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A liii
THE LIFE
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT,
LATE MEMBER OF THE BALTIMORE AN¬
NUAL CONFERENCE, OF THE AFRI¬
CAN METHODIST EPISCO¬
PAL CHURCH.
BY HIS SON,
REV. D. ARCHIE RIDOUT,
OF THE DELAWARE CONFERENCE METHODIST EPIS¬
COPAL CHURCH.
WITH AN
INTRODUCTION BY REV. A. W. WAYMAN, D. D.,,
BISHOP OF THK AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
" The proper study of mankind is man.:r
WILMINGTON, DEL. ;
J. MILLER THOMAS.
1891.
Copyrighted 1891.
PREFACE.
The author of this little volume is sim¬
ply a Methodist preacher, and " claims for
this book no especial literary merit." The
reader will not find it full of " philosophi¬
cal reasoning." But facts that are abso¬
lutely true are recorded. In presenting
this book (my first) to the public, the
writer is simply fulfilling a promise. If
it take the last dollar that can be got,
the book must be published. If there
be a word that seems to reflect, believe
the writer when he tells you, "it was
not his intention." We trust that this
little book may come into the hands of
some young minister who may be bene¬
fited by perusing it.
D. Archie Ridout.
Cambridge, Md., Sept. 21,1891.
INTRODUCTION
To the Life of the Late Rev. Daniel A.
Ridout.
I have been requested by the Rev. D. A.
Ridout, the son of the deceased, to write an
introduction to his book, the life of his father,
a late member of the Baltimore Conference of
the African M. E. Church.
Having known the deceased intimately for
the last thirty-six years, I presided over the
quarterly meeting Conference that gave him
license to preach; I also signed his recom¬
mendation to the Baltimore Conference for
admission, and when he was ordained Elder in
April, 1860, by the request of the Presiding
Bishop I preached the sermon, from Acts, 6th
chap., 3d verse: "Wherefore brethren look ye
out among you seven men of honest report full
of the Holy Ghost and wisdom."
The manuscript prepared by his son having
been sent to me and thoroughly examined, I
readily comply with that request.
For years, the people of all civilized nations
have felt it was a duty for them to erect
monuments to the memories of their warriors,
scholars and statesmen, so that, when coming
generations look thereon they may be reminded
that beneath these monuments sleeps the dust
of some great men who figured conspicuously
while living, and now, that they are gone, their
memories are cherished!
The church has had her great and good men,
and when they have passed away she has never
felt it to be her duty to erect many monuments
to their memories, believing that every good
man erects, while living, a monument more last¬
ing than those of marble, and which shall stand
when the monuments of earth have crumbled
into dust.
It is said, " the lives of the good and great,
are the heritage of the age, while they are with
us. When they depart from us they bequeath
the still greater and richer legacy of the memo¬
ries of their noble deeds and exalted virtues."
The late Rev. Daniel A. Ridout entered the
Baltimore Annual Conference of the African
M. E. Church in April, 1856, and continued a
faithful and acceptable member to the day of
his death.
When he entered the Conference it was
thought by some, that, on account of the timidity
of spirit he appeared to possess, he would not
succeed. They finally concluded to try him,
and for thirty-six years there was never a word
of complaint uttered against Daniel A. Ridout.
At the meeting of the Baltimore Annual
Conference of 1888, he was entirely too feeble
to meet it, and the Presiding Bishop was
requested to appoint a committee to visit him
at his home, Mount Winans Station, on the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, to bear to him
their Christian sympathies and well wishes for
his future happiness. The Bishop appointed
on that committee, members whose given names
were all John, and they were called John's
Committee.
"When the committee reported, they said Bro.
Daniel A. Ridout was very feeble, but that he
requested the committee to say to the Confer¬
ence, that should he never answer again to
roll-call at another Annual Conference, he
expected to answer to the roll-call at the "gen¬
eral assembly of the Church of the First-Born,
which are written in heaven."
Rev. Daniel A. Ridout wrote no books, while
living, to fill the libraries of his former col¬
leagues in the gospel, perhaps not many manu¬
scripts of sermons, to which reference can be
made by his son and others, but he has left
indelibly written on the memories of many
now living, the sermons he preached, and per¬
haps in the better land there are many that
were brought to Christ through his instru¬
mentality.
"Lives of great men all remind ns
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time."
A. W. WAYMAN.
CONTENTS.
—•+•—
CHAPTER PAGE
I. Birthplace, Ancestry, Guardian . . 8
II. Bound Out. The Hood Farm. Learn¬
ing. A Midnight Excursion ... 15
III. His Conversion, Marriage, Freedom . 24
IY. Marries Again. Call to the Ministry.
Joins Conference, etc., 33
Y. Itinerant Life Continued. Hard
Times. Battle of South Mountain . 44
YI. His Labors in Havre de Grace, Eas-
ton, and Long Green 53
VII. His Labors on other Charges .... 64
VIII. His Last Charge. Falls while on duty.
Dying Moments. Funeral 75
IX. His Power in the Pulpit. Extracts of
Sermons. Eloquence, etc 86
X. Conclusion 96
8
THE LIFE OF
CHAPTER I.
BIRTHPLACE—ANCESTRY—GUARDIAN.
The habit of reading should be cultivated
by every one. To read is one thing; to read
well is another. The question asked by Christ,
"How readest thou?" is just as appropriate
now as it was when asked. It is not only
interesting, but absolutely beneficial, to read
books that speak of the life and services of
good men. These books, not like the lot of
miserable trash given to the public, elevate
morally, socially, religiously and intellectually.
Hence, whenever opportunity presents itself, for
me to read an interesting biography, I ought
to seize it. It is true that many books have
been written about good men, and they have
been read with avidity, but still there is room.
And we certainly need more books, whose
authors are colored men. The author of this
humble volume, claims for it no especial lite¬
rary merit. In it will be found no rhetorical
flashes, no sublime flights of oratory, but simple
facts will be given in language which will con¬
form to the rules of grammar, we hope, and
yet be easily understood by the youngest reader.
The author is nothing more than a humble
KEY. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
9
Methodist preacher, heaven-born and heaven¬
sent, and such he intends to be until his feet
" touch the other shore."
"Long usage has established a custom that
cannot be broken at this late day. In bio¬
graphical writing, the author must give dates
and facts so elaborately and accurately that no
possibility of dispute can arise." In writing
this biography of my father, one of the best of
men, I give the facts, as I know them, and as
they have been related to me by him.
I promised him when he was lying upon his
bed, unable to turn without aid, that I would
give to the world an account, if brief, of his
life and labors in the ministry. I have laid my
pen aside several times, thinking that I am
incapable of doing justice to the memory of
my father.
I look up; hanging on the wall before me, I
see a portrait, the eyes of which seem to follow
my pen, and the lips seem to smile approv¬
ingly and say, "Write!" I close my eyes, I
still see those eyes looking at me; I imagine I
see those lips move and that sonorous voice re¬
peat, '' Write V' That is a portrait of my deceased
father, the Rev. Daniel A. Ridout. This Chris¬
tian man was born in April, 1824, four miles
beyond Herring Run on the Belair road, Bal¬
timore county, Md. The State that Dr. Tan-
10
THE LIFE OF
ner, in his "Apology for African Methodism,"
says, " has produced many eminent black men,
but is barren in the production of great white
men, except the late H. Winter Davis and the
living Judge Bond."
The place where he was born is, or rather
was, a small farm belonging to a Mr. Stirling.
The farm contained about fifty-seven acres of
land, thirty-nine cultivated, the rest woodland.
I remember, years ago, when I was quite a
small boy, passing that place, with father in a
stage-coach, on our way to Baltimore from
Harford county, where father was then sta¬
tioned, it was shown to me. "There Daniel," said
he, " is the place where I first saw the light." It
looked antiquated; indeed, it was a sorry look¬
ing place to me. I will describe it, the best I
can, after an elapse of twenty-one years.
The main building, a frame, built somewhat
on the style of Noah's Ark, was on its last legs.
Several out-houses were "propped up." The
"Quarter" had long since been torn down. The
barn was crumbling to dust. A large oak tree,
that had stood in the yard as sentinel for many
years, yet remained on guard, but time had
given him some terrific " bouts." A brindled
cow lay on the front lawn calmly chewing her
cud; a bob-tailed steed and eight recently
sheared sheep were waiting in the pound for
KEY. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 11
their dinner. A sow with seven pigs, two of
which were fiercely contending over a corn-cob,
were all the live stock we saw. I said: " Father,
is that the cow you used to milk, and the horse
you used to ride?" " Oh, no," said he, "they
must be dead, for it has been about thirty-six
years since I lived here." " Well," said I, "it is
a bad looking place." As the stage rolled on
towards the city, I recited that poem familiar
to every boy:
'' How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,
When fond recollections present them to view."
I added several other lines composed on the
spur of the moment, that I cannot at this writ¬
ing recall, but they convulsed the occupants of
the stage. I presume father thought his son
would make a first-rate poet.
His parents were Archibald Hollingsworth
and Clara Kidout, both of whom were born
free, and, at the time when father was born,
were servants on the farm described. When
he was about seven years old, his mother
died. I have often heard him speak in endear¬
ing words of his mother, a sainted woman, and
how on the day of her burial he tried to die, too.
In later years the counsel and biblical instruc¬
tion that fell from her lips (for she had by some
means learned to read) he never forgot.
They were as a " lamp to his feet and a light
12
THE LIFE OF
unto his path." He lived there about three
years after the death of his mother, during
which time his father married again, and very
little, if any, attention was paid to "Dan."
From this union sprung other children, and
" Dan" really became the scape-goat of the
family. The step-mother, of course, only had
time to look after her own children, and they
were increasing at the rate of one a year. The
father, only had time to look after the place
and play the violin at all the parties for miles
around, for both whites and blacks; therefore
family cares were not thought of. When it was
found that Dan was absolutely in the way, he
was given to a woman, Mrs. Harriet M to
raise.
If little Dan's life was a hard one before, it
was doubly so now, after coming under the
supervision of "Aunt Harriet." She was a regu¬
lar termagant. The hardest kind of work he
was made to do. From daylight in the morning,
till dark in the night, he worked; poorly fed
and miserably clad. I never hear the name of
that woman mentioned without feeling a species
of indignation.
I have heard him tell often how she treated
him: tied to bed-posts, whipped until the blood
ran. He has repeatedly showed me the ugly
scars left by the hickory gad of that shrew.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 13
The last time I saw them was when he lay on
his cooling-board, cold in the embrace of death.
Several of the scars, on his legs, were as large
as the palm of my hand. Reader, can you think
hard of me for having felt a little cross toward
Mrs. M ?
Had she been a white woman, possibly I
would not have had such strong feeling in the
matter. She died several years ago, aged and
very penitent for her treatment of my father.
I have long since forgiven her, but be it remem¬
bered, Daniel A. Ridout was my father, and
"blood is thicker than water." He often visited
the old woman after he had grown to manhood,
and never left without giving her some money.
She would smile and say: " Daniel, you were
always a good boy." Yes, he was, and, in many
things, too good-natured.
I would present her with a copy of this
book if she were living. He staid with Mrs.
M for several years, during which time
she moved into the city (Baltimore). While in
the city he caught the small pox; that was in
the fall of '34; it was very bad throughout the
city, and it happened to "catch on" to little
Dan. He had no nice bed to sleep on, no
warm broths, no loving mother to sit and watch
over him and bathe his feverish brow; none of
the many comforts that a sick person ought to
14
THE LIFE OF
have, had he. His diet, he said, consisted of
corn bread, fat meat, cabbage and dumplings.
He drank as much cold water as he wanted,
and scratched himself to his heart's content.
He found the cellar door, in the sunshine, a
very comfortable place, and there he frequently
" took up his abode."
He often said, had he received attention, he
would have died. Indeed, I do not doubt it,
for X have observed often in cases of small
pox, that the patients who are kept at home,
with all the necessary comforts and medical
care, generally die. Those who are taken to the
Lazaretto generally get well. A paradox, I
know.
After having "pulled through" that loath¬
some disease, he got to be a burden in the
hands of his sainted (?) guardian. What to
do with this child of misfortune, was the ques¬
tion.
I do not think his father and step-mother
ever took the trouble to hunt him up. Too
much interested in the other set. The conclu¬
sion was finally reached, that the best thing to
do was to let the Orphans' Court dispose of
him. And it did.
BEY. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
15
CHAPTER II.
BOUND OUT—THE HOOD FARM—LEARNING A
MIDNIGHT EXCURSION.
In the year 1836, April 1st, Daniel was "duly
indentured" as an orphan, by the Orphans
Court of Anne Arundel County, to Mr. John
Hood. This change was not at all disagreeable
to him. He would have gone anywhere with
pleasure to escape the rod of Aunt Harriet.
This change introduced him to new scenes,
strange faces and a pretty good home consider¬
ing the times.
It is not my purpose to comment, the reader
knows what evil was in full blast at that time.
