the subject of religion. 
 Such things as gospel power and outward expres- 
 sions of religious feelings, they discard as being 
 the work of the devil, and call it fanaticism and 
 heresy. Ko doubt, '' they are the people, and 
 wisdom will die with them." But after all the 
 declamations and ostentatious display made by 
 these spiritually blind dealers in religion against 
 such things, the gospel power still moves on m 
 the good old way. 
 
 At a Union camp meeting, a certain would 
 be theologian of this stamp, alluding to such re- 
 ligious exercises, in his public vociferations, ex- 
 claimed, " I wish that God would banish this 
 damnable heresy from the face of the earth." 
 He was not, however, the first blind leader of the 
 blind, who gave utterance to such sentiments. 
 Such spiritually blind ''quacks" in religious mat- 
 ters existed and figured in the Church long be- 
 fore he was ushered into existence. The apostol- 
 ic age was pregnant with such theorists ; men, 
 who were mere pretenders, "traitors, heady, 
 
66 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lov- 
 ers of God ; having a form of godliness, but 
 denying the power thereof; .ever learning and 
 never able to come to the knowledge of the 
 truth." From " such," said Paul to Timothy, 
 "turn away," And their father, the devil, has 
 continued with them through their progeny, 
 hlindhig their inielleciual powers, down to the pres- 
 ent day. 
 
 Others there are, who are in favor of getting 
 souls converted in such a nice, smooth way, that 
 no body is to know any thing about it ; no, not 
 even the subjects themselves. An observance 
 of lifeless forms in religion is recommended, as 
 a criterion by which to judge, whether they are 
 " born again " or not. By such means, souls 
 are hushed up and '^ quieted " into a state of ig- 
 norant notions respecting their salvation, and if 
 not brou£:ht out of this condition by spibitual 
 POWEB, will be lost in the end ; and God will re- 
 quire their loss at the hands of such a ministry. 
 
 But we need not go out of the range of our 
 own Church to find " preachers," who show an 
 inkling towards insipid /o?'m5 in religion. There 
 are some who, after their professed conversion 
 to God, if they ever were converted, could stand, 
 and kneel around a mourner's bench; sing— pray 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 67 
 
 — and talk with mourners, &c. ; but now, under 
 the influence of worldly elements, are seeking 
 popularity out of the good old track. They go in 
 for " still bor7i children,'' fearing that anew birth 
 through the old way, accompanied wdth a few 
 shouts, might look too much like a roiv in the 
 eyes of "big folks." In many instances, at 
 meetings, when sinners become convicted, these 
 modern refiners in theology, instead of inviting 
 them out to the mourner's bench, as they should 
 do, break up the meeting — fearing there might 
 be too much noise ! 
 
 It would appear, that such preachers have for- 
 gotten, that mankind are constituted of the 
 same ''material" as they were in olden times, 
 subject to diabolical influences, and that, when 
 the devil is about to be driven out of a person, 
 he " rends him sore," before he leaves the castle. 
 The spiritual conflict going on in the heart of 
 the sinner, at the time, produces deep contor- 
 tions. It not only causes the tear to flow, but 
 also afiiicts the soul, cutting and rending it, 
 like the case recorded in the gospel : " And 
 they brought him unto him : and he fell on the 
 ground and wallowed, foaming," Mark 9 : 20, 
 and " Jesus rebuked the foul spirit and it came 
 out of him." Now, when the sinner is thus 
 
08 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 made whole, it is by no means surprising, con- 
 sidering tlie great change produced within him, 
 that he should leap forth, and praise his deliver- 
 er. But those would be new light divines, 
 dressed up in every new changiJig worldly fashion, 
 appear to have lost sight of the fact, that it 
 takes the same '■'modus operandi'' to drive the 
 devil out of a sinner's heart now, as it did in 
 former times. They try to get sinners convert- 
 ed in a more refined, world pleasing way, and 
 are endeavoring to bring into the Church a sys- 
 tem of " dry forms " in religious worship ; and 
 by such means, instead of furthering, they ob- 
 struct, the work of God. Such pretenders to 
 divinity ought to know, that in this day of gos- 
 pel light, the public lose confidence in them 
 and their moral harangues, and instead of bene- 
 fitting the Church, tliey become an injury to it. 
 But we must return to the camp meeting near 
 Harrisonburg, on brother Hoffman's ground. 
 Among the attendants at it, there was a Mr. 
 Rodes, a Mennonite preacher, who came there 
 for the express purpose of hearing and seeing 
 for himself, how these people carried on their 
 meetings. After becoming satisfied, he request- 
 ed me to go and tarry w^ith him at his house. 
 During my stay there, he said, " he had been 
 
IIEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 69 
 
 brought out of darkness into the light of the 
 Gospel in Otterbein's time, and that he had ex- 
 perienced that this was the work of the Lord ;" 
 exhorting me, at the same time, to continue on 
 in the good work, in the face of all opposition 
 whatsoever, and not to give way one inch. 
 To this advice I have continued to adhere. 
 
 On Sunday I preached in German. The 
 Methodist Presiding Elder, who attended the 
 camp, followed with a sermon in English. There 
 was a great deal of weeping in the congregation 
 that day. There were also a great many people 
 of color on the ground. I told them, " that 
 they should have three hours' liberty for their 
 religious exercises." After I came down from 
 the stand, a " Goliath "-like looking man, with 
 a heavy whip in his hand, took me roughly by 
 the arm, and said, " that I had subjected my- 
 self to a fine of twenty dollars for giving liberty 
 to the colored people." " I told him I was not 
 aware of having violated the Virginia laws — 
 that I was a Pennsylvanian — that 1 preached 
 the Bible doctrine, and that colored people had 
 as much need of the Gospel as either of us." 
 He still held fast to my arm, talking for some 
 time. At length a Magistrate came to where 
 we were standing, and after he became acquaint- 
 
70 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ed with the affair, said, addressing the man, 
 " This man thinks he understands Virginia 
 laws ; but, Sir, if you don't let go your hold on 
 the preacher, and cease further molestation, I 
 will teach you some law which you do not un- 
 derstand." He let go my arm, hung down his 
 head, and sneaked away. 
 
 The meeting continued six days, with great 
 outpourings of the Holy Spirit. At its close, 
 when about to leave the ground, a Mrs. Snyder 
 came to me, and said : 
 
 " Are you going away and to leave my hus- 
 band lying in the altar." I replied: 
 
 " I did not know of his situation." I went 
 to him as he was lying in the altar, and said : 
 
 "Snyder! I thought you were a religious 
 man long ago." He replied: 
 
 " I never got into the pool yet, although I 
 am a professor of religion." 
 
 We took him up, he being powerless, unable 
 to rise, and placed him in a wagon. As we 
 parted, addressing him, I said : " May be you 
 will get into the pool this time, before you get 
 home," and so it turned out. Before he got 
 home he got into the pool — was blest in the 
 wagon, and came out washed from his sins. 
 
 I will here relate a circumstance, the knowl- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 71 
 
 edge of which may be of use in curing the bite 
 of a snake. When we were about leaving the 
 camp, brother Troub, in search of his umbrella, 
 put his hand under the preachers' bed, when he 
 was bitten by a snake in his fore finger, which 
 caused him great pain — swelled much — the 
 finger and part of the hand turned blue in spots. 
 "We were at a loss for a remedy. Brother 
 Brown said, " he could cure him." Troub ex- 
 posed his naked arm. Brown took the arm in 
 his hand tightly ; he then commenced with his 
 closed hand rubbing Troub's arm from his 
 shoulder to his fingers. This he did three 
 times in succession. The pain left the arm, and 
 the swelling subsided. 'No other remedy was 
 used. The wound was cured. 
 
 After leaving the camp, we repaired to a union 
 camp meeting, held near l^ewtown, on Squire 
 Steckley's land. It being a union meeting, 
 there were Methodists, United Brethren, and 
 New light preachers attending it. Much union 
 — good feeling and spiritual blessings charac- 
 terized the exercises. There was a Col. Smith 
 on the ground, who said, " he had a man 
 of color, his coachman, who could outpreach 
 any man on the ground." I told him " we had 
 plenty of preachers here, but had no objection 
 
72 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 to hearing his ' coachman.' " The darkey took 
 the stand, and held forth in such strains of pow- 
 er and eloquence, that he astonished the natives. 
 The whole camp felt the force of his discourse. 
 It fell upon the audience like the rays of a hot 
 sun upon the icebergs, melting down hearts, and 
 causing tears to flow in all directions. It was 
 conceded by all parties, that he beat the field — 
 and so we said, Amen. 
 
 A circumstance occurred at this meeting, 
 which goes to show, that there are, at times, 
 impressions resting upon our minds, which, if 
 properly understood, would lead us from danger. 
 At the time the ground was being prepared for 
 the camp, Mr. Steckley and myself were looking 
 over it. I directed his attention to two trees, which 
 stood within the bounds of the encampment. 
 An impression rested upon my mind, that there 
 was some danger connected with them. One of 
 the trees was a large hickory, standing at the 
 head of the camp ground, where^ in time of 
 meeting, a great crowd of persons generally 
 gathered. I thought it should be cut down, 
 and requested Mr. Steckley to have it done. 
 To this request, he answered : 
 
 " There is no danger in that tree." I replied, 
 " We don't know^what might happen," ad- 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER 73 
 
 ding, " There will be a great crowd of people 
 collected where it stands." He said, pleasant- 
 
 " You are a curious sort of a man." I re- 
 joined, 
 
 " There appears to be danger in the tree. Let 
 it be cut down." To this he at length consent- 
 ed. After a few incisions were made in it with 
 the axe, it was discovered to be rotten inside 
 down to the ground, and was soon felled. We 
 were satisfied, that it could not much longer 
 have withstood a storm. I then requested him 
 to have the other tree, which stood near the 
 preachers' stand and the altar, removed also. 
 He smiling, replied, 
 
 " I don't think there is another man on the 
 ground but yourself, who apprehends any danger 
 whatever from that tree." I responded, 
 
 " If the devil could raise a wind with which 
 to blow Job's ^ house down,' and a storm at 
 sea, at the time Christ was in the ship, he might 
 also raise a storm with which to blow that tree 
 down, at the moment when likely to do the 
 most mischief." He replied, 
 
 " I wonder at you for having any fears about 
 that tree. It has withstood the storms of over 
 6 
 
74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 one hundred years, and can do the same for 
 ages yet to come." 
 
 And so the tree was left standing. On the 
 Sabbath forenoon, at the time Doctor Tilton, a 
 Methodist, was preaching, a sudden storm arose 
 from the North, and with strong winds, came 
 moving towards us. I saw its approach. Ap- 
 prehending danger near, I took my hat, left the 
 stand, and ran in a direction from the tree, in 
 case it should be blown down. The preacher 
 stctpped his discourse. The preachers in the 
 stand, with the people in the altar, seeing me 
 flee, and stimulated by my example, with rapid 
 and unmeasured strides, took the same course. 
 "We had scarcely got out of the way, when down 
 came the top of the tree, with a tremendous 
 crash, into the altar, and had we not done as we 
 did, there might have been many persons kill- 
 ed or maimed by its fall. 
 
 The foregoing occurrence starts a question, 
 upon which a few thoughts may be employed, 
 without transcending the limits of penetration, 
 viz : "Was it the devil or not, that raised the 
 storm which broke off the top of the tree ? and, 
 if so, "What object could behave had in view in 
 its accomplishment ? We answer the first 
 question in the affirmative. And in answer to 
 
REV. SAMUEL HtJBER. 75 
 
 the second question, we give it as our opinion, 
 that the devil stirred up the storm, for the pur- 
 pose of breaking up the camp meeting, or oth- 
 erwise doing injury to the people who had as- 
 sembled there to worship God. 
 
 First: because camp meetings are dangerous 
 elements to Satan's ways, inasmuch as through 
 them, there have heen, and still are, many of 
 his champions caught in the Gospel net. 
 
 Second: ever since "King Emanuel" has 
 opened the Gospel way of destroying the works 
 of the devil, and using men as instruments for 
 that purpose, it is well known by both men and 
 devils, that a true, converted preacher, (7iot a 
 mere pretender) is by no means a friend, but an ir- 
 reconcilable opponent of the devil, by proclaim- 
 ing Christ and him crucified, &c., &c. ISTow, in- 
 asmuch as the old serpent is at interminable war 
 with such things, and makes use of all ways and 
 means in his power to counteract them, therefore, 
 we think, that it is not out of latitude to sup- 
 pose, inasmuch as he is spoken of in Scripture, as 
 having raised a " ivind which blew Job's house 
 down," and is styled " the prince of the pow- 
 er of the air," Ephesians 2: 2, that he would 
 raise a storm, to injure the camp meeting by 
 the falling of a tree, and if that tree top had 
 
76 AUTOBIOORAPIIY OF 
 
 fallen on the people, it certainly would have 
 clone much injury, by killing, or maiming some, 
 of them, and, by that means, there might have 
 been a few preachers, as well as people, put out 
 of his way, and the camp broken up, and the 
 good that was done at it prevented. 
 
 But, inasmuch as we do not hold the devil to 
 be omniscient, to be able to know and see 
 whatsoever cometh to pass, he is frequently dis- 
 appointed. In this case there was a counter- 
 acting influence to his movements exercised at 
 the time, through the impression made upon 
 our mind, respecting the danger connected with 
 the trees ; and, by this means, Satan was foiled 
 in his measures. 'Now we have no direct proof 
 in " holy writ," that Satan did actually raise the 
 " wind," which blew down "the house of Job." 
 But we infer it to be so, from the fact, that God 
 put "Job's possessions into his hands," at the 
 time ; Satan having power to use such elements 
 as suited his purpose. It is also the opinion of 
 some thinkers^ that the devil raised the storm at 
 sea, when Christ was in the ship, thereby in- 
 tending to destroy him and his companions in 
 the deep. 
 
 After taking this summary view of the sub- 
 ject, we oj)me^ that the devil raised the storm at 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 77 
 
 this camp meeting, for the purpose aforemen- 
 tioned. But, if the reader thinks otherwise, he 
 is perfectly at liberty to do so. People will 
 have their own notions about " the devil and 
 some of his doings," at any rate. 
 
 At the time I carried on the tailoring business, 
 there was in my employ, an intelligent young 
 widow, a Fresbyterian, of good moral character, 
 and a good seamstress. She would frequently 
 advance Calvinistic doctrines, in the course of 
 argument. On one occasion, I asked her, 
 
 " Jane : Do you know whether you are one 
 of the elect, or a reprobate ?" She answered, 
 
 " I don't know. It is not our business to 
 know that." I rejoined, 
 
 " Then you run a great risk, by not knowing 
 your spiritual state." She answered, 
 
 " Our business is to do right, by living a re- 
 ligious life, unconcerned about Election or 
 Reprobation." I said, 
 
 " A true Christian knows where he is going, 
 and if you get religion, you will not believe 
 Calvin's doctrine any longer." 
 
 After this she began to pray in secret, as she 
 afterwards told me. So one day, as she was 
 sitting on the shop-board at her work, with my 
 daughter, she sprang from her seat, jumping — 
 
78 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 shoutiug through the house, until she fell down 
 upon the floor, to the utter surprise of the fam- 
 ily. I was absent at the time. When I came 
 home, I looked at her, and seeing she had such 
 a pleasant countenance, she began to cry out, 
 " Glory — Glory — I have got religion. I was 
 born shouting, and I hope to die shouting." 
 
 A few years after this, she was brought to 
 her death-bed. I visited her shortly before her 
 death. When there, she asked me : 
 
 "Did you see that light in the room." I 
 said, 
 
 "ITo!" She replied, 
 
 " I see it as plainly as the sun," and request- 
 ed me to sing and pray with her once more. 
 After prayer, she shouted, Glory ! Glory ! and 
 expired, in fulfilment of the hope she expressed 
 at her spiritual birth to " die shouting." ■ 
 
 Brother Henry Clippinger, in relating to me 
 his experience, said : 
 
 " I was a member of a certain Church in 
 Shippensburg, and being an Elder in it, I con- 
 sidered myself a pretty good Christian. At one 
 time I went to hear the Eev. Mr. Habliston 
 preach. I paid great attention to what he said. 
 So, w^hen he began to preach, I began to weep, 
 not knowing why I should do so, as I consider- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 79 
 
 ed myself good enough. It made me feel mucli 
 ashamed of myself, to tliink, that, an old pro- 
 fessor of religion as I was, should shed tears. I 
 held my handkerchief over my face, fearing the 
 people would see me cry, and call me an old wo- 
 man. I therefore concealed my tears, as much 
 as possible. Afterwards, on my way home, it 
 being an intensely cold night, the tears, rolling 
 down my cheeks, froze into two cakes of ice 
 on them. When I got home, I had to thaw 
 them at the stove. While doing so, my wife 
 came to me, much alarmed, thinking that I was 
 almost frozen to death. 
 
 I went to bed weeping. My wife thought I 
 was dying. I continued in prayer for mercy, 
 having found out by this time, that my profess- 
 ed religion consisted in vague notions. After 
 thus praying for some time in bed, the good 
 Lord broke down all my old unsound religious 
 fabrics, and gave me a new and true religion, — 
 converting my soul. Such was my extacy of 
 joy, that I asked my wife. Whether the roof 
 had been taken from off the house, inasmuch 
 as it appeared to me that I could see clear up 
 to heaven. After this, my wife and family be- 
 came converted to God, and are now moving 
 Zion-ward in a living spiritual way. 
 
80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 It lias often been asked, Whether a person 
 can get converted by hearing a sermon in a lan- 
 guage which he does not understand ? I^Tow, as 
 a general rule, the question will be answered in 
 the negative. For, to convince a sinner of the 
 error ot his ways, and point him to the proper 
 remedy, it is necessary to instruct him in words 
 and language such as he can understand. To 
 speak to him in an " unknown tongue," is like 
 speaking "into the air," because he under- 
 stands it not. Hence it is important, that he 
 should understand the language spoken, in or- 
 der to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 
 From this, we infer, that, as a general rule, 
 souls cannot be converted under preaching in a 
 language which they do not understand. 
 
 But general rules have their exceptions. This 
 is the case with the present one. The truth of 
 this, was fully illustrated by an incident which 
 occurred in my house. At one time, when a 
 brother was preaching in the German language, 
 an English Eoman Catholic young woman was 
 present. She became convicted of sin under 
 his preaching, and got converted before the 
 close of the meeting. I then asked her, why it 
 was, that she, being English, and having fre- 
 quently heard preaching in that language, did 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 81 
 
 not get religion before this ; but now, under a 
 sermon in German, which she did not under- 
 stand, she became convicted of sin. She repli- 
 ed, that the power she felt under the preaching 
 convinced her, that the preacher was a man of 
 God, and this fact brought her to reflection, by 
 means of which she became convicted, and 
 sought and found the Lord. Thus we see, that 
 God labors for the salvation of souls by ways 
 and means, of which the philosophy of the world 
 never dreams. Glory be to his name for free 
 grace and salvation ! 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 
 CAMP MEETING ON OVERCASH's LAND — FETTERHOFF'S 
 CHAPEL — FUNKSTOWN. 
 
 After I had returned home from the camp 
 meeting held on Mr. Steckley's ground, I held 
 another camp meeting on brother Overcash's 
 premises, near the head of the Falling Spring, 
 Franklin county. Pa. At this meeting there 
 was not that apparent display of God's power, 
 which was manifested on some other occasions. 
 Several preachers left the ground discouraged, 
 saying there could be nothing done here. There 
 
82 AUTOBIOaRAPHY OF 
 
 was, however, some moving of the Spirit. It 
 was what may be called, a good camp meeting. 
 But, inasmuch as the Lord has his way in the 
 " calm" as well as in the " storm," he frequent- 
 ly withholds from his faithful ministry the im- 
 mediate effects of their preaching. Evidence of 
 this was had in the case of this meeting. One 
 year subsequent to it, at a quarterly meeting 
 held at Fetterhoff's Chapel, a number of per- 
 sons, in relating their religious experience, da- 
 ted their conversions from the preaching at this 
 camp meeting. Thus are the Scriptures fulfill- 
 ed. " The seed cast upon good ground brings 
 forth, some sixty, some an hundred fold," al- 
 though it may remain in the ground for a 
 length of time before it springs up. 
 
 At another quarterly meeting, held in Fetter- 
 hoff's Chapel, there were twelve converted to 
 the true faith. The preachers who assisted at 
 this time, were brothers J. Kessler, F. Gilbert, 
 Samuel Cook. 
 
 FuNKSTOWN, a village a few miles distant from 
 the Chapel, was at that time considered, in a 
 religious respect, a hard place. There were, it 
 is true, some cold religious professors, and a 
 few warm ones, residing in and about the vil- 
 lage. But, in general, wickedness carried the 
 
HEV. SAMUEL HUBEK. S'6 
 
 day. Proof of this was given prior to this time 
 at a religious revival meeting, held by the 
 Methodists, in a union meeting house, in that 
 place. Some of the devil's advocates, in their 
 hostility towards such meetings, upset the stove, 
 with fire in it, during the time of meeting. 
 
 Such things, as sinners praying audibly in the 
 church for mercy — getting religion — shouting, 
 &c., were looked upon by the major part of the 
 people, as being the works of the devil, which 
 should not be tolerated ; and, what made the 
 matter worse, there were some clerical gentry, 
 who, assuming to be Christ's ministers — claim- 
 ing to be the wisdom of the age — but not know- 
 ing the power of God themselves, — came among 
 the people, and cried out in no measured terms 
 against this sort of wild fire fanatical religion, 
 
 In view of such a state of things in that 
 neighborhood, it was thought necessary by some 
 of our brethren, that another attack (the breth- 
 ren having preached there before) should be 
 made upon Satan's forces there, and a few 
 rounds of grape and canister shot, in theologi- 
 cal style, sent into their ranks. It was asked, 
 " How many preachers will come to Funkstown, 
 to hold a meeting?" Brother J. Kessler, E. 
 
84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Hoffman and myself agreed to go. We went 
 and held a meeting, at which, time God blessed 
 his word in the conversion of two souls, and no 
 doubt many more were brought to feel the in- 
 fluence of Gospel power. 
 
 This may be regarded as the beginning of 
 United Brethrenism in that place. Since that 
 time, the Church has increased in members 
 there. The Brethren have built a church of 
 their own. The former prejudices, which exist- 
 ed against their mode of worship, have mostly 
 died away. At a protracted meeting held there 
 last fall by brother J. M. Bishop, preacher in 
 charge, assisted by W. Owens and J. Denig, 
 Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Ger- 
 man Reformed, Methodists, with some others, 
 in all members of seven different religious de- 
 nominations, partook together of the Sacrament 
 of the Lord's Supper in the United Brethren 
 church. 
 
 At one of my regular appointments in 
 Plough's school house, one Sunday morning, 
 towards the close of my sermon, my brother 
 Benjamin's son Samuel, rose up in the congre- 
 gation, and said, 
 
 " I want to tell the people, that I now intend 
 to serve God, and lead a new life." I replied, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 85 
 
 " I wish there were more in the house, who 
 would come out in the same way." 
 
 We then kneeled in prayer. When we rose 
 up, nine persons remained on their knees, cry- 
 ing aloud for mercy. We continued to labor 
 with them until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 
 We then closed the meeting until evening, re- 
 questing all who wished to get religion, to come 
 out then. In the evening the house was crowd- 
 ed to overflowing. Eleven mourners came out 
 for prayer, some of whom, obtained the blessing 
 that night. We then appointed another prayer 
 meeting for the following Wednesday evening, 
 at my brother Abraham's house. At this meet- 
 ing, another of the former eleven mourners was 
 blessed, and during the same week, eight out of 
 the eleven obtained peace. 
 
 At a camp meeting held in Pleasant Valley, 
 not far from Boonsboro, Md., while I was de- 
 livering an exhortation, the power of God came 
 upon me in such a manner, that I became pow- 
 erless, and fell backward on the stand, and laid 
 there a short time. This circumstance gave 
 rise to a report, that I had been struck dead, by 
 the power of God, as a judgment upon me, be- 
 ing a false prophet, and that I was buried under 
 the preacher's stand, in order to conceal it from 
 
86 AUTOBIOGllAPHY OF 
 
 the public. Futile as sucli a report was, it ob- 
 tained currency throughout the country, and 
 was hailed with eagerness and delight, by the 
 enemies of true religion, and propagated from 
 the pulpit, and from behind tables, at religious, 
 and other meetings, with a view to prejudice 
 the people against us, and prevent them from 
 coming to our meetings. 
 
 One year after this, I attended another camp 
 meeting on the same ground. When I arrived 
 there, which was in the evening, the Presiding 
 Elder said to me, " That, as the report of my 
 death and burial was believed by, and still fresh 
 in the memory of, many in the congregation, I 
 should keep off the stand until a brother was 
 done preaching, and then surprize the people by 
 suddenly appearing before them." According- 
 ly, I remained concealed until the brother had 
 finished his discourse, when I rose up suddenly 
 on the stand, and with arms and hands uplifted, 
 looked quietly on the people for a short time. 
 I then cried out : 
 
 '' Here is the man who was said to be dead, 
 and buried ! He has risen again." 
 
 At this, many of those who had circulated 
 the evil report, looked as if they were thunder- 
 struck, and gazed with consternation, as though 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 87 
 
 one had really risen from the dead. I then 
 gave them some hard shots^ on the subject of 
 raising and circulating false reports. 
 
 In order to shov7, in what manner God some- 
 times brings sinners from the error of their 
 ways unto himself, I will relate a case, as stated 
 to me by brother Samuel Enterline, member of 
 the United Brethren Pennsylvania Annual Con- 
 ference. 
 
 "I was travelling," said he, "through part of 
 Schuylkill county, Pa. When I came towards 
 the foot of Broad Mountain, intending to cross 
 it before night, a heavy rain came up, by which 
 I was completely drenched. Being w^et to the 
 skin, and not wishing to proceed on my route 
 through the rain, fearing also, that I could not 
 cross the mountain before dark, I began to look 
 out for some farm house at which to stay over 
 night. I espied one, some distance from my 
 route. I turned my horse towards it, and soon 
 found myself in front of the dwelling. Kiding 
 up to the door, the owner presented himself. 
 I inquired of him : 
 
 " Can you give me lodging in your house to- 
 night ? " He answered, inquiringly, 
 
 " I don't know. Where are you bound for?" 
 I responded, 
 
88 autobioCtRaphy of 
 
 "I am Oft my way over the mountain, and 
 intended to cross it before night. But, as it is 
 raining so hard, I prefer making a halt until 
 morning.'* He replied, 
 
 " You look like a preacher. Are you one?" 
 1 answered, 
 
 "I try to preach sometimes." He said, ad- 
 dressing his wife, 
 
 " Well, wife ! what say you about giving 
 this man quarters to-night ?" She answered, 
 
 " I don't know how we can entertain him. 
 We never kept a preacher over night." I said, 
 
 " That is no reason why you should not give 
 me lodging. I can pay for it." She replied, 
 
 " We are not prepared to keep strangers. 
 Our accommodations are not suitable for preach- 
 ers." I responded, 
 
 " As to that, I can sleep upon a bench, and 
 am willing to take things as they are. It does 
 not require much attention, to give me a night's 
 lodging." 
 
