Ix South Carolina. 335 



eminently a Holy Ghost preacher." He not only in- 

 terested the common and lower classes, but persons 

 of the highest culture and refinement; all seemed alike 

 captivated and entranced by his well-nigh matchless 

 proclamation of the gospel. No one of his contempo- 

 raries, and perhaps no one who has succeeded him, 

 did more than he for the promotion of Methodism 

 in the South Carolina Conference. Like the Apostle 

 Paul, he was never without auxiliaries. From ten to 

 twenty of his brethren would not unfrequently ac- 

 company him; some for five, some for eight, and some 

 for ten days on his circuit, and as one set would retire 

 and go home, another set would fall in and take their 

 places. These were persons distinguished for their 

 naming zeal, and were denominated by Mr. Russell 

 his "regular soldiers." It was a rare thing that he 

 ever had to experience the depressing effects of preach- 

 ing to a small congregation. It was not uncommon 

 for people to come ten, fifteen, and even twenty miles 

 to hear him; and when thus he preached to an im- 

 mense multitude — perhaps in a strain of terror that 

 seemed almost to make the world of despair visible; 

 perhaps in a strain of melting tenderness or thrilling 

 rapture that placed his hearers beside the cross or at 

 the gate of heaven — hundreds have been seen, almost 

 as if by an electric shock, to be thrown into a state of 

 violent agitation and crying to God for mercy. Thou- 

 sands were converted under his ministry, and living 

 witnesses rose up on every side to testify, by an ex- 

 alted Christian character, the genuineness of the work 

 in which he was so prominent an actor and leader. 

 " It was only eighteen months before his dissolution," 

 says Dr. Olin, "that I became acquainted with him, 

 and occasionally had the happiness to hear him preach, 



