The story of my life

Front matter

V T T

Y BUSY YEAR

EVANGEL IS'

Preface

I have often thought that I would like to write and publish my life's work, thinking it might be an incentive to the poor boy or girl to give their heart to Christ while young and let Him mould their future. It yet remains to be seen what God can do for a soul that will trust Him implicitly. As many of my friends have suggested to me to write my experience as a runaway errand boy in the War of the Rebellion, and how the Lord led me to give myself to Him and the results of it, I am persuaded to place this book before the public.

I. T. Johnson.

Perkinsville, Vermont, July, 1912.

Introduction

In the New Testament Church there was a gradation of Christian workers, as Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians, as follows: — ''And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."

We do not know whether the term, apostle, was limited to the twelve, or not; but it is certain that Paul was "called to be an apostle." They were regarded as the highest in authority, actually representing Christ. The prophets were not limited to foretelling future events, but to* foretelling, out of their own experience (under the inspiration of the Spirit), gosple truth mighty in its effects on men's hearts and consciences. The prophets, in all probability, were not itinerant; while the next in the series — evangelists, preached through a wide range of territory, proclaiming the gospel message for a short time in various places. In grade, the evangelists stood between prophets and teaching pastors. Such a one was Philip, the evangelist, who "has not the power or authority of an apostle, does not speak as a prophet, himself (though the gift of prophecy belongs to his four daughters), exercises apparently no pastoral superintendence over any portion of the flock." Thus we see that Luke, the writer of the Acts of the Apostles, had the candor to state that Philip's four daughters had an office superior to that of their father.

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Th£ Story o£ My Life.

Paul's appreciation of the work of an evangelist is seen in his last admonition to Timothy, his son in the gospel. This Paul, the aged, said just before uttering his swan-song — "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness/'

The application of the term, evangelist, to the writers of the Gospel narrative, though not in the days of the apostles, but subsequently by the Christian Fathers, shows the superiority of the term, since it was evidently used by way of special honor.

In modern times it is objected to evangelists that there is a great discount to their work; that many, counted as converts, soon backslide. But this is true of all forms of Christian labor, as indicated by Christ, in the parable of the sower. Of the four classes of hearers, indicated by "the wayside," "stony ground," "thorny ground," and "good ground," only the latter brought forth fruit to perfection. This was sadly true of the preaching of John, the Baptist, who, according to Christ's estimate, was greater than Abraham, the founder of the Hebrew nation, greater than Moses, its lawgiver, and greater than any of the prophets. A vast multitude must have professed genuine repentance and faith in the coming Messiah, according to the following account: — "Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan ; and they were baptized of him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." This statement implies ten thousand, possibly multiplied by ten. Of these, only about five hundred

Introduction.

became disciples of Christ, during his earthly life. What a vast percentage of loss !

The writer of this Introduction has not seen the manuscript of this autobiography, but he is quite sure that the reader of it will not find the name of any academy, college, or theological seminary which afforded him equipment for his work. This lack of a scientific and literary preparation puts him into "the goodly fellowship" of the following great evangelists : William Taylor, the cosmopolitan evangelist, who toiled successfully on every continent and on several islands, working with fourteen different denominations, leaving, according to Dr. Pentecost on India, a deeper mark than any other preacher, facetiously says of his preparation : — "I was not college-bred, but corn-bred." This intimates that he came fresh from the plow, from, his father's farm in Virginia, where his grandmother had taught him to spell. The next of this "goodly company" is Dwight L. Moody who did a mighty work in America and in England. His preparation in the common school got no further than the "three R's," not reaching grammar, the rules of which he violated in every address he made, astonishing the Oxford professors by saying: — "I done it." Another, in this list, is the so-called "Gypsy Smith," called to preach when he was ignorant of the alphabet, and actually beginning when he had to skip the long words in his Scripture lesson, because he could not pronounce them. At this writing he is still in the field, winning thousands in Seattle. The last in this group of noted evangelists who started their work without scholastic education is not so well known to this

The Story otf My Life.

generation. Benj. Abbott was born in Pennsylvania in 1732, and died in 1796. M'Clintock & Strong's cyclopedia says of him: — "Though an illiterate man, he was earnest, eloquent, enthusiastic, and self-sacrificing, and thousands were added to the church through his labors." He illustrated how God takes the sinner out of the pit of miry clay, by the method of the oyster-man in rescuing the oysters from the bottom of the sea, taking for his text, as he read it (Luke 19: 21), "Thou art an oyster man/' etc. When told of his mistake he said : — "Never mind the error ! We got several oysters !"