 This ended the preliminaries, and I assure 
 you, I felt somewhat relieved from the fear of 
 a night's adventure in the woods, when I heard 
 her say, 
 
 " Well, alight from your horse, and come into 
 the house out of the rain. We will do the best 
 for you we can." 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 89 
 
 Without further interlocution, I dismounted 
 and went into the house. After some short 
 time spent in conversation with the members of 
 the family, mine host said, inquiringly, 
 
 " Suppose I send out an appointment for you 
 to preach in my house to-night. "Will you 
 preach for us ?" I answered, 
 
 " I will try to do so." 
 
 And so matters went on. The appointment 
 was sent out. It being such a rainy evening, 
 however, none came to it, save the family ; so 
 that my congregation consisted of the host, his 
 wife, and several grown up sons and daughters. 
 I asked the farmer for a Bible. He said, " he 
 had none in the house." After some time 
 spent in searching in cupboard corners, he 
 brought me a few leaves of a worn out Lutheran 
 hymn book, and a ragged scrap of an old sermon, 
 which, together with a few school books, made 
 up his library. 
 
 The congregation being seated, mine host 
 placed a chair just in front of the table, from 
 behind which I was to hold forth. He seated 
 himself upon it, and fronted me with eyes 
 staring in my face, as if he never before had 
 seen a preacher. So I gave out a hymn, sung 
 and prayed ; and then took a text and com- 
 7 
 
90 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 
 
 menced to preach. By the time I had got about 
 the middle of my discourse, the old sinner in 
 front of me gave way, and fell from his chair on 
 the floor, bawling out: " I must die ! I must die !" 
 &c. The rest of the family became alarmed, and 
 looked with consternation, as if old Nick had got 
 into the room. His wife took hold of him, not 
 knowing what was the matter, nor what to do, 
 trying to lift him up. I told her to let him 
 alone ; that he was not going to die then, but 
 was under conviction. I would pray for him. 
 By this time he had got upon his knees. I 
 kneeled down and prayed in his behalf. He 
 continued in agony, crying for mercy. This 
 lasted about two hours. At length, he fell from 
 his knees upon his back, and lay as if dead. — 
 The family concluded, that he was dead, sure 
 enough. While he was lying in this condition, 
 I sung a hymn : " There is joy in heaven," &c. 
 "While singing, he opened his eyes — looked at 
 me — crying out, " I've got religion ! I've got 
 religion !" He then sprang to his feet, caught 
 me in his arms, and after giving me almost " a 
 hear squeeze,'' fell to the floor, taking me with 
 him. After he became settled, he arose and 
 exhorted his family to seek the Lord, and since 
 that time, that family have all been converted 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 91 
 
 and are moving Zion-ward." And it was just 
 in this way, that the good Lord commenced a 
 work of grace in these parts. 
 
 CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 riRST UNITED BRETHREN PREACHING IN CHAMBERS- 
 BURG, FRANKLIN COUNTY, PA. 
 
 A few years before there were any members of 
 the Church of the United Brethren in Christ re- 
 siding in Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pa., 
 brothers John Crider, Jacob Wingert, and my- 
 self, frequently preached in that place. At first 
 we preached in brother Braiser's house, to more 
 hearers than the house could hold, many listen- 
 ing outside, for want of room within. Some 
 time after this, in the year 1818 or 1819, father 
 John Oaks, a United brother, had settled with 
 his family in Chambersburg, and wanted preach- 
 ing in his house. I then preached alternately 
 there and at Braiser's. In a short time these 
 houses could not contain the people, who would 
 come out to hear the preaching. At one of 
 these meetings held in father Oaks' house, the 
 Spirit of God came upon the people, like the 
 " rushing of a mighty wind." Many of them 
 felt the power of God, in a manner they had not 
 
92 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 experienced it before. There was one gener- 
 al move among them at that time, some shout- 
 ing, leaping and praising God for his mercy, in 
 filling their hearts with his love, joy, and peace. 
 I felt heaven upon earth within me. Upon the 
 whole, we had a glorious meeting. Before dis- 
 missing the people, I stated, that, if any persons 
 present wished to unite together as one body, 
 to serve the Lord, an opportunity would be 
 afforded them to do so. Twenty-six persons 
 came forward, and attached themselves to the 
 Church of the United Brethren in Christ at that 
 time. This was the origin of United Brethren- 
 ism in Chambersburg. 
 
 I then made an appointment for a meeting, 
 to be held, in two weeks following, at brother 
 Braiser's, at 10 o'clock, A. M., and also at night. 
 At the time appointed, I preached there to a 
 large congregation. Many not being able to 
 get into the house, the adjoining alley was fill- 
 ed with people. 
 
 Next morning brother Braiser and myself 
 held a consultation upon the necessity of build- 
 ing a church for our denomination. He at first 
 smiled at the idea of raising money to build 
 another church in Chambersburg, since there 
 were so many churches in it already. I told 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. V6 
 
 him to get up a subscription paper for that pur- 
 pose. I would make the start and see what 
 could be done. To this, after some hesitation, 
 he agreed. After receiving the paper, I raised 
 by subscription about $500, from residents in 
 the Main street. Brothers Braiser and Flinder 
 afterwards raised on the saroe subscription list, 
 about $200 more. A house of worship was 
 then erected, in which brother John Crider and 
 myself preached alternately, every four weeks, 
 in the German language. The congregation, 
 at that time, was mostly German. And be it 
 remembered, that the Church of the United 
 Brethren in Christ in Chambersburg, was first 
 established by the German Local Preachers. ""^-Z,- 
 Subsequent to this, brother John Crider, with 
 several other local preachers, and myself, sup- 
 plied the congregation with German preaching 
 every two weeks, alternately, for the space of 
 about four years. The Church was then taken 
 into the Circuit, and the congregation supplied 
 w^ith English and German preaching by the 
 Circuit preachers. 
 
 Somewhere about this time, brother Hablis- 
 ton, J. Wingert and Palmer, assisted me in 
 holding a protracted meeting in Chambersburg. 
 The work of the Lord broke out in a powerful 
 
94 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 manner. The meeting continued about one 
 week, during which time the mourners' bench 
 was crowded with the slain. Old and young 
 came to it, wrestling in prayer upon their knees, 
 many of whom were healed, and went on their 
 .way rejoicing, leading a new life. But since 
 that time, it was remarked by brother A. 0., in 
 Conference, in relation to this Church, that, "if 
 the German preaching had continued as it had 
 begun, it would have been better, but at pres- 
 ent, it would be better to dispense with it alto- 
 gether." Being present at that Conference, 
 such an announcement as this went deep into 
 my heart. ''"What !" thought I, " is it possi- 
 ble, that German preaching is no longer needed, 
 nor wanted in Chambersburg ? Are there no 
 Germans there, who need the word of life?" 
 
 The above reflections induced me to call upon 
 brother David Oaks. I said to him, " There 
 must be a great change in the Church, since I 
 was here last." He inquired, " Why so ?" I 
 rej)eated to him in substance, what brother A. 
 0. had said in Conference, that " it would be 
 better not to have German preaching in the 
 Brethren Church." He replied, that, "if we 
 had the right kind of German preachers, it would 
 do." I requested him to make an appointment 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 95 
 
 for me, which he did. At the time appointed, 
 I attended, in company with brother D. Funk- 
 houser. There was a large congregation, com- 
 posed of members of different denominations, 
 waiting to hear German preaching. Accord- 
 ingly, I preached in that language, after which, 
 brother Funkhouser followed with a German 
 exhortation. After the meeting was closed, 
 brother D. Oaks remarked, that, " there could 
 not be collected a more respectable congrega- 
 tion in Franklin county, than the one that had 
 been assembled." Brother Funkhouser and 
 myself continued to preach alternately to the 
 congregation in German for about eight years, 
 during which time a number of German fami- 
 lies united with it, until the commencement of 
 brother B. Eaber's administration over it. He 
 preaches in German and in English. All this 
 goes to show, that brother A. O.'s opinion re- 
 specting German preaching here, was wide of 
 the mark, and proves to a demonstration, the 
 inconsistency of judging such matters accord- 
 ing to his own notions. 
 
 The annexed statement was furnished me by 
 brother David Oaks : 
 
 " In the year 1822 or 1823, in consequence of 
 the increase of members in the congregation of 
 
9G AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, 
 in Chambersburg, (corresponding with brother 
 Huber's prior statement) a house of worship was 
 erected on south Second street. To aid in 
 building it, some of the brethren from the coun- 
 try, came with their teams, hauling stone, lum- 
 ber, &c. The first Trustees were, Henry Flin- 
 der, Samuel Huber and John Oaks, Sr. Sam- 
 uel Huber is yet a Trustee. It is now thirty- 
 five years since the church was occupied. In 
 the year 1852, the old church was taken down, 
 and a larger one erected in its place. The num- 
 ber of members continued to increase, and the 
 congregation now numbers nearly two hundred 
 members. In the course of the time elapsed, 
 many have been converted, a number of whose 
 spirits now swell the happy triumphs of creating 
 and redeeming love, and bask in the sunshine 
 of eternal day." 
 
 At the time brother John Russel was station- 
 ed in Baltimore, on one occasion I paid him a 
 visit. There were present six German preach- 
 ers, one of whom had been a Roman Catholic 
 priest, but had come out from Babylon. A re- 
 ligious meeting being in progress in the Otter- 
 bein church at the time, preaching and exhor- 
 tation were had every evening, and on Sunday 
 
B,EV. SAMUEL HTTBER. 97 
 
 morning at 10 o'clock, in the German language. 
 The word was sealed with the approbation of 
 the Holy Spirit. It flew like shot sent into a 
 flock of pigeons, killing and maiming many. 
 Deep and pungent were the convictions wrought 
 in some, whilst others were quickened by it. 
 From twenty to thirty mourners presented 
 themselves every night at the mourners' bench, 
 soliciting prayer in their behalf It was like 
 unto the " day of Pentecost ;" some falling 
 down, imploring mercy — others shouting victo- 
 ry, having got through the pangs of the new 
 birth — Christians praising God for all his bene- 
 fits towards them, whilst others gazed on with 
 astonishment. 
 
 Amongst those who came out, seeking par- 
 don, were old gray headed sinners, who had 
 been slaves to their father, the devil, during their 
 past lives. It was a heart-cheering sight to 
 God's people, to behold these old sinners, some 
 of them with walking stafi*s in their hands 
 trembling under age and infirmity, with totter- 
 ing step3 making their way to, and kneeling at, 
 the mourners' bench. One old man, with a 
 stafiF in each hand, came bending forward and 
 fell upon his knees in agony, weeping and pray- 
 ing, until he was blest. Wonderful are the 
 
98 AUTOBIOGRAPHY QF 
 
 mercies of God, in the conversion of old sin- 
 ners ! 
 
 A Roman Catholic young woman attended 
 the meeting, whose heart the Spirit of God 
 reached. She became deeply convicted of her 
 sins. In this state of feeling, she came to the 
 mourners' bench one evening, seeking pardon. 
 She did not, however, receive the blessing at 
 that time. In her distress, she afterwards went 
 to the priest, as I was told, confessing her sins, 
 and gave him one dollar to pardon them. He 
 pronounced them pardoned ; but her load of guilt 
 still remained upon her heart. She came out 
 again to the bench, continuing in prayer ; when 
 the Great High Priest, Jesus of ITazareth, seal- 
 ed the pardon to her soul. She sprang up from 
 her knees, shouting, " There is none but Je- 
 sus ; none but Jesus can pardon sin." She 
 went through the congregation, exhorting her 
 companions to flee to Jesus for pardon, and not 
 to the priest ; as she had tried him, and he had 
 done her no good. Next day when in company 
 with some of her Catholic sisters, she gave vent 
 to her happy feelings by singing hymns. One 
 of them remarked, 
 
 " Why ! you seem to be very happy. "What 
 makes you so ?" She replied : 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 99 
 
 " Yes, this is the happiest day I ever spent in 
 my life. Jesns has pardoned my sins. Oh ! 
 Jane, if you want to be happy, come to Jesus. 
 He forgave me my sins, without money or price. 
 You can get the same kind of blessing, if you 
 will go to the Protestant meeting, and pray to 
 God." 
 
 That evening she brought Jane to the meet- 
 ing, who also obtained true religion, and went 
 forth, leaping and praising her Saviour — ex- 
 horting sinners to flee the wrath to come. Many 
 souls were converted, most of whom were for- 
 eign Germans. They had left their " Father 
 Land " to inherit another country, and, by this 
 means, were made subjects of a kingdom, 
 whose boundaries extend beyond earth's cares, 
 and to which they have a title of inheritance, 
 provided they prove faithful to the end of their 
 earthly career. 
 
 The preacher, who had come out from among 
 the Romish priesthood, gave me the following 
 narrative : He said, 
 
 " I had been an ordained priest, in the city of 
 Rome, for seven years, during w^hich time I had 
 not READ the Bible, and knew but little of its 
 contents. At one time, when setting upon a 
 a bench in front of my house, a book pedlar 
 
100 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 came along, oiFering his articles for sale. — 
 Among them, I saw a pamphlet written by a 
 woman, who had been a Roman Catholic, but 
 had renounced Catholicism, and went to anoth- 
 er country, where she published the book. In 
 it, she gave a statement of her experience, and 
 why she renounced popery, and to prove that she 
 was correct in so doing, she made a number of 
 references to the Holy Scriptures. The reading 
 of this pamphlet created an anxiety in my mind 
 to read the Scriptures ; but not having them in 
 my possession, I went to the Bishop, requesting 
 the loan of a Bible. He gave me one, at the same 
 time, cautioning me not to read too much of it 
 at one time, fearing it would lead me astray, 
 and adding, it was a book to be read only by 
 the Bishops, such of them as were firmly estab- 
 lished in the doctrines of the Church. 
 
 After I received the Bible, and began to read 
 its contents, I became so much interested in its 
 precepts, that, without respect to the Bishop's 
 injunctions, I continued to peruse it almost day 
 and night, and by comparing my experience 
 and knowledge of Romanism with the Bible, I 
 was convinced, that the Church of Rome is the 
 antichrist spoken of in the Scripture. I besought 
 God for heavenly wisdom and knowledge. He 
 
EEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 101 
 
 imparted it to me. 1 found that peace, wliich 
 passetli understanding. I now saw plainly that 
 the Romish priests were not God's prophets, 
 and that they were in almost total darkness re- 
 specting the nature of true religion. God's 
 ministers receive their instructions from the 
 Bible and inspiration; but Romish priests de- 
 rive theirs from dogmas, authorizing creeds and 
 practices contrary to the precepts of the Bible. 
 Romanism makes no converts through convert- 
 ing grace. Its proselytes are made through 
 outward shows, such as splendid cathedrals — 
 churches — colleges, and other accessible insti- 
 tutions, fitted up with beauty and splendor to 
 please the eye. By such means mankind are 
 captivated and led astray from the truth of the 
 Bible, through the Roman Catholic Church. 
 
 In view of these things, I thought it my duty 
 to cry aloud against the errors of Popery. .1 
 called upon my brother-in-law, a Lutheran, and 
 informed him, of the change wrought in my 
 heart. I told him, that I intended to preach 
 against popery, and point out to the people the 
 great wrong done them by the priesthood, in 
 withholding the Scriptures from them. He ad- 
 vised me to keep quiet upon that subject ; for if 
 I spoke in that manner, ihe priests would soon 
 
102 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 put me out of the way. He, however, added, 
 that, if I felt it my duty to preach against the 
 errors of the Church, I should go to France, 
 where there was more liberty to preach among 
 the Protestants. 
 
 Accordingly, I left Eome, and the Eoman 
 Catholic Church, and went to France. After 
 arriving there, I sought acquaintance with Pro- 
 testant ministers — gave them my views respect- 
 ing Romanism — told them I intended to preach 
 against it, &c. I was informed, that, if I did so 
 in France, my preaching would be for a very 
 short time. The priests would soon give me 
 the quietus. They advised me to go to Eng- 
 land, and furnished me with proper recommen- 
 dations. 
 
 Seeing my way shut up here, I embarked for 
 England. After arriving there, I became a 
 member of the Methodist Church and a preacher 
 among them ; and being acquainted with six 
 different languages, I was sent by that Church 
 as a missionary to the heathen. When I arriv- 
 ed amongst them with my wife, they would not 
 permit us to come into their dwellings. I in- 
 quired of them, why they would not receive us ? 
 It was answered, that they themselves read the 
 Bible, and it spoke against lying, stealing, mur- 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 103 
 
 der, debauchery, and all such bad things, which 
 the Christians were always doing. From this, 
 they concluded, that they, the Christians, did 
 not believe the Bible, or they would not do such 
 bad things. Therefore, they did not want the 
 Christians to send missionaries amongst them, 
 to teach doctrines which they neither believe nor 
 lived up to themselves, alleging, that the heath- 
 en did not do such evil things, and could live 
 better without the missionaries, and so matters 
 stood. My wife and myself had to make our 
 bed during six months, under a white oak tree. 
 After this, we were permitted to live in a hut. 
 As I found, after three year's trial, that I could 
 do no good here, I left and returned to England. 
 From thence, I came to America." 
 
 Before I close this chapter, I will give an ac- 
 count of an old church, as it was related to me 
 by a Baltimorean. 
 
 There was an old Methodist church, located 
 in the city of Baltimore, in which the congrega- 
 tion worshipping there, had enjoyed many sea- 
 sons of spiritual refreshing from the presence 
 of the Lord. In the progress of time, as the 
 population, pride, and wealth of the city increas- 
 ed, it was thought by the " elite " of this con- 
 gregation, that the old church stood too far out 
 
104 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 of the way. It was inconvenient for the "par 
 excellence^'' and had become unpopular. A new 
 churcli should, therefore, be erected, more con- 
 tiguous to the dwellings of the higher classes. 
 To this the congregation should be removed, 
 and worship there, instead of in the old church. 
 It was also predicted at the same time, that 
 much more good would be accomplished by the 
 change. It did not enter into the brains of 
 those fashionable prophets, that the Lord has as 
 much regard for the unpopular and poor portion 
 of society, as he has for those who live in splen- 
 did houses. 
 
 Accordingly, a new church was erected in a 
 more popular and fashionable part of the city. 
 The con o-re oration removed from the old church 
 into the new one, to worship. But some how 
 or other, things would not move on right. 
 The preaching was powerless, exhortations dry, 
 prayer lifeless, and singing insipid, l^o stir, 
 w^hatever could be raised amongst the people, 
 when they met in the new church to worship. 
 The meetings concluded as they began, in a 
 dead form of worship, greatly to the discourage- 
 ment of the spiritual and living part of the con- 
 gregation. And thus matters went on. 
 
 During this time, there was an old local 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER* 105 
 
 preacher belonging to the same congregation, 
 living not far from the old church. He would 
 often call to his remembrance the good old 
 meetings he had experienced in it, and how he 
 had been blessed in preaching — in prayer and 
 class meetings. Along with this, he remember- 
 ed also the happy moments and joyful seasons, 
 which, in conjunction with his brethren, he " oft 
 times felt on Canaan's road," when worshipping 
 in the good old weather beaten church. Pon- 
 dering over these things, his heart felt bowed 
 down with sorrow, to think that these good old 
 fashioned religious meetings were n(5 longer in 
 continuance there. Influenced by such reflec- 
 tions, he thought he would go into the old do- 
 main by himself, and, in secret prayer, wait 
 upon the Lord, believing, that, as the Lord had 
 formerly revealed the arm of his power in it, 
 he had not forsaken the place, although the con- 
 ffreo-ation had done so. "With such views, he 
 obtained the key of the old chm*ch — went there 
 every evening for some time — knelt down in 
 the altar, and plead with God in secret prayer. 
 The people in the neighborhood, seeing him re- 
 sort to the church so frequently, became curious 
 to know what he was doing there. In order to 
 ascertain this, some of them followed, and dis- 
 8 
 
106 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 covering his object, went in with him, and en- 
 gaged in prayer also. Thus the number in- 
 creased from time to time, until the house be- 
 came filled with people. He then began to 
 preach to them, when a revival of religion broke 
 out, in which over one hundred souls were con- 
 verted to God in the old church during that 
 winter. So much for holding on in the good 
 old way. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 BUSn AND CAMP MEETINGS — TRAFEICERS EXPELLED. 
 
 Some years ago, we held a meeting near Reo- 
 mer's school house, on the Warm Spring road, 
 Franklin county, Pa. The Methodist and Uni- 
 ted Brethren union tents were set up together. 
 The meeting was appointed by brother Augus- 
 tus Bickly and Jeremiah Senseny. At their re- 
 quest, brother JaA)b Wingert and myself attend- 
 ed. Preaching commenced on Saturday evening, 
 and was continued on Sunday morning and at 
 night. At the 10 o'clock meeting on Monday 
 morning, one woman was brought under con- 
 viction, and soon obtained the blessing. In the 
 evening the work of God broke out in torrents 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBEE 107 
 
 of power. Seven mourners came to the benchj, 
 calling for mercy, most of whom got religion 
 that night. 
 
 The meeting was continued during the week. 
 On the following Sunday crowds of people at- 
 tended. I baptized three persons in the creek 
 not far from, the meeting ground. In the even- 
 ing preaching was continued. The work was 
 still in progress. Eighteen persons professed to 
 have passed from death unto life during this 
 meeting. At the close of the meeting, there 
 was deep religious feeling, which was expressed 
 in various ways ; some by means of rolling tears 
 — others with clapping of hands — some by 
 shouting, 'kc. Altogether, it was a scene of 
 thanksgiving for what the Head of the Church 
 had done for their souls. We parted, rejoicing 
 on our journey home. 
 
 At one time, in company with brother l^ew- 
 comer, I went to a camp meeting below York, 
 Pa., held on brother Hershinger's land. A 
 goodly number of old and young preachers at- 
 tended. The preachers came to this meeting 
 armed with the whole armor of God. Having 
 the " 7naterial," the grace of God in their hearts, 
 they sent forth firebrands and arrows in al- 
 most every direction. The power of God came 
 
108 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 01* 
 
 down like the cataract which thunders down the 
 Niagara, sweeping in its current all before it. 
 Sinners were cut to the heart. Some fell upon 
 the ground, crying aloud for mercy. Others 
 were groaning in agony, unable to express their 
 feelings. Some were shouting, and others look- 
 ing on with amazement, wondering at such pro- 
 ceedings. So great was the excitement one 
 night, that preaching was dispensed with* 
 Talking to the mourners — singing— and prayer 
 were continued during the night. The work 
 went on bravely. There the devil lost some of 
 his old gray-headed servants. Such are rare 
 cases to be sure. It is seldom that old harden- 
 ed sinners, after spending the greater part of 
 their time in the devil's service, get religion. 
 Nevertheless there are some who do. God's 
 mercy is not to be limited by man's compre- 
 hension. Deep and mysterious are the ways of 
 him, who " plants his footsteps in the sea and 
 maketh his chariot in the clouds." 
 
 One old man came running up into the 
 preachers' stand, and threw himself down in it, 
 exclaiming : " Here lies one old damned sin- 
 ner. Pray for me before the devil gets me." 
 Much prayer was offered in his behalf. Ere 
 long he obtained reconciling mercy. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 109 
 
 Another old man was seen shouting by him- 
 self outside of the altar. I went up to him, in- 
 quiring, " how it was that he got blest by him- 
 self." He answered, that "he had come to the 
 camp meeting merely to pass time, having no 
 idea that these people would work npon his 
 mind. But, by listening to the preaching, and 
 observing the scenes of the meeting, he discov- 
 erved, that he was in a sinful and lost condition, 
 which caused him to pray, casting himself upon 
 God's mercy through Jesus Christ. God blest 
 him, and that made him praise the Lord in the 
 way he was doing." It was truly a pleasing 
 scene, to see and to hear this old gray-headed 
 man shouting " victory to God and the Lamb." 
 
 Thirty-two persons came forward at the close 
 of the meeting, and gave in their names as those 
 who had obtained a saving interest in the mer- 
 its of Jesus Christ. After this we left the meet- 
 ing, thanking God for the salvation of man- 
 kind. 
 
 At another time, I attended a camp meeting 
 near Turkey Hill, Lancaster county. Pa. A 
 great many preachers of different religious de- 
 nominations were present. A consultation was 
 held, respecting the propriety of placing a guard 
 throughout the camp, for the purpose of keep- 
 
110 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ing order. After some talk about the matteiv 
 it was decided against the measure. The ob- 
 jectors said, " We want no guard. We look 
 to the Lord to guard us." 
 
 So, after the Christians had assembled and 
 pitched their tents, Satan also came among 
 them, in the shape of beer-sellers, rum-deal- 
 ers, and trafficers in merchandize of various 
 kinds. These agents of Satan backed their 
 wagons in between the tents, and kept dealing 
 out their traffic in great cheer, without restraint. 
 There were to be seen some drinking rum — 
 beer — and eating cakes, apples, &c. ; others 
 having tobacco leaves rolled up in the shape of 
 cigars, between their teeth, puffing out volumes 
 of smoke from their mouth, like the escape of 
 steam through the leak of a steam boiler ; oth- 
 ers again, having large quids of tobacco be- 
 tween their cheeks, kept squirting its juice over 
 the seats. Dandies in human shapes, with their 
 arms interlocked with those of females of the 
 same stamp, were strolling ' over the ground. 
 Rowdies of all sorts, sizes and costumes, with 
 whips in hand, were scampering about — walk- 
 ing over the seats in order to raise a dust Some 
 were standing in the altar, embracing their 
 lasses, with their arms around their necks. It 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. Ill 
 
 appeared as if the flood gates of pandemonium 
 had broken loose. 
 
 The whole presented a scene, more like unto 
 a market — or fair, in full exercise, than that of 
 a religious camp meeting. In short, to an ob- 
 server who did not believe in the existence of 
 the soul in the human body, the aphorism of 
 "Father Gruber," when he said, alluding to 
 rowdies at a camp meeting, " There th6y go, 
 like a pair of fire tongs, with two legs — one 
 head — without a soul," would have given the 
 most correct illustration of the two legged ani- 
 mals on the camp ground. Those brethren, 
 who were opposed to placing a guard or the 
 ground to keep order, began to find out that 
 they were too weak in faithj and that they had 
 made wrong calculations, by expecting God to 
 do for them what they had the ability to do for 
 themselves. For it was plainly to be seen, that 
 the Lord did not put a stop to the evil at the 
 time. Hence we infer, that, to depend i^pon 
 God to do a loork for us, which lies within the 
 sphere of our own faculties, is presumption, and 
 not true faith. 
 
 But we must return to the proceedings of 
 the meeting. On Saturday night preaching 
 was attempted ; but such was the continued con- 
 
112 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 fusion and inattention of the people, caused by 
 the disorderly conduct of the unruly part of the 
 large assembled multitude, that it was given 
 over for that night. Matters being thus situ- 
 ated, it was thought necessary to have recourse 
 to the proper authorities, in order to put a stop 
 to the traffic and disorder on the ground. But 
 there were few persons at the time, who had the 
 moral courage to make complaint. Next morn- 
 ing, brother Joseph Hoffman and myself spoke 
 to a Magistrate, who was then on the ground, 
 requesting him to enforce the laws, and have 
 those " dealers " removed. It so happened, 
 however, that this '^Squire'' was one of that 
 sort of officials who connive at the violation of 
 law, even when done in their own presence, 
 having the fear of the world more than the fear 
 of God before their eyes. 
 
