Page:Famous Living Americans, with Portraits.djvu/497

 474 FAMOUS LIVING AMERICANS rod and Mary Baser Vincenty was bom in Tuscaloosa, Alar bama, February 23, 1832. Mr. Vincent, the father, was, as might be expected from the character of his ancestry, a Christian whose religion was a ruling factor in his life. Consequently, his household was governed according to the precept, ^^The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, ' ' and in harmony with the stxietest tenets of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a member. But, strict as the home life was, it was preeminent- ly happy. It was made especially attractive and hallowed hy the presence of the mother, Mrs. Vincent, whom her son eulo- gizes as ' ' the incarnation of consistency, fidelity, self HMorifioe, and serenity. ' ' By the mother John was consecrated to the ministry from his birth, and it is said he accepted his calling so early that at the age of five years he began discoornng on religious themes to the negro children of the neighboxhood. It may readily be believed that these infantile discourses were somewhat lacking in theological profundity ; nevertheless, they were doubtless listened to with due respect by his tmoritical auditors. When the boy was six years old his parents retomed to Pennsylvania, where he began his education under a gover- ness. During those years preachers of different denomina- tions were, from time to time, entertained as guests by the hospitable family; and, no doubt, the alert mind of the boy derived not a little profit from the conversations listened to at the home fireside. When the period of instruction under the governess was completed, he attended academies at Milton and at Lewis- burg. With these advantages such progress was made that at the early age of fifteen he became a teacher. Further evi- dence of his precocity is seen in the fact that at the age of eighteen he was licensed to exhort, and soon thereafter he be- came a local preacher. Thus he who had exercised his call in childish sermons to an audience of negro children was now authorized to preach to congregations of adults in the church of which he was a member. Compelled to abandon his long cherished desire to go to