Lest any reader should think that I am pleading for ignorance as a preparation for the Gospel ministry, and that I would pull down our Christian schools, I would answer: — "I would build them higher, and have in every one of them an upper room, where, in addition to the Hebrew tongue for explaining the Old Testament, and the Greek tongue for elucidating the New, I would have every student get the tongue of fire, in answer to the prayer : —

"Give tongues of fire and hearts of love To preach the reconciling word ; Give power and unction from above, Whene'er the joyful sound is heard."

If John Wesley, at the time of his heart-warming in a Moravian meeting had been an ignorant plowman, able only to read and write, God would doubtless have used him for the conversion of many. But when He would shake all England, he took John Wesley whose intellect was strengthened, clarified, and liberalized by his Oxford education, not only to convert

Introduction.

the ignorant and vicious colliers and other peasants of England, but to inspire them to read good books, two hundred volumes of which he prepared for them, having organized them into classes and societies, thus becoming, in the estimation of secular historians, "the greatest organizer of a thousand years." In this way, as modern historians now acknowledge, he was the means of saving the English Crown and Nobility from a destruction like that which devastated France at the close of the eighteenth century.

If any reader, realizing a call to preach, or to evangelize, is too poor, or too old to secure an institutional preparation, let him do as the lad in the Gospel did, bring his five loaves and three little fishes to his Lord and Master, wherewith to feed the hungry multitudes, as did the goodly company of evangelists described above.

In conclusion, the writer would say that in two of his pastorates, he found this evangelist, I. T. Johnson, very effective, conducting his meetings in a manner above criticism. The genuineness of his work is seen in the fact that nearly two scores of those converted through his instrumentality have become preachers of the Gospel of Christ, an enviable record indeed. The fact that this evangelist is preparing his autobiography, indicating that the end of his useful career is not far away in the future, awakens regret in the mind of the writer.

Daniel Steele, D. D.

Milton, Mass., Dec. n, 191 1.

CHAPTER I. Ancestry and Early Childhood

My father, Lewis Arnold Johnson, come of the old French Huguenot stock, who settled in Oxford, Mass., and were massacred by the Indians in 1696, one child surviving, from which sprung my ancestry. His great-grandfather, Jotham Johnson, married Hannah Crosby, who was the daughter of Capt. Stephen Crosby, who assisted in establishing American Independence while acting in the capacity of captain. Stephen Crosby went out at the Lexington alarm as Sergeant in Capt. Elliott's company of militia. He was commissioned Captain in June, 1776. Served in New York City and on Long Island, caught by the retreat from the city, Sept. 15, and died instantly from drinking cold water. (Report of service found on page 14 and page 398, in printed official report of Connecticut memorandum on the War of the Revolution).

My father was born in Webster, Mass., Jan. 5, 1816, and during his early childhood his parents went to Macon, Ga., to live, leaving him to be brought up by his grandparents in West Thompson, Conn. My father, after his school days had passed, became a custom bootmaker, but often neglected his trade by following a sportman's life. He was a great lover of dogs and would train them for wealthy men. He was a

The: Story of My Life.

strong Democrat, politically, but after he was converted became a Prohibitionist. He had a fiery temper and often showed it when talking politics. I can remember once, while arguing, that he got so mad that he broke the table and kicked the panel out of the door. At the age of sixty-two he was thoroughly converted and the next year wholly sanctified. He was a changed man, became a steward in the Methodist Church at Oxford, and was an honorable member of that church at his death. He died in the triumphs of faith at the age of seventyseven.

My mother was Lucy Ann Larned and was born in West Boylston, Mass., Feb. 9, 1817, and was married to my father at Northbridge, Mass., July 6, 1836. There were born to them eight children, six boys and two girls, one of the girls dying in infancy, and only two children survive at this writing (1912) : Albert E., of Southbridge, Mass., and the writer. I was the sixth child, and as my parents were very poor this child got but few things to even make him comfortable.