Indeed I shall refrain from alluding reflectively
to the times prior to the emancipation, they
were bad enough heaven knows. I am writing
the life of a good man, who was reared in those
times and felt, in a measure, the iron heel of
slavery, but who taught me in my boy-hood, to
be always mindful of the Golden Rule: "What¬
soever ye would that men should do to you, do
ye even so to them." Therefore I shall strive
to give facts without a scintilla of vindictive-
ness. Our hero, for indeed he was one, was
much pleased with his new home. After an
16
THE LIFE OF
introduction to the various members of the
family, he was informed that that was to be
his home until he was twenty-one years of age.
No particular task was assigned him, he was to
be boy of all work. I do not remember how
many slaves, pardon me I mean servants, he
said were on the place; only a few however.
The Hood farm (I think it still belongs to
the family) is located in Howard County, Md.>
a few miles above Ellicott City; it was then in
Anne Arundel County. Howard Co. had not
been formed. It had been, possibly about the be¬
ginning of the present century, one of the
prettiest, most healthful, best located and pro¬
ductive farms in the state. But at the time
father went there to live, it had fallen from its
"original splendor" and pristine productive¬
ness, to a commonplace, non-productive farm.
I have heard my father say, that during his
stay there, the land did not yield a good crop
of any kind of grain. The colored folks said
that the place had a curse put upon it. The
legend runs somewhat on this wise. Some
years before, there lived on the place a colored
woman, with several children, all slaves. The
woman was taken up and sold South, forever
separated from her children. On the morning
of her departure, she got down on her knees,
and with a loud voice and tearful eyes, called
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 17
on God to everlastingly damn the place and
never let it yield enough to maintain the owner.
Said she: "Let the corn be nubbins and the
wheat tares and may it go speedily to ruin."
And this condemnation, which was almost as
sweeping as that which Isaiah pronounced
against Babylon, seemingly was verified. It was,
at least, as long as father remained there.
As I have said, the new-comer was not given
any special work to do. The first year or two, his
work was mainly in the house; he assisted the
cook, waited on the table and took part in the
chamber work. It was his delight to go to the
mill, for he always rode a horse, and nothing
suits a boy so well as horse-back riding. The
reader has observed that I have said nothing
about his schooling, because he had none. His
sainted mother had taught him his alphabet,
these he had quite forgotten, as Aunt Harriet
had whipped them out of him. Having seen
several of the younger members of the family
studying their lessons, he became much inter¬
ested and thought that he would like to know
something.
He finally came in possession of a John
Comly spelling book, and after repeated efforts,
helped by a youth who lived near by, and who>
claimed to be "thoroughly learned," he suc¬
ceeded in learning the alphabet. He had by
2
18
THE LIFE OF
this time grown considerably, and was put to
work on the farm. With his John Comly, sev¬
eral of the leaves of which had been lost be¬
hind the plow, inside the hay stack, astraddle
of old Ned, the over-worked, under-fed steed,
that would have macfe Cervantes blush, he
studied his lessons. Naturally a smart boy, he
learned very fast; certainly he dare not be
seen with his book, and what he got he stole>
(which was perfectly right.) One night while
lying on his stomach before the fire, studying
his book by the glare of the same, for he had
placed several pieces of lightwood on it, he
heard footsteps approaching, he quickly put his
book under him and feigned sleep. None too
soon, for in came Master B.— "Daniel," said he,
" are you asleep ? I want you to go to E.— and
bring home a bundle; you can go in the morn¬
ing." Daniel, who was always willing and ready
to go on errands, was so elated that he forgot his
book was under him, and jumping up, said,
" all right sir," but " terribile dictu !" the book
was seen by Master B.— at the sight of which he
became indignant; (righteously I presume, as
he was a local preacher iu the Methodist Epis¬
copal Church; bear in mind reader, this was
before the "revolt" in 1844.) Said Master B.—
" you unpronounceable scoundrel, where did
you get that book V you have no time to study,
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 19
you are here to work," and proceeded forthwith
to chastise Daniel. Be it told however, to the
honor of the old gentleman, that the chastise¬
ment consisted in simply rubbing his cane
over Dan's head and saying; "I've a great
mind to mellow your head, sir." He, nor in¬
deed any of the family, never struck Daniel a
blow the whole time he staid on the place. The
only thing done when these "fits" came on the
old gentleman, (they frequently came, )was to
rub the boy over the cranium with his cane,
and say; " I've a great mind to mellow your
head sir." This little denouement of course did
not deter Daniel from studying his book when¬
ever opportunity presented itself.
His teacher, a colored youth by the name of
Jason, still gave him lessons. This
young man, whom the writer has often seen,
was a great help to father, they were always
fast friends. He died at his residence on Dover
street, west of Fremont, Baltimore, in the year,
I think 1871. He had acquired some property,
and at the time of his death, was keeping a
small grocery and provision store. At a meet¬
ing of the youths of the neighborhood it was
decided that young Jason should open a night
school. It was done accordingly, but the white
folks got wind of it and young Jason's night
school was closed and finally sank into " innocu-
20
THE LIFE OF
ous desuetude." Young Ridout, or Dan as lie
was called by everybody, with that firmness
of purpose and " go-aheaditiveness," so strongly
developed in latter years, continued to study,
and as he said : " I got along so well I surprised
myself, for I could read pretty well, knew the
multiplication table by heart and had begun to
study grammar." I have not a John Comly
spelling book at hand, but the grammar re¬
ferred to, was only the vocabulary in the end
of the book, beginning with Abel, N. man's
name. Able, Adj. having power, capable, etc.
After acquiring so much knowledge and indeed
excelling the other boys, he certainly must
learn to write. But how ? Who was to set
the copy ? Where was he to get his slate, pen
cils, pens, ink and all the necessary stationery ?
These were questions fraught with much inter¬
est to him, and not a little discouraging, as
young Jason had moved out of the neighbor¬
hood. He, however, despite the discouraging
circumstances that stared him in the face, was
determined to learn to write. He got on the
" right side " of a white boy who kindly con¬
sented to instruct him in that necessary art.
He tore the leaves out of Master B.'s old ac¬
count book, purloined several of his quills,
made ink out of poke-berries, and thus
equipped, went to work to learn to write. If
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 21
learning to spell and read were hard, learning
to write was harder. Night after night he
copied and recopied, or as he was wont to put
it, " scratched and scribbled," but made little
improvement and became almost disheartened.
But after hard work and constant practice,
he learned to make all the letters of the alpha¬
bet and to write his name. He never made
what we call a good penman, but he was a
very rapid one. The writer has often heard
him say that his first letters looked as if flies
had fallen in the ink and crawled over the
paper. He declared he never saw such charac¬
ters before nor since. The other branches of
study, geography, arithmetic, etc., were not
thought of. These he studied in later years
and became passably familiar with them, but
did not, as he said, know enough about them
to teach school. He was very good in arithme¬
tic for one who had had no special instruction
in that study. Of course he could do examples
better " in his head " than with slate and pen¬
cil. When the writer was a school boy he fre¬
quently gave him sums in double rule of three
to do and he generally gave the correct answers.
Many amusing incidents occurred while he was
servant on the Hood farm, one of which I
will relate.
Dan had always been honest from pTinciple,
22
THE LIFE OF
the idea of stealing had never suggested itself
to his mind. He considered stealing an un¬
pardonable sin, hence had never acquired the
habit. A youth about nineteen years of age
came to live on the place ; this young man
liked to dress, visit the girls and in fact was
quite a " dude." In order to have the esteem
of the fair sex, money was necessary.
He told Dan that he intended to steal, or
rather take, several bushels of corn, sell it to a
colored mail who dealt in stolen goods, and ap¬
propriate the money to himself. Dan was
asked to take a hand in the enterprise and re¬
ceive a share of the profits. Dan at first posi¬
tively declined, but after much persuasion, he
consented to go along for company. rI he time
was fixed and the arrangements all perfected.
The dearboi'n was loaded and away they went,
it was now between midnight and day.
The man was knocked up and unlocked the
door, grumbling and managed to make a great
deal of noise emptying the corn out of the
bags. Poor Dan sat in the dearborn trembling
from head to foot. The fellow kept up such a
racket that his wife hallooed down the stairs,
" Tom for mercy sake don't make such a fuss,
you'll wake the neighborhood." She was told
to go straight to that place where " overcoats
are superfluous and fans are at a premium,"
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 23
and which from all descriptions is a great deal
hotter than the island of Terra del Fuego. He
wound up by saying, " I reckon dis corn aint
stolebut it had been stolen and he knew it.
He never wrent on another similar expedition.
The division was -made- and it amounted to
seventy cents apiece.
24
THE LIFE OF
CHAPTER III.
HIS CONVERSION—MARRIAGE—FREEDOM.
Master B., who, as I have said, was a local
preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church,
was very earnest in the work of the Master,
and was careful to instil religion into the minds
of his family and servants. Every morning,
regularly, a Scripture lesson was read and
prayer offered, to which all the servants were
compelled to be present. His orisons were
remarkable for their power, and the Giver
of all good and perfect gifts was fervently
appealed to in behalf of the colored people.
He prayed that "righteousness and truth
might cover the face of the earth, as the water
covers the sea." He delighted to preach for
colored people, this he did whenever oppor¬
tunity presented itself, which was nearly every
Sunday, as the colored folks worshipped with
the whites, or rather after the whites. He was
anxious to be the instrument in the hands of
God of saving souls. The sermons of Master
B. were, as a rule, textual in their construction
and didactic in their application. He had his
hobbies (tell us the minister who has not), one
of which was: " Servants, be obedient to them
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
25
that are your masters according to the flesh."—
Ephes. vi, 5.
With what eloquence and persuasion the duty
of servant to master was descanted upon! How
he would rise on tip-toe and declare the essen¬
tiality of menial obedience! How terribly was
depicted the result of the non-observance of
this very important and instructive passage of
Scripture!
In fact, the burden of his preaching was obe¬
dience to masters rather than to Christ. I have
often wondered, as I never heard father say,
whether or not he ever preached from the 9th
verse of the same chapter, which reads thus:
"And, ye masters, do the same things unto them,
forbearing threatenings: knowing that your
Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect
of persons with him."
Up to his 16th year there had been no serious
reflections awakened in the mind of Daniel
concerning the salvation of his soul. He at¬
tended services regularly, every Sunday, and
occasionally, by permission, through the week.
He was by nature a good boy, addicted to no
bad habits. In the Fall of 1841, when he was
seventeen years of age, a great revival broke
out. The meetings were held in Hobb's old
school house every night." One night a minis¬
ter preached from the text: " Repent ye, there-
26
THE LIFE OF
fore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall
come, from the presence of the Lord." The
sermon was a powerful one, and when the appeal
was made the house was in an " uproar."
Men started for the door, fell and were
brought forward. Women rushed to the altar
crying for mercy. The time of refreshing had
truly come from the presence of the Lord.
Our hero became alarmed about the condition
in which he was; he made up his mind then
and there to seek Jesus. He went to the altar
and there, in the humility of his soul, inquired,
" What shall I do to be saved?" In a short time,
that peace which "passeth all understanding"
was shed abroad in his heart. He arose, re¬
joiced, and declared himself to be a "new crea¬
ture in Christ Jesus.
There was no excitement in his conversion,
he saw no light, was not prostrated in the dust,
like many others on that same memorable night.
Calmly, but -positively, he told what the Lord
had done for him. Let me digress at this point.
Is there any way to explain the difference in
mens' conversion? Here is a man who, in seek¬
ing Jesus, screams, rolls over the floor, and gets
himself into all imaginable postures, but finally
finds him precious to his soul.
Here is another man who could not possibly
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 27
get religion that way ; but calmly and earnestly
he seeks the Saviour, finds him and tells the
fact in an undemonstrative manner. There are
only two ways to explain this difference:
Fird, we are ^differently constituted, physi¬
cally and mentally. Secondly, the harder the
sinner, the harder he has to pray for the for¬
giveness of his sins. This is the writer's view.
Certainly I have no right to doubt the con¬
version of that individual who rolls, screams
and is easily enthused. That individual has
no right to question my religion and say that I
am insincere because I do not scream, roll and
am not easily enthused. Instance: look at the
conversion of Saul, who did all in his power to
impede the progress of Christianity; he was a
hard sinner. His conversion was miraculous;
he was prostrated in the dust, saw a light, and
was blinded before he found Jesus. On the other
hand, hunt for Timothy's conversion, who was
always a good boy, raised under Christian in¬
fluences, received wholesome religious food; he
saw no light, Avas not knocked stiff, but who
doubts his conversion? Header, this is interest¬
ing, think about it. An incident occurred dur¬
ing the progress of this revival, that borders
on the ludicrous.
The law was, to close the meetings not later than
10 o'clock. In fact, the colored people held no
28
THE LIFE OF
services at night without the august presence of
a man who was of the "orthodox complexion."
The night in question, the gentleman who usually
came to keep guard, got drunk and failed to
make an appearance. The services were so
interesting, they forgot all about the closing
hour, but continued to shout and praise the
Lord until nearly 12 o'clock. The probability
is that they would have gone on longer, but
Mr. S., the constable, passing by, heard the
noise and proceeded forthwith to investigate.