 At first he refused to interfere in the matter, 
 assigning as a reason why he should not, that 
 there were too many trafficers to dispose of. 
 Many of them were influential characters. 
 Therefore, it would be impossible to oust them. 
 He no doubt feared, that, if he molested them, 
 his popularity and interest might be at stake. 
 Being determined, however, to put a stop to the 
 molestations of the meeting, I told him, that if 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 113 
 
 he did not do his duty in the case, as a Magis- 
 trate, we would have him indicted in the Lan- 
 caster county Court for non-performance. This 
 did ihe business. Fearing a prosecution, he 
 commenced operations upon the transgressors, 
 by explaining to them the laws in the ease.- In 
 a few hours, trafficers — ^beer — cakes — rum — 
 horses and wagons disappeared from the ground. 
 Order was then restored. There was no fur- 
 ther opposition to the progress of the meeting 
 from that source. 
 
 Preaching, exhortation, singing and prayer 
 then commenced. Much power attended the 
 religious exercises. Brother Gideon Smith and 
 Joseph IlTeiding, with some others, got religion 
 there, as I was informed. "When Neiding was 
 blest, his father being present, exclaimed, " It 
 is enough, my son Joseph is made alive." 
 
 In company with brother John Crider, I left 
 the camp, and went to a protracted meeting in 
 Pfoutz's Valley, at brother Hoffman's. Here 
 believers were stirred up through the word 
 preached. It was, what was then called, a good 
 time amongst the professors. Leaving this 
 place, homeward, we crossed the Juniata river, 
 near Millerstown, and went through Raccoon 
 Valley, across the mountain, to Sherman's Val" 
 
114 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ley. When we arrived at Sherman's Valley 
 creek, it had swollen to a great height ; and 
 what made the passage more dangerous, it was 
 night and very dark. Brother Crider, ri(Jing a 
 safe horse, went into the creek first, in order to 
 souiid the way. He had not proceeded far be- 
 fore his horse was middle deep in water. I^ot 
 thinking it safe to proceed, he returned out of 
 the water. We were at a loss what course to 
 pursue. On looking around us, we saw a light 
 at some distance, proceeded towards it and came 
 to a house. A man came out. We made in- 
 quiries respecting the passage of the creek, and 
 informed him that we had an appointment to 
 preach at Peter Brown's that evening. He told 
 us that no person could cross the creek in its 
 present condition, without knowing the proper 
 fording. He went with us a considerable dis- 
 tance, carrying a lighted candle, and gave us the 
 proper directions to cross the creek. We then 
 proceeded on our course and arrived safe, about 
 9 o'clock, at brother Peter Brown's house, 
 where a large congregation was waiting for us. 
 We were both fatigued, and hungry, having 
 traveled a great distance that day without much 
 refreshment. But, as the people were waiting 
 so long, we had to preach and exhort before 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 115 
 
 eating supper. We had a good meeting. Next 
 morning we resumed our journey, and arrived 
 safely at home, after riding seventy-five miles in 
 two days. This was the most wearisome jour- 
 ney I ever made. 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 CURIOUS NOTIONS — CAMP MEETINGS — WAGONERS SCA- 
 RED. 
 
 There are some people, who, when they adopt 
 an opinion with regard to external forms in re- 
 ligion, at once conclude, that they are the only 
 right sort oi folks in the world, and that there is 
 no other way to be converted than in the same 
 outward position, in which they obtained the 
 pardon of their sins. By outward position, we 
 mean, either sitting, kneeling, standing, or ly- 
 ing on the ground in praj^er ; or sprinkling, im- 
 mersion backward or forward, in baptism. 
 Some weak-minded, good meaning people will 
 tell us, that, inasmuch as they got religion in a 
 certain position, there is no other way to obtain 
 it, except that in which they experienced it. 
 l!^ow, according to holy writ, it must be admit- 
 ted, that there is but one right way to come to 
 
IIG AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 God for pardon of sin, and that is, by " re- 
 pentance towards God, and faith in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." To this doctrine, all true Chris- 
 tians do and must assent. But, with regard to 
 the bodily posture at the time of passing through 
 the "New Birth," there is, and may be, a dif- 
 ference. Though this is not material in itself, 
 yet, such is the force of first impressions made 
 upon the mind in certain cases, especially when 
 the change undergone is great and sudden, that 
 it takes years of experience to remove them, if 
 they are removed at all. 
 
 Now, to show the inconsistency of holding on 
 with an obstinate grasp to the single idea, that 
 there is but one posture in which a person can 
 get blest, I will relate a few cases, as they were 
 given to me : 
 
 " A certain man, living in Lancaster county, 
 Pa., some years ago, got under conviction, and 
 began to pray to God. He went about praying 
 in almost every corner for a long time, without 
 finding relief. It came into his mind one day, 
 that, if he wanted to get religion, he must be 
 baptized by immersion. At once he resolved 
 to do so, and when he went into the water he 
 had faith that God would bless him, and so it 
 turned out. He got religion in the very act of 
 
HEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 117 
 
 immersion. From this he argued, that, as he 
 had been seeking the Lord for a long time, but 
 did not find him, until he went under the water, so 
 that Was the only true way, and there is no other, 
 through which to obtain religion. And as he 
 was one of those kind of religionists, who are 
 always trying to blow their own notions into oth- 
 er persons' brains, this was his theme wherever 
 he went. It was nothing but under water bap- 
 tism with him. At the same time, he found 
 fault with his brethren for not adopting the 
 same faith, and undergoing the like process." 
 
 At one time, when arguing in favor of his 
 iojpic with the Eev. Christopher Grosh, the latter 
 told him, that ^' he knew a man who had been 
 awakened to a sense of his sins, and went about 
 from place to place, seeking the Lord in prayer, 
 just as he had done. At one time this person 
 was in his barn on his knees, when it came in- 
 to his mind, that he should go up into the gar- 
 ret in his house to pray. Following the im- 
 pression, he arose from his knees — left the barn 
 — went into the house — and in the act of going 
 up the stairs, before reaching the garret, his 
 soul was set at liberty. This proves," continu- 
 ed Grosh, "that a person can be converted 
 without immersion ; for it is not likely that he 
 
118 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 could be dipped under water in the act of ascend- 
 ing the stairs in a house." The immersionist 
 was '' mum.''' 
 
 Another case: Brother Bowlus told me, that 
 there was a young man employed in his factory, 
 who was seeking religion for a length of time 
 before he found it. During this time he had 
 some strange notions in his head. Wherever 
 he went to pray, it was suggested, that he could 
 not be blest there. He must go to another 
 place. When he went to another place, he was 
 impressed with the idea, that that was not the 
 right place yet. One night, while in prayer in 
 the factory, it was suggested to his mind, that 
 he should go out into the South mountain, near 
 by, to pray. He arose from his knees- — went 
 up into mountain — kept wandering about until 
 day break — and not finding peace to his heart, 
 he returned towards the factory, plunging 
 through mud and water. He went into the 
 factory — knelt down — wrestled in prayer, and 
 got the blessing. Brother Bowlus said, " that 
 he thought, the devil was fooling the young 
 man all the time." The reader may form his 
 own opinion about these cases. In the mean 
 time, I will resume my narrative. 
 
 At a big meeting held at brother John 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBEK. 119 
 
 Shank's, near Millerstown, Lebanon county. 
 Pa., the seed of God's word was sown. Many 
 embraced religion. The work spread from 
 there throughout the surrounding country. In 
 about one year, upwards of one hundred per- 
 sons professed to have experienced a change of 
 heart. From there, in company with brother 
 John Crider, I went to Lebanon and preached 
 in father Lightich's house. Brothers Gideon 
 Smith and Jacob Erb assisted at this meeting. 
 After leaving this meeting, on our way home, 
 brother Crider and myself preached in Mil- 
 lerstown, Spring creek, Shupp's church and 
 Stoughstown. 
 
 Some years ago, at the request of several Lu- 
 theran and German Eeformed brethren, I was 
 sent for, and conveyed in a sleigh to a meeting 
 at ISTew Franklin, Franklin county. Pa. I 
 preached on Saturday night. Sabbath morning 
 at 10 o'clock, and in the evening. There was a 
 goodly number of mourners. I intended to 
 close the meeting for that night, in consequence 
 of the crowded state of the house. I accord- 
 ingly told the brethren that the mourners had 
 better be taken to a private house for prayer. 
 At this a woman spoke out : " What ! shall we 
 break up the meeting, when five persons are 
 
120 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 lying upon the floor in distress !" 
 
 "We then continued the meeting by singing — 
 prayer and encouraging the mourners. While 
 things were thus going forward, a certain man 
 asked me, 
 
 " How is it, that you can repeat Scripture in 
 your preaching, with such rapidity and correct- 
 ness ?" I replied, 
 
 "I have a good tender." He responded, 
 
 "I don't understand you." I explained, 
 
 " When a brick layer has a good tender, he 
 can hand him the brick as fast as needed. So 
 when God's ministers are in the right spirit for 
 preaching, he inspires them with words as fast 
 as they need them. God spoke by the pro- 
 phets of old, through his Spirit, and by the 
 same Spirit, he speaks through his faithful min- 
 isters in these latter days." 
 
 Brother Strawbridge came to the meeting, 
 after which I left. It continued for some time. 
 A number of souls were brought to yield to di- 
 vine influences, and set out for a new life. 
 
 On another occasion brother A. Bickly and 
 J. Senseny, had appointed a Bush meeting 
 near the Warm Spring road, on brother John 
 Snyder's place. By request, brothers J. Win- 
 gert, D. Whisler, D. Funkhouser, and myself 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 121 
 
 attended. The first night, after preaching, the 
 work of God broke out by reviving the hearts 
 of the people, and bringing sinners to feel their 
 lost condition. Every night during the meet- 
 ing, old and young persons fell prostrate before 
 the altar, crying out for mercy. After remain- 
 ing at the meeting for some days, I left. It 
 was, however, continued by other brethren. 
 
 At another time, a meeting was held in Sny- 
 der's school house, commencing on Saturday 
 night. On the Sunday following, there was 
 such a turn out of people, that the house could 
 not contain them. So we had to hold the meet- 
 ing and preach in the woods that day, and also 
 at night ; and there being no preparations for 
 light to hold the meeting at night, I told the 
 people, that, if they would come out in the even- 
 ing and behave themselves, we would preach to 
 them by moon light. To this they assented by 
 nodding their heads. So, at night, with the 
 light of two candles and one lantern, we had 
 preaching by moon light, to an overwhelming 
 congregation. All behaved well. There was 
 no disturbance whatever. 
 
 In the fall of 1855, in conjunction with broth- 
 ers Funkhouser, Bickly, Senseny and J. C. 
 Smith, a Bush meeting was held on David 
 9 
 
122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Slichter's place, three miles from my residence, 
 which continued two weeks. The work of 
 grace went on rapidly. On the second Sunday, 
 after preaching in the woods, the evening ap- 
 pointment was made to be at my house. Here 
 the work of the Lord continued to progress in 
 an extraordinary manner. Souls were born 
 again every night. Those who were converted 
 at the Bush meeting, together with those who 
 were converted in my house, numbered twenty- 
 seven, most of whom are still moving on in 
 the good old way. 
 
 In the following Spring, another meeting was 
 held at my house, during which time there were 
 fourteen conversions. 
 
 In the fall of 1857, brother Funkhouser and 
 myself held a union meeting in Botler's School 
 house, near St. Thomas. At this meeing, the 
 word preached was attended with such demon- 
 strations of the Holy Spirit, that twenty-two 
 trophies were added to the victories of grace 
 over the devil,^by the conversion of their souls. 
 
 Before closing this chapter, I will relate a 
 case, in which a tavern keeper lost customers by 
 having family prayer in his house. At the 
 time Philip Bishop was living in Littlestown, 
 Adams county, Pa., he kept a tavern for the 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 123 
 
 accommodation of travelers, &c. He request- 
 ed me to come there and preach in his new 
 store room, before the counters were placed in 
 it. This house was separate from his tavern. 
 When I arrived there on Saturday evening, a 
 great many wagoners were there, with their 
 teams, who had put up at his house for the 
 night. Father Bishop, not wishing me to re- 
 main with the wagoners in the bar-room, took 
 me into his dining room, where we had social 
 conversation until bed time. "When about to 
 retire for the night, his wife requested me to 
 sing and pray, stating that preachers seldom put 
 up at their house. She, therefore, wished me 
 to pray with them. Accordingly, I complied 
 with her request, and while so engaged, the 
 wagoners in the bar-room, next to the room we 
 occupied, made considerable tumult. They 
 were gazing with astonishment, through the 
 opening left by a broken pain of glass in the 
 door window, which separated the two rooms. 
 Some of them pulled each other back from it, in 
 order to make room for themselves to look 
 through. They all wondered at this strange 
 phenomenon, public prayer in a tavern ! Such 
 a scene as this, was a new thing under the sun, 
 especially in such a place and at such a time. 
 
124 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 After looking on for some time, and not seeing 
 any person injured, nor likely to be so, through 
 family worship, they beca me quiet. 
 
 After I had retired to rest, I was thinking 
 how I should manage things in the morning, 
 there being so many w^agoners in the house. 
 So, after I arose next morning and walked into 
 the yard, lo, and behold, men, horses, and 
 wagons were all gone. They had remo ved to 
 another house during the night, no doubt fear- 
 ing there would be more religious worship in 
 the morning. Thus it appeared, that my sing- 
 ing and praying had scared them all away, and 
 father Bishop lost some customers by permit- 
 ting family worship in his house at that time. I 
 then preached to a large audience that day, 
 Sunday, at 10 o'clock, in the store room. Af- 
 ter this, I partook of dinner with father Bishop; 
 then left, and arrived home at 11 o'clock that 
 night, a distance of over forty miles. One of the 
 wagoners referred to above, got religion after- 
 wards, became a preacher, and is still moving 
 in that sphere. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HlfBER. 125 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. 
 
 At a camp meeting held at one time near 
 Flickinger's mill, on the land formerly owned 
 by brother Philip Laymaster, when deliver- 
 ing an exhortation, on Wednesday, I quoted 
 Isaiah 9: 14, "Therefore, the Lord will cut 
 off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, 
 in one day." In my remarks upon this subject, I 
 alluded to the times of old, under the Mosaic law, 
 in which God commanded transgressors of his 
 law to be stoned and otherwise punished ; and 
 showed, that if he would exercise his power in 
 judgments in the present day, as he formerly 
 did, by cutting off from the Church transgres- 
 sors, such as liars, drunkards, swearers. Sabbath 
 breakers, extortioners, hypocrites, &c., &;c., 
 there would be in many Churches but few 
 members left; transgressors of this description 
 being so very numerous in our day. "W hilst 
 thus speaking, I felt the spirit of utterance and 
 power. An old proverb says : " That a wound- 
 ed jpigeon flutters,'''' The word went home to the 
 hearts of some hearers, which was evident at 
 
126 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the time. For while the congregation was at- 
 tentively listening to the discourse, uttering re- 
 peated responses of Amen, on a sudden, a man 
 sprang up in the midst of it, with angry looks 
 and gestures, shook his fists at me, vociferating, 
 that if I would preach the truth, he would list- 
 en to me ; but as I was preaching damned lies, 
 he would not listen. He went out of the con- 
 gregation in a great rage, swearing at me as he 
 went off. 
 
 This sudden interruption, made in such a 
 stormy- like manner, raised an uproar among th e 
 audience. Preachers and people were affected 
 by it in difiterent ways. Some having been 
 blest through the word spoken, with tears roll- 
 ing down their cheeks, got to shouting — others 
 resorted to praying, and giving thanks, that 
 sinners were being cut to the heart ; whilst 
 others, not relishing such jplain talk, partook of 
 the spirit of the " man in a rage," and let loose 
 in strains of language similar to his.' It appear- 
 ed also, that some of the preachers and brethren, 
 faint hearts, not wishing to offend the father of 
 lies, took umbrage at some of the words in my 
 exhortation, saying, that I was too severe in my 
 terms, and should have used more polite expres- 
 sions than such words as " Head," " Tail,' 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 127 
 
 "Branch," and "Eush." I told one of the 
 preachers, that I had preached Bible doctrine 
 and words, and if he did not believe it to be so, 
 he should go home to Lancaster county and read 
 his Bible ; and he would find out that I was cor- 
 rect in what I had said. 
 
 The man who had shaken his fist at me, and 
 went off* in a rage, returned to his brother's tent 
 on the following Friday evening, without my 
 knowledge at the time. His brother sent for 
 me to the preachers' tent, with a request that I 
 should come to his tent, "^en I came there, 
 Behold ! there was the disturber, who had sha- 
 ken his fists at me. He looked chap fallen — 
 was convicted of the error of his ways, and be- 
 gan to apologize — saying that he was truly sor- 
 ry for having sinned against me, and asked my 
 forgiveness. I told him, that he had sinned 
 against God Almighty, and not against me ; that 
 he should pray to God to forgive him his trans- 
 gressions. He asked me to " pray for him." I 
 replied, 
 
 " If you want me to pray for you, are you 
 willing to come out to the altar, and show the 
 people that you have repented of your evil do- 
 ings." He answered, 
 
 " Yes, I am." 
 
128 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 I then took him by the arm and lead him ont 
 into the altar, in the presence of the congrega- 
 tion and of the preachers in the stand. After 
 wrestling in prayer for some time, "he got reli- 
 gion." 
 
 Here was another ocular demonstration of 
 the power of God, in changing this lion into a 
 lamb. Here also might have been seen, if 
 brethren were not wilfully blind, the inconsistency 
 in men, who profess to be called of God to de- 
 clare his word, in " dodging " the question, by 
 withholding part of Scripture denunciations 
 against the workers of iniquity. This case 
 should have convinced those brethren, who 
 looked shy at me at the time for crying out 
 against the wicked in the manner I did, that, 
 when the truth is spoken, although it may not 
 appear to world-pleasing professors so nice, nev- 
 ertheless, God seals it with Ms approbation to 
 the heart. 
 
 But, that there were, and still are, some half- 
 hearted DIVINES, who have the fear of the world 
 more than the fear of God before their eyes, is 
 nothing new. It was thus when Christ first 
 preached against the iniquities of his days in the 
 flesh. His doctrine struck with equal force at 
 the sins of the priesthood, and those of the laity. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 129 
 
 It took deep root and cut to the heart, which 
 caused him to be persecuted by some of his 
 brethren, "For if they do these things in a green 
 tree, what shall be done in the dry?" "The 
 disciple is not above his master, nor the servant 
 above his Lord." Therefore, it is no marvel, 
 that a divine, who preaches the truth, the whole 
 truth, as God requires it of him to do, should 
 meet with persecution from some of his minis- 
 terial brethren, in these latter davs. 
 
 I will now bid adieu to this camp meeting, 
 and introduce one instance, out of many whi ch 
 could be cited, which proves that a few words 
 spoken in season, when sealed by the Spirit of 
 God upon the heart, though unexpected at the 
 time, have been, and may still be, the means 
 through which a sinner is brought out of his 
 spiritual slumbers into the light of the gospel. 
 
 At a meeting held by father Boehm, in the 
 open field, near York, Pa., a great many people 
 attended. In those days, people wore large 
 boots and spurs. Among the attendants at the 
 meeting, was a certain Doctor Peter Senseny, 
 who walked about the ground, having his legs 
 en sconsed within a large pair of riding boots, and 
 spurs. Father Boehm, in expatiating upon the 
 wickedness of the times, exclaimed ! " Some sin- 
 
130 AUTOBIOGRAPHY QP 
 
 ners are going to hell with boots and spurs on 
 their legs." These words entered the ears of 
 Senseny with an impressive force. Going to 
 hell with boots and spurs ! Going to hell with 
 boots and spurs ! continued to reverberate in 
 his mind, producing serious reflections in regard 
 to the course of his life, and finding himself on 
 the broad road to " hell," he was convicted of 
 the error of his ways, — sought the Lord — and 
 obtained a change of heart. He afterwards 
 moved to Winchester, Virginia. 
 
 " He was an early member of the United 
 Brethren Church, and for some years, up to the 
 time of his death, which took place in 1804," a 
 useful preacher in it. " Doctor Senseny was 
 one of those kind of physicians who administer- 
 ed to both body and soul. In his attendance 
 on the sick, he recommended the great " Phy- 
 sician of souls, Jesus." " He would often kneel 
 at the bedside of his patients," and address the 
 throne of grace in their behalf. " His kindness, 
 piety, and charity to the poor secured to him 
 the respect, esteem, and love of all who came 
 within the sphere of his acquaintance. His 
 last illness was very brief. He had but a few 
 days' notice of his approaching death. He met 
 this sudden call with Christian resignation, — 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 131 
 
 and left the world with joy and peace," saying, 
 " Lord Jesus, I come.'/ 
 
 During the time Doctor Senseny resided in 
 York, there was a Mr. Dehuff, whose son, then 
 about seventeen years of age, was much afflict- 
 ed in body — and not knowing the nature of his 
 complaint, his father sent him to Dr. Sen- 
 seny for advice, &c. 
 
 When the boy came to Senseny, after exam- 
 ination, the Doctor told him that he was con- 
 sumpted, and he could not cure him. He ad- 
 vised him to pray to God, and prepare for the 
 next world, adding, that if God converted his 
 soul, it might be possible that he would also 
 heal his body. On the lad's return home, he told 
 his father what the Doctor had said to him, and 
 betook himself to prayer. This gave much ofience 
 to the father. The idea that his son might be 
 healed through prayer, was foreign to his views. 
 He told him to cease praying ; that he did not 
 want any such things as prayer in his family, 
 and if he did not give it over, he should leave 
 his house, and seek a home elsewhere. 
 
 The son rather than give up seeking the Lord, 
 left his father's house, to seek a home among 
 strangers. At the same time, he knew not 
 where to go. But having heard something about 
 
132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 old father Guething, that he was a good reli- 
 gious man, who lived about eighty miles from 
 his father's residence, he directed his course 
 that way. When he came to Guething, he gave 
 him an account of his situation, and Guething, 
 being one of those kind of Christians who nev- 
 er send the distressed empty away, requested 
 him to tarry at his house — procured employ- 
 ment for him, and advised him to continue in 
 prayer to God. To this advice the boy earnest- 
 ly adhered, until he found the pearl of great 
 price. After this, he continued to serve his di- 
 vine master, — and was healed of his malady — 
 became a preacher of the Gospel, and lived to 
 the age of seventy years. He then *^ died tri- 
 umphant in the faith." This furnishes another, 
 out of many cases, in which when Doctors could 
 not even heal the body, God cured both soul 
 and body. 
 
 On one occasion, brother Draksel and his 
 colleague, had an appointment in Hill Valley, 
 at a log cabin. When they came to it towards 
 evening, the man of the house and his wife 
 came to the door, the man saying, 
 
 " Here are the preachers, and we have noth- 
 ing to give them to eat for their supper. '» 
 Draksel inquired, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 133 
 
 " Have you hay for our horses ?" To which 
 it vt^as answered, 
 
 "Yes, sir, we can feed them." Draksel re- 
 joined, 
 
 " Well, if you can do no better, we must be 
 satisfied. Give the horses some hay ; as for our- 
 selves we can fast over night." The man said, 
 
 " We are truly sorry, that we cannot give you 
 better fare. We have neither flour nor meat in 
 the house." The wife added, 
 
 " We have some apples. So you need not 
 fast altogether." Draksel replied, 
 
 " God's ministers must take such fare as they 
 can get. The Saviour had not where to lay his 
 head. The poor must have the gospel preached 
 unto them." 
 
 And so it was. The woman brought them 
 a basket full of apples, upon which they made 
 their supper that evening. During preaching 
 and other religious exercises, the loss of their 
 supper was more than made up with spiritual 
 food. That was a refreshing season from the 
 presence of the Lord to that family, and other 
 persons present, that night. Both preachers 
 and people were fed wdth heavenly manna 
 through the word preached. And here was ful- 
 filled the prophecy, "Man shall not live by 
 
134 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth 
 out of the mouth of God." 
 
 Sometime about the year 1819, father Dehuff, 
 formerly the boy who was driven from his fath- 
 er's house for praying, M. Bear, and myself, 
 held a meeting in day time in brother Peter 
 Hawbecker's house in Greencastle, Franklin 
 county. Pa. Brother Bear preached, after which 
 I exhorted, and as he was somewhat eccentric, 
 loud and lively in his preaching, his appearance 
 created no little stir amongst the people. Some 
 of them were gaping in at the windows, which 
 were open at the time ; others from across the 
 street kept mimicking the preacher, during his 
 preaching, with their hands and frequent 
 halloos, by way of burlesque. In short, this 
 kind of preaching was a new and strange thing 
 in that place then. Brother Hawbecker was the 
 first person who opened his house for United 
 Brethren preaching in Greencastle. This was 
 the commencement of Brethrenism there. Af- 
 terwards, in conjunction with other brethren, we 
 continued to propagate the Gospel in it. Since 
 then, the work of the Lord continued to pro- 
 gress. The Society now consists of about fifty 
 members, who worship in a handsome church 
 of their own, under the pastoral charge of J. M. 
 Bishop and S. L. Minich, the present year. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 135 
 
 At one time I attended a camp meeting held 
 on brother Samuel Snively's ground. Many 
 souls were blest and made happy during the 
 exercises. Under brother William Einehart's 
 preaching, a Universalist was upset. After the 
 sermon was over, the Universalist came to 
 Rinehart, and with pleasant smiles, took him 
 by the hand and said : " I was a believer in the 
 doctrine of universal redemption ; but. Sir, you 
 have out-done me to day. I never heard the 
 doctrine of universalism upset in that way be- 
 fore. You are the first man that done me up." 
 He thanked the preacher for the sermon, inas- 
 much as it was made a blessing to him. 
 
 Some time after this, I preached a funeral 
 discourse on the death of one of brother Samuel 
 Snively's children. There was a large atten- 
 dance of relatives and other persons at the fu- 
 neral. Brother Snively afterward said to me, 
 " I never was better pleased in my life, than I 
 was at the manner in which you held up the 
 truth to-day." 
 
 Brother Habliston at one time had an ap- 
 pointment for preaching at the widow Immel's 
 house, near Greenvillage. I went there to hear 
 him. Habliston did not come. The widow 
 said to me, " Inasmuch as the people have col- 
 
136 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 lected to hear preacliing, it won*t do to disap- 
 point them. You must preach for us." I took 
 up the cross and preached, after which brother 
 J. Whitmer and George Mowers closed with ex- 
 hortation. I then made an appointment to 
 preach in brother Sherman's house, near Smoke- 
 town, in the Pines. When I came to fill it, 
 crowds were there — including many Roman 
 Catholics. After the meeting had closed and 
 the people gone off, the Catholics returned, and 
 began to dispute about religion. One of them, 
 an Irishman, and a full blooded papist, among 
 other things, said to me : 
 
 " Yee'r pretending to be an apostle, are ye ?" 
 I said, 
 
 " I do not call myself an apostle." He said, 
 
 " But yee'r wants to be one, and can't make 
 a crooked dog strait." I replied, 
 
 " I don't preach to dogs, but I preach the 
 damnation of hell to unconverted sinners — 
 warning them to flee the wrath to come." 
 
 At this, he jumped up in a great rage, went 
 off vociferating and thundering the Pope's bulls 
 at me for being a heretic. 
 
 At my next appointment at this place, father 
 John Oaks came with me. The Catholics did 
 not come into the house then, but stood outside 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. . 137 
 
 of it, throwing vollies of stones against the 
 house and on the roof. After the meeting was 
 dismissed, and the people had gone, stones still 
 continued to rattle against the house. Father 
 Oaks became alarmed and said, " They might 
 kill us." I told him, "I have no fears about it,'* 
 and after some more stoning and storming 
 from the papists, they left. JSTo person was 
 hurt. 
 