To me my mother was a wonderful woman. She had many things to discourage her, but was always kind and patient under the most trying circumstances. I never knew her to give away to anger, nor did I ever hear an angry word pass her lips. She was always looking for the bright spots in life and good qualities in mankind. She would plan for the comfort of all and made the scanty supply go a long way.

Often my father would go away for weeks leaving nothing whereby to support his family, and mother would take in what work she could and work at night to earn a little to keep

Ancdstry and Early Childhood. 17 the wolf from the door. My brothers earned what they could, being unable to do much, and attend school.

I remember that the winter of 1857 was a ver y trying" one and of our being in destitute circumstances. Mother would put us to bed, so she could wash our clothes, as we did not have a change of clothing. We lived on salt and potatoes the most of the time and seemed glad to get that. We burned brush for wood to keep from freezing, and mother has told us that many times, during the night, she would go upstairs into the open garret and brush the snow, that had drifted in, from off our beds. How often mother would take us in her arms and pity us, making the hardships seem easier. If it had not been for mother we would have been a divided family. I praise God for such influence every time I think of my mother. At this time she was not a Christian, so did not experimentally have the arm of God to lean upon as she did later in life. She was a well-read woman.

I had the privilege of making a home for my parents during their declining years, and as my mother came to her deathbed, from a shock, and being unable to speak, I asked her if Jesus was precious to her, and if so to squeeze my hand and she gave my hand such a hearty grip, and soon plumed her wings and went off to Glory at the ripe age of seventy-five. Rev. Joshua Gill preached her funeral sermon, taking for his text: "She hath done what she could/' Mark, fourteenth chapter and eighth verse. He said: "She was a life-long Christian, a believer in and a witness to entire sanctification. She impressed her character upon her family and they hold

The Story of My Life:.

her in loving and grateful remembrance. In her home, in the church, in the world, her life of usefulness made the words of the text a constant and abiding comfort."

I was born at Douglas, Mass., July 26, 1849, an d when about six months old my parents moved to Oxford, Mass., where they lived for forty-five years or more. When I was about five years of age a man of wealth, by the name of Samuel Southwick, who hadn't any children, wanted to adopt me but my parents would not consent to it. I remember one day I gathered my few worldly possessions, including a pet hen, and went over to his home pretending to become his boy but as night came on I took my little bundle and my pet hen and went home to my mother. We enjoyed the winter as other children did, but my sled was a common dripping pan, never having any other kind until one day I picked up a keg of nails for an old gentleman and he gave me a nice new sled. I was so pleased with my new sled that I got up early the next morning and took my first slide before waiting to dress properly.

My early advantages were very limited, my folks being so poor. I was bound out to work, on the farm of Marshall Pratt, at the age of eight. He said if I would come and work for him until I was twenty-one he would give me a pair of red calves he had, for my labor. I was so happy that I agreed to it at once, never thinking how old the calves would be. One day when we were getting up a flock of sheep, and they would not mind, I became afraid of them. He stepped up and said to me: "Don't be afraid, walk right up to them, like this," (he walked right up with quick, elastic step), when the ram turned

Birthplace of Rev. I. T. Johnson.

Anckstry and Early Childhood.

on him and butting him in the back, he went sprawling- on to his hands and knees. I was so pleased that I sung- out: "Go right along just like t-h-a-t." When he had picked himself up he said : "The pesky crittur never did such a thing in his life before." Pretty soon, when talking the thing over, he intimated that I must have been tormenting- the ram. I did not reply, for I guess I had.

He was kind to me when sober, but often when under the influence of liquor would abuse me and many times threatened my life. I remember once he drove me out of the hay field and tried to cut my legs with a scythe, and I ran through the house and grabbed a gun, and put behind a large rock, and placing the barrel of the gun on the rock, I told him I would shoot him if he came near, and he went off. I told my parents about this, at my first opportunity, and they took me home. I then worked about town doing odd jobs, earning what money I could, sometimes getting my board and clothes, such as they were. I went to school a few weeks each year during the winter ; could have gone more perhaps but the law did not compel us to go then as it does now.

I was a leader among the boys and was the first in pranks and mischief of all kinds, and if I had been dealt with as some of the older boys were, and as I deserved, would have been sent to a reform, school. I caused my teachers a great deal of trouble, some of them not knowing how to win me, while others did, thank God.

