John Sparks

The author, John Sparks, relies heavily on the biography, The Life of Elder John Smith, by John Augustus Williams, a personal friend of John Smith, and to whom he told his life's story in 1870. Sparks' goals were to fill-in background details that were not included in the original biography and correct a number of errors that the work includes. He also provides the reader with a perspective of an "insider" (a preacher for the United Baptist church) and someone who did not become a "Reformed Baptist" (aka "Campbellite") as did Smith in the late 1820s.

I believe it is fair to conclude that Sparks achieved the goals he set out to achieve, and the book should prove to be valuable to anyone interested in learning when, where, how, and why Raccoon John Smith became the person he did. For the most part, the author tells the story of Smith in a "fair and balanced" manner.

The reader will soon discover that Sparks likes to go into great detail in his quest to provide missing or incorrect background. It's somewhat like taking a trip, and along the way, the majority of travel time is taken up by numerous side trips, some of which seem to be of minor import or unrelated to the main trip -- particularly if it's mainly pure speculation by the author.

Sparks' writing style is to use long sentences (often five to eight lines) and very long paragraphs (typically two or three per page, but too often only one per page!). The writing style, coupled with the fact that he may be taking one of his brain-dumping side trips, makes for a ponderous read, yet I am glad to have done so.

The book is enhanced with the inclusion of a few graphics and several pages of photos. It contains an extensive bibliography, numerous end-notes, and an index.… (lisätietoja)

Charles Chilton Moore (1837-1906) was a grandson of Barton W. Stone, who along with Alexander Campbell, established what was to become the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), churches of Christ, and independent Christian Church/Church of Christ faith groups in America.

Moore graduated from Bethany (then Virginia, now West Virginia) College in 1858 and for a few years was a minister of the gospel in Kentucky. He left his ministry after becoming a self-described "infidel," leading eventually to his being owner and publisher of the newspaper Blue Grass Blade, beginning in 1884. The paper's contents eventually led to Moore being convicted of sending "obscene matter" through the mail, and he served five months in federal prison for the crime.

The author chronicles the life of Moore and attempts to provide the reader with an understanding of the "what," where," "when," and "why" of Moore's beliefs, dis-beliefs, and actions. From what I know about Moore and related facts, I believe the author succeeds on all fronts.

Persons interested in learning more about their Stone-Campbell religious heritage should find the book to be thought provoking and of value. I did. The author reflects good research with numerous footnotes throughout the book. The book also includes a handful of photos, a wonderful bibliography, and an index.… (lisätietoja)

This masterful fictionalized narrative by and about Augustine Finley, the only hanging victim in Floyd County, Kentucky (in 1885), tells the story of several characters who were deeply impacted by that ignoble deed. The victim is portrayed as one of the most decent characters in the book. The concept of disembodied souls visiting and instructing common people plays prominently in this book. Not only is the hanging victim visited by a wise and influential teacher in his dreams prior to his hanging, but he himself also later becomes a powerful teacher to another life in it's moment of crisis. The reader is given the notion of a continuous thread of such beneficial contact by souls who have passed on, to the benefit of those most in need of their instruction.… (lisätietoja)