 After this, I preached at D. Goldsmith's, M. 
 Hover's, Shively's, widow Rung's. Here six 
 persons were converted at a meeting. At one 
 time, I assisted to hold a so called Winebren- 
 ner camp meeting on M. Hover's land. Prior 
 to this camp meeting, I preached to the "Wine- 
 brennerians in Shippensburg every four weeks 
 — for one year. At one of these appointments 
 Rev. Helfenstein, of the German Reformed 
 Church, preached at 10 o'clock, A. M. Brother 
 Mull requested me to preach in the evening ; 
 but as there were more English than German 
 hearers, Helfenstein preached. I exhorted in 
 German. Helfenstein then invited mourners to 
 the altar. Five came forward. Singing and 
 prayer were continued. Some of the mourners 
 got blest. We had a good meeting. After it 
 closed, I rode home that night, a distance of ten 
 miles. 10 
 
138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 In the early period of my ministry, in con- 
 junction with brother Hoffman, I frequently 
 held meetings in the Ked School House on the 
 Warm Spring road, a short distance from broth- 
 er Daniel Hammand's, at whose house we used 
 to put up. This was the only stopping place 
 for preachers then. Now there are many others. 
 Brother Hammand was one of those kind of 
 men, who, when they lay hold of a project, nev- 
 er let go until they get through with it. Influ- 
 enced by such motives, after he got religion, he 
 opened his house for the entertainment of 
 preachers and people, and became, and still is, 
 a useful member of the Church, and continues 
 steadily to walk by the old landmarks of the 
 Gospel. May the Lord bless and prosper him 
 and his family, soul and body ! 
 
 About thirty years ago, in company with 
 brother John Crider, I went to McConnellsburg 
 to preach. There had been an appointment 
 made for us, in the school house, back of the 
 town. A large assembly of people attended. 
 "We preached and exhorted as usual, and left an 
 appointment for eight weeks after that at the 
 same place. When we came to fill this appoint- 
 ment, the school house was locked, so that we 
 could not get in. There were some people liv- 
 
REV, SAMUEL HUBER. 139 
 
 ing in these " diggins," who did not relish such 
 preachers as we were, and would have prevent-" 
 ed us from propagating the good news, that Jesus 
 Christ came to seek and save the lost sheep of 
 the house of Israel. But, inasmuch as we had 
 a commission from the God of Israel to go out 
 into the highways and hedges to preach Christ, 
 and him crucified, to perishing sinners; we 
 had no idea of giving up the " ship " with- 
 out giving the enemies of the Lord a few scat- 
 tered shots, if it should be but at random. "We 
 were determined to preach at all hazards. 
 
 So I told the people who had came to hear, 
 that we would go out on the commons and 
 preach under the locust trees. After we had 
 moved towards the commons, a man came run- 
 ning after us, stating that he had gotten the 
 key of the school house. We then went into 
 it, and i)reached to more people than it could 
 hold. Many of them stood listening outside 
 of it. After this, we preached in turns in the 
 school house and in brother Brubaker's house. 
 During these meetings brother Brubaker's son 
 John and his wife, John's son George and his 
 wife w^ere converted. 
 
 Some time after this, we held a big Bush 
 meeting on John Brubaker's land, and preach- 
 
140 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Ql? 
 
 ed in his barn. A number of preachers assist- 
 ed. A good work broke out — convictions be- 
 came deep — the cries for mercy reached the heav- 
 ens. Many converts were added to the Church 
 in that region. We attended to them for sever- 
 al years. This place was then supplied by the 
 circuit preachers. About that time a good so- 
 ciety was formed, and a meeting house erected 
 in McConnellsburg by the United Brethren. 
 
 In my route I preached in Mercersburg in 
 father Kinaj's house. Thence I went to the 
 Little Cove, to attend a Big meeting. On my 
 arrival at the place, I met brothers Everhart, 
 "Weaver and Mason, Methodist preachers ; 
 and brothers Weder, Felty and Bowlus, Uni- 
 ted Brethren preachers. The meeting was held 
 in the woods. A great many people had assem- 
 bled ; but they stood at a considerable distance 
 from the preachers' stand, staring at us with 
 evident symptoms of fear and alarm in their 
 countenances, as if they took us to be some 
 strange and dangerous beings, or some dreadful 
 event was to take place. There were many for- 
 eign Germans on the ground. 
 
 Perceiving that the people looked so shy at 
 us, I went up into the stand and spoke to them 
 in German, requesting them to draw near, ad- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUEER. 141 
 
 cling that we would preach the gospel to them, 
 in order to do them good, and not harm. At 
 this the German part came near the stand. 
 The English, seeing the Germans coming for- 
 ward, and no one hurt, nor likely to be so, also 
 took courage and came up witliin hearing dis- 
 tance. I requested brother Weder to come up 
 into the stand and commence the preaching. 
 But, inasmuch as he had his own notions about 
 such things, having an inkling towards Quaker- 
 ism within him, that is, not to speak until he 
 felt moved to do so, and this inspiration was 
 wanting, he refused to preach, and remained on 
 his seat in the congregation. 
 
 Brother Weaver then preached the first ser- 
 mon in English, and I followed with exhorta- 
 tion in German. While speaking, I felt the 
 power, and so did brother Weder. Finding 
 himself stirred up, he jumped upon his feet — 
 came walking up into the stand — drew off his 
 over coat, and took hold of my arm roughly, 
 saying, Stop ; it is my time to speak now ! As I 
 knew his ways, I yielded to him, and halted. 
 Now, although he was one of those kind of men, 
 who could not, or would not speak, without hrst 
 being moved by the Spirit before he began, yet, 
 after he had commenced to hold forth, there 
 
142 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 was no stopping him. His motto was, ^'Strike 
 while the iron is hot" — Go ahead then — Push 
 the steam. And as he always wept during his 
 public exercises, he seldom missed fire. 
 
 This being his character, I had scarcely taken 
 my seat, when he began to speak, and opened in 
 strains of power, which swept through the con- 
 gregation like the launching of a ship's hull 
 from her stays, plowing through the waters in 
 its course. Powerful and deep was the effect 
 of his words. Deep emotions were felt — sobs 
 and sighs were heard — tears, like drops of rain, 
 rolling down cheeks, were seen — groaning 
 hearts were set free — shouting voices resounded 
 throughout the woods. In short, a mighty work 
 of grace broke out then and there. 
 
 After remaining with them a few days, I left 
 for home. Subsequent to this, I was informed 
 by several Methodist brethren, " that this was the 
 first religious meeting of the kind held in that 
 neighborhood, and that the work began at it, 
 continued to progress for a long time after- 
 wards. By means of it, the owner of the land 
 where the meeting was held, together with his 
 family, was converted. Brother Jeremiah Ma- 
 son took about forty persons into the Methodist 
 Church." The United Brethren preachers did 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 14B 
 
 not go there for some time after this. Wheth- 
 er they are doing any thing there at this time 
 or not, I am not able to state, for want of infor- 
 mation. During the times in which the work 
 alluded to, took place, the appearance of reli- 
 gious congregations was vastly different, in 
 many respects, from what it is now. At the 
 present day, people ai^ dressed up in what are 
 called their " Sunday ck;thes," when attending 
 church, and if a person appears among them in 
 his working suit, he is stared a'^ and may some 
 times disorganize the 'preacher's ideas. But, in 
 former days, it was no marvelous thi-ng to see 
 men attending religious meetings with their 
 rifles and shot guns in their hands, and hunting 
 caps upon their heads — wearing hunting shirts 
 — fully equipped in hunters' style. In such cos- 
 tumes they would stand, or sit, during preach- 
 ing and other religious exercises, without any 
 molestation to the congregation or preacher 
 whatever. 
 
 One Sunday forenoon, while preaching in a 
 Virginia valley, a number of hunters were pres- 
 ent. They stood during the services, leaning 
 with their hands upon their rifles. After 
 preaching, on our way to the next appointment, 
 we overtook six of them. They had shot a 
 
144 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 large buck, and were carrying it with a pole 
 upon their shoulders. At the sight of us, they 
 made off towards the woods. We rode up to 
 them — spoke a few words and passed on. This 
 was the manner in which these i^ople spent 
 their Sabbath days : Hearing pniaching in the 
 forenoon, and hunting and -shooting bucks in 
 the afternoon. 
 
 "VVe had frequently to preach in log cabins at 
 night, with no othei- light than that made with 
 pine knots blaziMg in the fire-places, and with a 
 table for a reading desk, and sometimes without 
 even this. We had no opportunity to read man- 
 uscript sermons to the people, even if we desi- 
 red to do so. Such a thing^'as memorizing and 
 preaching other men's productions, was not 
 thought of in those times, except by shallow 
 brains and blockheads. We had to take the 
 Bible for the rule of our faith and practice. Out 
 of it, through God's assistance, we obtained our 
 theology — preached — exhorted — and taught, as 
 the Holy Spirit suggested. We graduated 
 on horse-back, instead of in large buildings, — 
 Preaching then was done in the simplicity of 
 the Gospel — directed to the heart, telling the 
 people what they were, as well as what they must 
 be, if they wanted to be saved. Such methods 
 
HEV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 145 
 
 of theological warfare, with the world — flesh — 
 and the devil, as tended to send gospel shot over 
 people's HEADS — instead of into their hearts, 
 w^as not exactly the thing then. -^ 
 
 At the present day, preaching is done, in the 
 main, more by making side glances at the sin- 
 ner's HEAD, than by thrusts at his heart, which, 
 as a matter of course, pass off without effect, 
 and leave him in his wretched condition. On 
 the other hand, the old divines, through their 
 theology, aimed at the heart, and, in most cases, 
 through divine aid, sent arrows into it. The 
 eifect of this was, to produce " nausea," accom- 
 panied with alarming symptoms respecting their 
 present and future state. This caused those 
 sickly penitents to inquire concerning the na- 
 ture of their disease, and, upon examination, it 
 was discovered, that their inward parts were 
 like unto a " sepulchre, full of rottenness and 
 dead men's bones." Under such circumstan- 
 ces, they applied to the great spiritual Physi- 
 cian for a remedy, who, "• without money or 
 price," healed them of their maladies, by giving 
 them " clean hearts and renewing right spirits 
 within them," and sent them away leaping — 
 shouting — and praising God. 
 
 This kind of preaching, done in cabins — 
 
146 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 barns — woods — highways — and hedges — and 
 other places — was the means, through God, of 
 raising the standard of the cross in valleys — 
 country — cities — towns — and villages — where 
 the devil had established his kingdom and 
 reigned triumphantly. JS'o sooner did these 
 enemies of the devil, preachers, come up to the 
 "help of the Lord, against the mighty," and 
 open their batteries with singing — prayer — 
 preaching — exhortation — and talking about Je- 
 sus — than openings were made in the walls of 
 Satan's kingdom. Many of his strong holds 
 were taken by storm, by enforcing the unadul- 
 terated truths of the Gospel, seconded and seal- 
 ed to the heart, by the power of Him, " who 
 hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm," 
 " at whose power mountains quake — hills melt " 
 — "sea and rivers are dried up" — "and who 
 maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming 
 fire." 
 
 And thus it was, in those days of God's pow- 
 er. Although the preaching of the Gospel is 
 an employment which would dignify angels, 
 nevertheless God has committed it to men. Ac- 
 cordingly, men who have experienced the reno- 
 vating power of divine grace in their own hearts, 
 and felt within them a burning zeal for the 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 147 
 
 Lord of hosts, have, through the constraining 
 love of Christ, gone forth and preached the 
 word of reconciliation to others, as noted in this 
 and other similar works, the world over, since 
 the gospel was first preached unto men. Many 
 were the precious seasons we enjoyed in log 
 cabins, and in other places where meetings were 
 held. 
 
 CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 BAPTISM — A YOUNG WOMAN SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD — 
 TRIP TO GENERAL CONFERENCE. 
 
 In early times, there resided in Horse Valley, 
 Franklin county. Pa., Daniel, John, and Abra- 
 ham Posenberger, members of the Lutheran 
 Church. They were some of the first settlers in 
 that region of country. At one time D. Posen- 
 berger requested me to come into the Valley, 
 and preach to the people. He stated, that 
 the people being poor in that neighborhood, 
 could not afford to pay for preaching, and that 
 preachers generally would not come there to 
 preach without pay ; in consequence of which, 
 there w^as very little, if any, preaching among 
 them, and they needed and desired German 
 
148 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 preaching very much. Accordingly, an appoint- 
 ment was made for me, for the first time in 
 Horse Valley. In company with brother Ever- 
 hart, one of the first local Methodist pioneer 
 preachers, I went there to make a beginning. 
 We tarried with brother D. Kosenberger, at 
 whose house the meeting was held, on a week 
 day forenoon. There was a large gathering of 
 people at the place. We preached to them in 
 German and in English. During the services, 
 the congregation gave great attention, and 
 seemed as if they were gospel hungry^ receiving 
 eagerly all we spoke. 
 
 After preaching, I told them, that I would 
 preach for them free of charge, inasmuch as I 
 had ample means to support myself; that the 
 poor should have the gospel preached unto 
 them. I gave out an appointment for Sunday 
 six weeks from that time, to which 1 attended, 
 and afterward continued to serve the people 
 w^ith preaching, in regular appointments, for a 
 long time. After the meeting at the second 
 appointment was closed, brother Rosenberger 
 invited all the people to dinner, of which a great 
 many of them partook. At dinner, I remark- 
 ed, " You have a large society of people here:" 
 to which a woman replied, " Yes, we have more 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 149 
 
 goats than sheep. For this reason we want 
 preaching, by means of which the goats may be 
 turned into sheep, and brought into the fold." 
 
 Sometime after this, I sent brother Braiser to 
 fill one of my six.weeks' appointments at broth- 
 er D. Eosenberger's. "While he was preaching, 
 brother Crone got convicted for his sins, and 
 left the meeting in great distress of soul. A 
 few days after this, he was cutting his buck- 
 wheat, being still in great agony, and engaged 
 in mental prayer. "Whilst in the act of making 
 a swing with his cradle, he was blest, npon 
 which he threw it away, and ran home to tell 
 his wife, how good he felt, thinking, no doubt, 
 that she would partake of the same spirit, and 
 rejoice with him. But, as man and wife some- 
 times differ in opinions, she received him in a 
 peevish manner, which caused a damper to his 
 feelings at the time. 
 
 Some years after this, brother Crone held a 
 three days' meeting in his house, at which 
 brother John Crider, J. "Wingert, and myself 
 attended. The meeting began on Saturday 
 evening. On Sunday forenoon there was Ger- 
 man and English preaching. In the afternoon 
 brother David Bear baptized five persons by im- 
 mersion. Father Gilbert was much displeased, 
 
150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 because bis sous Frederick aud George were 
 baptized bj immersion at tbis time. Tbej had 
 beeu baptized in their infancy, and went through 
 the catechetical course of the Lutheran Church. 
 Pie, therefore, conckided that there was no need 
 of more baptism, as they were christianized al- 
 ready. But, as the two young men thought 
 otherwise, they received baptism again by im- 
 mersion ; and when they came out of the water, 
 they went forth shouting, and praising the Lord, 
 which caused no small stir and excitement 
 among the people. 
 
 There was also a young woman, a Miss Fish- 
 er, there. She was the last of the persons im- 
 mersed at the time. She got to shouting in the 
 water. After she was taken out of it, she be- 
 came powerless, and lay as if dead ; and being 
 dressed in white apparel, she really appeared 
 like a corpse. As she was lying in this condi- 
 tion, many of the bystanders became much af- 
 fected. Sobs, sighs, and tears were heard and 
 seen all around. Some said she was dead. 
 Others said she had been drowned in the water. 
 Questions were asked, and answered promiscu- 
 ously ; some correctly, others at random. The 
 excitement was increasing. At the height of 
 it, I cried out, " God can kill and make alive. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 151 
 
 Let US pray. Perhaps she will come to." We 
 commenced and continued to sing and pray for 
 some time. At length the young girl rose up, 
 shouting and praising. At the same time, a 
 number of other persons partook of the same 
 spirit, and then they had a great time of it in 
 that way. 
 
 Seeing all this, Father Gilbert said, "lam 
 done now. I have no more to say. I am con- 
 vinced that this is not the power of man, but 
 the power of God." Some time after this, he 
 got religion himself at a camp meeting, near 
 the Burnt Cabins. From this time forward, the 
 work of God continued to progress in Horse 
 Valley. The brethren have now a house of 
 worship of their own there. And in all this, 
 we have another instance of the work of the 
 Lord being carried forward through the instru- 
 mentality of local PREACHERS. 
 
 Brother Crone died four or Rye years ago. 
 Brother D. Funkhouser and myself attended his 
 funeral. Brother Funkhouser preached his fu- 
 neral sermon in English. I exhorted in Ger- 
 man. Brother Rosenberger said afterwards, 
 that " Funkhouser had preached the greatest 
 sermon on the occasion, that had ever been 
 preached in Horse Valley." 
 
152 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 In the year 1821, I was elected delegate to 
 General Conference, to be held May 15, 1821, 
 at brother Dewalt Mechlin's, Fairfield county, 
 Ohio. On the 30th of April, proceeding in 
 company with brothers Joseph PIofFman, George 
 A. Guething and Mr. Clapper, we set out for 
 the Conference. The first day we arrived in 
 McConnellsburg, Bedford county, Pa. I put 
 up at an Inn. We held meeting in a school 
 house that evening. Brother Hoffman preach- 
 ed in English. After meeting, on my way to 
 the Inn, I overtook two men, the one a Lutheran 
 and the other a German Reformed preacher. I 
 overheard the German Reformed inquire of the 
 Lutheran preacher, " What kind of preachers 
 these men were ?" alluding to us. As they 
 knew nothing about us, the Lutheran said, " He 
 did not know." I told them, that we were Uni- 
 ted Brethren, in older times called Otterbein's 
 followers. They jointly replied, "If they had 
 known that before, they would have spoken in 
 the meeting," as they were both there at the 
 time. The German Reformed minister said, 
 " that he had an acquaintance with Otterbein's 
 brother in Germany, and also with William 
 Otterbein in America." I lodged with him at the 
 same Inn that night, and after we had some con- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 153 
 
 versatioD, he invited me to stop in Pittsburg, and 
 preach in his Church there, on my return from 
 Conference. Next morning we parted as broth- 
 ers. 
 
 On our route, the next evening, the 1st of 
 May, we tarried at brother George Smith's, near 
 Bedford. On the 2nd of May we went from 
 tlience to brother Plough's in the Glades. On 
 the 3rd of May we came to Somerset. When 
 near the Court House, there was a man, who 
 we afterwards learned was an Elder in the Lu- 
 theran Church, standing on the pavement. He 
 requested us to stop, and inquired of brother 
 Hoffman, 
 
 "Whether we were preachers." Hoffman 
 answered, 
 
 " ires. Sir!" We are of that order." The 
 man continued, 
 
 " To what Church do you belong?" Hoff- 
 man replied, 
 
 " We belong to the United Brethren, and are 
 on our way to the General Conference, in Ohio." 
 The man replied, 
 
 " I heard that there were some preachers ex- 
 pected to pass through this place. For this 
 reason I was waiting here to speak with them." 
 Hoffman inquired, 
 
 11 
 
154 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 "Well, Sir ! what is your business with us?" 
 The man replied, 
 
 " Why, Sir ! the people in this town need 
 preaching very much. So, if you will tarry a 
 few hours and preach for us in the Court House, 
 I will give notice by ringing the bell ; and give 
 you your dinners and feed your horses also." 
 Hoffman answered, 
 
 " Our duty is to preach the Gospel wherever 
 we can get hearers. We will take you up at 
 your offer." 
 
 And so at 10 o'clock, A. M., brother Guetb- 
 ing preached in German — and brother Hoffman 
 delivered an exhortation in English. One wo- 
 man got under conviction and cried aloud for 
 mercy. After meeting, she requested us to 
 preach at her house. We had not time to do so. 
 
 After we had taken our dinner, and our hor- 
 ses were fed, we continued our journey and 
 came to Ligonier Valley that evening. At 
 this place brother Clapper j^reached to the peo- 
 ple. The next day. May the 4th, we came to 
 Mount Pleasant, and reached there at 10 o'clock, 
 A. M. Here I met with brother Spayth, who 
 formerly preached for us, when he was a young 
 man. We had a lively meeting in Mount Pleas- 
 ant that day. Leaving this place, we arrived 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 155 
 
 at brother Zumbrod's, sixteen miles further on- 
 ward, where I preached that evening. 
 
 On the 5th, we came to Washington. At 
 this place we did not stop to preach. Brothers 
 Pfrimmer and Winter filled our appointments 
 here in the evening. We went a half mile fur- 
 ther on and stayed over night. The next day 
 we continued our journey and arrived in Wheel- 
 ing. We then crossed the river, and stayed 
 over night at a tavern. A great many travelers 
 put up at this place that evening. During the 
 night, after w^e had retired to bed, a colored man 
 entered our room and made an attempt to rifle 
 our pockets and saddle-bags. We heard him 
 making a noise, when we called out to the land- 
 lord, who came into the room. The thief made 
 his exit. It was discovered to be the ostler. 
 
 The next day we arrived within eleven miles 
 of Zanesville, and stayed over night. The fol- 
 lowing day we came to Zanesville, and took 
 breakfast. At this place I met John Loferree? 
 who had learned his trade with the same em- 
 ployer that I did. We spent part of the day in 
 visiting the Salt works at this place. This was 
 a new thing in those parts at that time. We 
 were very much gratified at seeing the various 
 works and machinery connected with the estab- 
 
156 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 lishment. Here are salt wells from two to 
 seven hundred feet in depth, out of w^hich flow^- 
 ed a constant stream of salt water, which was 
 put into boilers and made into salt. One facto- 
 ry had forty-two large boiling kettles for that 
 purpose. 
 
 After this we left Zanesville and arrived at 
 brother Dewalt Mechlin's, the place where the 
 Conference was held. During its sessions, there 
 was much sparring among the members. Some 
 of them could not see eye to eye upon the dif- 
 ferent subjects which came under consideration. 
 This gave rise to considerable debate. But, 
 after much steam had been spent through the 
 vocal powers, by thrusts and rejoinders, the 
 Conference closed its sessions in peace and har- 
 mony. 
 
 After the Conference closed, a three days' 
 meeting was held at brother Mechlin's. From 
 "this place I went to a camp meeting, ten miles 
 distant from New Lancaster, and spent one 
 week at it. We got our souls refreshed with 
 renewed showers of grace. From there I set 
 out for home, in company with some of my 
 brethren. On our way, we preached at brother 
 Loferree's. We then w^ent to ISlew Philadel- 
 phia, and thence to my brother-in-law, George 
 
HEV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 157 
 
 Crider, where we had meeting in his barn. "VVe 
 left here on Monday morning, in the direction 
 of Centreville, crossed the Ohio at Steuben- 
 ville, and tarried with Governor Ritner, seven 
 miles from Washington, several days. He 
 treated us with the greatest kindness and hos- 
 pitality. From thence I arrived safe home, after 
 a journey of five weeks, somewhat out of pock- 
 et in money, having received for my traveling 
 expenses and services, three dollars. But then, 
 we preached the Gospel free of charge, and 
 when we could not find entertainment with 
 brethren and friends, we put up at public Inns, 
 which was not unfrequently the case. / 
 
 CHAPTER XHI. 
 
 AFFECTING SCENE. 
 
 At a meeting held in my house, on a certain 
 occasion, brother Price preaclied. He related 
 a circumstance, which deeply afiected his hear- 
 ers at the time. He said, that he was acquaint- 
 ed with a family in Ohio, consisting of the pa- 
 rents and three daughters, all of them living 
 " without God, and without hope in the world." 
 On one occasion, the oldest daughter, Jane, was 
 
158 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 converted at a religious meeting. The news 
 soon reached her father's ears, "that his daugh- 
 ter Jane had got religion," and as he had no 
 regard for relis^ion himself, hut was an enemy 
 to it, he became very much irritated at the re- 
 port, and resolved either to put a stop to such 
 things in his family, or else to banish the sub- 
 jects of them from it. So when she came home, 
 he coolly said to her, 
 
 " Jane, I hear a bad report about you." She 
 replied, 
 
 " What is it, father, that you have heard about 
 me ?" He responded, 
 
 " I am told that you have gotten religion. Is 
 it so?" She answered, 
 
 " All true, father. But how can it be bad 
 news that your child should be converted, and 
 try to save her soul ?" He rejoined, 
 
 " As to that, I consider it bad enough, that 
 any part of my family should disgrace them- 
 selves, by adopting and acting upon such fool- 
 ish notions as religion. I look upon it all as 
 sheer hypocrisy. It does not become people of 
 our rank in society to adopt such measures." 
 She replied, 
 
 " Well, father ! According to the way in 
 which you instructed our family, I was of the 
 
REV. SAMUEL H TIBER 159 
 
 same opinion with yourself. But when the 
 Lord convicted me of the error of my ways, I 
 saw that I was wrong in my opinions. There- 
 fore, I sought and found him, to the joy of my 
 heart ! Glory be to his name !" He respond- 
 ed, 
 
 " I see, Jane, that you have been deluded by 
 those religionists, whose aim is to subvert the 
 world. Every convert they make, shouts glory. 
 E'ow, to be short about the matter : I want to 
 hear none of your preaching. You must either 
 give up your religious notions, or leave my 
 house aud look out for yourself." She replied, 
 
 " Dear father ! I will obey you in all things 
 lawful, as becomes a dutiful child. But, after 
 what the Lord has done for me, I cannot think 
 of forsaking him. I am determined, through 
 his grace, to try to save my soul at all hazards." 
 To this he said, 
 
 " Jane, I will give you three weeks' time to 
 consider this matter ; and if, at the expiration of 
 that time, you are still determined to persevere 
 in your delusive ways, you must leave my 
 house and seek quarters elsewhere." 
 
 During the time allotted her for considering 
 the subject, she continued to ask for grace and 
 strength from her heavenly father. Her soul 
 
160 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 was strengtliened in the Lord. The promise, 
 *' and every one that hath forsaken houses, or 
 brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or 
 wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, 
 sliall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit 
 everlasting life," (Matth. 19 : 29) was strongly 
 impressed upon her heart. At the expiration 
 of the three weeks, her father waited upon her, 
 and requested an answer as to what she intend- 
 ed to do. She replied, that she would obey 
 him in all lawful commands; but as her heav- 
 enly father had adopted her into his family, and 
 promised in his word to take care of his chil- 
 dren, she had, therefore, concluded to remain 
 faithful to the grace given unto her. He then 
 told her to leave his house. At this injunction, 
 she gathered up her clothes and made ready for 
 departure. But before doing so, she bid fare- 
 well to her mother and sisters, taking an affec- 
 tionate leave of them, not knowing whether 
 they would meet again or not. 
 
 This was truly a deeply exciting scene. — 
 Mother and daughters were weeping, as if at 
 the death-bed side of a beloved departing rela- 
 tive. Just think of it, reader, an affectionate 
 family about to be separated, for no other reason, 
 than because one of its members had gotten re- 
 ligion, and wanted to serve the Lord. 
 