Although my parents did not attend church my mother was always anxious that I should go, but I spent my time

The Story of My Life.

roaming the fields, fishing and hunting on Sundays, which naturally led up to my being a nuisance to the farmers. I remember once of being in company with several boys (of the baser sort), and going into Paul Hill's pumpkin patch and breaking up and feeding out to Calvin Hall's cows, that had lined up to the wall, more than two hundred pumpkins, and for this depredation three or four of the older boys were sent to the Westboro Reform School. I should have been but for my age.

Although a wild, reckless boy I never indulged in the use of tobacco or liquor but once or twice. I recall my first and last use of tobacco. I was coming from school when one of the older boys told me I never would be a man until I had learned to chew and smoke. He gave me a large piece of black navy tobacco, and I put it into my mouth and chewed and spit on my way home, trying to imagine I was a man. After he left me I sat on a bank wall, behind the shed of my home, not daring to go into the house for fear my mother would surmise what I was doing. I only sat there a few minutes when I heard my mother coming into the shed, and thinking she was coming to the back door I feared and trembled, and instead of spitting the tobacco out, I up and swallowed it. I remained where I was but a few minutes when my stomach began to churn and whirl and a deathly sickness passed over me. I got up and staggered into the house, and as soon as my mother set her eyes on me she knew I was sick for I was so pale. She asked me what made me sick, and I lied, saying: "I do not know." She put me to bed and put a bottle of hot water to

Ancestry and Early Childhood. 21 my stomach, aggravating my trouble, which set me to vomiting in a few minutes. Mother at once saw what made me sick, and then she tried to frighten me by saying: "Son, I don't know but you will die now, sure/' and I thought I should. I soon revived and vowed I never would be a man if that was one of the stepping stones, and I have never touched the stuff from that day to this.

When the war broke out in 1861 I was just wild and reckless enough to be right among the men as they drilled about town, wanting to be where something was doing. When they went into camp at Worcester, Mass., I persuaded my parents to let me go with them for a few days. I made myself agreeable and handy by waiting upon the officers whenever I could, and then was invited to go South with them. This pleased me and fired me up with enthusiasm and rushing home to get ready my parents informed me that I could not go, and took away my good jacket, trousers and shoes, and made me wear an old pair of overalls, and go barefooted, thinking I would be ashamed to be seen out away from home. I was determined to go in spite of all, so slipped away and went to Worcester the day before the regiment started. I did not go direct ta the camp for fear my father would come after me as soon as I was missed, and make me go home, so hung around the horses and baggage wagons until evening. As the regiment boarded the train I hid among the baggage. When the train started for Norwich, Conn., I showed up, and as we passed through Oxford, the town's people were out to wave a farewell to the soldiers, and among them I saw my mother,.

Ths Story of My Lira.

and I waved to her but she did not see me, but others did and told her I had gone.

A man by the name of Cy Dodd, the teamster for the company, looked after me what he could. We reached the boat landing at Norwich late in the evening and were loaded to the transport steamers for New York City. Here Capt. Watson called me to him and gave me a severe reprimand for running away from home and ordered me to take the next boat back. Of course I did not obey him but kept myself hid, being sure not to be seen until we reached Philadelphia. I do not remember of having anything to eat since we started except hardtack given to me by the teamsters, but here in Philadelphia the people of the city fed the entire regiment in the "Old Cooper Shop," and I got my share.

We left for Washington about 2 p. m., and as we passed through Baltimore, orders were given to load our guns and be ready for an attack, as the 6th Massachusetts had been fired upon by a mob just before this. We, however, were not molested, but some hooted and yelled insulting remarks. When we reached Washington the next day, I kept close to my old friend, Dodd, and we were soon on the march for camp, which was named Camp Callaramer, (it was at the head of what is now 14th street), I think. The tents were pitched and the camp was in a whirl of excitement.

I was brought before the officers, consisting of Capt. Charles H. Watson, 1st Lieut. Bartholomew, 2nd Lieut. Bernard Vassal, to decide what to do with me. I was a sight to behold, as you can imagine. Lieut. Bartholomew asked me

Ancestry and Early Childhood.

if I wanted to be a soldier, and when I told him I did. he said, "Well, if you are to be a soldier you must be dressed like one/' so he took me into the city and bought me a boy's soldier suit and had put on the front of my cap, 15th Mass. (which was the number of our regiment). I was assigned as a servant boy to Lieut. Bartholomew. I was a favorite among the soldiers, especially of Co. E, as they were from my own town.

