CHAPTER 11 JOHN SALE

CHAPTER 11 JOHN SALE

If, as one has said, "history is philosophy teaching by examples," we may add, with equal propriety, biography furnishes the examples which history records. No department of literature can be more interesting than truthful narratives of human life — certainly none can be more instructive; and hence it is that we grasp with eagerness and read with avidity sketches of the life and times of those who have gained notoriety by worthy or adventurous deeds. The subject of our narrative was a western man. He was born in the state of Virginia, on the 24th of April, 1769. History furnishes us no account of the precise place of his birth; or of his parentage. In early life he was awakened and converted to God, through the instrumentality of Methodist preachers who visited the neighborhood where he resided. He soon joined the Church, and, for a youth, became a devoted and exemplary Christian.

It is worthy of remark, that so many of the early preachers were converted in their youth. It seems to have been the order of Providence, since the days of Samuel, who was called when a child to the service of the sanctuary, to take the young and susceptible mind and early train it, by grace, for the great work of the ministry. If the reader will look over the biographical sketches which we have written, he will find that nearly all who were called to preach the Gospel were, in early life, made the subjects of converting grace. When young Sale became religious he was surrounded by worldly and wicked associations, and it cost him an effort, such as those only can make who have firmly resolved, by God’s grace, to break up all unhallowed associations, and start out, at all hazards, in the path of life, who, putting their hand to the plow and counting the cost, have crossed the chasm that separated them from the world of sin, and cut away the communication. To become a Methodist at that time, which of all the forms of Christianity was most despised by the wicked, was to enter upon a profession which would insure the contempt and scorn of the ungodly, and, not infrequently, of many professors of another faith, The most opprobrious terms were heaped upon Methodists in that day, and they were called "fanatics, swaddlers," etc. Young Sale, however, had Christian courage and nerve enough to breast the storm of ridicule which he met, and bravely stood his ground, fully identifying himself with the despised number of God’s children. With zeal and courage he took up the cross, despised the shame, and boldly espoused the cause of his divine Master. He passed through many and severe conflicts of mind in regard to his call to preach the Gospel; but after much prayer and profound consideration in regard to what was his duty, he fully yielded to the movings of the Spirit and was licensed to preach, and in due time received on trial in the traveling connection, at the conference held at Salem Chapel, in the state of Virginia, on the 24th of November, 1795. The first circuit to which he was sent was Swanino, in the wilds of Virginia, where he had his courage and fidelity tested in breasting the dangers and hardships of a pioneer preacher. His next circuit was the Mattamuskeet, in the lowlands of the above state. Added to the necessary hardships connected with traveling this circuit it was a very sickly region and much dreaded by the itinerant; but as no scenes could disgust or dangers deter the preachers of those days wherever, in the providence of God, their lot was cast, Sale went, in the name of is Master, and entered upon the work assigned him ready to do or die.

After finishing his labors on this field, he was sent over the mountains to the Holston circuit. Here, in the west, he had the same hard fare; but he had, as a good and faithful soldier, enlisted "during the war," and felt no disposition to lay down his arms till the great Captain of his salvation should grant him a final release from conflict and suffering below. In the year 1799 he traveled the Russell circuit, and the two succeeding years he labored on Salt River and Shelby circuits. The next year he traveled the Danville circuit, where, as on all the circuits named, he was made a blessing to multitudes. Many will hail him on the shores of immortality as the honored instrument of their conversion to God. In the year 1803 he was sent to the North-Western territory, and stationed on Scioto circuit, which embraced a large extent of country. The following year he was appointed to Miami circuit. These two circuits then embraced all the south and west portions of the now state of Ohio. It was while traveling this circuit that he organized the first society of Methodists in Cincinnati, mention of which the reader will find in the chapter which relates to the origin and progress of Methodism in Cincinnati. The conference which had been held at Mt. Gerizim the preceding year, organized the Ohio district, which was the first in the state, and the Rev. William Burke was appointed the presiding elder, as his autobiography will show. For the purpose of giving the preachers of the present day some idea of the extent of the fields of labor, and the manner in which they were supplied, we will give a list of appointments: Muskingum and Little Kanawha, George Askins; Hockhocking, James Quinn, John Meek; Scioto, William Patterson, Nathan Barnes; Miami, John Sale, J. Oglesby; Guyandotte, Asa Shinn. When we take into the account the sparseness of the population, the distance between the appointments without roads, rivers to be crossed without bridges, it must be obvious that none but such as felt a necessity laid upon them to preach the Gospel would be likely to engage in such a work. In the year 1805 he returned to Kentucky and was appointed to the Lexington circuit. Here he labored with success in cultivating the vineyard of the Lord, and at the expiration of the year sent to the Ohio district, where he labored with untiring zeal for two years. At this time the district was divided, and he was appointed to the Miami district. It was during his labors on this district that we first became acquainted with him, and from his hand in 1809 we received our first license to preach the Gospel. He had employed us to travel on the circuit four months previous to the date of our license, and with his permit we endeavored to preach Christ and his salvation around the circuit. From the campmeeting on Paint creek, where we received license to preach, without any recommendation from a class meeting or quarterly conference we were recommended to the annual conference for admission, and accordingly received. A short time since we visited this consecrated spot. But the grand old woods were gone. The trees, which spread their giant branches and screened us from the sun, affording the most refreshing shade, have been leveled by the axman’s stroke, and there, in that cornfield where we stood, had been gathered thousands of men and women, from all parts of the country, to listen to the words of life. A thousand recollections rushed upon us as we stood there and wept to think how many of that assembled throngs had passed away. Here stood the Rev. Dr. Tiffin, and the eloquent Monett, and the zealous Collins, of the Baltimore conference — father of the late Rev. John Collins — the presiding elder, and the aged father of the writer of this sketch, and with full and fervent hearts proclaimed God’s love to perishing sinners, many of whom tremblingly fled to Christ for mercy, and found pardon and salvation. But preachers and people have alike gone to that bourne from whence no traveler returns, these to answer for the manner in which they discharged their duty as ministers of the Gospel, and those to render an account for the manner in which they received that Gospel from their lips. What a solemn reflection, that in a few years all the old pioneers who preached the Gospel in the west will be gone, and nothing left to tell of their toils and sufferings but a few hasty sketches! In this field of labor brother Sale was quite successful, and prosperity attended his labors in all parts of the district. The next four years he labored on the Kentucky district, and the two following he was back again on the Miami district. In 1817 he traveled Union circuit, and the following year Mad River; and in 1819 he is again on the Miami district. The year following, in consequence of loss of health, he was obliged to take a superannuated relation, in which he remained for five years, at the expiration of which time, his health improving, he was made effective, and appointed to the Wilmington circuit. The next year he traveled Union circuit, and the following Piqua, where he closed his labors with his life.

