Memoir of Rev. Joseph Badger: Fourth EditionHolland, E. G. (Elihu Goodwin)
History
Memoir of Rev. Joseph Badger: Fourth Edition
Holland, E. G. (Elihu Goodwin)
Badger, Joseph, 1792-1852
"The October meeting coming off at this time, made no small
stir among the people, and the wicked, as of old, 'took
counsel together against the Lord, and against His
anointed.' As they had been successful in driving two good
preachers out of the country, they were now emboldened to
make a strong attempt, first to frighten us out of the
country, and should they fail in that, which they did, to
disturb our meetings as their next best stroke of policy.
They issued warrants for nine of us, myself and two other
ministers, and six of the leading members of our churches.
We were arrested on the first day of our meeting, which had
opened under promising auspices, as enemies to the
Government. I had an insight into their methods before any
part of their plot was executed; for as I was on my way the
morning of the 8th, and within eight or nine miles of the
meeting, an officer with whom I was acquainted, hailed me
from his house and observed if I would wait a few moments
he would be my company. As we rode along I drew from him a
development of the whole plot, and at that time I became
his prisoner. The greatest fear I had was this, that the
meeting would be essentially disturbed. The prisoners were
to be delivered and have their trial at Mr. Stone's tavern,
one mile from the place of the meeting, _at the same time_
that it was in progress. When I arrived at the place where
the congregation was to convene, I called, found several
preachers present, and some brethren to whom I related the
whole of what was about to transpire. Some were filled with
fear. I advised them to discover no alarm, but to go on
composedly with their meeting, provided there should not be
more than ten persons left, after the rulers should have
sifted the audience in their legal network, and to pay no
attention whatever to us who were absent, except to
remember us kindly in their prayers; and away I went to
stand in the presence of authority. Soon, however, I was
favored with the company of brother Amos Bishop, a faithful
minister of the Gospel. He came in rejoicing that he was
counted worthy to suffer for Jesus' sake. Our trial
formally opened on Friday noon, but not much was done. At
evening I obtained a room in which to hold meeting,
thinking that inasmuch as the legal process was tardy, the
ministers present could make no better use of their leisure
time than in preaching Christ to all who would become our
hearers. Seats were prepared, and the neighbors flocked in.
I then walked into the somewhat spacious bar-room to invite
the honorable court to attend, a body composed of three
magistrates, viz.: Pennoyer, Nichols, and Hyat, who were at
the time _merrily passing the glass_. Making to them as
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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