My parents were informed where I was and were told that I should be looked after and that the first chance they had to send me home they would do so. My mother was very sorrowful and greatly distressed about me and could not sleep nights worrying about her runaway boy. My father asked her one day why she worried so, she said: "I am afraid he will not get enough to eat," and father replied : "Ugh, that is the least of my troubles, for if there are but two meals in the whole city of Washington he will be sure to get one of them." Mother never forgot her boy and watched for my return every day and welcomed me with tearful eyes when I came back.

Chapter II

Observations as a Servant Boy in the Civii, War.

The first night after we left Washington I slept in the woods. Lieut. Bartholomew had been taken sick while on the march and had to be carried in an ambulance to Poolsville, Md. He never went into camp with us, but was put into a log house just outside of camp. I called every day and waited on him what I could. He gradually grew worse and one day his brother came to take him to their home in Massachusetts, but he never reached it, as they had to wait at Philadelphia, and he died while they were there.

I soon became a general favorite among the officers and soldiers, being the youngest boy in the regiment. Often the men would catch me, after I had played some prank, and put me into a blanket and with a man at each corner of the blanket would throw me up into the air for a while, to the delight of the crowd.

I took great pleasure in watching the drills and the sham battles that were fought between our regiment and the 19th and 20th Mass., that were camped near us. The officers of the day were greatly bothered with hucksters and had forbidden them to come near the guard line, but in spite of this they would find a way in. One day a colored rnan came with water-

Ths Story otf My Lim.

melons and I thought it would be a good joke to pull the pin out of his wagon and dump the watermelons, and to think was to act on my part, and as one came rolling near me, and as I was making my way back over the guard line, the temptation being too great, I grabbed it and ran off jubilantly to the lieutenant's tent, telling him what I had done, thinking he would take it as a joke, but to my chagrin he ordered me to take it back to the man, and never to do such a thing again, and I had to, which was a great humiliation to me.

On our way from Washington to Poolsville, a tramp of thirty-six miles, the regiment was thrown into great excitement over the report that there was a rebel camp ahead of us, and as we had seen a flag in the distance we naturally supposed it was so, but soon found out it was a signal station of the U. S. A. We had heard that the Confederates had been in Poolsville a few days before and so were disappointed as the men were eager for a battle.

While on this march one day the boys saw in the distance a tree loaded with fruit. We all rejoiced, as we would have relished some just then, but a colored man warned us not to touch it, saying it was a persimmon tree, but even then we were bound to taste it, so one of the men lifted me into the tree to gather some. I felt it was my privilege to sample the fruit first, and did, and have never forgotten the taste of a green persimmon since. It puckered my lips and tongue and set my teeth on edge. Some of the boys that did not taste them were delighted with my uncomfortableness.

Observations as Servant Boy in Civil War. 27

We reached Poolsville the afternoon of the second day after we left Washington. We camped just outside of Poolsville near Gen. Stone's headquarters. One day an officer sent me to the village to get some provisions at Mr. Higgins' store. While waiting there I met the mother and sister of Frederick Poole (the town of Poolsville was named after this family). They invited me to call on them; the next day, and I did. They were typical southerners, and although kind and courteous to me they were in secret sympathy with the south. They quizzed me in reference to the feelings of the north toward the south rebelling, and what preparation was being made to compel the seceding states to come back again into the Union.

After the battle of Ball's Bluff I called on them again. They said they were glad to see me and had worried somewhat about me since the fight, and had wondered what had become of me. Grandma Poole said to me : "Did I not tell you if your people got into a fight with the secessionists they would get whipped ?" Just at that moment the door opened and the son appeared, and shook his head at her (intimating that she must be careful in what she said as a sentinel was stationed in their home at that moment guarding the body of Gen. Baker).

One day at their home I was playing with one of their colored boys who was about my age, when he refused to do something I wanted him to do, and Grandma Poole, hearing him refuse came to the door and stamping her foot, said to me: "Make him do it," and handing me a stick told me to whip him. I did not want to do it, but for fear of displeasing her