How rapidly have, we passed over the labors of the last ten years of his life, all summed up in a few lines; and how meager the whole of our sketch of this pioneer preacher! And yet how can it be otherwise, where nothing is left, not even a page, from which to gather a history of his labors? Indeed, were it not for the printed Minutes, which contain his appointments from year to year, not even this much could be saved from oblivion. If "blessings brighten as they take their flight," and we are not disposed to appreciate them till they are removed from us, how assiduously should we labor to gather up the reminiscences of our aged brethren, and how fondly should we cherish those recollections of their heroic achievements in the cause of their Lord, which endear them to us! On the 15th of January, 1827, while on the Piqua circuit, at the house of his friend and brother, Mr. French, he was called to yield up his spirit into the hands of God. We visited him a day or two before, his death, and although his sufferings were intense, yet he had great peace in believing. His faith enabled him to behold the land that was afar off and to rejoice in the sight of his distant heavenly home. He was frequently heard to say, "I am nearing my home. My last battle is fought, and the victory sure! Hallelujah! My Savior reigneth over heaven and earth most glorious! Praise the Lord!" On my second visit we were accompanied by Colonel William McLean one of his warm, personal friends. We found him very happy, just on the verge of heaven. When on rising to leave, we took his hand, and bade him farewell. He said, "My son, be faithful, and you shall have a crown of life." We left the dying herald of the cross strong in faith, giving glory to God for a religion that "Can make a dying bed Feel soft as downy pillows are, While on his breast he leaned his head, And breathed his life out sweetly there."

Worn down with the toils and sufferings, as the necessary and always concomitant attendants of an itinerant life, he was ready and prepared to enter into the rest of heaven.

Servant of God, well done, Rest from thy loved employ; The battle’s fought, the vict’ry won, Enter thy Master’s Joy."

Brother Sale was about five feet ten inches high, of great symmetry of form, dignified and courteous in his manners. He had a dark eye, which, when lighted up with the Gospel themes, would flash its fires of holy passion, and melt at the recital of a Savior’s love. But he has gone where anxiety, and toil, and tears come not.

Brother Sale was not a very vehement speaker, and yet he was far from being dry or uninteresting. He indulged very little in declamation, his chief aim being to preach the doctrines of the Gospel, and enforcing the practice thereof; so that while his hearers were thoroughly indoctrinated in regard to all matters of belief, they were urged to the performance of all duties, and thus a life in the soul was produced which fitted them for heaven. No one excelled him in the judicious administration of discipline and the government of the Church. We never knew a better manager. He seemed to govern without design, and so thoroughly did he acquaint himself with the disposition and temperament of men, that all yielded to his advice and direction without feeling themselves under any constraint. He was a great favorite of Bishop Asbury, and was, when able to attend, elected, from time to time, as a delegate to the General conference. After marrying he settled in the neighborhood of Xenia, at a place called Union, one of the early strongholds of our western Zion. His family of sons and daughters embraced religion in early life. One of his sons is now a traveling preacher in Indiana, and we trust is following in the footsteps of his father. His pious and venerable consort still lives, full of faith and good works, waiting with patience for the hour to arrive when her divine Lord shall call her to mingle with the departed in the world of bliss.