Lesson 242: The Circuit Rider

Army of Tennessee Chaplain David Chaltas

The Circuit Rider

He was a man of God in an ungodly time. He heard the voice of his Master when he was a mere lad of fourteen. He yielded to the will of the Master when he was seventeen, striking out amongst the people as a circuit rider. His father gave him an old jenny and the family Bible, kissed his son on the forehead and bid him farewell. For some odd reason that old homesteader knew that would be the last time he would ever see his son. That winter he died in a fire that was questioned by all.

The boy mourned his father, having lost his mother at his birth. He was for all practical purposes an adult orphan. But his destiny called and he knew he had to go where he was lead. So he rode the circuit, preaching where two or more were gathered and living on the kindness of the congregation and the bounty of the land. As word spread of his hell fire sermons, he was invited to different outposts and within a few years, he was traveling to all three states bordering each other. He would go from the southwestern part of Virginia along the Wilderness Road into Tennessee and ending back into eastern Kentucky. It was said that he thumped the Bible with such passion that many came forward and were baptized immediately.

He was forty-three when the war came. God knows he hated the thought of the war. He preached love and was known as a healer due to his vast knowledge of mountain herbs and remedies. He remained neutral in his pulpit carved out by nature and refused to support either side. He was totally against Americans fighting Americans. Yet the war came. He began seeing families falling apart, as one chose blue and the other chose gray. He witnessed men professing to be Christians cursing and fist fighting one another over the division. It sickened him. He began preaching against it all and soon found his congregation dwindling for fear of going to and from the service. Fear seemed to grab the land.

He began questioning his ministry. He pleaded with God to show him the way and his purpose but nothing came. Maybe his time was over. Maybe he was like his old jenny. She had been faithful for over 28 years but now she faltered along the trail and he had to dismount on occasion so she could get her breath. Maybe both of them needed to be put out to pasture.

His answer came mysteriously in the night. He was camped within the boundaries of a little glen and had fallen asleep after offering his devotionals and reading the Bible by campfire light. The air was crisp with the promise of winter and he found himself camping closer to the fire.

He awakened at his usually predawn hour and immediately noted that the only sound he could hear was the crackling of the seasoned oak log being eaten by the flames. Old Jenny always greeted him when he stirred. He got up and went to where he had hobbled her and to his dismay she was gone. The hobble had been cut and was lying on the ground. Someone came in the night and took his faithful companion while he lay sleeping.

Anger crept upon him. Did they not realize that he was a circuit rider and that Jenny was his only means of preaching the gospel to others within the tri-state area? Who would do such a thing? He was about to find out at dawn, for he was not a bad tracker, and Jenny would be easy to follow.

The morning light yielded a path easy to follow. The culprit was small, weighing about 100-110 pounds he estimated by the shoe size and indentation of the footprint. He would get his mule back soon enough. He meandered for about two miles and as he was going down the point, he noted smoke coming from one of the hollers. He had no doubt that this was where he would find Jenny. He knew he had to be careful. There were those who cared nothing for godly men and were quick to rob, but he felt confident that God protected him.

He cautiously found a spot where he could see the little log cabin and watching after the morning mist began to melt, he saw a lady come out and toss water from a wash pan upon the yard. He didn’t see hide nor hair of a man and was thinking he could go on down. It was at that moment that he heard a familiar sound. Jenny must have gotten wind of him and offered him a morning greeting. She was out of site and behind the shed. That did it. He was determined to go down there and get his mule back.

He walked right up to the door and to his surprise yelled out that he was a preacher; he knew they had his mule, and he had come to get it. He then stated he would fight if he had to in order to get her back. Slowly the same woman opened the door. Her eyes were sunken back in her head from lack of sleep and she looked so frail. She was scared to death. The circuit rider noted blood all over her work dress.

“Please don’t hurt me preacher,” she begged. “I had to get the mule in order to help this poor man to the cabin. You see I saw your smoke and thought you might be one of them bushwhackers. They are mean gutted. So I waited until you went to sleep and got it. Then I went back to the point and made a travois so I could bring home that wounded soldier I found on the road. He is in the cabin in real bad shape. He was shot three times and I think he is dying. I left a note in your saddle that I would bring him back. Can’t spell too good but I was hoping you could cipher it.” I was even going to kill a chicken and leave it there for you once I tended to this poor feller.” The old preacher’s anger subsided. He didn’t think to look in his saddlebags. He had hidden his stuff under a few bushes and would get them once Jenny was back with him.

Suddenly he remembered the story of the Good Samaritan. He recalled that this stranger took a beaten man in and not only helped him recover, tended to him as well. She was practicing God’s parable as found in Luke 10: 30-37. He had it memorized.

"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So to, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Here she was frail and all alone helping a wounded soldier. She was also going to pay him back by fixing him one of the 4 chickens she had left. He felt ashamed of his anger. He didn’t know or else he would have gladly helped her. But she was so afraid.

The circuit rider said he knew something about medicine and more importantly could heal the spirit through Christ. She took him in and there lying by the fireside was a wretch of a man. He was bloody and at death’s door. The preacher looked at his wounds and shook his head.

“My son, can you hear me?” The old preacher asked.

Mustering his strength, he blinked and slightly nodded his head.

“Son, are you a reb or a yank?” The preacher asked.

The lady interrupted saying that at this point what did that matter. The preacher realized the importance of the moment was not whether they wore blue or gray but rather if they wore the crimson blood of Christ.

“Son, are you saved?” The circuit rider asked.

The boy opened his eyes as tears streamed down and nodded.

“Please pray for me preacher.” The boy looked so small and scared.

The circuit rider began praying out loud and the frail little woman began singing Amazing Grace while holding the boy’s hand. The boy slipped through the turbid veil and both remaining on the other shore began to cry. It was then that he knew his calling. It was then that he was determined to follow the true discipleship as shown by this little lady all alone in a cabin.

He left her with what change he had, taking only his mule and going back for a saddle. He rode to the sound of battle and was determined to offer last rites and comfort for any soldier passing from this earth. It would not matter about their uniform’s color. It would only matter about the constancy of a man’s heart. His destiny was to lead them to the cross prior to their crossing. He would no longer be the circuit rider but would be known as the Good Samaritan.

For two years he served the cause of Christ upon the bloody killing fields, ministering to any who had fallen. Refusing to choose sides, he followed the armies and would go amongst the fighting carrying with him only the Bible and a cross made of wood. They found him at Mule Shoe holding to a young Union soldier in his arms with an old Confederate soldier lying in his lap. He gave his full measure while serving his destiny as the circuit rider.

Friends have you ever wondered about your purpose? Have you ever been given a sign? Have you ever had an opportunity to be a Good Samaritan? What example do you offer to those around you who see you? There was a prayer reportedly found in the pocket of Robert E. Lee that says what I feel is key in maintaining those sacred principles. "Help me to be, to think, to act what is right, make me truthful, honest and honorable in all things; make me intellectually honest for the sake of right and honor and without thought of reward to me." The old general, AOT Chaplain