The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-08-02


dies cane. were dumb .foundered by the
presence of men. who they imagined had
the power TO transport them-nay, hang
them, for aught they knew, for any III De-
haviour, or appearance of contempt, in their
august society.
Service degan. The rustic choir endcav-
ored to "snatch grace beyond the reach of
art" but some of their tongues seemed to
tceave to the roofs of their mouths; the rec
tors sermon was the best he could pick out
from his bundle Of ffty-two, or thereabouts,
which bundle having served for one year,
was then turned round and served mighti-
ly well for the next also; his auditors. sim
! pie souls never suspecting that they were
getting the same dose over again.
At this church, the custom was to dismiss
the congregation with psalm, or portion
os one; and the clerk (who was a celebrat-
ed singer Of profane melodies at the Red
Lion atoresaid) generally reserved his best
piece of psalmody to conclude with; and at
the time in question, being determined, like
all the rest, to immortalize himself as much
as might be. he looked into the index to the
psalms, and finding that the ffty-eighth
psalm began With Speak, 0 We Judges of
the earth" he thought he had hit upon the
very thing that would do; and when the rev.
erend rector had concluded his sermon,
boldly gave out the first four verses of the
aforesaid psalm, expecting, no doubt, APP
plause and reward accordingly. The pitch
pipe granted and groaned, the singers growl-
"a their stcntorian voices into something
like unison, and off they went in grand
st, le, and sang as follows:
"Spcak, ye Judges Of the earth,
If Just your sentence be;
Or must not innocence appeal
To heaven from your decree'
Your wicked hearts and iudments are
Alike by malice swave;
Your gripping hands, by weighty bribes,
To violence betrayed.
To virtue, strangers from the womb,
Their infant steps went wrong
They prattle SANDER, and in lies
Employed their lispng tongue.
No scrpe' of pnrched Africa's breed
Doth ranker poison bear;
The drowsy adder will soon
Unlock his sullen ear"
1t may readily be supposed that the con-
gregation presently began to find out that
the clerks compliment was completely mai
GhrohoS; as to those who were called, par
excellence, the regular singers, they went
on with their work as loud as usual; not be-
ing in the habit oftroubing thel heads about
the import of the words they were singing;
but those Of the congre cation who some
times helped them in their chanting, and
who on this occasion, began as usual, upon
finding the tenor (this is not meant for mu-
sca pun) of the psalm, dropped their voices
one after another, ard left all the glory and
the shame to the singing pew. The clerk
too was frightened out of lis wits, or there
abouts, at what he had done; and doubtless
expected some dreadful visitation from the
strong arm If the law for his temerity;
while same Of the neighbours were not quite
sure whether heavy fine would not be
lain upon the parish for the insult; in short,
these four verses Of the fifty-eight psalm had
thrown complete gloom upon the day
which had seemed to dawn so glori0usly for
this little parish.
When the judges had returned to the
Red Lion, and were taking lunch TO fortify
their legal stomachs till they should reach
to dinner, deputation OF "the pow
ers that be" waited on them, as well to
thank them for tre honor done to their
explanation tor poor Amen; who felt quite
unable that day 10 do justice to his baked
shoulder of mutton and potatoes. However,
to his infinite comfort, he was assured by
the church wardens, On their return, that
the Judges had kindly promised not to hang
him that time