Dismounting from his horse, whip in hand, he
pushed his way into the house and in a sten¬
torian voice adulterated with rum, yelled:
"You niggers git out of here; shut up your
infernal clap-traps," and did "lustily lay about
him."
To say that the meeting was closed, Would
be putting it too mildly; there was no doxology
sung, nor benediction pronounced. Confusion
reigned supreme. The brethren (be it said to
their shame) jumped out of the windows, fol¬
lowed by the sisters. Daniel essaying to get out
the door by Mr. S., was struck at, but evaded
the blow, made a dive and gliding between Mr.
S.'s legs like an eel, made tracks for home.
It is needless to say that more caution was
observed at their future meetings. Daniel,
after he had found the "pearl of great price,"
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 29
became a useful young man in the meetings.
He joined the church, which was the Method¬
ist Episcopal, and was a regular attendant.
The little congregation was so delighted with
him, they made him a class-leader. The only
fault they found with him was, he was so quiet
in his method of leading.
The old "regulators" declared that young
Ridout needed more fire. He admitted that
his first attempt to lead class was a dismal
failure. Before him, sat old and tried leaders
and exhorters, who were disposed to feel a little
jealous at the sudden exaltation of this stripling.
Said he: "What else could I do but fail?"
Albeit, he improved and after a while was
looked upon as the most instructive leader in
the church.
The church had her eye on him and saw in
this beardless youth "fruits abundant for the
Master's use." He was therefore licensed to
exhort in 1843, at the age of 19 years.
If Daniel was prominent in the eyes of the
people before, he was more so after receiving
license to exhort. It was about this time that
he became acquainted with Miss Eliza Carr,
daughter of Jacob and Lilly Carr. He paid
his particular addresses to this young woman,
who was a fine Christian girl, and, if colored,
very aristocratically connected.
30
THE LIFE OF
Being pretty, high-toned and virtuous, she
had many suitors; hut Daniel being the most
learned and haying such high standing in the
community and also a prospective preacher,
was the successful suitor. They were married
May 25th, 1844.
The writer often heard him say that he mar¬
ried most too soon; yet said he : "After all, it
was, I guess, well enough, as it more than likely
saved me from falling into the many snares of
the tempter." Their married life, though brief,
was pleasant. Daniel, though but twenty years
of age, cared for his family in a manner that
would have been creditable and praiseworthy in
a much older man. Unto this young couple
several children were born, namely: James
Henry, Catharine Elizabeth, Margaret Drusilla.
James H. was wounded in the battle of
Petersburgh, and died in the hospital at Alex-
andria4 Va., 1864, aged 19 years.
Catharine E., now Mrs. Hill, is living at the
home place, Mount Winans, Baltimore county,
Md., a beautiful suburban town of Baltimore
city. Margaret D. died in infancy.
Family cares did not prevent Daniel from
attending the church. His companion was as
much interested in the work of the Master as
he was. He was still at the Hood farm, but
looking forward with pleasing anticipation to
rev. daniel a. ridout. 31
the time when Master B. would present to liim
his "free-papers."
A year after his marriage, April 1st, 1845,
when he was twenty-one years of age, he re¬
ceived the long-looked for paper that nomi¬
nally declared him free. (The reader will
remember he was only a bound boy, but I pre¬
sume it is six of one, and half dozen of the
other). I have the original paper before me,
and will give it verbatim et literatim:
"April 1st, 1845.
" This is to certify that the bearer hereof,
Daniel Ridout, man of colour, much pock¬
marked, was duly indentured as an orphan, on
the first day of April, 1836, unto my late
brother John Hood of Benj. until he attained
the age of twenty-one years as will more fully
appear by reference to the Records of Register
of Wills office of Anne Arundel county, it
being previous to the erection of Howard Dis¬
trict of Anne Arundel County—which term of
service expires to-day„ He is well disposed,
and addicted to no bad habits as far as I have
had an opportunity to judge.
"Benj. Hood Jr.
Executor of late J. Hood of B.
After receiving his "free-papers" he con¬
tinued on the farm and in the neighborhood for
several years, during which time he labored in
the interest of the church. Getting tired of
Howard county he decided to remove to Balti-
32
THE LIFE OF
more county, in the neighborhood of his birth¬
place. Packing all of his furniture in a one-
horse wagon, bidding good-by to the old farm,
where he had spent many pleasant as well as
unpleasant days, he started for Baltimore
county. Being an industrious young man and
an excellent farm hand, he soon found employ¬
ment and got along well.
Getting tired of country life, he moved into
the city and drove lumber wagon for the firm
of Messrs. W. & T. This firm paid him $6.00
a week, on which he lived very comfortably.
While employed by this firm his dear com¬
panion was taken sick; after a short illness she
departed this life May 21st, 1852, aged 25
years. Her end was peaceful, her hope was in
Jesus. He promised to meet her in heaven;
he has met her there. This was the greatest
affliction he had ever undergone. With tears
of the deepest sorrow, he laid her to rest in
Bethel burying ground.
It was in this year, 1852, that he severed
his connection with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and united with the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. He joined "Big Bethel'*
under the pastorate of the Rev. W. H. Jones,
who staid four months, and was succeeded by
the Rev. J. R. V. Morgan. In this denomina¬
tion he labored until called from earth to heaven.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
33
CHAPTER IV.
MARRIES AGAIN—CALL TO THE MINISTRY
JOINS CONFERENCE, ETC.
Our hero did not remain a widower long.
He felt lost keeping house with his two little
motherless children and concluded the best
thing for him to do was to marry again.
He had sometime previously formed the ac¬
quaintance of a young widow, who was also a
member of Bethel Church, Caroline M. Allen.
These two hearts soon beat as one, and July
1852, they were married. The Rev. Jacob P.
Hamer performed the ceremony.
The writer often joked him about marrying
so soon after the death of his wife. He would
laugh and say '• It was the best thing I could
have done." He now began to carry the hod,
and saw wood for a livelihood. The Lord
blessed him in his second marriage, by giving
him a wife in whom were these traits of charac¬
ter : honesty, energy, religion and virtue.
The writer thinks she has no superior on th&
face of the earth—that is natural, for she is my
mother. While engaged in carrying the hod
and sawing wood, the spirit made the impres¬
sion on his mind that he was called of God ta
3
34
THE LIFE OF
preach. This troubled him a great deal. He,
Moses like, offered the pretext that he was in¬
competent. But it would force itself upon his
mind in spite of his efforts to get rid of it. He
applied for local preacher's license and received
them. He thought that was sufficient and he
could work for God at home. But that very
striking passage of scripture, "go ye into all
the world and preach my gospel to every crea¬
ture," would ever present itself to his mind.
To get rid of this impression made by the Holy
Spirit, he, Jonah like, concluded to leave the
city.
He embarked, not on a ship, but on a wood
vessel running from Baltimore to some point on
the Eastern shore. He made one trip and
came very near being drowned. While strug¬
gling in the water he said he heard the voice of
God unmistakably calling him to preach. He
was rescued, and made a vow that by the help
of the Lord he would obey the call. He re¬
turned to the city and told his wife of his nar¬
row escape, who also had a premonition of it
and was much worried. After consultation
with his wife, he determined to make applica¬
tion to the next ensuing Annual Conference
for admission. Purchasing some books, among
them being " Barnes' Notes on the New Testa¬
ment," "Scott's Bible," and "Buck's Theological
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 35
Dictionary," lie went to hard studying to "show
himself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed."
The Baltimore Annual Conference was held
this year, April 1856, in Union Bethel Church,
Washington, D. C.
To this Conference young Ridout, who was
just thirty-two years of age, was recommended
from Bethel A. M. E. Church, Rev. A. W.
Wayman, now Bishop, was then the pastor.
He was successful in passing the examination,
and was received as a Licentiate, or as we of
the Methodist Episcopal Church say, " admit¬
ted on trial." He enjoyed the Conference
especially after he had finished his examination.
He was pleased and benefited by the sermons
he heard during the session. He said the ad¬
dress of Rev. J. P. Campbell, now Bishop, who
was then editor of the Christian Recorder, was
the most eloquent he had ever heard from the
lips of a colored man.
At the close of the Conference, when the ap¬
pointments were made, he was sent to the Long
Green Circuit. Returning to Baltimore, he
moved his family, which consisted of wife and
three children, two by his first wife and one,
Martha Ann, by his present wife, on his work.
The writer of this Memoir was not then
" thought about." This circuit, if my "memory
36
THE LIFE OF
serve me right," was composed of four or five
preaching places. He was signally successful
this year in building up the work, and many
souls were added to the churches.
His salary this year was about $180.00. He
met the Conference of 1857 at Ebenezer
Church, Baltimore, with a good report. At
the close of the Conference he was returned for
another year. He was successful this year also.
Nothing worth relating transpired this year,
except another addition to the family.
On the night of the 25th of December, the
writer made his advent into Christendom, and
proceeded forthwith to sing his first tune in the
key of C sharp.
Our hero wound up his year's work and
went to Conference, which was held in Israel
Church, Washington, D. C., April 1858.
Bishop Payne presided. At this Conference he
was ordained Deacon by the presiding Bishop.
The sessions of the Conference were pleasant;
Bishop Wayman says in his "recollections" a
great many distinguished ministers visited the
Conference.
When the appointments were read out, Dan¬
iel Ridout was sent to the Frederick and
Washington County circuit. This circuit was
made up of several Churches in each county.
It was a long hard circuit; of course he walked
EEV. DANIEL A. KIBOUT. 37
to and from his churches. His salary was so
little that he was compelled to work by the day
to support his family.
But he was young, hearty and strong, and
used to work, hence it did not go hard with
him. He had not been there long before he
was called upon to marry a couple, this was his
first marriage. Th6 parties lived away over
the mountain. Having found the hut (for
such it was), everything was made ready for
the marriage; he proceeded to read the cere¬
mony and found he had the Discipline upside
down; righting it, he began tremblingly, and
sometimes read it right, and frequently got it
wrong.
When the question was asked, "wilt thou
have this woman to be thy wedded wife, etc,"
the fellow yelled out at the top of his voice, " if
she likes me I likes her, if she not likes me I
not likes her." The ceremony was finally gone
through with and the feast was spread, which,
in spite of the looks of the place, was excellent.
I often heard him say, when relating the story,
that he ought to have done that job over again,
as he made such a fist of it.
He pulled through the year without anything
special happening. He went to Conference,
which was held at Bethel Church, Baltimore,
feeling that some good had been done. The
38
THE LIFE OF
amount paid him on salary was about $90.00.
Bishop Payne presided at the session and Rev.
J. M. Brown was the Secretary. Rev. Stephen
Clark died while the Conference was in session.
The funeral was a large one. Rev. A. W.
Wayman preached the funeral sermon.
At the close of the Conference he was re¬
turned to the Frederick and Washington
County Circuit. If the year previous had been
a hard one, this was still harder, for it was the
year of the John Brown insurrection at Har¬
per's Ferry. It caused a great deal of excite¬
ment in "Western Maryland. Every prominent
black man was looked upon suspiciously. He
traveled his work, however, without being
molested. He was compelled to do daily work
to keep his family comfortably. Whenever he
found time he studied his books.
He succeeded in pulling through this Con-
. ference year without any serious mishap and
met the Conference, April, 1860, at Union
Bethel Church, Washington, D. C. Bishop
Payne presided, and this was an important ses¬
sion, as delegates were elected to the General
Conference. He went before the Committee on
Examination of Elder's Orders and passed very
creditably. He was ordained Elder April 22,
1860, by Bishop Payne.
At the close of the Conference he was read
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 39
out for Cumberland Circuit. This charge was
composed, I think, of four preaching places:
Cumberland, Hancock, Frostburg and Clear-
spring. It was a long, hard circuit to travel,
but better, financially, than the one he had just
left. On this charge he labored hard for the
advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom.
His labors were attended with success. Very
often he walked from Cumberland to Hancock,
a distance of miles, but being strong,
he did not mind it. He generally left home
Friday morning, and would be gone for weeks
at a time.
This year, Abraham Lincoln was elected
President, and then " the war clouds began to
gather dark" and ominous. "The colored
people were watched with almost sleepless vigil¬
ance."
His salary being better this year, he bought
a few more books. He did not have to work
by the day this year, although he frequently
helped to kill beeves at the slaughter house, for
which he was always doubly paid. He went to
Conference with a good report, both spiritually
and financially. His salary this year was
about two hundred and seventy-five dollars.
Of course, when I say salary, I mean board,
fuel, and house rent.
In April, 1861, the Conference met in Balti-
40
THE LIFE OF
more city. As war had unsheathed its sword,
and the times were critical, it was unsafe for a
body of colored men to meet together
I shall give an account of this Conference in
the language of Bishop Wayman. I quote
from his " Recollections"; this is what he says:
" The police authorities notified the ministers
of our church that we could hold no Conference
this year in Baltimore. I happened to be in
Baltimore one day, and at the request of Rev.