REV. SAMUEL RUBER. 161 
 
 And SO, after Jane left, the mother and two 
 daughters still weeping, the second sister said, 
 " Since Jane is gone, I will follow her," and 
 began to gather tip her clothes for that purpose. 
 The third sister then replied, " Yes ! and if my 
 two sisters go, I will go also," at the same time 
 making ready to start. 
 
 At this, the mother went to her husband, ex- 
 claiming, with rolling tears, " You are robbing 
 me of rny children. I can not live without them. 
 If they go, I wall go with them.* At this, the 
 father's heart gave in. He could stand the sight 
 no longer. Hastily did he send after Jane to 
 return. "When she came back, he requested 
 her to pray for him. They all fell upon their 
 knees, when Jane poured out- her soul in pray- 
 er in their behalf. In the course of a short time 
 after this, the whole family were made parta- 
 kers of saving grace, and went on their way, 
 serving Him, who, through the w^orkings of his 
 Spirit, frequently makes a child the means of 
 converting the parents, together with the rest 
 of the household. 
 
 About twelve years ago, brother Daniel 
 
 * When brother Price was relating this case, at the instant 
 he repeated the exclamation of the mother, " If they go, I 
 will go with them," a woman in the congregation spoke out, 
 " And so would I." 
 
62 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Whisler, then residing in Cumberland county, 
 "^ve miles from Newburg, Pa., requested me to 
 hold a big meeting at his house, alleging that 
 there had not been a big meeting held there 
 yet, and that preaching was much needed in that 
 section of country. Accordingly, a meeting 
 was appointed, which commenced at 10 o'clock, 
 A. M,, on Saturday, at which time I preached 
 to a large audience in the barn. After preach- 
 ing, I baptized two men by immersion, three 
 times, face forward ; also two women, by pour- 
 ing, who were kneeling in the water at the 
 time. Late in the afternoon we partook of 
 dinner and supper together. It may surprise 
 some of our modern folks, when I state, that 
 between three and four hundred persons ate at 
 brother Whisler's table, during that meeting, 
 and that he besides fed a great number of horses- 
 He had made great calculations, and prepared 
 accordingly. 
 
 After having taken refreshment, we held an 
 experience meeting, at which many persons 
 gave an account of their religious experience. 
 In the evening, the sacrament of the Lord's Sup- 
 per was administered to a large number of par- 
 ticipants, after which, feet washing was attend- 
 ed to. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 168 
 
 On the next day, Sunday, I preached at 10 
 o'clock, A. M. A number of preachers also 
 assisted at the meeting. In the evening five 
 mourners came out seeking the Lord. At this 
 meeting, which continued for several days, a 
 good religious work commenced, by means of 
 which, in the course of some time, from forty to 
 fifty persons became converted, many of whom 
 united together in church fellowship, as an or- 
 der of their own, separate from other Churches. 
 And as they had no regular preacher to serve 
 them, they selected brother Whisler as their 
 pastor, who attended to them in that capacity, 
 from ten to twelve years. During this time, in 
 company with brothers Bickly, J. Senseny, D. 
 Funkhouser, J. and D. Basehore, and other lo- 
 cal preachers, we assisted brother Whisler to 
 hold meetings at his house, and in the neigh- 
 borhood. I attended personally several times a 
 year. "Within the past year, brother Whisler 
 and his society, attached themselves to the 
 Church of the United Brethren in Christ. 
 Brother Whisler is now a local preacher among 
 lis. All this work was begun and carried for- 
 ward through the local ministry. 
 
 I had regular appointments at brothers Peter 
 Cook and Jacob Whitmore's, and in the Union 
 
1G4 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 school house in the Dutch Settlement, at wliich 
 places I ofhciated alternatelj^ At one time, 
 while we were holding meeting in brother Whit- 
 more's barn, a thunder gust came up, with viv- 
 id flashes of lightning and heavy thunder, just 
 at the time I Avas preaching. A woman in the 
 congregation jumped upon her feet, crying out, 
 " Lord Jesus," and fell down. She afterwards 
 got religion in her house. 
 
 At a meeting in the Union school house, sev- 
 eral souls were made happy during preaching. 
 One old Presbyterian rose up waiving his hands 
 up and down and praising the Lord. 
 
 I used to leave home on Sunday morning, 
 ride on horseback to the Union school house, 
 be there at 10 o'clock. Thence I went to Pe- 
 ter Cook's at 3 o'clock, and thence to Cham- 
 bersburg in the evening at candle light, and 
 preached at each place. I returned home the 
 same night, making a circuit of about thirty 
 miles in one day. The next morning I went to 
 work at my trade. 
 
 In Rockingham county, Virginia, at one time 
 while I was preaching in a Lutheran church, a 
 man rose up in the congregation, and cried out, 
 " I am Tom Paine, every drop of blood within 
 me." This he did repeatedly, to the great an- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBEH. 165 
 
 noyance of the congregation. And, inasmucli 
 as be was " Tom Paine," throughout, as he 
 said he was, his conduct heretofore correspond- 
 ed with his principles. He insulted all profes- 
 sors of religion who came in his way. But, 
 at this time, he met his match. For there was 
 in the meeting, a brother Stephler, a man of 
 great muscular strength. He coolly rose up, 
 and took hold of, " Tom Paine " by the back 
 and neck collar of his coat and the seat of his 
 pants, and pushed him out of the church, and 
 in this way, run him across the street, into 
 another house, where he held him in durance, 
 until the meeting was closed. 
 
 Inasmuch, as the relating of religious experi- 
 ence, is frequently made a blessing to other 
 persons, I will, for the benefit of some of my 
 readers, whom it may suit, relate the following, 
 as given to me by a brother. He said : "About 
 fifteen or twenty years after I had experienced 
 religion, one night, at the time I was reading 
 Doctor Clark's notes upon the Scriptures, an 
 instantaneous dark and gloomy spell came over 
 my mind and heart. It was suggested, that 
 I never had been converted — that my views 
 and feelings on religious subjects were alto- 
 gether delusive, consisting in vague notions, &c. 
 
166 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 I felt horror stricken, not knowing what all this 
 meant, or whence it came. I became greatly 
 alarmed. 
 
 In this state of mind and distress, I went to 
 my mother-in-law. She was an old soldier of 
 the cross — had experienced religion, and kept 
 it from her youth, and had endured many 
 trials, and temptations, in her journey thus far. 
 But loni? since that time, she has gone to join 
 some of her former classmates, in the kingdom 
 above, where the devil never enters. When I 
 came to her, she looked at me with great sur- 
 prise, and exclaimed, 
 
 "Why ! John, what is the matter with you ? 
 I see by your countenance, there is something 
 wrong." I replied, 
 
 " Yes, mother, I feel as if the devil were try- 
 ing to get me to give up my religious pursuits." 
 She asked, 
 
 " Well, what do you want me to do?" I an- 
 swered, 
 
 " I want you to come into the room, and pray 
 with me for grace to overcome the tempter." 
 
 And so the old lady and myself went into a 
 room to pray. As she entered it, she said, 
 
 "I feel as if the powers of darkness were 
 here." I replied, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 167 
 
 " And so do I, mother." 
 
 We continued in prayer for several hours 
 together. At length I told her to retire ; that 
 I would hold on by faith and prayer. I contin- 
 ued to pray by myself during the night, but 
 found no relief then. It was a dark and gloomy 
 night to me. JSText morning I went to brother 
 Prettyman. He was preacher in charge of the 
 Chambersburg station at the time. I commu- 
 nicated to him the state of my mind and feel- 
 ings. He said " he had undergone a similar 
 trial at one time in his life, and it was three 
 months before he got through it. But when 
 he did get the victory, it was the greatest spir- 
 itual blessing he had ever experienced up to 
 that time." He encouraged me to pray on. 
 
 After this I went to brother Thomas Yates, 
 then a local preacher in the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church, but many years since gone over 
 Jordan. I gave him a statement of my expe- 
 rience, and, as he was one of that sort of people 
 who did not keep secret, what they told other 
 persons, he replied, " That's right for you, John. 
 You and the devil are about having a fight. 
 But you must hold on by faith and prayer ;" 
 adding, " this trial will do you good." 
 
 That was a dark day to my soul. I could 
 
168 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 neither eat nor work. I went about during the 
 day laboring under great heaviness, by reason 
 of manifold temptations, all the while engaged 
 in prayer, mentally and otherwise. Towards 
 evening, a short time before going to a prayer 
 meeting, I opened the Bible. The first passage 
 I cast my eyes upon was the first Epistle of 
 John 2 : 1, 2, " And if any man sin, we have an 
 advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous ; And he is the propitiation for our 
 sins ; and not for ours only, but also, for the 
 sins of the whole world." I was standing at 
 the time, and it appeared to me, as if the devil 
 was standing along side of me. So, after I had 
 read the passages, I pointed with my finger to 
 them, exclaiming, vocally, I think, as if speak- 
 ing to a person standing beside me, "Devil ! do 
 you see that ? Look at it ! Here is my advo- 
 cate, even Jesus Christ ! To you, I am under 
 no obligations to confess ; but to God, I confess 
 my short-comings." I added, "You may do 
 your worst now. This Scripture gives new 
 hope, to my soul." 
 
 I closed the book, went to the prayer meet- 
 ing, pleading the Saviour's merits, and while a 
 brother was praying, in an instant, a stroke of 
 divine love and power entered my heart. All 
 n\y doubts and fears were gone, and^ in their 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 169 
 
 place love, joy and peace filled my heart. I 
 could sing again, what I had often sung before: 
 
 " I know that my Eedeemer lives. 
 
 And ever pray? for me : 
 A token of his love he gives, 
 
 A pledge of liberty." 
 
 On my way home from the meeting, the heav- 
 ens — stars — and cill creation appeared new. — 
 When I came to the house, my mother-in-law 
 met me, an(?, with joy in her countenance, 
 exclaimed, 
 
 "Why! John, I see by your countenance, 
 you have got the blessing." I replied, 
 
 " Yes ! mother, thank God ! I feel it ; and 
 that's better than sight." 
 
 "We then had a good time together, talking 
 about Jesus. That was a joyful night to my 
 soul. I spent the greater part of it walking 
 about praising the Lord. Since that time, I 
 have had many ups and downs in the world, 
 but am still on my way to the promised land. 
 
 FATHER GEISSEMAN'S EXPERIENCE AND DEATH. 
 
 Father Geisseman said to me, " In the Eev- 
 olutionary war I served my country in the ar- 
 my under General Washington. During the 
 time of a battle with the enemy, when bullets 
 were flying and whistling past me, I was con- 
 12 
 
170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 victed of my sins, and felt, that if I should be 
 shot dead, my soul would be lost. I lifted up 
 my heart to God in prayer, and promised, that 
 if he would preserve my life, I would serve him 
 the remainder of my days. 
 
 Many years after this, 1 w^ent to hear father 
 Otterbein preach at Guething's old church, 
 twelve miles from Hagerstown. Md. Immense 
 crowds of hearers were present at the time, 
 many of them standing outside o? the church. 
 "When Otterbein was preaching, staiiding in the 
 church door, he became exhausted, thxough over 
 exertion, in order to be heard. His voice and 
 strength failing, and knowing that the people 
 could not all hear him, he paused, and with 
 arms and hands extended towards heaven, ex- 
 claimed : ' Lord God, if I am thy servant, 
 assist and strengthen me once more, to declare 
 thy truth.' After this, he felt himself quicken- 
 ed and revived, through the power of God, and 
 stood, appearing like a 'flame of fire,' during the 
 closing part of his discourse." " That sermon," 
 added Geisseman, "went home to my heart, I 
 never rested until my soul was converted to 
 God." 
 
 After father Geisseman got religion, he open- 
 ed his house for meetings. Many refreshing 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 171 
 
 seasons of grace were enjoyed in them. He 
 was an example for Christians, and a pillar in 
 the Church. A few days before his death, I 
 visited him. He was happy in view of his lat- 
 ter end, and afterwards left this world, in hope 
 of a glorious resurrection. Brother J. Crider 
 and myself officiated at his funeral. 
 
 At a camp meeting on my brother Abraham's 
 land, near my residence, about forty rowdies had 
 collected together on a Friday night, threatening 
 to storm the camp the next night, if it would not 
 be broken up. Accordingly, on Saturday night 
 about 10 o'clock, they met near the spring, a 
 short distance from the camp. They were arm- 
 ed with clubs and other offensive weapons, 
 well prepared for battle. They uttered repeat- 
 ed huzzas, struck their clubs against the fence, 
 &c. 
 
 "While this was was going on, I was sitting in 
 the preachers' stand. On hearing the noise, I 
 thought it was at my house. I left the stand 
 and repaired to it, but found all quiet there. 
 I then went to the spring, where the rowdies, 
 under the command of their ring-leader, were 
 mustering their forces in military order. This 
 being done, they moved towards the camp. I 
 quietly, unknown to them, followed in their 
 rear. 
 
172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 When thej came to the camp ground, they 
 posted themselves, rank and file, in front of it, 
 making ready for the onset. Just ahout the 
 time they were making the start for a row, I 
 went peaceably up to the ring-leader, took hold 
 of him by the collar of his coat, and said to 
 him, " "What in the world are you going to do ? 
 If you make any further disturbance, you sub- 
 ject yourselves to heavy prosecutions. Your 
 names are known. If you do not desist from 
 this disturbance, you will be prosecuted." 
 
 At this, he remained speechless and quiet. 
 I then requested him to come into the congre- 
 gation and take a seat, and hear the preaching, 
 which was then going on. He at once assented. 
 I lead him to a seat, some of his fellows crying 
 out at the same time, " Dont you go. They 
 want to put you under guard." I told him it 
 was not so ; he should sit down, which he did. 
 The rest of the gang, seeing their captain 
 grounding arms, became quiet, except two of 
 them, who threw stones into the camp. But, 
 being pursued by some of the camp guard, 
 they fled, and, in the dark, run into a pond of 
 water, in the lower end of a meadow and made 
 their escape through it. After this, there was 
 no more disturbance on the 2:round. 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 173 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 VISITING THE SICK A EENJAMINITE. 
 
 Some years ago, there resided, not one hun- 
 dred miles from the Rocky Spring, Mr. J , 
 
 with his family. The old folks were over fifty 
 years of age at the time of this occurrence. 
 Their son, with his wife, lived in the same 
 house with them at the time. The son's wife 
 was sick. She was consumptive, and had no 
 hope of recovery. iTot being prepared for death, 
 she sent for a certain minister of the gospel, 
 professedly such, and inquired of him, saying, 
 
 " Can a person know his sins forgiven, and 
 have peace with God in this world, before he 
 dies ?" adding, that " she had heard Samuel 
 Huber preach the doctrine, that we must be 
 born again, and know our sins forgiven in this 
 life, or we will be lost." The minister replied, 
 
 " We can not know our sins forgiven in this 
 life." 
 
 This did not satisfy her. She sent for a min- 
 ister of another religious denomination, and 
 asked him the same question. He gave her 
 the same answer the former one had given. 
 
174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY QF 
 
 But she was still uneasy with regard to her fu- 
 ture state. She sent a messenger to me re- 
 questing me to come to see her, as shei;vishedto 
 speak to me about the state of her soul. At the 
 same time, it was added, that I should not let 
 
 her father-in-law, Mr. J , know that she 
 
 had sent for me. It was desired that my visit 
 should appear merely as that of a neighbor, in- 
 asmuch as the old gentleman was a wicked man 
 and opposed to religion. 
 
 In company with brother John Crider, I went 
 to Mr. J 's house. The sick woman's hus- 
 band and his uncle were sitting in the room, 
 where she was lying in bed, at the time we came 
 there. The father-in-law had gone for the Doc- 
 tor to Strasburg. She then related to us the 
 foregoing conversations, which she had had with 
 the ministers, and requested us to sing and 
 pray with and for her. ^ e commenced to sing, 
 at which her husband and his uncle left the 
 room, and went out of the house. "We kneeled 
 down to pray. While brother Crider was pray- 
 ing, the old man having returned, rushed into 
 the room, crying out, " That's enough — that's 
 enough of such things. I want no such work 
 in my house. We had two priests here. We 
 don't want you here. It is time enough when 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 175 
 
 you are sent for. Let every pig eat out of his 
 own trough." At the same time, he took hold 
 of a chair and lifting it up, continued, ''Begone 
 out of my house, or I will knock you down 
 with this chair." 
 
 I jumped up from my knees — took hold of 
 the chair he held in his hands — wrested it from, 
 him — told him to sit down and be quiet — I 
 wanted to talk to him — adding, that he was not 
 going to scare me off in this way. When I 
 wrested the chair from his hands, he became 
 powerless — said no more — and walked away. 
 I remained for some time, talking with the sick 
 woman, her mother-in-law and her daughter. 
 
 After awhile, the old man returned, and said, 
 
 ^' Are you here yet ?" I said, 
 
 " Yes, I am, I came to pay a neighbor's viS' 
 it. I have done no harm here. I will go away 
 when I please." 
 
 I then bade farewell and left. A few days af- 
 ter this the sick woman died. I went early in 
 the naorning to attend her funeral. When Mr. 
 
 J saw me approach, he opened the gate, 
 
 looked much cut down, and lamented, saying 
 my daughter-in-law is dead, and my son is 
 lying sick up stairs; and so this affair ended. 
 
 Some time after this, Mr. J 's grand-son 
 
176 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 took sick. He sent for me to come to see him. 
 "When I came there, I asked the sick man, 
 
 " What do you want with me ?" He an- 
 swered, 
 
 " I want you to baptize me, and give me the 
 sacrament." I inquired, 
 
 "Have you been converted and experienced 
 a change of heart ?" He said, 
 
 "No." I told him, 
 
 " That baptism and the sacrament would not 
 save him. He must call upon God for mercy 
 and get religion before I would baptize him ; as 
 it would be of no use to do so, before he was 
 converted." 
 
 He then cried out, that we should sing and 
 pray for him. While singing, the old grand- 
 father, J , with another old sinner, left the 
 
 room. We kneeled in prayer. The sick man 
 began to pray in good earnest. After I rose 
 from my knees, he looked me full in the face, 
 still praying. I urged him to pray on, and look 
 to God through Jesus Christ, for mercy. He 
 continued to do so for over one hour, when he 
 was happily converted to God. Clapping his 
 hands, he exclaimed, " Glory to Got ! Glory to 
 Got!" 
 
 At this juncture, an English woman came 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 177 
 
 into the room. He continued, " Glory to Got. 
 Got converted my soul. I can talk English 
 now." After this, I administered to him bap- 
 tism and the Lord's Supper, and left for that 
 evening. The next. morning I went to see him 
 again. His bodily pains had left him. He was 
 lying in bed, waving his hands expressive of 
 happiness, and with smiles in his countenance, 
 continued to do so until evening, when he died. 
 By request, I preached his funeral sermon to a 
 large concourse of attendants. 
 
 J^ow, inasmuch as Mr. J was a strict 
 
 church-member- — belonged to a religious de- 
 nomination, we have here one case out of a thou- 
 sand, in which church-members, who make a 
 religious profession and partake of the sacra- 
 ment, at the same time have no religion ; and 
 not only do they neglect to obtain religion 
 themselves, but also try to prevent others from 
 doing so. How hard and bigoted must have 
 been the heart of this man, to refuse to allow 
 prayer to be made in behalf of his daughter-in- 
 law, when she was so near her latter end ! But 
 as he is gone to give an account of his doings 
 before the Judge of all the earth, I forbear fur- 
 ther comment, hoping only that others of like 
 stamp, may not do as he did. 
 
178 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 On a certain occasion I attended a large camp 
 meeting held on brother Middlecauif's land, a 
 few miles from Hagerstown, Md. Much good 
 was done during its continuance. A.mong the 
 preachers who attended it, were sons of conso- 
 lation, with some sons of thunder. There was 
 some smiting with the hand and stamping with 
 the foot, in accordance with prophetic st^de. 
 The truth was proclaimed in unmistakable 
 terms, by showing to sinners, in and out of 
 Zion, their sins, and the horde of dead religious 
 professors their transgressions. 
 
 An occurrence took place during the meet- 
 ing, wdiich tended to awaken the risibilities of 
 the most sedate person upon the ground. Du- 
 ring one of the public services, a diminutive an- 
 imal in the shape of a ''•''dandy,'" frequently 
 called a half cut, was protuberating about the 
 ground. Sometimes he was found on the men's 
 side of the aisle, and at other times on the 
 women's side of it, with whip in hand. It 
 appeared as if he wanted to make up in appear- 
 ance, what he lacked in stature. This he did 
 by his contemptuous airs, assuming to be some- 
 thing great. 
 
 In this way, he continued stalking about the 
 camp, to the great annoyance of the congrega- 
 
REV. SAMUEL RUBER. 179 
 
 tion. Several of the brethren expostulated with 
 him upon the impropriety of his course, and re- 
 quested him to cease. But these mild means 
 only tended to make him the more obstreper- 
 ous ; and with loud vociferations, he was bent 
 upon annoying the meeting. As the breth- 
 ren did not wish to raise a tumult during the 
 preaching, they left him alone. 
 
 Now, it does not unfrequently happen, in the 
 cburse of human events, that the old fable of the 
 boy in the apple tree, who would not be per- 
 suaded by mild words to come down out of it, 
 but had to submit to the force of stones, is ful- 
 ly illustrated in life, in different ways ; and so 
 it was in this case. There was a man in the 
 camp named Andrew ITewcomer, son of father 
 I^ewcomer, This Andrew was in stature some- 
 what akin to " Goliath of Gath." The dandy 
 was a mere pigmy compared with him. An- 
 drew, seeing that mild words had no effect upon 
 this " son of Belial," and also believing, in ac- 
 cordance with the declaration of old, that " the 
 wicked shall be cast out of the congregation," 
 cooly, and in good humor, went to him, and 
 taking hold of him by the collar of his coat 
 w^ith his left hand and fastening his right hand 
 on the seat of his pants, lifted him up before all 
 
180 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the people and the preachers, as a woman would 
 lift np and carry her child upon her hands. In 
 this posture, to the amusement of some and as- 
 tonishment of others, he carried him out of the 
 camp, and pitched him upon a brush heap. 
 And so, after this " Benjaminite " had recovered 
 from his fright, he got up and scampered ofi" as 
 fast as his legs could carry him. To the great 
 joy of all the people, he was no more seen upon 
 the ground. The devil had met with his match, 
 and the exercises of the meeting went on with- 
 out further molestation. 
 
 Many years ago, brother Samuel Bowman 
 resided in the State of Maryland. He was the 
 owner of a good limestone farm, and doing well 
 in the world. But, inasmuch as he enjoyed no 
 rest or contentment in his then situation, he 
 sold out and removed to Aughwick valley, 
 near the Burnt Cabins, Pa., and settled upon 
 sterile land. After he had remained there for 
 some time, he desired to have religious meet- 
 ings in his house. He requested brothers John 
 and David Bear, father Dehuff, John Crider, 
 and myself, to preach there, which we did alter- 
 nately, at regular appointments, for several 
 years. After that, his house was taken into a 
 circuit, and became a regular preaching place 
 for the United Brethren. 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 181 
 
 At one time a camp meeting was appointed 
 to be held on his ground. At the appointed 
 time in the morning, as I was preparing to leave 
 home for the camp, I was waited upon by Mr. 
 Taylor, with an urgent request to come to Mr. 
 Christian Lutz's house, near Greenvillage, to 
 visit his daughter I^ancy, who was then sick. 
 I told him, that 
 
 " I was just about starting for the Burnt Cab- 
 ins' camp." He replied, 
 
 '^ You must come, as Nancy Lutz will not be 
 satisfied unless you do so." 
 
 I went. When I arrived in the house. Miss 
 Lutz was confined to bed with a fever. It was 
 said she had the "yellow fever." I asked her 
 
 " What do you want with me !" She an- 
 swered, 
 
 " I want you to sing, and pray for me. I 
 cannot consent to die in my present condition." 
 
 Accordingly, I complied with her request. 
 After this, when, about to leave, she begged me 
 earnestly to tarry until 8 o'clock in the even- 
 ing. But, inasmuch as I had promised to at- 
 tend the camp meeting, I bade her farewell and 
 left. When I got home, the day was far spent. 
 I concluded to remain over night and start for 
 the camp in the morning. That night I could 
 
182 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 not sleep, i^ancy Lutz was continually present 
 to my mind. Next morning I rose u|) early. 
 My wife asked me, 
 
 "Are you going to the camp ?" I said, 
 
 "IN'ot at present. I have no rest. I must 
 go back to see iTancy Lutz, before I go." 
 
 At the moment I had mounted my horse to 
 go there, Mr. Taylor came to me and said, 
 
 " You must come back to see Nancy again. 
 She cannot rest unless you do so." 
 
 Iwent with him. "When we came there, Mr. C. 
 Lutz's wife was lying a corpse, having died the 
 preceding night. Old Mr. Lutz and his daugh- 
 ter Nancy, living in a separate part of the house, 
 were confined to bed. 
 
 It was during the time, when a destructive 
 epidemic raged throughout the countiy. I en- 
 tered the room where th ey were. Nancy was in 
 a slumber. I looked at her for a short time, and 
 then walked out of the room, intending to de- 
 part. Mr. Taylor followed me out, and said to 
 me, 
 
 " You are not going off, are you ?" I replied, 
 
 " There is no use for me to stay. She is dy- 
 ing and knows nothing more about this world." 
 He said, 
 
 " You must not go yet. She will recover 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 183 
 
 some, soon. She was talking about you nearly 
 all the past night." 
 
 So I rem-ained. In the meantime, IN'ancy 
 awakened out of her slumber, and said to me, 
 
 " I want you to sing and pray." Her Father 
 said, 
 
 " I don't think it necessary to pray. She is 
 too far gone. But you may sing a few verses." 
 IsTancy said, 
 
 " You must sing and pray with me once 
 more. I cannot consent to die in my present 
 condition." 
 
 During this time, butchering was going on 
 in the kitchen part of the house. Preparations 
 were making for Mrs. Christian Lutz's funeral. 
 Mr. Lutz said, 
 
 " How can you pray, while there is so much 
 noise in the house?" 
 
 I then went into the kitchen, and said to the 
 persons there, 
 
 "Nancy wants me to sing and pray once 
 more, before she dies." 
 
 I requested them to come into the room and 
 unite with us in worship. To this they assent- 
 ed — came into the room and united in singing.*' 
 After singing, I said, " I will pray once more. 
 Let us kneel." They knelt with me. "While 
 
184 AUTOBIOailAPIIY OP 
 
 engaged in prayer, I felt access to God. Before 
 I had concluded, N'ancy received the blessings 
 of redeeming love. When I rose up from my 
 knees, she was clapping her hands, weak as she 
 was in body, praising her blessed Redeemer, 
 and then said, 
 
 " You can go to the camp meeting now. 
 The Lord has pardoned my sins. I am happy, 
 andean die in peace." 
 
 I left, rejoicing on my way home. That night 
 !N"ancy's spirit left her body, and went to the 
 glory land. The next morning I started for the 
 camp. When I arrived there, I was asked, 
 
 "What kept you away so long?" 
 
 I related the cause and circumstances. One 
 of the brethren said, 
 
 " Glory to God, for that ; one more soul 
 saved ;" to which others responded. Amen ! 
 
