Mary Rankin Typed Biographical Sketch of John Rankin to Lucien V. Rule, [after 1886]

4.

He was gradually freeing himself of the self
consciousness that had developed during his college
days, and by this close study of text and doctrine
he became so familiar with both as to be at ease on
any occasion. He tells this story of a later time -
"I was once appointed by Presbytery to preach on a
particular subject and I forgot that I had been so
appointed until the hour came. I selected a suitable
text and discoursed on the subject to the satisfaction
of Prestytery and no one knew I had made no preparation".

The story has been told by another of a wager on the
question of his ability to preach without previous no-
tice. He was found and brought before the crowd and
then told that they wanted him to preach. He mounted
a stump and announced his text - "Therefore came I unto
you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for. I
ask, therefore, for what intent ye have sent for me,"
and plunged immediately into his discourse.

With no books but the Bible he was compelled to
study it closely, not only to be able to refute the
New Light doctrines but to fight against slavery and
Bible truths were always his chief weapon against the
evil. The Concord congregation were strongly anti-
slavery and many were members of a society auxiliary
to the Kentucky Abolition Society. Mr. Rankin preached
and lectured throughout the state without opposition.

But though the Presbyterian church and its ministry
were then predominantly anti-slavery, slavery was in-
creasing its hold in the State and that reason,
coupled with hard times, bank failures, and the migra-
tion of Concord families to Indiana, determined Mr.
Rankin to continue the journey begun four years before.
He was called to the churches of Ripley and Straight
Creek in Brown County, Ohio and took up his work there
in November 1822.

For forty-four years Mr. Rankin lived and preached
in Ripley, building up the congregation and church,
planting other churches throughout the country, preach-
ing Presbyterian doctrine, temperance and anti-slavery.
He held week day Bible classes when there were no
Sunday Schools and organized Sunday Schools as soon as
the movement came west. At his suggestion, men of his
church induced men of the Methodist church to unite with
them in what he believed to be the first temperance
society west of the Alleghanies. Unfortunately he
gives no dates. The influence of this society was strong
enough to drive the saloons out of the town several
times. He also prepared seven young men for the ministry
and for a few years was president of a little college
that died an early death from lack of funds.