J. M. Brown, I went with him to see the Police
Commission respecting our Conference. He
said the Bishop lived in Ohio, and therefore
could not come here. I told him we could hold
Conference without Bishop Payne, for there
were provisions made for that. Then, said he,
of course, there could be nothing to prevent
us doing so. I went from Frederick City to
Carlisle, Pa., to see the Bishop respecting the
matter, and he said, that, after examining the
Discipline, he found there was no law authoriz¬
ing an Annual Conference, in the absence of
the Bishop, to elect an Elder to hold the Con¬
ference; and, furthermore, he said, the Dis¬
cipline required two Bishops to be present at
an Annual Conference, and, therefore, he could
not see how an Elder could be trusted when
one Bishop could not be. I told him we must
have a Conference.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 41
"When the time arrived, a majority of the
members were present. There were two of the
Elders, who were figuring to be the President
of the Conference. However, after the mem¬
bers had voted, I was declared elected Presi¬
dent of the Conference. "We had a very pleas¬
ant session. When Conference adjourned we
all went back to our former charges to await
further orders."
Father set out to work for God another year.
It was a year of sorrow, danger and scarcity.
He had fightings without, and fears within.
The war had begun in earnest, the country was
upside down, and "dangers stood thick through
all the land." He faced many dangers while
traveling from one point to the other.
The Spring of '61 he moved his family from
Cumberland to Hancock. He thought the
change would be more convenient. Whenever
he left home he was always cautioned, by my
mother, to be very careful. In June my sister,
Martha, died, after a short illness, of inter¬
mittent fever. Father was not home at her
death or burial, and there was no way possible
to get word to him in time. There was no tele¬
graph office in the town; indeed, just then very
few telegrams were sent by colored people. I,
a boy of four years, thought strange that sister
should be put in a hole and covered up. She
42
THE LIFE OF
was laid to rest in a "corner" of the white
folk's cemetery. When father returned, he was
almost prostrated over the death of his favorite
child.
The writer remembers, very distinctly, the
encampment of soldiers near the town. He
delighted to see them drill. There were fre¬
quent exchanges, of shots between the " Blues"
and the " Greys." The Potomac river separated
them; the " Blues" were on the Maryland side,
the "Greys" were on the Virginia side. The
firing always excited him, and, young as he
was, he declared he wanted to be a soldier to
fight the " Rebs."
An incident occurred in the Fall of that
year, that is worth relating. An Irish family,
I think their name was Roke, lived next door
to us. They were splendid neighbors. One
night, between 12 and 1 o'clock, when the
whole town was wrapped in the arms of Mor¬
pheus, a soldier passed the guard and broke
into Mrs. Roke's. What his purpose was, I do
not know, but I presume it was criminal. Old
man Roke ran and left his family, yelling, as
he ran, " Corporal of the guard!" We were all
awakened. Father jumped up, seized a musket,
and rushed out in his night clothes. Mother
rushed out after him, in her night gown, seized
him (then she was a powerful woman), brought
BEY. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 43
him back and made him put down his weapon.
It was well she did, or it might have ended
seriously. The officers came, and the next day
the fellow was punished.
That year was an eventful one in the itinerant
life of my father.
44
THE LIFE OF
CHAPTER Y.
ITINERANT LIFE CONTINUED—HARD TIMES
BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
The Baltimore Conference met April, 1862,
in Israel Church, Washington, D. C. This was
an important and interesting Conference. The
reports of the brethren showed that they had
encountered many hardships during the year.
"When the appointments were made, Daniel
A. Ridout was sent to the Frederick and Wash¬
ington Jounty Circuit. This was that long,
hard, mountainous circuit that he had traveled
in '58 and '59.
He went from that Conference feeling des¬
pondent, but without a murmur. He made up
his mind to do the best be could, by the help of
the Lord. The year 1862 was the hardest and
most dangerous of any year of his ministerial
life.
His family lived not far from Burkettsville,
Frederick county, at the base of South Moun¬
tain. It was a picturesque, but lonely spot.
Everything passed off very well during the
summer. The war, of course, had assumed a
general plan; the Confederates were successful
in nearly every battle. Barnes, in his incom-
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 45
parable History of the United States, says:
"Washington City had not been in such peril
since the war began."
The first of the Fall of this year, 1862,
General Lee, "flushed with success, crossed the
Potomac and entered Maryland, hoping to
secure volunteers and incite an insurrection."
One morning we were awakened by shouts,
and the rumbling of wheels. Arising, we
found that the Confederates were all around
us; they were pitching their tents and planting
their artillery a few hundred yards from our
house, and were making themselves generally
comfortable. Things looked gloomy, I assure
you; father was not home, and we did not
know when he could get home, as the "rebel"
pickets were scattered all over the mountain.
They remained there for a week or more, dur¬
ing which time they were frequent visitors at
our house. Mother, who was a courageous
Christian woman, showed no signs of fear when
they came, and, woman-like, would have her
say.
A private came in one day, and made an in¬
sulting remark, whereupon she grabbed him by
the nape of his neck and the seat of his gray
breeches, and "fired him out" the house. She
then put on her bonnet and went directly to
the Confederate camp and reported him. The
46
THE LIFE OF
officers made him come and apologize. At
night, after committing us to the care of our
heavenly Father, a duty which she never forgot,
she would put us to bed and sit up all night
with an ivory-handled dirk knife in her hand.
During the day she carried it in her bosom.
We were all very much worried about father,
and he was worried about us. He tried, three
times, to get home, but he was turned back
each time by the "rebel" pickets.
His prolonged absence became unbearable,
and mother had concluded to send us to a
neighbor's and go in search for him. But on
the morning of the 13th of September, he ar¬
rived home; that was the day before the battle.
He said: " I had a hard time to get here; I
passed all the guards safely until nearly home,
when a sentinel leveled his musket at me, tell¬
ing me at the same time to "halt." After
answering all his questions, he said, sneeringly,
"Darkey preacher, eh? well, pass on."
We were all highly elated over the return of
father. I came very near exploding; I showed
him the amount of money I had made by dip¬
ping water from the spring in the end of our
garden, with a little wooden pail, for the "rebs"
to drink. They always paid me Confederate
money, of course.
The next day after father's return, was a day
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. • 47
long to be remembered, and a memorable one
in the history of our family. It was the day
of the battle of South Mountain, September
14th. We were all up at day-break, no one
had appetite for breakfast, except myself.
After the table had been cleared off, and we
were sitting gazing out the windows, a rebel
soldier called. He was a young man, and made
himself very agreeable. I will give his conver¬
sation, with my mother, as well as I can recol¬
lect it. Said he: "Auntie, we expect a fight
here to-day; the yankees are coming, and we
are going to make it hot as h— for them."
Said mother: "Yes, and you had better take
care of your own precious hide." Then he
began to dance and sing:
'' I wish I was in dixie, look away, look away,
I'll live and die in dixie, look away."
Said mother: "Takecare,young man, that you
don't die in Maryland." How truly prophetic
were the words of my mother, for he was the
first dead man we saw after the battle, not over
two hundred yards from our house. But as an1
eye-witness, let me describe that battle. The
rebels held the vantage-ground, for they were
in position with artillery planted and men in
line, waiting for the yankees. From where
their first cannon was planted to our gate was
not more than two hundred and fifty yards. It
48
THE LIFE OF
is now about noon; the yankees, I see them com¬
ing, bayonets glistening in the autumnal sun.
They are nearing the rebel line, coming within
range of their larger "guns.
They cross Mr. Whipp's field of recently
planted wheat; they are now behind the stone
fence. As they scale it, the command is given
to the rebels to " fire." It seemed as if heaven
and earth had collided.
The battle now begins in earnest; and nothing
is heard but the incessant pop, pop, of the
musket, and the boom of the cannon. The
yells and shouts of the men are as deafening,
as the reports of their weapons. The yankees
charge, but the rebel line stands firm. Balls
fly in all directions, one enters our house and
imbeds itself in the wall; for safety we repair
to the cellar. The firing subsides, father and
sister go out in the yard to "reconnoitre."
A rebel cavalier passing by, sees them; mad¬
dened by the fact that the battle is almost lost
to them, he aims a pistol at father, pulls the
•trigger, but the weapon misses fire. Three
times he aims and pulls the trigger, each time
it only snaps, and refuses to kill "God's an¬
ointed." With an oath he rides ©n.
Again the firing begins and the fight "waxes
warm." The pop, pop, pop of the muskets,
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 49
intermingled with the sullen boom, l>oom of the
cannon.
Ah! but look, the cavalry are now engaged,
we see them directly in front of our cellar
window. Look at those splendid chargers on
which the Union cavalry ride. See their dis¬
tended nostrils; they smell the battle, they
paw, they snort, their very "necks seem clothed
with thunder." The Confederate cavalry gives
way, before the fearful charge.
For six consecutive hours the battle rages;
the rebel infantry have yielded only a little.
The command is given to the Union soldiers to
"advance, double-quick and sweep the field
with the bayonet." This is too much for the
"Johnnies;" they run like sheep jover the
mountain, leaving their dead and wounded
behind. The Unions have gained the victory,
but it is a dear one. Hundreds of the " boys
in blue " lie dead and dying.
It is now dark; we come up out of our
uncomfortable quarters and breathe more freely.
None of the family slept that night, except the
writer, who was too young to realize the danger
through which we had just passed, and who
thought the whole thing was simply "immense."
Next morning, September 15th, old Sol arose,
in all his splendor. Father took us out on the
battle field, the sights of which are now vividly
4
50
THE LIFE OF
portrayed in my mind, although at the time, I
was only five years old.
The dead and dying lay, as "thick as leaves,"
upon the ground. Union and rebel, side by
side, in the embrace of death. The features of
some were pleasant; of others, intense agony
was depicted on every lineament of their coun¬
tenances. A leg here, an arm there; a head
here, a foot yonder. Horrible! horrible!
The young man whom I have alluded to, was
lying on the side of the public road, with a
hole in his head, into which you could put your
fist. ''That is he," said father. "Yes," said
mother, "he died in Maryland." It took
several days to bury the dead.
On the 17th of September the great battle of
Antietam was fought. We visited that battle¬
field also, but I cannot give a description of it.
It was one of the bloodiest battles of the civil
war. The Federal soldiers were around about
there for quite awhile. The home church was
taken for a hospital, and there were no religious
services held in it for some time.
Father "weathered it out" until Conference,
which met April, 1863, in Baltimore, Md.,
Bishop Payne presiding. His report to this
Conference was, necessarily, a poor one. At
the rise of the Conference he was sent to the
Ellicott's Mills Circuit. This, with one excep.
REV. DANIEL A. KIDOUT. 51
tion, was decidedly the best appointment he
ever had.
This charge was composed of four churches:
Ellicott City, Crowdensville, Mt. Gilboa (then
the leading church), and Elkridge Landing.
The people were hospitable, kind and willing.
The circuit was an easy one to travel, and two
pleasant and profitable years were spent there.
Being near Baltimore, he frequently purchased
books, and had, at the end of the first year, a
respectable library. The parsonage was in
Baltimore county, near Mt. Gilboa Church.
There was no school in Ellicott City for
colored youth, but father established one, which
he taught for nearly two years. The writer
was sent to Mr. Nathaniel Hall, " Uncle Nat,"
we called him. He taught in the Mt. Gilboa
Church. He was a scholarly old gentleman,
and a good teacher. I can never forget Uncle
Nat Hall. I see him now in my mind's eye,
with a class of boys and girls before him, and
with the indispensable rod in his hand.
He was a stern old gentleman, very eccen¬
tric, but we all loved him. With swallow-tail
coat, white cravat about a yard long, which
was carried several times around his neck, and
spindle shanks, he was the very representation
of Ichabod Crane.
Father was very successful during his two
52
THE LIFE OF
years' labor on this charge. During his revi¬
vals many sinners were converted to God, not a
few of whom yet live to vouch for my words.
His quarterly meetings were always largely
attended; people came from all directions. I
have seen several four-horse omnibus loads—
they came from Baltimore—drive up to the
church.
These meetings were always attended with
success, spiritually and financially. The peo¬
ple all loved him, and peace and harmony pre¬
vailed. The second year of his administration
on that charge, his oldest child, James Henry,
was wounded at the battle of Petersburgh, and
died some days after in the hospital at Alex¬
andria, Virginia.
Father was with him when he died; his end
was peaceful; he went to reap a soldier's reward.
He was only nineteen years of age. This was
a sad bereavement to father, but they have
met and they are now together in that better
country, where there are no " wars nor rumors
of wars." Having wound up his second year's
work, he met the Conference with a splendid
report.
The Baltimore Conference met this year,
April, 1865, in Bethel Church, Baltimore,
Maryland.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
53
CHAPTER VI.
HIS LABORS IN HAVRE DE GRACE, EASTON,
AND LONG GREEN.
The Conference was presided over, this year,
1865, by Bishop Payne. It was a pleasant
session. Several instructive papers were read,
by members of the Conference, before the meet¬
ings of the literary society that had been
organized, I think, the year previous.