 I remained on the camp ground, in the capaci- 
 ty of Presiding Elder, until the meeting closed. 
 During its continuance, among other converts, 
 brother Bowman's son George and his wife, got 
 religion. Thirty-two persons came forward — 
 professed conversion, and joined the Church. 
 ** When I saw how the work of God prospered 
 in this region, it reminded me of a conversation 
 I had held, prior to this time, with father De- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 185 
 
 huff. I asked him, Wh}^ it was, that Bowman 
 had no peace, nor contentment, although a con- 
 verted man, at the time he resided on a good 
 farm, and was doing well in the world ; but, 
 that he should have left it and moved to Augh- 
 wick valley, a poor country, when he could have 
 done much better where he had lived. Dehuff 
 referred me to Psalm 68 : 14 : " When the 
 Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as 
 snow in Salmon." The German version reads, 
 " Wenn der Allmachtige hin und wieder unter 
 ihnen Konige setzet, so wird es helle, wo es 
 dunkel ist." From this verse, it is evident, that 
 God scatters his servants over the earth, by 
 sending them into regions of country where 
 spiritual darkness and wickedness reigns, to 
 open the way for the preachiug of the Gospel. 
 By such means the truth is propagated. As 
 " snow " is " white," representing light, so the 
 light of God's word is " white as snow in dark- 
 ness," bringing mankind out of it into its 
 "marvelous light." 
 
 But the passage quoted, says, " The Al- 
 mighty scattered kings." Are all God's ser- 
 vants "kings ?" John in the Kevelations, says, 
 " And " he " has made us kings and priests 
 unto God and his Father." From this, it ap- 
 13 
 
186 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 pears, that God's true children are " kings," in 
 a certain sense. As, however, I do not intend 
 to preach a sermon on this point here, I will 
 try to illustrate the case of Bowman by means 
 of a dialogue. 
 
 Question. " Were there not other people re- 
 siding in that country at the time, who could 
 have done the same things w^hich Bowman did, 
 without his leaving his comfortable situation 
 and moving there ?" 
 
 Ansioer. " There were other persons there, 
 who could have done a like work as he did; but 
 they did not do so." 
 
 Q. ^' Why not?" 
 
 A. "Because they were unconverted, un- 
 willing to do so, being lovers of the world and 
 pleasure, more than lovers of God. They had 
 no relish for such things as the cause of God." 
 
 Q. " How came it to pass then, that, after 
 the pioneers of the Gospel had settled and 
 preached in those dark regions, many of the 
 people adopted their views, and fell into and 
 practised the same measures with them ?" 
 
 A. " Such are the workings of God's Spirit 
 upon men's hearts, that, when they become 
 changed by it, their faculties, formerly engaged 
 in worldly pursuits, are now employed in the 
 cause of God." 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER 187 
 
 Qy " But could not God have converted some 
 of them, and set them to work, without send- 
 ino; foreio^n instruments amono; them ?" 
 
 A. " What God could have done, it is not 
 our province to decide. One thing, however, is 
 certain : He has, in many cases, converted a 
 solitary sinner in the wilderness, without for- 
 eign aid, through whom, as an instrument, the 
 way was opened for the Gospel. But, as a gen- 
 eral rule, he sends his missionaries into remote 
 corners of the earth, with the command, " Go 
 ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to 
 every creature," and when he has a particular 
 work for an individual to perform, impressions 
 are made upon his mind by the Holy Spirit to 
 that effect. It w^as under such impressio7is, I 
 ojmie, that Bowman, and many others, emigrated 
 to places, where they were most needed, in or- 
 der to open the way for Christ's kingdom." 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 MY AFFLICTION — FAMILY AFFAIRS. 
 
 In the year 1842, on the 22nd day of Au- 
 gust, I was well and hearty as usual. Hereto- 
 fore, I had had but little sickness, being a 
 
188 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 healthy man. That night, after having retired 
 to bed, about 11 o'clock I rose up and went out 
 on the porch for the purpose of inhaling fresh 
 air. I then began to feel somewhat unwell. 
 After remaining on the porch about one min- 
 ute, I returned into tlie room, when I was sud- 
 denly struck senseless and fell down on the 
 floor. In this state I lay for about one hour, 
 after which I recovered my senses, and came 
 to my feelings. I then felt a severe pain in my 
 breast and back. I took three doses of pills in 
 a short time; but they did no me good whatever. 
 The pains continued to increase so much, that 
 I had to get on my hands and knees to enable 
 me to get up. 
 
 In this situation I remained in excruciating 
 pain, from Monday night until the Friday night 
 following. Dr. K. B. Lane was then sent for. 
 He arrived next morning. He asked me, 
 
 " What do you want ; are you afraid to die ?" 
 I answered, 
 
 " I am not afraid to die. We must all die 
 once. But, perhaps, you can relieve me of my 
 pains ?" He rejoined, 
 
 " I will try my best to do so." I said, 
 
 ^'Ifyou think you cannot relieve me, don't 
 try experiments on my body. But let me die 
 at once." 
 
KEV. SAMUEL HUBER. 189 
 
 And so he commenced administering medi- 
 cines with care and attention. He turned me 
 over on my right side, in which situation I lay 
 for two weeks. During this time, the pains 
 continued to shoot through my back, like elec- 
 tric shocks, with inconceivable torture ; and the 
 flesh on my hip decayed and fell off from the 
 bones. At one time, my wife had turned me 
 over from my side, upon my back. When the 
 Doctor came to my bed side, he said, 
 
 ^' I have a blister for your back." I said, 
 
 "]N'o, Sir ! ]Srone of that. Look at my hip." 
 
 After looking at it, he remarked to my wife 
 and a bystander, " His hip needs no blister. 
 There will be no more pain in it, inasmuch as 
 the flesh has decayed and become black." He 
 then wanted to put a blister on my back. I 
 said, 
 
 "^o ! That won't do. If you take the skin 
 from off my back with a blister, how am I to 
 lie ? for I cannot lie on my side. If you do put 
 it on, and I have power enough in me, I will 
 tear it off*, and throw it on the floor." He re- 
 plied, smiling, 
 
 " If you want to suffer pain a while longer, 
 so be it," and left for that time. 
 
 In this condition I lay during five weeks, not 
 
190 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 having any power in my legs whatever. But, 
 at the same time, my mind and voice were as 
 strong as usual. After having suiFered in this 
 way, during the time above stated, Doctor Lane 
 being in attendance, said, inquiringly, 
 
 " What am I to do with you ? The medicine 
 which I gave you, appears to have no effect 
 whatever." I answered, 
 
 "You are the Doctor, and should know." 
 
 He then prepared some medicine, which he 
 requested me to take, viz : one powder at 11 
 o'clock in the forenoon, and one dose of pills 
 the same evenins^. All this I attended to, ac- 
 cording to prescription. On the same day, it 
 being Sunday, about 11 o'clock at night, I be- 
 came so sick, in consequence of taking those 
 nostrums, that I thought I must die. I felt 
 languid, as though I were going to depart. Just 
 then, I heard my brother Benjamin say, "Now 
 he is gone." These were the last words I then 
 heard. I became senseless in body, and lay as 
 if dead, "Whether in the body or out of the 
 body, I cannot tell ; God knoweth." 
 
 It appeared to nae, that I was standing on the 
 borders of this world, looking with admiration 
 on the beauties and extent on the other side of 
 it. It seemed as if a person was standing along 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 191 
 
 side of me. I was so much enraptured with the 
 beauteous sight beyond, that I requested him 
 to take me across to the other side. He said, 
 *' ISlot yet. You must return back again to where 
 you came from." After I recovered out of this 
 state, I saw the persons who were standing 
 around my bed. I spoke to them, saying, " I 
 believe I am in my cabin house yet." It appear- 
 ed to me, that this world and ray house were so 
 diminutive compared with the magnitude of the 
 other world I saw, that they were scarcely worth 
 noticing. After remaining for some short time 
 in this condition, a voice spake to ray mind, 
 "It is enough." I answered, "Yes! this is 
 enough for once." So I laid quiet until a short 
 time before day light, pondering over my con- 
 dition ; no person being in the room at the time. 
 I still felt the aforementioned pains shooting 
 through my body, when suddenly, two shocks 
 in succession, like electricity, went through my 
 body. In an instant, all my pains were gone. 
 I felt no more of them. 
 
 IsText morning. Doctor Lane inquired how I 
 felt. I said very well, so far. I feel no pain at 
 all. The powder and pills I took by your direc- 
 tions almost killed me. I continued. Doctor, 
 you may take your preparations home. I will 
 
192 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Dot take any more of them ; for I received an 
 impression last night, plain as if spoken in my 
 ears, that I should take no more medicine. He 
 smiled. I told him, the way to prove whether 
 my impression respecting the medicines be cor- 
 rect or not, is to let me do without them for a 
 few weeks. To this he agreed. And so for 
 nearly three weeks, I refrained from taking 
 medicine, and continued to grow better in body. 
 
 At the Doctor's next visit, he found me near- 
 ly sitting up in bed. He looked at me with a 
 pleasant countenance, and said, " What a won- 
 derful man you are !" However, I still felt much 
 weakness in my back, and could not set up in 
 bed, without being supported by pillows. The 
 Doctor advised me to sit up in bed, and grad- 
 ually move my body backward and forward, in 
 order to gain strength, until I should become 
 sufficiently strong to sit erect. This advice I 
 followed, and by degrees recovered my usual 
 strength and health of body ; for all which I am 
 thankful to God. 
 
 During my affliction, it took from five to six 
 men to turn me over, from one side to the 
 other. At the end of the first two weeks, after 
 the flesh had decayed from my hip, the pain 
 in it somewhat subsided, although pains con- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 193 
 
 tinued, with great severity, in other parts of 
 my body. After some wanderings of mind, oc- 
 casioned by pains, my soul was resigned to the 
 will of God. I felt no earthly cares. I gave 
 up my will to God. I could say, " The Lord 
 gave" health, "and the Lord has " afflicted, 
 " blessed be the name of the Lord." The fear 
 of death was gone. I felt ready to go at my 
 Master's call. 
 
 Throughout the continuance of my affliction, 
 hundreds of brethren, and other people, visited 
 me. Some came to comfort, and others to dictate. 
 Brother J. Rhinehart, at one time told me, "I 
 was wanting in the exercise of patience — was 
 too restless under pain — should be more calm 
 — and lay quiet." To this I replied, " Can you 
 stay the thunder and lightning, when it hovers 
 over us ? I can no more avoid the strokes of 
 pain running through my body, than you can 
 stop thunder and lightning." This settled the 
 point with him. He decamped. 
 
 At one time a number of my brethren, and 
 other persons, were in my house. In their con- 
 versations with each other, they complained 
 much of the hardness of the times, scarcity of 
 money, &c. I reproved them for their murmur- 
 ings against providence, by reminding them 
 
194 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 that, having health, food and raiment, they 
 should therewith be content ; and aiso, that 
 there was a vast difference between persons 
 enjoying good health, and suffering afflictions. 
 In most cases, however, they appeared more 
 like *^ Job's comforters," than like brethren 
 come to comfort me in my afflictions. Their 
 conversations savored of the opinion, that all 
 my afflictions were sent as judgments for sins 
 committed ; and when God's children are afflict- 
 ed, it is in consequence of their sins. 
 
 Now I do not, by any means, reject the doc- 
 trine, that afflictions are frequently sent as just 
 judgments from God upon trans2:ressors of his 
 law. But, I opine, that this is not the case in 
 every instance, in which God's children are 
 chastised. I could frequently hear those breth- 
 ren talk among themselves, and say, that they 
 thought "I must have committed some secret 
 sin against God, for wdiich he sent this heavy 
 affliction upon me." But some of those good 
 brethren in their "zeal for censure," had either 
 not read in holy writ, or if they had read, could 
 not understand^ that some of God's most faith- 
 ful children had undergone the severest afflic- 
 tion. And, as some of my^ dictating brethren 
 professed at least to be Scripture readers, it 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 195 
 
 might have been thought, that they had read 
 the case of "Job," who was " a perfect and up- 
 right man, fearing God and eschewing evil," so 
 that even the devilwcould not bring a just accu- 
 sation against him. Notwithstanding his " in- 
 tegrity," he was still aiFiicted, almost beyond 
 human endurance. 
 
 From the course that some of my comforters 
 took, it did almost appear, that they had not 
 read the case of "Job." Or, if they had read 
 it, it sounded a little " queer,'" that they could 
 not comprehend how it was, that a righteous 
 man may be brought under the rod of affliction 
 without having committed a particular sin. 
 But, inasmuch as they continued to judge me, 
 according to their own notions, or perhaps ac- 
 cording to their own filings, I, therefore, while 
 confined to my bed, referred them to several 
 portions of the apostle Paul's writings, such as 
 the following : 
 
 " And ye have forgotten the exhortation, 
 which speaketh unto you as unto children : My 
 son, despise not thou the chastening of the 
 Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. 
 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and 
 scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If you 
 endure chastening, God dealeth with you as 
 
190 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 with sons : for what son is he whom the father 
 chasteneth not. But if ye be without chastise- 
 ment, whereof all are partakers, then are ye 
 bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have 
 had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, an d 
 we gave them reverence : shall we not much 
 rather be in subjection to the father of spirits 
 and live ? For they verily for a few days chas- 
 tened us after their own pleasure : but he for 
 our profit that we might be partakers of his 
 holiness." Heb. 12: 5-10. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing, I called their 
 attention to the following : 
 
 " And lest I should be exalted above measure 
 through the abundance of the revelations, there 
 was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the mes- 
 senger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be 
 exalted above measure. For this thing I be- 
 sought the Lord thrice, that it might depart 
 from me. And he said unto me : My grace is 
 sufficient for thee : for my strength is made 
 perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, 
 will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the 
 power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Cor. 
 12: 7-9. 
 
 "And there was a certain beggar named 
 Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of 
 sores." Luke 16 : 20. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 197 
 
 I also propounded to them the following ques- 
 tions, viz : 
 
 " Whether Paul, after he had been in the 
 
 third heavens, had committed a particular sin, 
 in consequence of which * A thorn was given 
 him in the flesh,' wdth which to be ^ buffeted 
 by Satan?' " 
 
 " Whether ^ Lazarus ' had committed a par- 
 ticular sin, that he was afflicted with ' sores ?' " 
 
 To these, thej made no answer. 
 
 It appeared to me to be almost impossible, to 
 convince so7ne of my brethren, that a righteous 
 man may be afflicted, without having commit- 
 ted some particular sin. ^ow, although I had 
 made it my constant practice, after I had set 
 out in God's service, to fear Him and do the 
 w'orks of righteousness, nevertheless, I had to 
 lament my short comings. Still, I felt no con- 
 de.'nnation, in consequence of wilful omissions 
 of duties towards God. And as he had honor- 
 ed me far more than I felt myself to deserve, as 
 an instrument in his hands to further his cause, 
 I looked upon my affliction as sent from him, 
 " lest I should be exalted above measure, 
 through the revelation given to me," and by 
 reason of the many souls I had good reason to 
 believe had been converted through my minis- 
 trations. I, therefore, felt resigned to my condi- 
 
198 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 tion, knowing, " that whom the Lord loveth he 
 chasteneth." 
 
 I told several of my comforters, that I feared 
 their religion consisted more in 2^rofession, than 
 in possession, and unless they would undergo 
 chastisement, more or less, they had reason to 
 fear, that they were *' bastards and not sons." 
 In order to sustain my position, I further quoted 
 Zachariah 13 : 8-9, " And it shall come to pass, 
 that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts 
 therein shall be cut off and die : but the third 
 part shall be left therein. And I will bring the 
 third part through the fire, and will refine them 
 as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is 
 tried : they shall call on my name, and I will 
 hear them ; I will say. It is my people : and they 
 shall say, The Lord is my God." And Malachi 
 3 : 2. 8, " But who may abide the day of his 
 coming ? and who shall stand when he appear- 
 eth ? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like ful- 
 ler's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and 
 purifier of silver : and he shall purify the sons 
 of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that 
 they may offer unto the Lord an offering in 
 rio'hteousness." 
 
 CD 
 
 Taking into view the Scripture passages 
 quoted in the present connection, it is plain to 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 199 
 
 be seen, that God's servants must be tried 
 through the furnauce of affliction, in order to 
 humble them. Besides all this, man does not, 
 at all times, know himself. When he enjoys 
 health and prosperity, he may readily trust in 
 God, and conclude, that he is fully resigned to 
 his will. But when circumstances are changed 
 by means of adversity and affliction, he may find 
 within himself a disposition differing much 
 from that which he supposed he had. He may 
 find that he is not altogether so submissive to 
 his situation, as he had thought he would be. 
 There are some dispositions, which lay dormant 
 in the heart for want of proper occasions to de- 
 velop them. But when bodily or other afflic- 
 tions are sent upon us, we find out what kind 
 of spirits we possess, whether they are gold or 
 dross, patient or impatient; and for this reason, 
 God afflicts his children, for the trial of their 
 faith and patience ; and that they may know 
 their own hearts. Throughout my afflictions, 
 the grace of God was my support. I firmly be- 
 lieved, that it was for my '^ profit that I might 
 be a partaker of his holiness," as before stated, 
 that God dealt with me in the manner in which 
 he did. 
 
 During the continuance of my affliction. 
 
200 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 preaching, and prayer meetings were almost 
 constantly held in my house. At one time, 
 when all hope of my recovery was given up, 
 brother Mcholas Patterson, a Presb^^terian min- 
 ister, paid us a visit'; and there being a great 
 many persons present at the time, he preached 
 to us from 2 Timothy 4 : 7, 8, " I have fought a 
 good fight, I have finished my course, I have 
 kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for 
 me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 
 the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day : 
 and not to me only, but unto all them also that 
 love his appearing." 
 
 In his remarks upon the subject, after alluding 
 to my ministerial labors, he said, in words sim- 
 ilar to the following: "Brother Huber will 
 soon be gone ! You will then no longer see 
 and hear him admonishing sinners to flee the 
 wrath to come. After he is gone, his zealous 
 labors will no longer be seen and felt among 
 you. People will then look back upon former 
 days, in which they heard him preach the un- 
 searchable riches of Christ. But as he ' fought 
 the good fight,' ' finished hi5 course,' ' kept the 
 faith,' he will now reap the crown of right- 
 eousness, laid up for all God's faithful servants,' 
 &c." 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 201 
 
 Now, although the brother, with the rest of 
 his hearers, had concluded almost to a certainty, 
 that my earthly race had been run, yet the good 
 Lord thought otherwise, and raised me up again, 
 to resume my labors in his vineyard. In view 
 of the above, and similar remarks, made by 
 brother Patterson, it was reported that he had 
 preached my funeral sermon before I was dead. 
 
 DEATH OP PART OF MY FAMILY. 
 
 I will here give a statement of some incidents 
 connected with the religious experiences of part 
 of my family. My daughter Elizabeth was 
 born on the 23rd of March, 1807. At about 
 the age often years, she became awakened to a 
 sense of her lost condition, and commenced to 
 seek the Lord through the means of grace ; and 
 although she led a good moral life, she had not 
 yet arrived at that state of religious experience 
 in which she had confidence to believe, that she 
 had felt a change of heart. In this state of 
 mind she grew up to the age of twenty odd 
 years, when she was married to her cousin, Ben- 
 jamin Huber, and lived with him about ten 
 years. In the month of August, 1841, she 
 took sick. Her sickness commenced with the 
 night sweat. The physician, who attended her, 
 
 said she was consumpted. After a linger- 
 14 
 
202 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ing illness of about four months' continuance, 
 the doctor gave up her case as incurable, and 
 told us, that "we should inform her that he 
 could not help her." This was on Sunday. 
 That evening I told her what the doctor had 
 said. She calmly replied, 
 
 " If the doctor can't help me, I must look 
 for help elsewhere ," and commenced to call 
 upon God in fervent prayer, believing every 
 day to be her last. In this way she continued 
 one week. On the following Sunday, she asked 
 me, 
 
 , "Do you intend to go to meeting to-day ?" 
 I replied, 
 
 " My appointment is at brother Stouffer's. I 
 thought of going there to preach." She re- 
 joined, 
 
 " Sing and pray before you go." 
 
 With the family we kneeled, and prayed in 
 her behalf. When the rest of us rose up, she 
 remained upon her knees in devotion, and con- 
 tinued in this posture during the fore-part of 
 that day. At length her mother lifted her up 
 and placed her in bed. In the evening, during 
 the time of prayer meeting in the house, she 
 was blest in a measure; but was not fully satis- 
 fied with regard to the evidence of her spiritual 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 203 
 
 adoption. 'Next morning she told us that she 
 had dreamed the preceding night, and said, 
 
 *' I saw in my dream a company of angels, 
 and Jesus Christ with them, attended with in- 
 expressible, rapturous, harmonious sounds of 
 music, and while they were moving onward, 
 they encircled and placed me in their midst, and 
 took me some distance with them. After this, 
 they left me and went oflV I asked her, 
 
 " Do you understand the dream." She re- 
 plied, 
 
 " It betokened, that I am not ready to go 
 yet" 
 
 I encouraged her, by presenting God's prom- 
 ises to the earnest seekers of salvation, and told 
 her, to lay hold upon Christ by faith, assuring 
 her that he would reveal himself to her in a 
 more powerful manner, &c. On the following 
 Tuesday evening, the circuit preacher preached 
 in my house. It was his regular appointment. ' 
 After preaching, we continued in prayer for 
 some time, in the course of which, I requested 
 the preacher to sing and pray again. But it 
 appeared as though he had no religion, or had 
 lost what he had, if he ever had any at all. For 
 he leaned his head forward on the table where 
 he was sitting, and remained ''mum." Seeing 
 
204 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 no other way, I delivered an exhortation. Two 
 persons got under conviction, and remained on 
 their knees in prayer. While the meeting was 
 thus going forward, my daughter received a 
 more powerful blessing in her soul than she had 
 received before, and expressed herself accord- 
 ingly. I said to her, 
 
 " Are you satisfied now." She replied, 
 
 "Yes ! glory to God, I am." 
 
 She continued exulting in her Saviour in a 
 happy frame of mind, from Tuesday night until 
 the Thursday night following. On that evening 
 a great many relatives and other persons were 
 sitting in the room. Elizabeth was sitting in 
 the rocking chair. Suddenly she exclaimed to 
 the astonishment of all present, 
 
 " Glory to God ! I can go now. I see the 
 
 company of angels I saw^ in my dream. They 
 
 ^are here now. Don't you see them ? I see 
 
 them as plainly as I see you, and Jesus in their 
 
 midst." 
 
 She clapped her hands, and laughed tears of 
 joy in the near prospect of going to meet her 
 Saviour, saying, " If I had power, I would jump 
 upon my feet and praise the Lord." In this 
 happy state of soul she continued, her bodily 
 strength still decreasing. On Sunday evening, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 205 
 
 as she was lying upon her bed, another death- 
 like spell came over her. She lay as if dead. 
 We concluded that she was dead, when unex- 
 pectedly she raised her right arm and said, 
 "Glory — Glory," &c. After this she became 
 more calm and partook of some refreshment 
 that night. 
 
 On Monday she felt somewhat easier in body, 
 but still expecting to die. On Tuesday evening, 
 at the time we were sitting around her bed, ex- 
 pecting her last moments on earth, Mr. George 
 Lightner, a near neighbor, came hastily to my 
 house, with a request for me to go to his house, 
 as his mother was about dying. I told him I 
 could not go then, as we were awaiting the 
 death of Elizabeth. She overheard our conver- 
 sation, and said, " Father, go." I mounted my 
 horse, and, with hasty pace, went with him. 
 When I arrived at his house, his mother was 
 just about leaving this world. We kneeled in 
 prayer, after which she revived for a short time, 
 and then expired, with the hope of a joyful res- 
 urrection. This was about 1 o'clock in the 
 evening. I then returned home. My daughter 
 asked me, 
 
 " How is Mrs. Lightner ?" I answered, 
 " She has gone to her long home." She re- 
 plied, 
 
206 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 "By to-morrow morning there will be anoth- 
 er one gone." 
 
 The next morning about 7 o'clock, the 22nd 
 of December, 1841, she departed this life, prais- 
 ing the Lord, that she was going to join Jesus 
 her Saviour, with the angels above. She left 
 her son Samuel, who is now living, to the care 
 of her husband, with affectionate requests to 
 bring him up in the fear and ways of the Lord. 
 May Samuel remember his mother's prayers in 
 his behalf ! 
 
 An opinion has obtained currency with some 
 people, that children, in their juvenile years, 
 cannot obtain religion ; and this opinion is 
 grounded upon the presumption, that juveniles 
 have not the capacity to discern the difference 
 between the workings of God's Spirit upon 
 their hearts, and other influences. From such 
 premises it is argued, that they should not be 
 taught to look for a change of heart, until they 
 arrive to a state of maturity. For if they were 
 to receive a blessing from the Lord upon their 
 souls, they could not know whether they were 
 made happy through grace, or by other means. 
 It would, therefore, be useless to teach them in 
 that way. In order to show the futility of such 
 opinions, I will here state a case, which came 
 tinder my own observation. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER 207 
 
 My son Solomon, between the age of jB.ve and 
 six years, used to go into the room, kneel down 
 and pray daily, with as much decorum as grown 
 persons, and when he came out from his devo- 
 tion, his countenance indicated that he felt in 
 prayer. His features were calm and serene. 
 Not a smile was to be seen in his face. In this 
 way he continued until the fall of 1816, when 
 he was afflicted with the head Pleurisy. Doc- 
 tor Jeremiah Senseny attended him. After be- 
 ing confined to bed with that disease nine days, 
 one morning, after family prayer, whilst we 
 were singing a hymn, he jumped out of bed, 
 clapping his hands, shouting " Glory," in 
 ecstacy of joy, saying, "The Lord has blest my 
 soul and made me happy." He continued 
 leaping and praising in that strain from out of 
 his bedroom into the adjoining room, until his 
 strength became exhausted. His mother then 
 placed him in bed, where he lay a few days, and 
 expired, in !N"ovember, 1816. 
 
 THE LAST DAYS OF MY FIRST WIFE. 
 
 In the winter of 1854, my first wife, !N'ancy, 
 was taken ill with inflammatory fever. Doctor 
 Richards was her physician. After attending 
 to her case for about two weeks, one Monday 
 
208 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 morning he said she was convalescent and need- 
 ed no more medicine. Accordingly, her health 
 improved, and she was able to attend to some 
 of her domestic affairs. The following Thurs- 
 day morning, after leaving her bed as usual, and 
 remaining up for several hours, she told us that 
 she had had a wonderful dream the preceding 
 night. She said, ^' In my dream I saw a large 
 building, in extent and magnitude beyond the 
 reach of my sight. There appeared to be no 
 end to it whatever. It looked white as snow ; 
 clear and transparent as glass. A person seem- 
 ed to be employed about the building. He 
 came to me and said that the house was finished. 
 At this I awoke out of my sleep." 
 
 That day, as she told us, the building which 
 she saw in her dream appeared to be constantly 
 before her eyes, in all its beauty and splendor. 
 She could not rid herself of the sight. In the 
 evening, my son-in-law, Benjamin Huber, his 
 wife and son Samuel, came to my house. My 
 wife was then lying in bed, somewhat enfeebled, 
 but having no pain. She conversed freely and 
 in a happy manner. She told them her dream. 
 And while the family, with other persons, were 
 sitting in an adjoining room in conversation, she 
 called Hannah Stouffer into her room, and then 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 209 
 
 got Up out of bed, and said, " that building is 
 still before my eyes." While in the act of ma- 
 king a few steps, she was instantly struck with 
 Apoplexy — expired — and fell on her bed. Thus 
 the Lord took from me my beloved wife and 
 helpmeet, on the 20th day of January, 1854, 
 aged 67 years, 11 months and^23 days, after hav- 
 ing lived hajDpily together nearly forty-eight 
 years. 
 
