REV. JOHN PROVINE.*

1820-1855.

REV. JOHN PROVINE was born in North Carolina, on the 30th of March, 1784. In 1789 his father moved with his family and settled in Garrard county, Kentucky. The father and mother were both Presbyterians, as the ancestors of the family had been for many generations. His father was an elder in the old Paint Lick congregation of Garrard county. When young John was about eight years of age, his father died from the kick of a horse. Of that afflicting occurrence he gives us the following account in his autobiography, written a short time previous to his death:

"Though it occurred many years ago, and I was quite young, yet I distinctly remember the scene of my father's death-how he talked to the family about religion. When the elders of the Church came to bid him a last farewell, he solemnly gave his family in charge to them, bidding them visit the fatherless and widow, see to it that his children were trained up in the fear of God. The children

*Autobiography published in Cumberland Presbyterian Missionary. Manuscript letter of Rev. J. C. Provine.

consisted of three sons and four daughters, and I being the youngest, as was the custom of the Church then, was set apart for the ministry. I remember to have heard my father, in his last counsel given to my mother, say to her, 'You must try and educate our son John for the ministry.' The impression then made on my mind has been as lasting as my years."

His mother, in conformity with the dying father's injunction, sent him to a Latin school in the neighborhood, and while he was pursuing his studies, often took occasion to impress on his young mind the necessity of personal religion, especially in her Sabbath evening conversations with her children. He says himself, and no doubt truthfully, "The influences of those fireside talks, the kind admonitions, and gentle warnings that fell from a mother's lips, sunk deep into my heart, and I doubt not contributed in a great degree to preparing the way for the Holy Spirit to do its work."

Notwithstanding these advantages, years passed, and a deep and long struggle was undergone before he experienced that great change which is the first and greatest of all qualifications for the Christian ministry. At a camp-meeting at Cane Ridge-the year is not given-a sister professed religion. The occurrence made a deep impression upon his mind, but he resisted it. At a meeting at Silver Creek, one of the elders of the congregation in which he was raised made a personal appeal to him on the subject of religion. He fell and lay deprived of

When consciousness

consciousness for some time. returned, he arose with a resolution formed that he would seek the Saviour until he found him. Twelve months, however, were spent in fruitless endeavors to bring himself up to what he considered a proper state of mind and heart for the reception of the mercy of the gospel. Finally, at a prayer-meeting held by one of the elders of the congregation at his mother's house, while the honest man was presenting the promises of the gospel in his artless manner, the subject of this sketch was enabled to claim and appropriate those promises, and, according to his own account, before he was conscious of what he was doing, he was on his feet praising God.

"That night," says he, "I shall never forget; the circumstances are as fresh in my momory as though they had transpired but yesterday. I have forgotten the day of the week, month, and even of the year, but the time when I experienced the full flow of the Christian's hope will be fresh as long as memory retains any thing of the past, for that scene does not grow old with my years."

Mr. Provine now entered upon his preparation for the ministry more earnestly. He attached himself to a Latin school which was taught by Rev. Samuel Finley. A fellow-student and class-mate was Mr. N. H. Hall, who afterward became Rev. Dr. Hall, of Lexington, Kentucky. He and his friend, Mr. Hall, attended the sessions of the Kentucky Synod, at Danville, in the progress of which

five ministers, who became leaders of the New Lights, as they were then called, seceded from the Synod. Amongst these was the pastor of his own congregation, Rev. Samuel Houston, who afterward joined the Shakers. Houston persuaded the two young men to leave Mr. Finley's school and enter a school taught by the celebrated Barton W. Stone, in Bourbon county. Here they studied the Greek Grammar and Greek Testament. Mr. Stone was very assiduous in laboring to indoctrinate them into his new theology. Mr. Provine became troubled. The theology of his teacher was in conflict with his Christian experience. When at last he was relieved from these troubles, he left the school, and entered another. Here the doctrine of election and reprobation met him. His theological troubles were renewed. They were of a different kind from the former, but very embarrassing. Mr. Finley advised him to join the Presbytery, and take a regular theological course, that in this way his difficulties might be removed. He declined doing so, however, and resolved to come to. Tennessee, and acquaint himself with the views of the people, who afterward became the Cumberland Presbyterians. Mr. Finley advised him, if he could not see his way clear, to embrace the Calvinistic doctrines, to unite with the Methodists, and enter the ministry among them. The result of all was what might have been expected of a conscientious and distrustful man. I give the result in his own words: "Being so much harassed in mind as to what truth

was, and finding so much corruption in my heart, I began to feel much discouraged about trying to preach, and finally concluded to abandon all thought on the subject."

Soon after Mr. Provine abandoned his purpose of entering the ministry, he was married to Miss Jane Calhoon, sister of the late Rev. Thomas Calhoon. His marriage occurred on the first day of October, 1807. He joined the Big Spring congregation, in the bounds of which he lived. Still he was not at rest. He was appointed a ruling elder in the congregation, and was frequently sent as a representative to the Presbytery. At the meetings of the Presbyteries in those days, it was customary to have a sermon on a call to the ministry. He was often very unhappy, and at length yielded to persuasion, and made a tour on the circuit with the late Rev. John Barnett. The result, however, was very unsatisfactory to himself. He made up his mind again to abandon all thoughts of entering the ministry, and so reported to Mr. Barnett. The reply was characteristic: "If your conscience can rest easy in view of such a trial as you have made, I would have no such conscience." He went home, however, considering his purpose settled. Soon after he reached home, he was laid upon a bed of sickness, which confined him near three months.

"During my sickness," says he, "I experienced much mental agony in view of the wants of a perishing world, and the great need of some to break to them the bread of life. On my bed of