The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-09-25


Sunday morning came. Grim look.
ing old gentlemen and venerable la
dies dropped silently and sedateIy
into their seats. The ancient pew
opener whispered mysteriously to
some, and nodded solemnly to 9th
els he vaguely minated that Mr..
-, would not preach that NOR
ming, but that young sprig of d.
vinity would occupy the pulpit
Many present, not in the secret, sat
down in the usual expectation OF
hearing the usual sermon--the usual
diviSons-the usual remarks and the
usual application. Tie young peo-
pie looked as dull as usual, for they
expected to hear the old story over
again, for | do not know how many
times. Some of the sharp ones, how
ever, had heard that stranger"
was to preach that morning, and
their eyes expressed anticipation.
The singers in the gallery pulled a.
bout their tune books, and when the
clerk went into his octagonal box,
looking extremely sedate, a change
came over everybody present, old
folks, young folks, and all, when
heavy looking, or rather heavily
built young man went awkwardly up
the pulpit stairs, and sat down be-
hind the old, faded crimson cushion.
che grim old gentlemen were not
half pleased-but they merely show
ed more of the whites of their eyes
than usual--and their thin lips seem.
ed trille more compressed than be-
fore the young man had mounted the
stairs of tie pulpit. a brown scratch
wig now and then gave a Jerk, be-
Cause the wrinkled forehead beneath
its front twitched anglily. Several
ladies (young ones) appeared to be
rather pleased than otherwise with
the preacher of tender years and
the little boys Of the congregation
stared in undisgused wonder. The
clerk got up contemptnously TO give
out hymn, which having been doled
out, and sung badly, although it was
one of Thanksgiving, the young man
in the pulpit rose, and read chap
ter from the bible.
The reader must suppose a mere
boy doing this, and must also imag-
inc the critical ears Of the congrega-
ton. Then passing over the pray
er and the succeeding hymn, let me
beg to look at the youth who Uses
TO deliver his text.
And the next was as claracteris-
tic of the preacher as ANY thing
could adduce. lie had been put in
to that pulpit by surprisc-he made
no preparation, beyond that neces-
STATED by the event Of the preceding
day. An old man had, for wears,
preached to the people whom he was
now to address--hc was green-aI-
most raw studcnt--and so his sa-
gacity directed him in the pursuit
of a simple passage. And what as
the text he pounced upon?
Not having concordance by me,
| Cannot refer to the chapter and
verse. IT is, however, in the Old
Testament. How the lad treated
the subject, of course cannot be
known by me, whether he Illustrated
his theme by the histories of David,
of Samuel, OF Timothy suffice it to
say that when he had concluded his
discourses, even the grim old gem
tIemen, and the particular old la
dies, and the smiling young people
were all and equally delighted viii.
the young lad who did know some
thing Of the matter-and | can cast
ly imagine that one of TIE Dcacons
went in grave haste to tic vcstry,
and invited him to dine.
The young man who preached
was WILLIAM JAY; and now Will
liam Jay breaches in Argyle chapel,
Bath, in the very site of his early
efforts. ! have skctched a fancy
portrait Of him, as youth we will
now 90 and see the old man; and
let the reader bear in mind that an
now on matter of fact ground.
a Sunday morning in BATH From
many steeple, sweet sounds comes
forth. Decrepid old ladies are be-
ing wheeled gently TO church, or
chapel; and solemn old gentlemen
proceed at leiSurely pace, along
the highway to the temple of the liv-
ing God.--lIere is Argyle chapel.
1t is am unprctending looking place
"a mere oblong space, made out
with pews and madcrned with gall
cry. The pulpit is plain cnough--a
tub looking affair. Now the clerk
goes into the desk, now he gives or
rather drawls out hymn. Now,
the singers make all kinds of faces,
and sings a cheerful hymn TO- dole
lul tune; and now is seen, Just over
the cushions white cloud like head
u