 CHAPTEK XVI. 
 
 TWO ANGELS — A UNIVERSALIST — STATISTICS OF THE 
 UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH. 
 
 MOTHER SBNSENY's EXPERIENCE. 
 
 At one time I was sent for by Mrs. A. Sense- 
 ny, then eighty years of age, widow of Dr. 
 A. Senseny, deceased, to pay her a ministerial 
 visit. When I came to her, she said, 
 
 " Inasmuch as I am now old and well strick- 
 en in years, I do not expect to live much longer in 
 this world. Therefore I have sent for you, to 
 ask counsel respecting my spiritual condition." 
 I asked her, 
 
 " Well ! Have you been trying to serve the 
 Lord during your past life ?" She replied, 
 
210 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 " Yes ! I have been trying to serve liim up- 
 wards of forty years ; but I have not yet obtain- 
 ed evidence of my acceptance with him. I have 
 many doubts and fears. I fear ray soul will be 
 lost." I rejoined, 
 
 " It is sometimes difficult for one person to 
 give correct advice to another, respecting the 
 state of his soul, without knowing something 
 about his religious experience." She said, 
 
 " I can relate to you the exercises of my mind 
 and my experience" in that way, if you wish to 
 hear it." I said, 
 
 " Well ! Relate to me your religious expe- 
 rience. T may then be able to give you correct 
 counsel." With this request she complied, and, 
 among other things related, she said, 
 
 " I have read the Bible and prayed to God 
 daily during forty years past ; but, after all, I 
 am not satisfied, because I want the spiritual 
 evidence which I think Christians should have^ 
 according to the teachings of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures." I then told her, 
 
 "Your spiritual state is just like a person 
 standing or sitting outside of a house, wanting 
 to get into it, when the door is shut. Your 
 duty is to believe in Jesus Christ, and continue 
 in prayer to God. ' Knock and it shall be 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 211 
 
 opened unto you,' to enter the spiritual house. 
 If God intended your destruction, he would 
 have cut you off long ago." 
 
 By this admonition she became much en- 
 couraged, and continued by faith and prayer, to 
 lay hold upon the hope set before her. I left 
 her the next morning. Some time after this, I 
 received another message, requesting me to 
 visit her again. In company with Joseph Hoff- 
 man, I went to see her. When we came into 
 the room where she was, I inquired of her 
 health, &c. But, as she was much affected, she 
 could not, in consequence of the deep emotions 
 of her heart, answer for some time. At length, 
 addressing me, she said, 
 
 " A few days after you left me, at your first 
 visit, I was lying in bed, reflecting over my 
 state. There was no jDerson in the room at the 
 time. Suddenly, the door opened silently, and 
 two men, clothed in white raiment, with smiling 
 countenances entered the room, walked up to 
 my bed side and spoke peace to my doubting 
 heart. All my doubts and fears were removed. 
 One of them held a piece of paper in his hand, 
 and wrote my name upon it, and said, ' Your 
 name is recorded in heaven.' After this, they 
 vanished out of sight." She continued. 
 
212 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 " What was the reason, that I could not be- 
 lieve like other Christians ; but had to give the 
 good Lord so much trouble that he had to send 
 two angels to bless me, before I could fully be- 
 lieve his word ?" I replied, 
 
 " The Lord could not save you in any other 
 way than that by which he brought Cornelius 
 to the light." I referred to Acts 10 : 3-4, ^' He 
 saw in a vision evidently, about the ninth hour 
 of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, 
 and saying unto him, Cornelias, and when he 
 looked upon him, he was afraid, and said. What 
 is it, Lord ? And he said unto him, thy pray- 
 ers and thine alms are come up for a memorial 
 before God." 
 
 Shortly after this she departed this life, hap- 
 py in the Lord. 
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF " BIG MEETINGS." 
 
 Inasmuch as some of the old " land marks " 
 of United Brethrenism, in some places, have 
 been removed, and other more fashionable ones, 
 suited to the times, erected in their stead, it may 
 not be out of place to call the attention of the 
 reader, to the way and manner in which breth- 
 ren in former times used to hold meetings and 
 provide for the accommodation of the people 
 who attended them. It was no uncommon 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 213 
 
 thing then, for a brother farmer to give out an 
 appointment for a " big meeting " to be held at 
 his house. And it was expected, as a matter of 
 course, that the people attending it should have 
 something to eat while there. For this reason, 
 provision for the people and provender for the 
 horses, were prepared in sufficient quantities to 
 meet the wants of the expected assemblage. It 
 was not considered a strange thing among Uni- 
 ted Brethren, for the brother at whose house the 
 meeting was to be held, to slaughter a few hogs, 
 sheep, or calves, and, on extra occasions, a 
 beef; and to have a quantity of bread — cakes — 
 and pies baked, with bushels of potatoes and 
 other vegetables ready for use. 
 
 In addition to these preparations, one indis- 
 pjensable item in the farmer's utensels needed 
 for such an occasion, was a large table, from ten 
 to twenty feet in length, and from four to five 
 feet in breadth. The top of it was made of 
 good old tough oak or pine boards, from one to 
 two inches in thickness. These were placed 
 upon a frame, supported by feet made of oak 
 or pine scantling, from three to four inches 
 square. This table was then decorated with 
 pewter and earthen dishes, with cups and sau- 
 cers of the latter material, pewter spoons, iron 
 knives and forks, together with large pewter 
 
214 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and earthen dishes and bowls, which were placed 
 on the centre, as receptacles for eatables, and out 
 of which the consumers were supplied. 
 
 These "big meetings" were attended by 
 crowds of people. Some came from a great 
 distance. The hosts at whose houses the meet- 
 ings were held, were not scared, when they 
 saw carriages, wagons and vehicles of all sizes, 
 then in use, drawn by four legged animals and 
 loaded with saints and sinners coming to the 
 meetings. Some came to see and to be seen ; 
 others, to hear preaching. In many instances, 
 from one to two hundred persons were enter- 
 tained and fed during the meeting, together 
 with their horses. At the meeting at Daniel 
 "Whisler's, before referred to, upwards of four 
 hundred persons took dinner at his house on 
 the Sabbath. 
 
 The anxiety to hear the gospel then felt in 
 many hearts, may be illustrated by an incident 
 the editor of this work heard related by brother 
 H. Kumler, Jr. He said, " At- one time as he 
 was riding along the road, he met a woman 
 coming towards him with great haste. He en- 
 quired of her, ' Where are you going to in such 
 haste V She replied, ' I am going to meeting. 
 I want to hear preaching.' " And as she was 
 neither walking, nor riding, how think you, 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 215 
 
 reader, she was going ? Why, " she was run- 
 ning to hear the gospel preached." 
 
 But, while the brethren were thus holding 
 meetings and entertaining people iree of charge 
 at their houses, it was often remarked by other 
 persons, with respect to a certain individual, 
 that he would be " eaten out of house and home 
 in a short time, go to rack, &c." Now, I do 
 not wish to be understood to say, that a person, 
 who is distinguished for his hospitality, may 
 not, in some instances, become bankrupt, 
 through miscalculated speculations, or unfor- 
 seen circumstances. But, so far as my person- 
 al knowledge extends, and it is not very limit- 
 ed, I have never known a person who became 
 poor in worldly affairs, by giving of his sub- 
 stance to the cause of God. 
 
 There once resided in Lancaster county. Pa., \ 
 a brother, whose house was a general rendez- 
 vous for preachers and other persons. Father 
 Newcomer said to him one time, " that he 
 thought the preachers were becoming too hard 
 on him, by putting up at his house so often. 
 To this, the brother replied, " If you want me 
 to get rich in the world, just send me as many 
 people as you can. I will entertain them free 
 ot charge and be glad to do it." He carried 
 out the measure of hospitality to its full extent, ^ 
 
216 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 by entertaining free of charge all who came to 
 him, and they were not a few. He increased 
 in worldly riches, to a great extent, and fully 
 realized the declaration of Scripture, '' He that 
 giveth to the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and 
 that which he hath given him, shall be returned 
 to him again." 
 
 It was by such means as those referred to, 
 that the United Brethren shed a salutary influ- 
 ence around them, and prevailed on the people 
 to come to their meetings. They counted it 
 good pay for their trouble and expense, when 
 sinners were converted, and believers establish- 
 ed in the faith. The same spirit of hospitality 
 exists among many of them at this day. Whilst, 
 however, I make these remarks respecting the 
 hospitality of the United Brethren, I also say, 
 that there are members of other religious de- 
 nominations also, who manifest the same spirit 
 of liberality, and even excel in it. My object in 
 noting such things is to show how United 
 Brethrenism began, and is still prosecuted to a 
 great extent. 
 
 ]N"ow, although the first United Brethren 
 preachers, with few exceptions, preached with- 
 out pay, it must be understood, that, in most 
 cases, they were farmers, and could afibrd to do 
 so. I received during my ministry of over for- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 217 
 
 ty years continuance, less than twenty dollars, 
 for travelling expenses and preaching. All this 
 does not, however, prove, that men, who pur- 
 sue no other calling than that of the ministry, 
 should lahor in it without a competent remuner- 
 ation. I hold, that a preacher of the gospel 
 should be supported by the gospel, provided, 
 however, that he be faithful to his calling. I 
 will state, in this connection, that I frequently 
 left home in the morning, rode to Amberson's 
 or Path vallies, across two mountains, preached 
 there at an appointment, and returned the same 
 night, making a distance going and returning 
 of thirty-four miles. 
 
 , There resided some years ago, near the Cale- 
 donia Iron works, Franklin county, Pa., two 
 men with their families, none of whom had re- 
 ligion at the commencement of the following 
 occurrence. The names of the two men were, 
 J. F. and R. 0. They were brother-iu-laws. 
 K. 0. was a violent opponent of the Methodists. 
 He would not permit any members of his fam- 
 ily to go to their meetings. The Methodist 
 meeting house was not far frona R. O's. dwell- 
 ing. They wanted a sexton for it. In order 
 to get the situation, R. O. pretended to be one 
 of their greatest friends, and became sexton. 
 15 
 
218 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 All this he related afterwards. On one occasion, 
 during preaching in the meeting house, as it 
 was his duty as sexton, to be there, the word 
 preached made some impression on his heart. 
 After meeting, on returning home, he told his 
 wife and J. F., who, with his family, were at his 
 house at the time, '' that the Methodist preach- 
 er was a wonderful man," and requested them 
 " to come and hear him preach in the evening." 
 Accordingly, the two men with their wives 
 went to hear the preacher. But their prejudi- 
 ces against the Methodists would not permit 
 them to take their children with them. 
 
 After the parents were gone, the children 
 being left in the house, several of them young 
 girls, the oldest said to the rest, " Our parents 
 have gone to the meeting, and would not let us 
 go with them. We may as well sing and pray 
 at home." So they began to sing — pray — and 
 call upon Him, who said, " Suffer little children 
 to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of 
 such is the kingdom of God." 
 
 They continued in their worship for some time, 
 during which four of them got religion and 
 were made happy, shouting and praising the 
 Lord. When the parents returned from the 
 meeting, and saw their children in this situa- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 219 
 
 tion, they looked upon them with surprise and 
 astonishment ; and as R. 0. had always opposed 
 such things as shouting, he, with the rest of his 
 relatives, said, " This convinced them, that it 
 was not the w;ork of man, as they had thought 
 it was, but the work of God." The parents 
 then began to pray for themselves, and in the 
 course of some time afterwards, experienced the 
 new birth and followed the Lord. 
 
 Some time after the affair with E. 0. and J. 
 F. and their families had taken place, D. F., 
 brother to J. F., at this time residing with his 
 family near my house, and not knowing any 
 thing about the conversion of his brother and 
 relatives, near Caledonia, had occasion to cross 
 the South mountain. On his way, he called 
 upon his brother-in-law, R. 0., who told him the 
 circumstance of the children's and parents' con- 
 version, &c. They then held a family prayer 
 meeting. D. F. afterwards said, " that the 
 children's prayers were fervent and affecting 
 enough to soften a stone." During the meet- 
 ing, he got under conviction for his sins, ^ext 
 morning, in great distress of soul, he resumed 
 his journey. At one place, before he got over 
 the mountain, it appeared to his vision, that the 
 
220 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 earth had opened just before him, and that he 
 could see hell beneath. Fearing to go another 
 step forward, lest he should sink intoUhe abyss, 
 he stopped his horse, alisfhted and fastened him 
 to a tree, then fell upon his knees,»and wrestled 
 with God in prayer until he was blest. He then 
 went on his way rejoicing. On his return to 
 R, 0. and relatives, he related what the Lord 
 had done for his soul on the w^ay. Upon this 
 they had a happy time of it. When he came 
 home, he came to me in great haste, giving me 
 an account of his conversion, &c., &c. Before 
 he obtained religion, he used to say, " that peo- 
 ple could enjoy religion without making church 
 bells of themselves, by sounding it abroad." 
 I reminded him of that, and said, " How comes 
 it, that you are making a bell of yourself now?" 
 He replied, *' Circumstances alter cases. A 
 person may talk about keeping religion to him- 
 self, when he has none ; but when he gets convert- 
 edy he feels it to be rather a hard matter to keep 
 it a<secre/." 
 
 STATISTICS. 
 
 The following statistics of the Church of the 
 United Brethren in Christ, are taken from the 
 most correct data which I could obtain : 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 
 
 221 
 
 Michigan, 
 
 Muskingum, 
 
 Illinois, 
 
 Missouri, 
 
 Minnesota, 
 
 Erie, 
 
 White Eiver, 
 
 Miama. 
 Canada. 
 St. Josephs. 
 Indiana. 
 Iowa. 
 Oregon. 
 Maumee. 
 *Rock River. 
 
 Annual Conferences. 
 
 i 
 
 Pennsylvania, East Pennsylvania, Allegheny. 
 Virginia, 
 
 Auglaize, 
 
 Tennessee, 
 
 Wabash, 
 
 Des Moines, 
 
 Kansas, 
 
 Sciota, 
 
 Sandusky, 
 
 *A German Conference. 
 
 The number of preachers and members be- 
 longing to these Conferences, as given to me 
 by Bishop Davis, are about one thousand 
 preachers, one half of whom are itinerants, and 
 about seventy thousand church members, not 
 including baptized infants. 
 
 The Church has a Home, Frontier, and For- 
 eign Missionary Society, which employs in the 
 Home field 132 missionaries, and in the Fron- 
 tier and Foreign field 70. It has expended du- 
 ring the past four years, for 
 
 Africa Mission, . . . $5,500 00 
 
 Oregon " ... 3,420 00 
 
 Kansas, " ... 2,550 00 
 
 Missouri, " ... 1,750 00 
 
 Caried over. 
 
 $13,220 00 
 
222 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Brono-ht over, $13,220 00 
 
 German Miss. Conference, . 2,950 00 
 
 Micbio-an " " 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 Canada, 
 
 I^ebraska, 
 
 1,200 00 
 
 400 00 
 
 2,310 00 
 
 1,500 00 
 
 Total for Frontier and Foreign, $21,580 00 
 Expended for home work, as follows : 
 
 For the year, ending June, 1854, $11,128 10 
 " '' ^" 1855, 13,293 92 
 
 " " " 1856, 18,610 19 
 
 " " " 1857, 17,070 20 
 
 Total expenditures for the home 
 
 work in four years, 60,102 41 
 
 Total for Home, Frontier and For- 
 eign, 81,682 41 
 
 The Church has a Printing Establishment in 
 Dayton, Ohio, where is |)ublished the '' Reli- 
 gious Telescope," together with a large amount 
 of periodicals, books, &c. The Pennsylvania 
 Annual Conference, as taken from the secreta- 
 ry's, W. B. Raber's, records, embracing York, 
 Adams, Cumberland and Franklin counties, 
 with a portion of Fulton, contains sixty- 
 eight regular preaching appointments, forty-five 
 churches, forty-five preachers, and two thousand 
 eight hundred and seventy-four members. This 
 Conference raised the past year $1,300 00 mis- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 223 
 
 eionary funds. The Uuitecl Brethren have, in- 
 cluding Salem church, with a membership of 
 over fifty persons, near the Eocky Spring, in 
 Franklin county, Pa., fifteen churches, and in 
 York county. Pa., fourteen churches. From 
 other counties, I have no correct account. 
 
 THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. 
 
 Bishop ISTewcomer, v^ith other persons, rela- "^Z 
 ted an occurrence to me which took place in 
 their presence at a camp meeting held in York 
 county. Pa. At one time, during its continu- 
 ance, the wicked threatened to storm the camp 
 in the night. Towards evening, they began to 
 collect in great crowds, armed with bludgeons 
 and other offensive weapons, making great 
 threats and menaces against the tent holders. 
 Amongst the professors of religion on the 
 ground, might have been seen some, who made 
 great pretensions to faith and trust in provi- 
 dence when no danger was near ; but, when 
 surrounded by an approaching hurricane, like 
 Peter on the sea, they began to sink. Faiyiting 
 hearts and j^a/e faces were seen, occasioned 
 through the fear of being overrun by the enemy. 
 But, as records inform ul of instances in which 
 a few righteous, strong in faith, persons had saved 
 a city ; so, in this case, there were also some 
 
224 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 praying people, whose trust and faith in a su- 
 perintending providence became strengthened 
 in the time of danger. These, seeing the camp 
 surrounded and threatened in this hostile man- 
 ner, betook themselves to prayer, looking to 
 the Lord for help. 
 
 Accordingly, towards evening, just about the 
 time the "Amalekites" were preparing them- 
 selves for the assault, dark clouds were seen 
 slowly rising above the horizon — thunders were 
 heard rolling in the distance — piles of clouds, 
 swiftly propelled forward by an irresistible force, 
 came rolling over each other and obscured the 
 heavens from view — palpable darkness covered 
 the camp — and then, as if a match had been 
 applied to a fiery element, peals of thunder shot 
 forth from the clouds above — immense flashes 
 of lightning glared throughout the camp — me- 
 teors, like large fire balls falling from the zenith 
 to the earth and carried forward by a mighty 
 whirlwind, rolled and flew to and fro over the 
 ground and over the people, and through some 
 of the tents, and went far off into the woods. 
 It appeared as if the battlements of heaven had 
 opened, sending its ^. elements down in succes- 
 sive streams of fire. This scene lasted over one 
 hour, during which time the wicked became so 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 225 
 
 much terrified, that, hy rapid movements, they 
 cleared themselves from the ground. After 
 this phenomenon had subsided, and no one was 
 hurt by it, the meeting went on without fur- 
 ther disturbance. 
 
 After Newcomer left the ground, on his way 
 to York, he was accosted by some persons, who 
 said to him, " You can now see that your camp 
 meetings are wrong. God sent his fire amongst 
 your people to destroy the camp." To this he re- 
 plied, " God was our guard, and sent His thun- 
 der and lightning to prevent the wicked from 
 doing us injury." And Such was really the case. 
 
 CHAPTER XVn. 
 
 REV. DANIEL FUNKHOUSER'S EXPERIENCE. 
 
 By request, I give part of my religious expe- 
 rience and call to the ministry. I was born in 
 Shenandoah county, Virginia, February 18th, 
 1809. From my earliest recollections, my 
 mind was deeply impressed with thoughts of 
 getting to heaven after my death. The irregu- 
 lar conduct of some professors of religion was a 
 great stumbling block to me. They would 
 partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper 
 together, before and after which, they would 
 curse, swear and fight. 
 
22G AUTOBIOGRAPHY QF 
 
 When the United Brethren preachers began 
 to preach to us, a great excitement took place 
 throughout the country in consequence of these 
 false prophets, as they were called. The first 
 preachers who came to us, were C. Newcomer, 
 G. A. Guething and W. Otterbein. When I first 
 heard one of them preach, his words came home 
 to my heart, producing strange feelings. Sure 
 enough, thought I, he may be one of the false 
 spirits, and may bewitch me. 0, if I was only 
 out of the house, I exclaimed to myself. How- 
 ever, I remained until the preacher was done. 
 His words produced a great perplexity in my 
 mind, respecting the difierent societies. I be- 
 gan to pray to God to show me the right way in 
 which to serve him. 
 
 The Hoi}/ Spirit operated on my heart, when 
 I was but a small boy ; but I did not then know 
 what it was. When I was between the age of 
 thirteen and fourteen 37ears, the United Breth- 
 ren held a camp meeting in our parts. I went 
 to it, in order to see, &c. ; but, at the same time, 
 had my fears least I should be caught. I still 
 continued to pray to God, to show me whether 
 these were his people, or not. On Monday 
 morning I went into a tent during the time a 
 prayer meeting was held in it. I crept behind 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 227 
 
 a tree, wliich stood iu the corner of the tent, 
 still praying to be led in the right way, when 
 suddenly a ray of divine light, quick as light- 
 ning, shone into my heart. I saw at once that 
 all was not right with me, and felt my sins 
 sticking to my heart, like burs to a woolen 
 garment. By this I knew that I was unfit for 
 heaven. A heavy burden lay on my heart. 
 
 I left the camp and went home without find- 
 ing peace. Whilst laboring under this convic- 
 tion, every thing I saw appeared to be in a 
 mournful condition. In this state of mind I 
 remained until the following Friday evening. 
 Some time before night, I went into the w^oods 
 to pray. I kneeled under a white oak tree. 
 As I began to pray, it appeared to me as if 
 something was running around me at a short 
 distance, making a curious noise. I fiancied I 
 could hear the cracking of brush. After some 
 time spent in prayer, I went into a private room 
 up stairs in the house, so that no person should 
 hear me. The family being out at the time, I 
 kneeled beside a bed in prayer, when, instantly, 
 it appeared as if hell were open right under me, 
 and that I w^as hanging over it, holding with 
 both hands to a small rope stretched across. 
 
 My mother, being at the barn, heard me pray. 
 
228 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 She came to me and asked what was the mat- 
 ter. I said, " 0, mother ! pray for a poor boy, 
 who is hanging at a rope over a fiery lake." 
 She kneeled by my side and prayed in my be- 
 half. Whilst in this agony, I heard a still soft 
 voice saying, "Let go the rope." I thought if 
 I would let go my hold, I would drop into the 
 fire. I prayed on. The voice said again, "Let 
 go thy hold." Then one hand let go. The 
 third time it said, " Only let go thy hold." At 
 this I thought, Well, I have deserved nothing 
 else. It is just and right. If I must be lost, I 
 am willing to drop into this fiery lake. I then 
 said, " In the name of the Lord Jesus of I^Taza- 
 reth, here I go ;" and let go my hold. I fell on 
 mercy's side, and saw no more of the lake of 
 fire. My burden of guilt was removed. I felt 
 love, joy and peace in my heart. Every thing 
 I saw, appeared in shining colors. I felt like a 
 new boy in a new world, so that I could say 
 with the Apostle, " Old things have passed away 
 and all things have become new." I was in a 
 constant stream of joy and peace, "i!^ot a cloud 
 to hide my sun, nor wave of trouble to roll across 
 my pelfceful breast." 
 
 Thus I went on, smooth and calm in the 
 stream of glory for four weeks. I now conclu- 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 229 
 
 ded that this would be my condition through- 
 out my life, and that the tempter would not 
 molest me any more. But here I soon found 
 out my mistake, and had to go through the 
 school of temptation. I still continued to pray 
 in secret. At about the expiration of the four 
 weeks of my happy days, I was in the barn 
 praying as usual. After I had finished, I went 
 to the house. "When I got on the steps, the 
 tempter said to m}^ mind, " You have no reli- 
 gion. You are deceived." This set me to 
 doubting. Upon this, I returned to the barn 
 and prayed to God. Whilst thus engaged, it 
 was impressed upon my mind : " You are pray- 
 ing for that which you have already got. Only 
 be faithful. My grace will be sufiacient for 
 thee." 
 
 I then concluded it to be so, and went to the 
 house again. Just as I sat down on a chair, 
 the tempter said, " You are deceived. You 
 have no religion," &c. I instantly, arose and 
 went into the barn again, up on the haymow, 
 resolved to pray all night. When I began to 
 pray, it was suggested, " What are you doing 
 here? You need not pray. You are worse now 
 than you ever were before. You can't shed 
 tears. You can't feel condemnation. Look 
 
230 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 back and see how you could feel and weep be- 
 fore." Knowing part of this to be true, namely, 
 that I felt no guilt, I began to doubt the truth 
 of my experience. The suggestion was contin- 
 ued, "Your heart is much harder than it for- 
 merly was, after all your praying. You. had 
 better give it up ; for you will be lost, any 
 how." 
 
 I said audibly, " Devil! if this be you, get be- 
 hind me. I want to love and serve my God 
 while I live." I continued in 23rayer, " l^ow 
 Lord, here I am, a poor ignorant boy. Thou 
 knowest that my heart's desire is to serve thee. 
 
 do thou lead me in the right way." And 
 thanks to his holy name, he gave me a power- 
 ful blessing. The tempter gave over for that 
 time. 
 
 I now went on my way rejoicing in the ser- 
 vice of the Lord. Young as I was, my faith 
 and patience were frequently put to the test. I 
 met with severe trials from some of my school- 
 mates. At times, when they would be playing 
 and gamboling about like school boys do, I 
 would slip off into the woods to pray. At one 
 time, whilst so engaged in the woods, some of 
 the boys, in chase of a rabbit, passed by where 
 
 1 was, and saw and heard me pray. After I 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 231 
 
 rose from my knees, they stood some distance 
 off, calling out to me, "Have you chased a rab- 
 bit in there, that you are barking at it?" Every 
 scholar in the school was teasing me about 
 barking at the rabbit. When they saw that 
 they could not make me angry and get me to 
 quarrel with them, in this way, they tried my 
 patience in another manner. At one time, they 
 threw me down — took hold of my feet — drag- 
 ged me some distance over the ground and 
 rolled me into a large mud hole. After I got 
 out of it, I said, "You have made me muddy 
 outside. This will rub off." Placing my hand 
 upon my breast, I continued, " You can't soil 
 me in here." 
 
 "When I retired to the barn to pray, they 
 would watch me and throw a handful of chaff 
 into my face while I was on my knees. Such, 
 and other different trials, I had to undergo in my 
 youthful days. Their object was to make me 
 angry. Had they succeeded, they would have 
 said, " He has no more religion than we have." 
 But the grace of God enabled me to bear all 
 patiently. When enduring these trials, I was 
 about seventeen years of age. I have adverted 
 to these days of my boyhood, merely to show to 
 the youth who may wish to serve God, that 
 
232 AUTOBIOaRAPHY OF 
 
 if they prove faithful, " no weapons formed 
 against them can prosper." 
 