At the close of this Conference, Daniel A.
Ridout was sent to the Havre de Grace Circuit.
This charge, a comparatively good one, was
composed of three churches, namely: Havre
de Grace, Gravely Hill and Darlington. His
first Sunday he went to all three of the points
and preached, and was cordially received.
Having moved his family, he went to work
to build up, and was signally successful through¬
out the year. The Sunday school, at the home
church, Havre de Grace, was an immense one.
The teachers were above the average in intelli¬
gence, and they threw their whole souls into
the work.
The central figure, and the most intelligent
worker, was the public school teacher, Miss
Mary Anderson, now Mrs. Mary Thomas. I
54
THE LIFE OF
can never forget the wholesome instruction and
excellent advice that I received from this
talented lady, both in Sunday and day school.
She was a lady of the highest Christian cul¬
ture.
The congregations were usually large and
attentive. Father did good work, and good
seed was sown. Several debts were cancelled,
and the people generally were delighted with
their pastor. The churches were some distance
apart, yet he never missed an appointment;
rain or shine, he went, and usually walked.
He did not have to labor by the day to sup¬
port his family, but he always helped a farmer,
Mr. Herbst, to harvest and thresh his grain-
He was a prime hand at feeding the machine.
He was much interested in and very careful
of the physical and moral development of the
writer, his only son. He taught me to fish,
bought me a small gun and instructed me how
to use it, and taught me how to swim.
"We would go into the town—the church and
parsonage were about a mile out—then, walk
up the tow-path about three-fourths of a mile,
and swim in the canal. Indeed, we often varied
the pleasure between the beautiful Susquehanna
and the canal. He was an expert swimmer,
and could make himself as comfortable in deep
water as most men. I, boy-like, was quick to
KEV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 55
learn, and soon became proficient in the art.
As a marksman I was not excelled by any boy
in the neighborhood.
The winter of '65 was a severe one, albeit,
our family was comfortably cared for. At the
close of the Conference year he met the Con¬
ference at Israel Church, Washington, D. C.,
April 19th, 1866. Bishop Payne presided,
assisted by Bishops Wm. Paul Quinn, A. W.
"Wayman and Jabez P. Campbell. I have
before me a copy of the Minutes of 1866, and
I find them very interesting. The admission
of Rev. Dr. James F. Sisson (white) was elo¬
quently discussed. The most interesting, how¬
ever, is the meeting of the Literary Society of
the Conference.
After the approval of the Minutes of the last
meeting, the President, Bishop Payne, inquired,
"as to the studies pursued." Father reported
as having studied during the year, Grammar
(Pinneos), Home's Introduction and Church
Government. In looking over the financial
table, I find that he raised: on salary, $200.00';
board, $300.00; fuel, $22.00; rent, $36.00;
Sunday school, $10.86; Church Mission, $8.00;
Sunday School Minion, $2.00; Book Concern,
$3.00; worn-out preachers, $3'00; bishops,
$20.00; widows, $2.00; semi-centenary, $2.00;
a total of $615.86.
56
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This, in my humble opinion, is a fine report,
for that day and time. At the close of the
Conference he was returned to the same charge
for another year. As he had gotten along so
well the first year, certainly he was pleased
with the appointment. Success attended every
effort, spiritually and financially, that year.
There were several prominent members on the
charge died that year, among whom was Horace
Skinner. In the death of Uncle Horace, the
church sustained a heavy loss.
A wondprful revival broke out during the
Fall and Winter of '66, which resulted in the
conversion of over a hundred souls. It was
not local, but the fire spread all over the com¬
munity. Literally speaking, there was a general
awakening all along the line. Many young
men and women were added to the churches,
not a few of whom are yet living to vouch for
my words.
He closed his second year in peace, and met the
Conference, which convened at Bethel Church,
Baltimore, with a creditable report. At the
rise of the Conference, he was returned for the
third year. This year was spent pleasantly and
profitably, and much good was accomplished.
The government, with the assistance of the
people, built a splendid school house in the
town (Havre de Grace), the second story of
KEV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 57
which was used for religious services, occasion¬
ally. He had, to assist him with his revival,
Sister Harriet Lee, the famous evangelist. The
writer, who was interested in sermons, remem¬
bers, very distinctly, her introductory text; it
was from Ezekiel, xvn chapter and 3d verse :
"A great eagle with great wings, long winged,
full of feathers, which had divers colors, came
unto Lebanon, etc." It is needless for me to
say that preach she did. The meetings were
very successful; many sinners were converted
and several backsliders reclaimed. Father
wound up his third year in peace and pros¬
perity, and met the Conference at Ebenezer
Church, Baltimore, April 9th, 1868, with a
good report. Bishop Wayman presided at the
sessions of this Conference.
D. A. Ridout was honored with a place on
the Committee on Memoirs. At the close of
the Conference he was sent to Easton Cir¬
cuit. This charge had three churches, namely:
Easton, Miles River (now Unionville Station)
and Ivorytown.
It was about half as good a charge as the
one he had just left. Certainly the people
were hospitable and kind, but they were not so
well disciplined in church work as the congre¬
gations he had served the five years previous.
There were several consequential brethren who
58
THE LIFE OF
were important in their own eyes, and whom
we must call chronic grumblers. These Chris¬
tian (?) brethren wanted to run the whole
machine.
He was successful in church work, however-
He held a very successful camp meeting in a
grove near Ivorytown. He was assisted by
several brethren, whose names are not, at this
writing, suggested to my mind. Nothing of
interest, outside the usual routine of ministerial
life, transpired, except the writer was seized
with bilious fever, with which he hung between
life and death for three weeks. A loving and
watchful mother, a kind and attentive father,
and a good physician, were God's instruments
in restoring us to health again.
As Conference drew near, father made pre¬
parations to meet it with a good report, which
he did. The Conference met in Quinn Chapel,
Frederick City, Md., April 29th, 1869.
The sessions were interesting, and the reports
of the brethren showed faithful work done the
past year. The most important feature of the
Conference was the annual sermon preached
by Dr. James A. Handy, theme: "The Apos¬
tolic Ministry." The sermon was pregnant
with great and interesting truths, and presented
in Dr. Handy's inimitable manner.
At the rise of the Conference, Daniel A.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 59
Ridout was returned to Easton Circuit. He
returned, went to work, but was soon pros¬
trated with bilious dysentery, with which he
suffered all the summer. I have known him to
start to Ivorytown, a distance of four miles from
Easton, absolutely too ill to be out of the bed. I
accompanied him, for fear of serious conse¬
quences. He attended a funeral one day; it
was intolerably hot. At the grave, while read¬
ing the burial services, he was taken violently
ill, and would have fallen had he not been sup¬
ported by mother. He was taken into the
church until he recovered, and was then carried
to Mrs. Ellen Dickerson's. I was very much
frightened, for I thought he was dying.
At a meeting of the official board it was
decided to have a camp this year It was
opposed by the same set of brethren who had
given trouble the year before; but despite
opposition, and, sick as he was, the camp was
held and with signal success. He was assisted,
this year, by Bishop Wayman, who preached
some sublime sermons. An incident occurred
at this camp that deserves notice. Bishop
Wayman, the writer, and father slept in the
church;- the rowdies were very annoying. The
Bishop and father provided themselves with
clubs for protection, should we be disturbed;
but we were not molested, although sleep was
60
THE LIFE OF
out of the question on account of the bachana-
lian hilarity that continued throughout the
night.
One day, while the camp was in progress,
father was feeling so ill that he was compelled
to go and lie down. Missing him, I went to
look for him; I found him breathing labori¬
ously. I touched him and called him, "Pap>
pap" (we called him nothing else but pap), and
asked him how he felt. He raised up, looked
at me with tears in his eyes, and said: "Daniel,
my son, I am so sick; where is mother ?"
Reader, I cannot describe my feelings; I can
only say that I cried as if my heart would
break, and went out behind the church, fell on
my knees and asked the Lord to spare my
father. Although, but twelve years old, I
believed that the Lord would answer my
prayer, and He did. At the close of the camp,
the report was read, and it was declared a suc¬
cess, financially and spiritually. When cool
weather set in, his health improved.
His protracted meetings wTere good, and not
a few souls were added to the church. Not¬
withstanding he had been prostrated the greater
part of the year, he went to Conference with a
good report.
The Conference met this year, 1870, in
Hagerstown, Md. It was a pleasant Confer-
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 61
ence. Father was sent, from this Conference,
to the Long Green Circuit, Baltimore county,
Md. This charge he had served in 1856 and
1857. There had been several changes; the
charge was composed of the following churches:
Mt. Zion (Long Green), Stevenson's Chapel
(Quaker Bottom), Mt. Joy and Fairview, Har¬
ford county. It was a long and hard circuit
to travel.
I give the distance, as near as possible, from
Stevenson's, which was then the leading church:
from Stevenson's to Mt, Zion, ten miles; from
Mt. Zion to Mt. Joy, seven miles; from Mt.
Joy to Fairview, fifteen miles; from Fairview to
Stevenson's, twenty-five miles; a total distance
around, fifty-seven miles. He was compelled
.to walk it the greater part of the time; none
of the points were situated on the railroad.
Stevenson's was the nearest; that was about
one and a half miles from Spark's Station, on
the N. C. R. R. Fairview, the farthest point,
then, was not less than twelve or fourteen miles
from the railroad. The Maryland Central
(narrow gauge) runs near by now. Nothing of
special interest transpired this Conference year.
As usual, he was successful in building up the
work. He succeeded in getting a public school
at Quaker Bottom, which he taught until other
arrangements were made.
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The Spring of 1871, the Conference met in
Easton, Md., and Bishop Wayman presided.
Father was placed on the Committee of Exami¬
nation of Candidates for the second year.
The annual sermon was preached by Rev.
John F. Lane. I have the sermon before me,
it is a masterly discourse. D. A. Ridout was
reassigned to the Long Green Circuit. He
moved his family on his work this year, the
writer remained in Baltimore at school. Much
work was done this year. (I forgot to mention
about the new Mt. Zion Church being dedi¬
cated the year before by Bishop Wayman).
I have remarked elsewhere that the charge
was a hard one. Indeed, it was a long, lonely
and dangerous travel. I have known him to
make three churches in one day, and walk the
whole distance. On reaching Mt. Zion he was
too fatigued to preach, and Brother James
Owens, a faithful local preacher, was substi¬
tuted. My brother-in-law, who took that
famous walk with him, says: " When we came
to the foot bridge crossing Gunpowder river,
father was so tired that he got down on his
hands and knees and crawled over, as he dared
not trust himself to walk over, for fear of fall¬
ing in." It is no wonder that he was unable to
fill the pulpit when he arrived. God blessed
his efforts, and gave him health, and April,
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
63
1872, finds him attending Conference at Union
Bethel, Washington, D. C. Dr. Revels preached
the annual sermon.
The Conference visited the President (Grant),
in a body. Dr. James H. A. Johnson read the
address, which was not only rhetorical, but
logical. The President, with his constitutional
brevity, responded.
The sessions of this Conference were interest¬
ing and pleasant.
64
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CHAPTER VII.
HIS LABORS ON OTHER CHARGES.
From this Conference, father was sent to
Baltimore City Mission. This Mission was
composed of a few loyal Christians who form¬
erly met on Sarah Anne street, but were now
worshiping in a rented shop on Raborg street,
west of Carrolton avenue. He found no church,
and, hyperbolically speaking, no congregation;
he was not discouraged, however, by the dismal
outlook, but went to work with that wonted
zeal, which was one of his cardinal traits. His
first sermon was preached to eighteen persons,
from Luke, xn chap., 32d verse: " Fear not
little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom." The sermon was
didactic and palpable, and a good impression
was made.
He succeeded in building up a fine congre¬
gation. The members were delighted with
their pastor and used every effort, and made
many sacrifices to support him. There was,
however, a golden wedge hidden, that retarded,
in a measure, the progress of the church. It
had been in the way for several years, conse¬
quently little advancement had been made.
REV. DANIEL A. KIDOUT. 65
One good brother carried the bag, or rather
the box, that held the money. This man, a
local preacher, had been boss of the church.
If I mistake not, he was trustee, steward and
class leader, and treasurer of each of the
boards. The plan they had to keep the money
safe was thus: They had a box nailed up.
with a hole large enough to receive a silver
half dollar. This could not be opened without
the consent of the official board.
After several meetings of the board, the box
was always brought to the meetings, it was
discovered that it had got considerably lighter
in weight. The question naturally came up,
"Why was this?" The brother flew into a
passion at once, and declared that he had been
accused of robbing the box. (No one had even
intimated such a thing). After a fifteen-minutes
speech on his honesty and fidelity to the church,
he wound up by daring any man present to
repeat that he had stolen any of the funds.
Silence reigned supreme.
