Richmond palladium., 1849-10-10
From Gody's Lady's Book.
The Donations Visit.

The DoaatlOn Visit.
The sober reality of this ostentatous affai,
was as follows: Two loads of wood, barre OF
ciIer, three lamp mats, three hams, SIX loinS o
veal, bushei Of hickory nuts seven geese five
chickens, three turkeys, four ducks. Il sucking
pig, fourteen yards OF sausage links (actual
ineasnrcIneut.} four shoulders of mutton, three
pairs Of stockings none OF the right size,i eight
pairs Of knit gloves for the minister, dGzen ia
bic mats. three WOODEN nght-caPs, one comfort
able. pair Of blankets. four jars pickles. three
pots aPple-bu.ter. two jars preserves. half bar
rel OF salt pork. two sat ks Of dour, six barrel Is
OF apples, a bu>hel OF doughnuts. twenty Pies,
AMI over a buShel Of ginger Cakes, good, bad.
and Indifferent: besides variety Of other mat
iers. which, being of no use TO the owners, were
OF iit:ie higher value 20 the minister, or any of
his family. But there Clothes for the
children, no bonnet for Mrs. Edwards. no shoes
Tor The feet that scarcet had A covering There
were plies of fresh meat and poultry. instead,
that could not be eaten; and which i would be
Il crying offence to sell. Four ifths Of this
would have to be given away. TO keep 1t from
spelling.
Amid all this abundance OF good things, the
the minister sat ti,oughtfui while his good wife
looked on so grievousiy disappointed, that she
could not keep back her tears.
he day following was the Sabbath. more
seii-saii-ird congregation had not assembled IA
the iIffI" church for n long time. There was u
smile of pleasure and seli-approval on nearly
every face, as the munster entt-ea aud assembled
the pulpit. His family did not come in with him
THIS was unusual; and many, who noticed that
the ministers pew was empty, wondered as to
the cause
There than usual gravity in the
voice aud air of Mr.. Edwards as he read the
service. Many wondered what IT could rnean'
anu irit chilled BY something about the MINISTER
that was not clearly understood. W hen he took
his text, which was in these words: The labor
er - worthy of his hire" it was with an emphi-
sls that plainly enough showed him to have some
thing NOR" than ordinary on his mind Ihe
sermon was short, and. for the most part, gencr-
al in It's bearing.
II purpose, - SaiI the preacher, in conclusion,
ito MAKE but a single, brief, practical aPplica-
ton Of my text. 1t is this: When You hire
minister, pay him. ont and out, fair living sal
AIRY; don t staTve him on three hundred dollars,
and then Insult him with beggarly donation
visit once YEAR
There a buzzing in the hive. it may be
reasonably inferred, at this; and the people VINO
came out in The morning in Il most excellent ana
seIi-Complacent state OF mind, went home from
church with their feelings down TO zero -" or"s.
such as "outrageous, .ungratefu. "silaine,
''insultinr," anc the like, were hearu IN all d.
rectlons
In the afternoon, three four of the leading
members called upon Mr.. Edwards Ior an ex-
pianaiion of his strange conduct. He met them
with the utmost composure; and when they
opened the subject of their VISIT he answered
by inviting them walk with him into the ad-
Joining There they found the entire re-
suits, save the two ioats of wood, of the dona-
ton visit.
.Here.' said he. after he had closed the door,
''are poultry and fresh meats enough for a dozen
families large again mine; here are cider
that don't drink , and pickles, and preserves,
nuts, apple butter. night-caps, gloves. and hf-
~ useless things besides, while my wife has to
stay away from church for want of a bonnet and
shoes, and my children cannot be made decent
enough to appear in the house of God.''
The minister paused Those whom he adj
dressed looked at each other with crest-fallen
"SImpv take report Of what YOU have seen
TO those who think themselves aggreveG,' said
MIR. Edwards, as he opened the door again and
passed. with his visitors, into the paror. ''Ieil
them. that if thew think the Iaborer worthy of
his hire. to pay him in direct way. aud with
out grnGging. Donation visits and parties are
little less than outrages upon the feelings Of the
minister and his family, and ]. for one will have
nothing more to do with them. If you like me
we'll enough to give me an independent support,
| will remain with YOU. If not. say at once,
ami | will remove to another place"
The Rev. Nh Edwards is still in the old par
ish, and IS PAID. IL money salary that he finds
equal to the comfortable maintenance of hs fam
lily. His congregation is quite as -se.i satisfied
as in the times OF donation visits and parties,
and the minister great deal more So The
PLAIN speech of an lnde pendent man, though It
disturb and wound the se!f-love of many, is
uall productive Of good 1t was in this case,
aud would be so in hundreds of similar cases. if
those who wrong-d as he was, would speak
out as plainly what is in their minds