 In the year 1827, on a certain occasion, 
 whilst I was plowing in a field, being very 
 happy, as I was going up a small hill towards 
 the fence at some distance from it, I heard a 
 voice call me by name, Daniel. I stopped the 
 horses, thinking some one was wanting to en- 
 quire the road. But, neither seeing, nor hear- 
 ing any person, I started the horses. Again, in 
 a little time, the same voice, Daniel, was repeat- 
 ed. I then thought some person wanted to fool 
 me. I stopped the horses again, and leaning 
 my back towards the plough and hearing noth- 
 ing, I turned around and started the horses. 
 Just as I laid my hands on the plough handles, 
 I heard the same voice, the third time. This 
 time, it appeared just above me. I answered 
 aloud, " What do you want ?" It answered, 
 " You must go and preach Jesus to the people." 
 I reflected ten or fifteen minutes, and then said 
 aloud, " This I cannot do," and went on with 
 the ploughing. This circumstance made a deep 
 impression on my mind, respecting my call to 
 the ministry. Sometimes I felt as if I should 
 try to exhort the people to turn to God. But 
 feeling my insufficiency for such a work, I hesi- 
 
^ REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 233 
 
 tated to take up the cross. I made it a matter 
 of prayer that the Lord would remove these 
 impressions from me. But they continued to 
 deepen. The circuit preachers would often ask 
 me to close the meeting with prayer, after 
 preaching, which I did, and frequently I felt 
 like giving an exhortation. Still I did not do so. 
 I often felt condemned for not exhorting.- At 
 one time, during preaching in a school house, 
 my mind was powerfully wrought upon, urging 
 me to speak to the people. Fearing I should 
 be compelled, through my feelings to speak out, 
 I left the house before the preacher had iinished 
 his sermon. For this, I underwent a night of 
 misery, being lashed by my conscience. The 
 next day I promised the Lord, tb^t I would try 
 to do better hereafter. 
 
 Sometime after this, another meeting was 
 held in the same school hou^e. A great many 
 people assembled. When I came to it, I asked, 
 "Is the preacher come?" It was answered, 
 "IN'o, he is sick." "It was suggested to my 
 mind, " IS^ow, go into the house and exhort the 
 people." Feeling my weakness, I did not go 
 in, but left the place with as miserable feelings 
 as a man can well have, which continued three 
 days and nights. At another time, a big meet- 
 16 
 
234 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ing was to be held at the same school house. 
 Father Boreing, then Presiding Elder, on his 
 way to it, stopped at my father's house, in Vir- 
 ginia. Boreing requested me to go with him 
 to the meeting. On our way, he askged me, 
 
 "Do you never feel as though you should ex- 
 hort your fellow men?" I rejoined, 
 
 " Why do you ask me such a question ?" 
 He replied, 
 
 "Father Guething told me, that he believed 
 there was something of the kind working in 
 your mind." I said, 
 
 " Yes '. I often feel as if I should do so." 
 
 After this, one day in my troubled spirit, I 
 said in prayer, " Lord ! I am incapable, in 
 consequence of my ignorance in spiritual things, 
 to call sinners to repentance." So he showed 
 me in a vision, a broad road leading downwards, 
 and becoming steeper in its descent. At the 
 end of it was a precipice, which opened over a 
 lake of fire. I saw crowds of human beings 
 going down this road. When they came to the 
 end of it, they plunged into the lake of fire. In 
 the lake they were reeling and tumbling over 
 each other, in constant commotion, like the 
 rolling waves of the sea in a heavy storm. This 
 was accompanied with aw^ful groans, weeping 
 
REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 235 
 
 and wailins: beyond human conception, and 
 charging of each other with their own damna- 
 tion. 
 
 On the other side, I saw a narrow way, as- 
 cending upwards still higher and higher, lead- 
 ing into a large city. People were walking in 
 it in companies of two, side by side, and others 
 single. Some had just got on the road. All 
 were moving upwards. I saw one entering into 
 the city, which w^as heaven, clear and shining, 
 like a looking-glass when exposed to the sun. 
 There were millions of happy spirits in large 
 companies together in that place. I saw some 
 there whom I knew in this world, before they 
 left it. They had been very pious here, espe- 
 cially one old pious mother Mary B. , who 
 
 had often encouraged me, when I first set out 
 to serve the Lord. They all appeared to be in 
 a state of indescribable happiness. 
 
 After beholding these scenes for some time, 
 one said to me, " i^ow, you know where to call 
 men from, and where to direct them to. Go 
 and exhort your fellow-men." When I recov- 
 ered out of this state of vision, I hardly knew 
 whether I was in the body or out of it. My 
 feelings at the time, I cannot describe. I want- 
 ed to be by myself. I lost my appetite and could 
 
236 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 not sleep at night. My brother David slept 
 with me then. I heard him say to father, " I 
 don't believe Daniel sleeps much. He is rest- 
 less and moans much all night." My pillow 
 was often wet from my tears. That summer, I 
 was afflicted with the dyspepsy. My father 
 thought I would not live out the summer. Af- 
 ter some doctoring, I recovered. 
 
 On l^ew Years' day, 1830, a quarterly meet- 
 ing was held fifteen miles from our house, at a 
 place called the Karrow Passage Creek. Bore- 
 ing was there. At the time of our former con- 
 versation, he had said, that if I felt like exhort- 
 ing at any meeting where he was, I should tell 
 him so. At this meeting, I told him I felt as 
 though I ought to exhort now. At his request, 
 I delivered an exhortation for the first time in 
 my life. While I was speaking, though with 
 much fear and trembling, I felt the ]DOwer of 
 God in my soul, which encouraged me to per- 
 severe. At this quarterly conference, January 
 2nd, I was licensed as an exhorter in the Church 
 of the United Brethren in Christ. I went home 
 rejoicing on my way, exclaiming with the poet, 
 
 "Jesus all the day long, is my joy and my song, 
 that all his salvation might see." 
 
 In this frame of mind I continued until the 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 237 
 
 year 1832, when Satan one day made another 
 attack upon me, by insinuating that all my 
 former calls and visions were delusive ; that I 
 was altogether deceived by them. This caused 
 a cloud to come over my mind. I went on my 
 knees to pray, I know not how often that day. 
 Still I did not obtain the victory then. This 
 trial of my faith lasted during the winter. 
 "When I would go out into the fields — woods — 
 barn, &c., it was suggested, " You had better 
 put an end to your troubles, by taking your 
 life," &c. In this way I was bufii^eted by the 
 tempter for many months. 
 
 There was one place, on a high hill in a field, 
 to which I used to resort to read and pray. 
 There stood there a young thriving Mulberry 
 tree, and a Locust stump under it, on which I 
 sat and read. In this way I continued to be 
 exercised, sometimes happy, and then again 
 doubting my call to warn sinners. One Sunday 
 morning, in 1833, I was very much troubled 
 concerning my call, and reflected over the past, 
 what I had seen — heard, and experienced ; and 
 casting my mind around me and beholding how 
 many unconverted sinners w^ere going down 
 the broad road into the lake of fire, my heart 
 was moved afresh and drawn out in their behalf 
 
238 AUTOBtOGRAPHY OF 
 
 more than ever before. With sncli feeliiiirR, I 
 went up to the hill before mentioned, and 
 kneeled under the Mulberry tree, holding the 
 Bible in my right hand, and the hymn book in 
 my left. With both arms extended towards 
 heaven, I prayed, saying : " Lord ! thou 
 knowest I want to submit to thy will. If it is 
 thy will, that I should preach the gospel, I 
 humbly beseech thee to give me a sign to that 
 effect by means of this Mulberry tree. If it 
 dies, I will go and preach. If it continues to 
 live and thrive, this will be a sign to me that 
 I shall not preach." 
 
 In two weeks from that day, I attended a 
 meeting at the school house. On my return to- 
 wards home, I went to the Mulberry tree to pray 
 as usual. When I came to it, to my utter as- 
 tonishment, the tree was dead. The leaves were 
 dr}^, so that I could crumble them into small 
 particles with my hand. Oh! it is impossible 
 for me to describe the feelings I then had ! 
 When I saw the tree in that state, I went home. 
 My mother stood in the front door as I passed 
 it. IsToticing that I had been weeping, she ask- 
 ed me to come into the house and eat. I said 
 I am not hungry. I went to the barn. My 
 father came to me and enquired, what ailed me. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 239 
 
 I related to him my experience, exercises of 
 mind, &c. We both wept. Father said, "If 
 you feel it to be your duty to preach the gospel, 
 I will not stand in your way, and will give you 
 a borse whenever you feel disposed to go." 
 
 Some time after this, T went with brother 
 Joseph M. Hershey on the south branch Cir- 
 cuit and delivered exhortations. In the spring 
 of 1834, at an Annual Conference held in 
 Green castle, Franklin county. Pa., without any 
 request from me, 1 received license, bearing 
 date April 10th, 1834, to preach the gospel. 
 My first appointment was on the Lebanon and 
 Lancaster Circuit. I traveled as an itinerant, 
 on different Circuits, for six years. During my 
 last year's labors, I preached forty three ser- 
 mons in four weeks. I have the consolation, 
 to believe, that it was not all in vain. I know 
 some persons, in whose conversion I was made 
 instrumental, and although I have left the 
 traveling connection, I still preach in a local 
 capacity. I located in consequence of indispo- 
 sition of body. My health is not sufficient to 
 allow me to travel. Since my location as a 
 minister, I have preached over one hundred 
 
 times in a year. 
 
 I will here relate some matters and things, 
 
240 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 which occurred at a camp meeting, held on 
 Jacob Hous' land in Virginia, August 28, 1828. 
 I was there at the time. Fathers Newcomer, 
 and Guething, and brothers "W. Brown, W. 
 Rinehart, with some other preachers, attended 
 it. ITewcomer preached on Sunday morning to 
 a large congregation. When speaking, he wept 
 like a mother over the corpse of her darling 
 child. His words were atteifded with unusual 
 power. Guething followed with exhortation. 
 Newcomer requested brother Brown to preach in 
 the afternoon. Brown hesitated, saying that he 
 felt himself too unworthy. Newcomer said to 
 him, " Take up the cross. "We will pray for 
 you." 
 
 When Brown had read his text and commen- 
 ced to preach. Newcomer prostrated himself 
 upon his knees behind Brown on the stand, and 
 with uplifted hands, prayed to God, for Christ's 
 sake, to bless brother Brown, and enable him 
 to preach. The congregation, seeing Newcomer 
 in that attitude, were melted into tears. At the 
 same time, I heard a roaring like wind above 
 me among the trees. I looked up, but saw no 
 appearance of wind. Suddenly, something 
 came over the people, like a whirlwind. They 
 fell over from their seats in the altar and out 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 241 
 
 side of it. The cries of mourners, struck by 
 the power of God, became so great, that 
 Brown's voice could not be heard. Singing — 
 praying — and many conversions took place. 
 Newcomer, in his Journal, p. 319, says, *' We 
 bad a powerful time at this meeting. Bless 
 the Lord." 
 
 I have had some hard trials from my uncon- 
 verted comrades; but I could freely forgive them 
 all. For they knew not what they did. My 
 greatest trials, however, came from those who 
 pretended to be brethren in a Christian Church, 
 I pray the Lord not to deal with them as they 
 have dealt with me. Times were formerly very 
 different from what they are now. The old 
 fathers kept the Church out of the world. But 
 since they have fallen asleep, the world has 
 crept into the Church. I was accused once by 
 a brother preacher as being out of place, for 
 preaching againt professors of religion follow- 
 ing the pride and foolish fashions of the w^orld. 
 He said to me, the " pulpit was not the place 
 in which to say any thing about pride." 
 
 FURTHER PARTICULARS. 
 
 During a time when I was preaching in the 
 woods where Salem church now stands, froniEc- 
 clesiastes 11 : 3, latter clause, *'And if the tree fall 
 
242 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 towards the south, or towards the north, in the 
 place where the tree falleth, there it shall be/' 
 P. Miller, one of my hearers, jumped up from 
 his seat and walked away. Reflecting over the 
 text, he became deeply convicted, and after a 
 while returned to his seat. His wife also s^ot 
 convicted at the same time from the same 
 words. I^ext day they sent for me to come to 
 their house. When I came there, Mrs. Miller 
 was lying in bed in great distress of soul. I 
 asked her, "What is the matter with you?" 
 She replied, " Your preaching yesterday con- 
 vinced me that I am in a lost condition, under 
 condemnation." I said, " It is right and good, 
 that you should see and feel your lost state," 
 and encouraged her to pray to God. I then 
 sung and prayed with her and left. 
 
 The next evening, in company with another 
 brother, we visited her again, and whilst engag- 
 ed in singing and prayer, she was blessed and 
 made happy. Her husband had not yet obtained 
 religion, and had some doubts respecting his 
 wife's conversion; but shortly afterwards, be- 
 came satisfied, that she was a true convert, and 
 requested me to preach in his house, not far from 
 Greenvillage. An appointment was made ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 243 
 
 ]^ow, Miller was one of those kind of men, 
 who are always full of fun, taking pleasure in 
 playing tricks and raising a laugh at the expense 
 of other persons, on every opportunity. At 
 one time, old Mr. Spahr, father of Caspar Spahr, 
 with other persons, were collected in front of 
 Mr. Jacob Snyder's tavern in Chambersburg. 
 At that time the street^ had not been piked. 
 There was a large mud hole filled with water in 
 front of the door. Miller mounted his horse in 
 order to ride oif, and reached out his hand and 
 took hold of Spahr's hand, who was standing 
 near to bid farewell. While in the act of doing 
 this. Miller's horse, either through a wilful mo- 
 tion of its rider, or from some other cause, made 
 a sudden spring, and Miller pulled Spahr into 
 the mud hole, causing him to fall flat on his 
 face. He then rode off, laughing in great glee. 
 The next time they met at the tavern, Miller 
 had to treat Spahr to a horn, which put all to 
 rights again. 
 
 Miller, being a character of this sort, it was 
 looked upon by the people as a wonderful thing, 
 that such a man of fun and tricks, should have 
 religious meetings in his house. So when I 
 came to fill the appointment, there was an over- 
 flowing gathering of people, and great were the 
 
244 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 wonders as to what was to be done. I preached 
 as usual. Under this sermon, several of Mrs. Mil- 
 ler's sons by her first husband, who were now 
 grown up and married, got under conviction. 
 I then continued to preach there at regular in- 
 tervals. During these meetings two of Mrs. 
 Miller's sons, with their wives, were converted, 
 and the work spread throughout the neighbor- 
 hood. 
 
 C. Miller, son of old P. Miller, had meeting 
 in his house. One Sunday I went there to 
 preach. During preaching, a grand daughter 
 of P. Miller began to cry out for mercy, and 
 was blessed. Six other persons remained on 
 their knees in prayer. The former shouted 
 victory, the latter cried aloud for mercy, which 
 created not a little stir in the house and, as 
 C. Miller had not yet been fully initiated into 
 such things, he took umbrage at them, and 
 refused to have futher meetings in his house 
 for some time after this. But, upon more ma- 
 ture reflection on the subject, and being con- 
 vinced that his wife had obtained religion, he 
 got into great distress of soul, in consequence 
 of his conduct in stopping the meetings. He 
 began to pray day and night. It appeared, as 
 if he had had a hard conflict with the devil. 
 
/ 
 
 REV. SAMUEL IIUBER. 245 
 
 For one Sunday, being in great agony, he was 
 walking about his farm with a large stick in his 
 hand, striking the fence with it; then again, 
 with rapid motions, cutting it through the air 
 and whirling: it over his head in all directions 
 as if striking at an object. Some lookers on 
 said, he was fighting with the devil. In this 
 way he went on for some length of time, until 
 finding that this kind of carnal weapon warfare, 
 did not bring peace to his soul, he threw him- 
 self into a fence-corner, groaning in spirit and 
 lay there until he got the victory. After this, 
 outward religious demonstrations did not dis- 
 turb him. He became a pious and useful mem- 
 ber in the Church, and is now living in Rich- 
 land county, Ohio, near Mansfield. 
 
 RIBS BROKE. 
 
 On one occasion, I Tas riding in company 
 w^ith Christian Huber, towards Waynesboro', 
 Franklin county, Pa. On the road, about eight 
 miles from Chambersburg, we stopped at Mr. 
 Jacob Whitmore's house. "When I had dis- 
 mounted from my horse, C. Huber said to me, 
 " The shoe on your horse's hind foot is loose." 
 The shoe was hanging with one nail only. I 
 lifted the horse's foot, intending to take off the 
 shoe. At the same time the horse made a sud- 
 
246 AUTOBIOGRAPHY QP 
 
 den jerk backwards and threw me upon a sharp 
 edged fence rail, which was resting with one 
 end upon the fence, and the other end upon the 
 ground. In the fall, five of my ribs were bro- 
 ken ; two of them from oft' the breast bone ; 
 two in the middle of my side, and the other one 
 about three inches from my back bone. After 
 I was helped to the house, I drank a pint bowl 
 full of cold spring water, mixed with a handful 
 of rye flour. This I did several times before I 
 left. I replaced my ribs, and then rode back to 
 Chambersburg, stopped with old Dr. A. Sense- 
 ny, and told him my situation — intending to 
 tarry with him over night. He said, " If you 
 stay over night, you will not be able to get 
 home for five or six weeks. You had better go 
 home as fast as possible." He gave me a few 
 rolls of Oxecrocium. 
 
 AVhen I arrived at home, the parts injured be- 
 came more sore. I coukl scarcely draw my breath, 
 and with great diflicnlty dismounted from my 
 horse. After entering the house, I found that 
 my five ribs were all out of place. I set them 
 to rights again, and applied large warm plasters 
 of the Oxecrocium to my side, breast and back. 
 During the night I took several more drinks of 
 water and rye flour. The next morning brother 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBER. 247 
 
 David Oaks came to see me, and said, "Dr. 
 Fahuestock rec[uested him to inform me, that 
 unless I was bled an inflammation would take 
 placein my body." I replied, '' I don't want the 
 Doctors to take the blood from out of my body. 
 I need all my strength of body to enable me to 
 sit in a chair. For I cannot lay down in a bed ;" 
 and added, "I have no fears about mortification 
 taking place. The water and rye flour I took 
 will prevent that, as it causes the blood to flow 
 through the urine." This remedy I learned 
 from a physician in my young days. It has 
 often proven eftectual in similar cases, in which 
 persons have been injured inwardly by falls, 
 bruises, &c. I mention it merely to show that 
 simple remedies will frequently answer the pur- 
 pose and prevent much pain and afiliction. It 
 was eleven weeks before I was perfectly cured 
 of the injury I had sustained. I applied no 
 other remedies than those before mentioned, 
 and became strong and hearty as usual. 
 
 About three years ago, I was bitten in the 
 hand by a mad dog, and fearing that hydropho- 
 bia would ensue, I applied to Mr. John Sense- 
 ny, now residing on ITew England Hill, Cham- 
 bersburg. He gave me a medicine which pre- 
 vented any further injury. I would recommend 
 
248 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 persons under like circumstances, to apply to 
 him, as tie has a certain cure for the bite of a 
 mad dog. 
 
 ABOUT PREACHERS. 
 
 It is frequently asked why preaching gener- 
 ally is not now accompanied with the same de- 
 monstrations of divine power, as it was in form- 
 er days. Among other reasons for this, the fol- 
 lowing may be assigned as one : 
 
 In former times, God's ministers preached the 
 word as it was given to them by inspiration. 
 They trusted in God for help, and his Spirit 
 seconded their eftbrts to the conversion of souls. 
 But now preaching is done, in many instances, 
 through indoctrinating, borrowed and artificial 
 phrases. Flowers in the distance^ foreign to the 
 wants of the hearers, are employed. They give 
 them dry — stale — moral disquisitions, frequent- 
 ly heterodox^ mixed together with orthodox 
 phrases, the import of which the preacher him- 
 self does not understand. Such preaching leaves 
 no room for God's Spirit to inspire the heart. 
 The head being filled with memorized abstrac- 
 tions from other men's productions, and they 
 having no substance in their own hearts, where- 
 with to feed the sheep, and fearful of losing the 
 track, they hold on in a mechanical way, heed- 
 less whether it suits the congregation or not. 
 
REV. SAMUEL HUBEll. 249 
 
 Thus such men go on, until their borrowed 
 ideas are spent, and the people are not profited. 
 And often when another preacher holds forth 
 through inspiration^ accompanied with divine 
 power to the hearts of the congregation, these 
 mechanical divines become jealous of their own 
 fancied glory. They try to traduce — keep back 
 — put down — crush — and annihilate^ if possible, 
 the more useful instrument, and by all such, 
 and other means, they obstruct the cause of 
 God. Pride and self esteem are the ruling 
 principles in their hearts. The Spirit of God 
 is not in them. He does not work through 
 them. They are not called of God to the work 
 to which they have aspired. The old and pres- 
 ent true gospel preachers obtained their creden- 
 tials for the ministry through gospel religion. 
 But now, in this present day of refinement, 
 some aspirants to clerical orders have crept into 
 a clerical coat through the mere cabbaging of 
 other men's ideas. Such exist upon borrowed 
 capital, having no ballast of their own to keep 
 them afloat ; for which reason also they become 
 mere drones in the Church. All true divines 
 preached and still preach for the benefit of souls. 
 That was and is their sole object and aim. But 
 now, preaching is followed by many as a busi- 
 17 
 
250 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ness, by means of which to procure a livelihood, 
 while, at the same time, souls are perishing 
 under their unconverted ministrations. These 
 are some of the prevailing causes, why preach- 
 ing, in many cases, is not accompanied with the 
 same power as it formerly was. 
 
 I do not wish to be understood to intimate, 
 that there are no real gospel preachers in the 
 present day. I know there are some, who are 
 called of God to the work, and are preaching in 
 the good old way with success. They are doing 
 much good, and it is through them, that the 
 spirit of true religion is kept alive in the Church. 
 Were it not for such men, piety would long 
 since have died out, and the Church become a 
 mere form, without the power. I would most 
 sincerely exhort all true ministers and brethren 
 in the gospel, of every denomination, to hold 
 fast to the old "landmarks," and not to diverge 
 from them one inch, notwithstanding the oppo- 
 sition that may be waged against them by the 
 would-be new light aspirants to the gospel min- 
 istry. 
 
 At a meeting held near my residence on one 
 occasion, brother Newcomer preached in Ger- 
 man, at 10 o'clock, A. M. After he had closed, 
 brother Jefferson, a Methodist preacher, follow- 
 
rev: SAMUEL HUBER. 251 
 
 ed in English. In his discourse, he related a 
 circumstance worthy of record. He said, " that 
 in the State of J^ew York, at one time, there 
 was a certain man nearly one hundred years of 
 age, who desired his descendants to assemble 
 with him on the very day he would become one 
 hundred years old. For this purpose, he sum- 
 moned them to meet him at a certain place, at 
 that time. 
 
 Accordingly, his children, grand children, 
 great grand children, and other relatives, com- 
 posing no small number, met him as desired. 
 They all went with him to a field, where there 
 was a very large tree standing. He requested 
 them to stand under its branches, and then, 
 with an axe in hand, approached the tree, say- 
 ing, ' that he was going to chop it down, so that 
 his descendants could say in after times, that 
 their father had felled a large tree on the very 
 day he became one hundred years of age.' — 
 At the instant in which he raised the axe, in 
 order to make the first cut in the tree, the fol- 
 lowing words were impressed upon his mind 
 with great force, viz : ^' But the sinner being 
 an hundred years old shall be accursed.' He 
 made a sudden pause, and asked the bystand- 
 ers, ' Whether such words were to be found in 
 
252 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 'OF 
 
 the Bible ?' at the same time repeating them. 
 He was told that the words were written in the 
 Bible, Isaiah 65 : 20, latter clause. Upon re- 
 ceiving this information, the old transgressor 
 dropped his axe, and falling upon his knees 
 under the tree, began to pray, crying aloud for 
 mercy. 
 
 Seeing their aged progenitor in this situation 
 his descendants became deeply affected, and 
 some of them knelt in prayer with him. After 
 some time spent in this way, the old man got 
 religion, under the same tree which he had in- 
 tended to chop down, on his one hundreth birth 
 day. But inasmuch as he was cut down him- 
 self, and raised up again, his descendants and 
 relatives left the tree standing as a memento to 
 future generations, that their ancestor was con- 
 verted under it on that self same day. This 
 circumstance being of such an extraordinary 
 nature, produced a deep religious excitement, 
 principally among old sinners, so that a great 
 revival of religion took place, and many old and 
 young converts were made, and added to the 
 Church of God." 
 
REV. SAMUEL HITBER. 253 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 On this first day of March, 1858, lam seventy- 
 six years and one month old. About forty odd 
 years of this time, I have endeavored, in my 
 weak manner, to preach the Gospel, as recorded 
 in part in the foregoing pages. During twelve 
 years of this period I acted as Presiding Elder. 
 By my first wife I had two children, as stated 
 in Chapter XV. On the 27th of October, 1857. 
 I was married the second time, by the Rev. 
 Daniel Funkhouser, to Mrs. Susannah Grove, 
 widow of Mr. Abraham Grove, deceased. 
 
 During my pilgrimage thus far, I have met 
 with much opposition in my religious course ; 
 at the same time, however, there have not been 
 wanting true brethren and friends, whose kind- 
 ness and sympathies cheered me on the way; 
 for all of which also I feel truly grateful. Still, 
 some of my good brethren in the ministry, it 
 appeared, had more sympathy for me than others, 
 which was evident from expressions openly 
 made, some years ago, in the Chambersburg 
 Annual Conference, by a good brother who 
 wished me in heaven before the good Lord 
 thought proper to take me there, l^o doubt, 
 the wish was well meant. But it seemed as if 
 the brother was very anxious to get the old local 
 
254 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 
 
 preacher, " Hiiber," out of the way, or out of the 
 Conference. At another time, like expres- 
 sions, in regard to myself, were made by a 
 brother preacher at Orrstown camp meeting ; 
 and how more frequently it has been done, I 
 am unable to state. So far, however, the 
 strengthening grace of God has been my sup- 
 port through all my trials, and through the same 
 grace, I still feel myself bound for the kingdom 
 of God above. 
 
 THE END. 
 
jQl C j5L I=L 13 - 
 
 The subscriber is now publishing an entirely 
 new and original work, entitled 
 
 A COLLECTION OF 
 
 REMINISCENCES NARRATIVES— SKETCHES— INCIDENTS 
 
 — ^ANECDOTES — RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES — RE- 
 MARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCES;' 
 
 TOaETHER WITH 
 
 BROAD HINTS AND CUTS UPON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, RELIGIOUS 
 AND MORAL, &c. 
 
 There are many circumstances in life, which 
 would be deeply interesting both to the present and 
 future age, if such were preserved in book form, 
 and, by this means, handed down to posterity. 
 They would thus become useful to descendants by 
 way of reference and otherwise. There are but 
 fcAV persons, in whose life there are not some inci- 
 dents worthy of record. But then, in many 
 cases, there would not be sufficient matter, of 
 j)eculiar incidents, to fill out a book. For this 
 reason, numberless interesting circumstances arc 
 forgotten. In order then to afford an opportuni- 
 ty for such records, we have now in progress a 
 
256 
 
 work for that purpose. Persons wishing to have 
 their religious experience, or other moral circum- 
 stances in their lives puhlished in this way, can 
 have it done free of charge, or in some cases, at a 
 trifling expense, if communicated either verbally or 
 in writing. If the communication be by writing, 
 it will be necessary only to state the facts in the 
 case, and they will be carried out by the publish- 
 er. No IMMORAL, ANONYMOUS or FICTITIOUS pro- 
 ductions, however, will meet with attention. 
 Nothing unfit for the chaste reader will be admit- 
 ted. In all cases the author's name must accom- 
 pany the production, although he can appear under 
 a fictitious name in the work, if desired. The pub- 
 lisher reserves the privilege to reject or publish any 
 matter furnished, as he may judge proper. 
 Eespectfully, 
 
 JOHN DENIG. 
 
 Address John Denig, care of J. E. Kirby, Cham- 
 bersburg, Franklin county, Pa. 
 
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