Finally, said he: "Yes, you are all afraid of
me." This, of course, brought father to his
feet. I give his words as they have been told
me often by Mr. Joseph A. Pratt, who was, a
member of the board, and was present on that
memorable occasion. Said father: "No, sir,
Brother B., we are not all afraid of you. I„
66
the life of
for one, am not, sir. I say, sir, that that box
has been robbed. I cannot say by whom, but
it was in your care. Afraid of whom, what,
you? No, sir, the Lord never made one man to
be afraid of another. That box has been
robbed, robbed, bobbed. I thrice repeat the
charge (Pratt says, he was foaming at the
mouth and shaking his index finger at the
object of his philippics). You must; you shall,
sir, take back what you said."
And Brother B. did, really and truly, take
back what he had said. "When the box was
opened there were only a few pennies in it.
The brother soon after withdrew from the
church and the denomination, and died out.
His death occurred in the Spring of 1889.
The golden wedge being found, things moved
along smoothly afterwards. During the winter
of '72 and '73 the small pox raged in the west¬
ern section of Baltimore, six or eight of his
best members died; among whom were Brothers
Pollard, Roberson, Turpin and Jones. In the
death of these brothers the Mission sustained
a heavy loss. Despite the havoc made by that
dreadful disease upon the members, and the
•severity of the winter, he closed the year with
great success. The membership had increased
about fifty per cent. The Sunday school was
in a flourishing condition, and the building had
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 67
become entirely too small to accommodate the
congregation.
He met the Conference with a good report.
It met May 1st, 1873, at Bethel Church, Balti¬
more ; Bishop Campbell presided. At the rise
of the Conference he was sent to the Chesa¬
peake Circuit, much to the surprise and regret
of the members of the Mission. This charge,
which was a very good one, was composed of
four churches, namely: Chesapeake City, Bo¬
hemia Manor, Cecilton and Elkton. This cir¬
cuit required a great deal of labor, which he
gave it, and was tolerably successful the first
year in paying off some long standing debts.
The Autumn of that year, he received some
interesting letters from the members of the
little Mission in Baltimore, one of which, from
a young lady who was converted during his
pastorate there, I give an extract:
Baltimore, Aug. 29th, 1873.
Dear Brother:—It is with pleasure I sit my¬
self down to write you a few lines. I hope you
are well. I now take the liberty of sending
the remembrance of all the members to you,
and also a part of all the classes that were
down to Waters' Chapel on Wednesday night.
We had a nice time. We hope that you will
succeed in your present place of ministration,
as you did with us, for I am sure you have the
68
THE LIFE OF
prayers of the congregation, as much so as my
own. We hope that your labors may be long
vouchsafed to us, and, here, in our midst, where
you have so long and faithfully labored, may
many souls be brought to the saving knowledge
of the truth, and at last shine as a diadem in
the crown of your rejoicing. May the grace
of the Lord even be with you, and may he give
you health and strength that you may be for
many years a faithful servant in the vineyard
of the Lord, and at last may your harvest of
souls be glorious, and may you find peace and
rest in heaven. (He has found that peace and
rest in heaven). I will close by asking your
blessing. Your obedient servant, and sister in
the Lord,
Henrietta Bobbins.
This, I consider a model letter.
He finished the year in peace and prosperity,
and met the Conference at Cumberland, Md.,
April 29th, 1874. Bishop Campbell presided.
At the close of the Conference he was returned
to the Chesapeake Circuit.
The Circuit being large, he bought a horse
and carriage, which, of course, gave him a
better opportunity to prosecute the work. This
year was a decidedly successful one in church
work. Nothing of special interest transpired
outside the regular routine of pastoral w7ork.
* REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 69
The Conference met April 24, 1875, at Anna¬
polis, Md., to which he presented a creditable
report.
He was appointed to the Chestertown Cir¬
cuit, which consisted of five churches: Chester-
town and Butlertown, Kent County; Roseville,
Centreville and Church Hill, Queen Anne's
County.
This was a long circuit, but he got along
very well, as he had his horse and carriage.
The writer went home as often as he had the
opportunity (we were at school) and always
enjoyed himself. He spent two prosperous
years on this charge. His fame, as an effective
pulpit preacher, went far and near. The Spring
of 1876 he purchased some property at Mt.
Winans, Baltimore county. He said: "lam
getting along in years, and when I get disabled
I want a comfortable place."
In 1877, April 18th, the Baltimore Confer¬
ence met in the beautiful town of Cambridge,
Md. Bishop Brown presided. The sessions
were interesting and pleasant. He was sent,
from this Conference, to Allen's Station, Bal¬
timore, Md. Some of the official members
"kicked like fine fellows." They wanted a
scholarly man. The idea of sending to that
aristocratic church, a man minus that essential.
They were indignant, and, then, they had
70
THE LIFE OF
about as many who attended services as would
make up a respectable pan-cake toss. The
church was, absolutely, spiritually and finan¬
cially dead. If ever a church had an ignor¬
ant, contrary and inconsistent set of men as
leaders, Allen's Chapel had. They thought
they knew a great deal. I have been in their
Quarterly Conferences when they were from 8
p. m. to 3 A. m. getting through. I have seen
them get so excited that it was difficult to keep
them from blows.
But they had a pastor who was not only a
good chairman, but was versed in the law of
the church. I do not mean to say that Allen's
Chapel was entirely made up of such characters;
nay, but, unfortunately, it was a majority of
the officials. That church had then, and has
now members who are loyal to the core. Cer¬
tainly, things have changed for the better since.
Of that set, some have been changed, several
left the church and several have died. Father,
however, despite the opposition, went to work,
and, after three months of preaching and pas¬
toral work, the congregation was built up sur¬
prisingly.
The church, especially in the afternoon and
evening, was crowded. It was conceded by all,
even his opponents, that such sermons had
never been preached in Allen's Chapel. A
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 71
brother being asked how he liked his pastor,
said : " I love him ; he is a Christian gentle¬
man, and he is a host within himself; even his
very hands preach."
The membership increased, the church flour¬
ished and become then, and is to this day, the
leading church in the western section of the
City of Baltimore. I recall to my mind two
very remarkable sermons father preached dur¬
ing his pastorate there; they were from the
text, "The Lord is risen, indeed," and the
"Great day of his wrath is come." I never
heard anything like it, before nor since. He
staid there two years and they were, the most
successful years of his ministerial life. The
Conference met May 3d, 1879, at Washington,
D. C. Bishop Brown presided.
At the close of the session he was sent to
Mt. Zion, Long Green. This was the third
time he had served that church; it was now a
station. He staid there two years, and did
good work. An incident about which he
always laughed, and was pleased to tell, oc¬
curred while he was on that charge.
One night, returning from a meeting of the
official board, going through the woods he lost
his way, and was compelled to stay in the
woods all night. He made his bed of leaves,
and in them spent the night as best he could.
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When the Conference met at Easton, May 7th,
1881, he was sent to the Ivorytown Mission—
nowhere. He staid one year and suffered, but
did not murmur.
In 1882, May 4th, Conference met in Ebe-
nezer, Baltimore; Bishop Payne presided. He
was sent to Unionville Station, a consider-
1 ably better charge than the last. The sum¬
mer of '82 the writer visited him and preached
for him. While I was preaching he cried like
a child; I never shall forget the occasion.
In 1883, May 10th, the Conference met at
Hagerstown, Md. The Unionville charge being,
I presume, too good for him, he was removed and
sent to the Keedysville Circuit. He went will¬
ingly, and staid one year in the mountains. I
have tried in this little volume, to write nothing
harsh; but his appointment to that circuit was
an absolute outrage, for several reasons that I
shall state: First, he was succeeding finely;
the people loved him and desired his return.
Secondly, as he was an old veteran in the work,
true and tried, and he might have been given an
easier charge. If ever I felt indignant toward
u the powers that be" of the Baltimore Confer¬
ence, I felt it when he wrote me of his removal
from Unionville. I was at that time stationed
in Bridgeton, New Jersey. By referring to the
Minutes, I find he received on salary $125.00.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 73
April 17th, 1884, the Baltimore Conference
met at Frederick. When the appointments
were read, Daniel A. Ridout was sent to Ran-
dallstown.
This charge was much better than Keedys-
ville. It was my pleasure to have him visit
me that year, which he did, and preached some
sublime sermons. I was then stationed in
Smyrna, Del.
He was successful this year, for which possi¬
bly he was removed (I can give no other reason),
except a brother had pulled wires to get there.
The Conference met May 6th, 1885, at Havre
de Grace, Md., and father was sent to Camp-
parole Circuit, the poorest place, with several
exceptions, in the Baltimore Conference. He
received the remarkable salary of $105.00. I
was removed from Smyrna in June of that
year, 1885, and stationed in Wilmington, Efel.
The following September we had a grand
rally, in a pleasant grove three miles from the
city. We sent for him to come and assist us;
he came and preached three sublime sermons.
There were not fewer than six hundred persons
in the grove, one half of whom were white.
The white people declared they were the most
instructive sermons they had ever heard. We
were in Wilmington three years, and each year
the white friends would have me send for father.
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I visited him that year and preached for him.
I enjoyed myself with my parents, but, indeed,
I was glad to get away from Camp-parole.
He staid there one year, which was certainly
one year too long.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT.
75
CHAPTER VIII.
HIS LAST CHARGE—FALLS WHILE ON DUTY—
DYING MOMENTS—FUNERAL.
The Baltimore Annual Conference met April
28th, 1886, in Mt. Moriah Church, Annapolis,
Md. Bishop Wayman presided.
This was a very interesting Conference.
Mayor Abram Claude delivered an address of
welcome to the Conference, to which Dr. J. H.
Handy responded. It was brief but thoughtful.
The annual sermon, preached by Dr. Shaffer,
was not only eloquent, but profound and logi¬
cal. Rev. D. A. Ridout was on committee of
examination of candidates of second year, and at
the rise of the Conference, father was appointed
to the Crowdensville Circuit. The charge was
a fair one; it was composed of three churches.
The change from Camp-parole was an agreeable
one to him. Crowdensville was but a short
distance from home, Mt. Winans. He could
easily attend to the work and at the same time
live in his own house. This he did. He
moved along successfully; peace and harmony
prevailed on his work. The congregations
were pleased; by the way, he was no stranger
to many of them, having served that circuit
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twenty-three years before. It was then the
Ellicott City Circuit. His salary that year
was $250.00.
He made a good report, which was his last,
to the annual Conference which met April
27th, 1887, at Metropolitan Church, Washing¬
ton, D. C. Bishop W ay man presided. The
sessions were lively and interesting. The an¬
nual sermon by Dr. James H. A. Johnson,
and the Missionary sermon by Rev. C. W.
Mossell, were perfectly sublime.
At the close of the Conference he was reap¬
pointed to the Cro miensville charge. He re¬
turned to the work with pleasure and laid plans
for the year. Nothing of special interest trans¬
pired during the summer and autumn. He at¬
tended Wayman's Grove Camp, preached, and
was justly complimented- for his wonderful
exegesis of the scripture. His visits to us in
"Wilmington, Del., to which we have already
referred, were pleasant.
He began a series of meetings with the be¬
ginning of the winter, which were successful.
His health up to this time had been very good,
except occasionally, he had slight attacks of
rheumatism. He was not affected otherwise;
he could preach three times every Sunday and
not feel it. In the month of January, 1888, he
visited Rev. P. H. Green, at Havre de Grace,
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 77
and spent several days with him. He rode
some distance in a sleigh and caught cold in
his limbs, which, in my opinion, hastened on
the attacks.
After being home a week or so he complained •
of feeling sore in his limbs, and had several
slight attacks of vertigo. On the evening of
the 21st of February, 1888, he was to have
preached for Rev. Daniel Draper, pastor of
Bethel Church, Baltimore. During the day he
complained of feeling very unwell. His wife
and daughter tried to persuade him not to
leave home. He said that he had promised
Rev. Draper to preach for him and he must go.
He left home in the early part of the afternoon,
went into the city and called to see an old friend
of his, Emanuel Watkins. After supper he
started for the church, feeling very poorly.
Arriving at the church he ascended the pulpit
and selected the hymn. His articulation being
imperfect, it was discovered that he was very
ill. He was placed in a cab and sent home
alone, a distance of about four miles. The
writer wonders why some one did not ride out
home with him. When the cab reached the
house, he was found down on the bottom,
speechless, helpless and almost lifeless. He was
carried into the house, bathed and put to bed,
but did not speak until the next morning. It
78
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was discovered then that he had suffered a
stroke of paralysis, his left arm and leg being
useless. He could talk, but indistinctly. If
there ever was a distracted family that was the
family. All were beside themselves with grief.
His grandchildren, who thought there was
nobody in the world like grandpap, wept as if
their little hearts would break. The following
message reached me on the 23d: "Father is
very ill and desires to see you, come " I left
Wilmington at 2:44 p. m., and at 5:30 p. m., I
arrived at Mt. Winans. When I entered his
room he burst into tears from excessive joy. I
kissed him ; it was sometime before either of us
could speak; indeed when I did speak I could
only utter, "father." "Daniel," said he, "I am so
glad you have come, I thought I would not get
to see you any more in this life. I can only
say in the words of John Wesley; ' and are we
yet alive and see each others face.' This was
a favorite hymn of his. I sat up all night with
him and wrote much of what this book contains.
In the morning he said: "Son, I feel quite
bright, raise me up, call the family and have
prayers, don't forget that
' Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air;
His watchword at the gates of death,
He enters heaven with prayer.' "
I never could pray publicly like I desired,
REV. DANIEL A. EIDOUT. 79
but that morning I know I did make a
prayer. I talked with God as I had never
done before. I was completely entranced. It
seemed to me that I was kneeling in the very
gates of glory. Jesus was there. We were all
happy. I staid with him several days; he
seemed to get better; his speech improved but
he could not use his arm nor leg. I did some
writing for him and straightened up some im¬
portant business concerning his property. I
then left for Wilmington, my own charge. I
remained home five days, during which time he
got worse. I left home to visit him again. I
found him very sick. When I went to the bed¬
side he had his cry. Conversing with him on
the subject of religion, I was interested and
benefited. I staid with him till the next after¬
noon, then left for home.
He got much better after my second visit,
and with assistance, could walk around the
room. I did not get to see him again until
after my Conference was over. May 9th, 1888,
I went on to marry my niece. She was married
home; father was assisted down stairs to the
marriage, and was delighted.
My niece declared that grandpapa must see
her married. As I had not yet moved to my new
field of labor, Princess Anne, Md., I was com¬
pelled to leave immediately after the marriage.
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During the summer of 1888 he improved so,
that in company with mother, he went in the
city to church several times, and frequently
paid calls. All the family, except myself, had
begun to think that he would get entirely well.
He wanted to go out on his work, but certainly
this was out of the question. This at times
worried him considerably.
We visited him several times during the sum¬
mer and autumn of '88. The advent of '89
found him about the same, indeed worse if any¬
thing. He had a light stroke that affected him,
not only physically, but at times mentally. I
visited him as often as I could during the spring
and summer of '89. He was always willing
and ready to talk of the hope that he had.
I found that after a long conversation his
mind would wander. He could not remember
anything done even the year before. One thing
pleased us all; no matter how long he con¬
versed on religious topics, his mind never wan¬
dered.
In September, 1889,1 visited him; it was the
last time I saw him alive. He was now abso¬
lutely helpless. I staid with him a week; it
was a precious week to my soul. Just before I
bade him good-bye, he called me to his bedside
and said to me: " Daniel, my son, it is not
likely that we shall meet together again in this
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOTJT. 81
life. Now don't come any more until we send
for you, it is too expensive. I want you, my
son, after I am gone, to take care of mother.
Make full proof of your ministry, live what
you preach, as I have imperfectly tried to do.
(Yes he did live what he preached.) I only
wish that I had been able to have done more
for you. I am now on the verge of eternity *
I can look back and see more than forty years
well spent in the service of the Lord. It has
not always been calm ; the seas have been rough
and stormy at times.
' But out of all the Lord has brought me by his love,
And still he does my help afford and hides my life
above.'''
He continued to talk for a long time until I
said, " Father, you would better lie down, you
will worry yourself talking so much." "No, no,"'
said he, "I will talk while I can, I may be in a
condition before I go hence that I will not be
able to talk."
He began again and preached the most in¬
structive and edifying sermon I ever heard. It
will be food for my soul as long as I live. I
left him to return to my own work; I saw him
no more alive. The following month, October,
he had another slight stroke and grew weaker
and weaker every day. "Though the outward
man perish, the inward man was renewed day
6
82
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by day." In November, 1889, he knew that
his end was drawing nigh. Thursday, Novem¬
ber 21st, the family thought he was dying;
mother wanted to telegraph for me, but he
would not consent, saying that it was too ex¬
pensive. He made all the necessary arrange¬
ments for his funeral. Sunday, November
24th, he was stricken with death; the family
were watching by his bedside. He lay like one
in a peaceful sleep until Thursday. On Thurs¬
day he aroused, and was asked by my sister if
he needed anything; he said, "no." She said,
"Father, do you know me?" he replied, "yes."
After an hour or so, he opened his eyes and
smiled, and tried to speak. They bent over
him, and he was heard to say: "Jesus said, 'it
is I, be not afraid" these were his last words.
He lay in that condition until Saturday morn¬
ing, November 80th. At 1:30 o'clock a. m., that
great-souled man, that powerful personality?
passed from labor to reward. He died without a
struggle.
Reader, do you believe in dreams? Let me
narrate one that was literally fulfilled. Friday,
November 29th, my wife and I retired at eleven
o'clock p. m„ I was restless and it was some
time before I could get to sleep, when I did, I
dreamed that my father was lying in his casket
dead, and I stood weeping over him. I awoke,
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 83
got up, looked at the clock, and it Was exactly
half past one o'clock. Just the very hour that
father died.
I said to my wife, father is dead I know. At
half past nine a. m. I received the following
telegram: "Father is dead." It was short
but it was enough. I left Princess Anne at
1:21 p. m. and reached Mt. Winans at 11 p. m.
I can not describe my feelings as I stood beside
all that was mortal of that grand, good man.
It was the greatest affliction I had ever known,
and I felt almost heartbroken.
THE FUNERAL
Services were held in Bethel Church, Balti¬
more, Md., Tuesday, December 3d, 1889. By
his request, Bishop Way man delivered the
eulogy. What singular coincidences! It was
in Bethel Church that he received local preach,
er's license; from Bethel Church he was
recommended to the Baltimore Annual Confer¬
ence, Bishop Wayman was then pastor; and in
Bethel Church pulpit he fell, and from there he
was buried. The funeral was largely attended,
many ministers of the Washington M. E. Con¬
ference, as well as his own Conference, were
present.
The order of services was as follows: Read¬
ing scripture lessons by Dr. F. J. Peck ; hymn,
" Servant of God, well done," was read by
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Rev. J. H. Collett. The Bishop then delivered
the address from Eccles. XII, 5. " Man goeth
to his long home, and the mourners go about
the streets." The Bishop very feelingly spoke
of his long acquaintance with the deceased, his
Christian character, and his affable disposition.
The Bishop stated a truth that I wish to empha¬
size, it is this: " Brother Ridout always went
to his charges, good or bad, hard or easy, with¬
out a murmur," (an absolute fact of which I
am well aware.) The address was excellent
and appropriate, after which the hymn, " Shall
we meet beyond the river," was sung effectively.
The St. James Lodge, Masons, of which he was
a member, then performed their ceremony.
The remains were then viewed by the congrega¬
tion. The most significant floral gift was a
sheaf of ripened' wheat, from Mrs. Mary
A. Roberts. The remains were taken to
Sharp Street M. E. Cemetery and interred in
the family lot. As the " clods of the valley "
fell on all that was mortal of my dear parent,
I felt as Dr. Newman expresses it, " as if all
the world was dead." " But as mists and
vapors descend in rains, as fountains and rivers
pour their fulness into the ocean, as every
morning sun rises but to decline by the same
necessity, the same inviolable order of nature,
every man is born to die." And indeed it was
REV. DANIEL A. KIDOTJT. 85
fitting that he who had been the means of
bringing so many souls to God, should himself,
at three-score and five, hear the voice of the
great commander saying:
" Servant of God, well done,
Thy glorious warfare's past;
The battle's fought, the race is won,
And thou art crowned at last."
86
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CHAPTER IX.
HIS POWER IN THE PULPIT—EXTRACTS OF
SERMONS—ELOQUENCE, ETC.
Dr. Roche says of the life of Dr. Durbin,
that it is to be not merely narrated, it should
be construed. So "with the life of Daniel A.
Ridout; it should not be merely narrated, it
should be construed and imitated. We know
many ministers who are more learned than he
was; but we know few, if indeed, any, who
have more of that soul-stirring power, than he
had.
He was, what I call an effective pulpit
preacher. His sermons were always convinc¬
ing, and never failed to edify and instruct.
Although deprived of even a primary school
education, he was a deep and logical thinker,
and a fluent speaker; his language was chaste.
"There was majesty in his manners; there was
depth and richness in his voice. His diction
dazed and his utterances awed men." His
introductions were simple; he began calmly
and frequently repeated a proposition; but the
further he went the more interesting he became,
and more attentive were his audience.
When his theme was reached the subject was
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 87
presented in all its grandeur. Thought after
thought was eloquently and logically presented.
Like Jonathan Edwards, his mind and soul
seemed lost in thought. His voice, gesture and
spirit harmonized. He talked with God on
every occasion as if it were his last. He com¬
manded attention.
"He pierced the ear, allured the eye and
invaded the mind of the hearer." He saw
nothing but the crucified Saviour and the
perishing sinner. His audiences were generally
aroused to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, not
excitement.
There is a difference between these two words.
One may be greatly enthused over a thing, and
not the least excited. Father did not, neither
does the writer, believe in excitement in reli¬
gion. But there usually attends the effective
preaching of God's word a feeling that enlight¬
ens the mind, develops and lifts the soul up
to higher aspirations, and brings it in com¬
munion with God.
When one is thus powerfully wrought upon,
he cries, he shouts (jumps), he claps his hands,
he sings praises to God. He is enthused, but
not at all excited, and there is no use trying^
as some are, to eliminate the emotional out of
religion. But (pardon the seeming irreverence)
like Banquo's ghost, "it will not down." Thank
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God for religion that makes the soul happy.
Father's sermons were always fraught with
pregnant and interesting truths. He was versed
in the theology of his church, and was also well
acquainted with its genius and polity, and was
" mighty in the Scriptures."
He preached extemporaneously, that is, he
used no manuscript in the pulpit. When he
preached he looked at the people. Seeing the
writer with a written sermon from the text: " I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," he
said, " Daniel, what is that ?" "A sermon I
have written, father," said I. Said he, "You
may know how to use them, but I confess, I
don't; I want nothing to do with them further
than to treat them with manners and respect.
My method of sermonizing is : I have the plan
sketched in my head, then I transfer it to my
heart, and when I enter the pulpit I ask God
to help me preach His word, and I am usually
blessed. However, don't think that I speak
disparagingly of that method of preaching;
it is a precise way I admit, but I doubt if it is
as effective." Reader, I have concluded not to
preach written sermons, except on very special
occasions. How elegant he was in the pulpit
for " an old school preacher."
There was nothing uncouth in word nor ges¬
ture. I have heard him preach on particular
REV. DANIEL A. EIDOUT. 89
sins, such as fornication, adultery, gambling
and family quarrels, and denounce them vehe¬
mently, but in choice language. He was a
power in the pulpit. At any time he was
called upon to preach, he consented; and it
was hard to find him at a time when he was not
ready. He had his favorite subjects, that he
used when opportunity presented itself. In
this he was not unlike Dr. Durbin. and, indeed,
all preachers have their " hobbies." I never
heard the crucifixion preached more effectively
and interestingly. Being never " lost for lan¬
guage," he painted the dreadful scene of Cal¬
vary in the most sublime and impressive man¬
ner. I have seen persons fall as dead, when he
preached on that subject. His voice was musi¬
cal, hence agreeable. He could speak three
times a day with perfect ease; there was no
strain, no " hunting for words," no affectation;
he was simple, yet sublime; his illustrations
were remarkable for their originality and ap¬
propriateness. He was not like the comet, that
shoots athwart the sky, but like the fixed star,
whose brilliancy can always be seen. I have
seen, during his preaching, men and women
standing in their seats, crying and wringing
their hands.
A young man with whom we are well ac¬
quainted, tells the following anecdote : Father
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was appointed to preach at John Wesley M. E.
Church, Baltimore, of which the Rev. Robert
Steele was then the pastor. This young man,
being a phonographist, usually took down the
sermons of strangers. The text on that occa¬
sion was " Lord, it is good for us to be here."
He declares, when father "got under way," he
was completely lost, not from inability to keep
up, but he was so much interested. " Finally*
says he, " when I came to myself, I was stand¬
ing in the aisle near the altar rail, with my
mouth wide open, and pencil and paper both
lost. I never found out what became of them.
I never in my life heard such a sermon."
I present to the reader a sketch of an excel¬
lent sermon he preached for me from the text,
"The Lord has done great things for us whereof
we are glad." Said he: "If there is a book in the
Bible that should be carefully read, it is the
book of Psalms; it comforts the Christian, it
is helpful and interesting, it is beneficial to
the soul, it helps the afflicted to rely on God,
it increases the confidence the church has in
him; it cheers the traveler. The church in the
Mosaic dispensation suffered. God remembered
the church in all ages. There is something
due on deliverance. What ought we do ? We
can't find any fault in God's providence. It is
impossible to tell all God has done for us. His
KEV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 91
goodness toward us can be, First, Politically-
seen ; Second, Temporally seen; Third, Relig¬
iously seen. Yet you ask, "What has God done
for us?" Most important, he gave His Son to die."
The most effective and sublime sermon we
ever heard him preach, was a special sermon on
the "Destruction of Babylon," text, Isaiah 12:
19, "And Babylon, the Glory of Kingdoms,
the Beauty of the Chaldees' excellency shall be
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah."
He began by saying, how the prophets in pro¬
nouncing woes upon other countries would
allude to Sodom and Gomorrah. He then
spoke at length of Babylon, its splendor and
wickedness; but his peroration is absolutely
sublime, and surpasses anything I ever heard.
I shall give his exact words. When he reached
this point he was "all on fire."
Said he : "I imagine I am living thousands
of years ago, in the days when old Babylon
was in the height of her glory. I see, on a
certain night, the night in which the cup oi her
iniquity was full, an angel flying over the
doomed city crying, "Babylon is fallen." But
who are these, in the early part of the day, that
ride so swiftly, holding in their hands pack¬
ages that bear the King's seal? They are Pages
of the Royal household, delivering invitations
to the Royal feast.
92
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Have I an invitation to that feast? Nay,
nay. Ah! listen, I hear the tramp of horses
and the rumbling of chariots; I hear one say,
"A high time in old Babylon to-night." That
mighty angel's voice yet rings in my ears, say¬
ing, "Babylon is fallen." I see this mighty
concourse, a thousand lords stop before the
Royal Palace gate, and enter. The doors are
thrown open.
Oh, the stupendous scenery; wonder upon
wonder! What chandeliers of gold! dazzling,
dazzling. The King, Belshazzar, a youth of
scarcely twenty years, descends his throne and
welcomes his guests. Then this impious feast
begins.
After which the music starts up ; they dance,
they whirl, all unconscious of their impending
doom. The King tastes wine and commands
that the vessels of gold and silver, that had
been sanctified unto God in the Temple at
Jerusalem, be brought out and desecrated.
They fill to the brim, and drink from them that
which 'biteth like a serpent and stingeth like
an adder.' His princes, wives, and concubines
all drink. They reel, they totter; they praise
the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and
stone. Let us leave them for awhile in their
midnight debauchery, and stand upon the wall
at the city's entrance.
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 93
Oh, King, you think you are safe compassed
by the walls of your mighty city. But what
is this I see? An immense host hard at work
with pick and shovel; by their side lay their
weapons, ready to be seized at a moment's warn¬
ing. What do they there? The river Eu¬
phrates, that flows hard by the city, is being
turned from its regular course. Cyrus, with
his mighty army, for it is he, enters the
very heart of the city. I ask again, what mean
all this? And while I ask the question, my
face is fanned by the zephyrs of that angel's
wings, who, as he flies past and disappears in
the darkness, cries, "Babylon is fallen." I hast¬
ily repair to the palace of the King, who is
still revelling with his ^guests. Ah! but while
the festivity is at its height, I see come forth
the fingers of a man's hand; it writes over the
candlestick on the wall these mysterious and
ominous words: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.
The King sees the hand, he trembles, his cheeks
blanch, his knees smite together, his eyes start
from their spheres; the suddenly palsied hand
drops the cup of wine. All are astonished;
confusion reigns supreme. The astrologers
and wise men are sent for, but none can read
the cabalistic characters.
Daniel, the Jewish captive, is thought of by
the Queen, and is brought in and interprets
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the writing: Mene—God has numbered thy
kingdom and finished it. Tekel—thou art
weighed in the balances and are found want¬
ing. Peres—thy kingdom is divided, and
given to the Persians. In a short time Cyrus
rushes in with his army. The king tries to
escape amidst the confusion, reaches the gate
and is killed. The city falls never to rise
again ; it is become the habitation of dragons,
satyrs dance among its ruins; the bittern and
owl fly over its marshy streets. The words of
the prophet Isaiah force themselves upon my
mind. 'Sit thou silent and get thee into dark¬
ness, oh daughter of the Chaldees, the lady of
kingdoms.'"
He then made an appeal to sinners to leave
Babylon. At the conclusion, 48 stood up for
prayers, and 32 came forward to the altar.
Reader, I doubt whether Bascom was ever more
sublime and effective. I have observed hereto¬
fore that he never used manuscript. He had a
retentive memory, and frequently made quota¬
tions from the most eminent authors, such as
Milton, Shakespeare, Pope, Bryant and Young.
He always astonished me with his quotations.
Preaching once on a certain camp ground from
the text, "It is a faithful saying and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinnersa young white woman
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 95
fell prone upon the ground, screaming and
kicking. Her friends declared she had a fit,
and would have taken her off of the ground,
but she resisted with all her might, crying,
"Let me go; I will not go home—I have not
got a fit." They finally, by force, placed her in
a carriage and took her away. She was simply
overpowered by the preaching of the gospel.
The sermon was one of power and thought, and
much good was done.
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CHAPTER X.
CONCLUSION.
I shall endeavor, in this chapter, to give "the
inner life" of Daniel A. Ridout. He was, as I
have remarked, twice married. In domestic
life he showed the love of the companion, the
devotion of the father, the kindness of a friend;
and the affection and reverence of the family
were rendered him as the head of the family
and the priest of the household.
As a parent, he was loving, and kind and
indulgent, but trained his children in the way
they should go. In the correction of his child¬
ren he was mild, yet positive. There was noth¬
ing harsh nor stormy. He had simply to
speak; he never resorted to corporeal pun¬
ishment. The writer, who was as full of mis¬
chief "as an egg is of meat" can remember well
when he ought to have had a good application
of birch, was let off with a good "talking to."
I forgot; he did whip us sometimes, but it
was with a newspaper. I will relate how he
did it. If I were the culprit, he would call me
to him. "Daniel," he would say, "did you do
such and such a thing? How often have I told
you not to do so? C@me right here to me, sir."
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 97
He would then seize a newspaper and rub it
over me and declare that he had a great mind
to "mellow your head, sir." Certainly I took it
much to heart, but I pledge the reader my
word that I did not feel it.
I wTould relate to my sister the terrible(?)
whipping Pap had given me. I must say at
this point, that there was a vast difference be¬
tween the whippings of my father and those of
my mother. I never appreciated mother's.
He took much interest in the physical, moral
and religious. education of his children. He
made many sacrifices, and denied himself of
many necessaries in order that we should know
something. On a salary of $250.00 a year I
was sent to school; and how he managed to
support the family, pay my board and tuition
out of such a meagre sum, I cannot tell. I
have often heard him say, that his children
should have, at least, a good common-school ed¬
ucation, if he had to live on corn bread and
salt herring. He completely surprised me one
evening by saying, "Daniel, I think I shall try
to send you to Howard soon." For the first
time in my life, I absolutely refused to agree to
any f*uch proposition. I said: "Father it is
impossible, I am perfectly satisfied with what
you have done for me—you cannot afford it.
I am getting along fairly well, and the curricu-
7
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lum of our school is as full as most of the col¬
leges. Why, I can study Latin, Greek, the
higher mathematics and the modern languages
now; that is sufficient for me. I know your
circumstances, and you cannot stand it. Were
you receiving a living salary yourself, I would
not object."
I have never regretted not having taken
a course in college. I know a little about
Latin, less about Greek, can demonstrate
a few theorems in Geometry, have a "smatter¬
ing" knowledge of Algebra, for which I thank
the Lord, and shall continue to study.
Reader, I loved my father. He was my
companion in many of my childish amusements.
We hunted, fished, and swam together. He
would sometimes run races with me, and
occasionally we had our wrestling "bouts." I
did not get beside myself, and never in my life
gave my father impertinence by word or look.
Being somewhat of a musical genius, I had a
variety of instruments, my favorite one being
the guitar, the music of which he was very
fond. He used to convulse us when he tried
to sing; there were only two or three hymns that
he could sing, they were: "From Greenland's
Icy Mountains," "Come Saints and Sinners, hear
me tell," and "I. fell in love with the Son of
man." His favorite was:
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 99
"Roll 'round, roll 'round, sweet moments, roll
'round;
And let this poor pilgrim go home, go home.''
We undertook to teach him music, but he
gave it up. Several years afterward I asked
him how far did he get in music. Said he: "I
got as far as 'Do.' "
As husband, he lived in peace with his wife;
eight years with his first, thirty-seven with his
second. Forty-five years in all, and no fights, no
brawls, no separations. He was an affectionate
husband. As the head of the family, he never
neglected the duties that devolved upon him.
I do not remember a morning when family
devotion was not observed. Mornings, the
Bible was read, hymn sung and prayer offered.
Evenings, simply prayer was offered. He did
everything that contributed to the pleasure,
peace and comfort of his family.
Being a devoted husband and having an
amiable disposition, he made home what it
should be and what God would have it be; a
place of happiness and refinement. Friends,
he had many of them, true and lasting. "VVe
say of him what Dr. McClintock said of Dr.
Durbin; -"He was always a gentleman through
and through." In personal intercourse he was
very reserved, " quietly dignified," but in an
argument, held his point.
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With friends lie was jovial and humorous;
he relished a joke. He "was liberal and often
extended his hospitality beyond his means.
" Silver and gold had he none, but such as he
had he gave." He as mindful, always, of the
teachings of the Master that were handed down
from the heights of Olivet. "Of a loaf, give
thy neighbor half." His friendships were real
and tenacious. He had no great honors given
him by his Conference, he enjoyed being there.
He pulled no wire, entered into no rings;
jealousy, envy and rivalry were foreign to his
nature. I have remarked elsewhere that at the
various fields of labor to which he was sent by
his Conference, he never murmured, were they
good or bad. I regret to say that during the
thirty-one years of his itinerant life, he only
had two good appointments; namely, Allen
Station and Ellicott City. We might throw in
Havre de Grace for good measure, making three.
His upright Christian character, (and I defy
the world to say, truthfully, that he was aught
else than a Christian gentleman,) his sterling
worth in the pastoral work, his practical ser¬
monizing absolutely demanded more recogni¬
tion from his Conference. But, if in heaven
we shall receive according to our labor, he will
be abundantly rewarded.
Before I conclude, let me give a pen portrait
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 101
of my father. He was about five feet six and
one-half inches in height, weight one hundred
and sixty-five pounds ; his head was not large,
his forehead was high and broad, denoting in¬
telligence ; his mouth " was that of an orator;"
his eyes were small and " capable of an indefi¬
nable expressionhis hands and feet were
small and his skin just as smooth as an infant's;
his carriage was noble; his face, which was
round and always pleasant, was slightly dis¬
figured by smallpox. His voice, as I have
already said, was musical and he had perfect
control of it.
He was preaching one Sunday afternoon in
one of his churches, when a company of white
ladies and gentlemen, who were out riding,
stopped in front of the church to listen. After
the sermon, one of the ladies asked, " who was
it that preached ?" Father was pointed out to
her; " why, she exclaimed, I thought I was lis¬
tening to a white man; please hand him this
dollar." The rest of the company followed
suit, and eight dollars was the result.
While I look at his photograph which lies
before me on my desk, why need I weep ? It
was not he who was laid beneath the little ever¬
green that adorns the family lot in Sharp Street
Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, it was only the
house in which he lived. Oh, my father, in the
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lovely spring-time after the winter rains are
over and gone, when the birds sing out their
joyful lays, when the turtle-dove shall respond
in notes of joy to her mate, I shall go to thy
grave and drop a tear and say, " He is not dead
but sleepeth here."
Oh, my father, thy wife, son and daughter in
the lucid and balmy days when the myrtle is in
bloom, when the lily is filling the air with
fragrance, when the dew-drops kiss the rose,
will see that thy " grave is kept green." Oh,
my father, how often have I prayed for thy
mantle to fall on me. Would I had been at
thy bedside when the chariot descended, to
have cried in the language of Elisha; " My
father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the
horsemen thereof."
Old warrior, thou hast left the mortal to put
on the immortal, the corruptible to put on the
incorruptible.
Old soldier, thou hast only laid aside the
weapons thou hadst used in the church mili¬
tant, to reap a soldier's reward in the church
triumphant. Thou hast simply stepped down
into the rest and quiet of the grave, to enter
the land of Beulah.
Old Champion as thou wert, here was sor¬
row ; there peace, joy, love, union. Here was
the labor; there is the reward. Here the
REV. DANIEL A. RIDOUT. 103
battle; there the victory. Oh, how glorious
when thou didst exchange thy toil-stained gar¬
ment for a white robe; the sword for the
palm ; the helmet for the crown, and the din
and smoke of the battle-field for the shout of
victory.
I expect to see thee again; it may not be
long ere I shall be called from labor to reward.
Thy dear companion of thirty-seven years
still lingers on the hither side of the river, in
serene old age calmly awaiting the summons
from the Master to come over and join thee.
I hear her often repeat thy last words: "Jesus
said, it is I, be not afraid." How they ring in
my ears, and sink in my heart! Glorious
words, comforting words. In the language
of Bishop Turner, let me ask: "Did David
say more? Could Paul say more? Would
any one desire more?" No. The flaming
seraphs of heaven, if covet they can, covet the
dying words of my father:
"With a harp of angel melody,
And a palm branch in his hand,
This saint midst circling spirits
Bound the golden throne shall stand;
And his song shall be enduring
As heaven's eternal day,
And his victor crown of amaranth,
Shall never fade away.''
THE END.