Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-01-24
PULPIT ECCENTRICIrlEs.

We gather the following from the edi-
tors table Of the knickerbocker
DR. Emmons, Of Franklin, Mass. with
whose reputation you are no doubt iamil-
lar, ruled in his flock in all things, spir-
itual and temporal, and seldom failed to
enforce obedience. He was no great low
er of sweet sounds, and religiously ex-
cluded from his meeting house all instru-
mental music except little mahogany
colored wooden pitch-pipe OF the size of
an eighteen mo- book. a member Of his
choir had learned to play the bass viol,
and anxious TO exhibit his skill early one
Sunday morning most unadrisedly intro
duced his big fiddle into the singing GAL
lery.' After the first prayer was ended
and the Doctor began to handle his Watts,
the base-violer lifted up his PROCLAMATION,
and trying his strings, instantly attracted
the Doctors attention. He paused, laid
down his hymn book, took his sermon
from the cushion, and proceeded with his
discourse, as if singing was no part of the
public worship, and finally dismissed the
congregation without mote or comment
The whole choir was indignant. They
staid after meeting and all the girls and
young men resolved not to 60 into the
singing seats at all in the afternoon, and
the elders who did 60 there, bore the WIS.,
ages of men whose minds were made up.
Services began as usual in the after
noon. The Doctor took his psalm book in
his hand, looked over his spectacles at the
gallery, saw only few there, but nothing
daunted, read psalm and sat down. No
leader looked up in utter unconscious
ness. After long and most uneasy si-
lence, the good man, his face somewhat
flushed, his manner rather stern, read the
psalm again, paused, then re-read the first
verse, and pushed up his spectacles, look
ed interrogatively at the gallery. The
leader could bear it no longer, and half
rising, said decidedly: There won't be
no singing here this afternoon Then
there won't be anv preaching!' saidMhe
Doctnr, quick as thought and taking his
cooked hat from'its peg. he marched dpyn
the pulpit stairs, through the broad aisle,
and out of the house, leaving his congte-
CATION utterly astounded. This anecdote
is told as having occurred before l was
born, but know the wooden pitch-pipe
was the only instrument used during the
Doctors time, for l we'll remember one
town-mee,ing day stole up to the gal
lerv, found the mysterious pipe, and tim
idly and reverently sounded from to c,
every note Of its screaming falsetto.
When the old Doctor retired, as he did
voluntarily, from his minist1ations Of more
than fifty years, the ordination of his sue
cessor was a stirring event, and all the
leading ministers of,he Hopkintonian Call
yanistic faith, assembled 10 assist in the
solemni,ies. Old Mr. Howe of Hopkin-
ton, an eccentric and somewhat celebrated
man in his time gave the charge
He had strong sense and feeling, but
his manner was familiar and co!loqniaI,
and his pronunciation of the 'deown east
kind. sat in my grandia,her's square
pew, with the turn-up seats, and heard
him. He concluded his charge somewhat
in this way: And now my young broth
er. wish to impress particularly upon
YOU the propriety and necessity of cult
| waiting the affections of tho children Of
your charge. Attend to them always
Winthem TO love you. Let them always
be over joyed to meet you. | will tell
| YOU how it was when l was child. Our
minister was stern, erect and red-faced
man, who wore long white wig, carried
, tall cane, and when he walked looked
neither to the right nor left. He never
noticed us, except to re7rove us when we
| failed to make cur manners to him. Well,
| one day heard he was sick, and l didn't
care; and the next day l heard he was
worse and then didn't care; and pretty
soon heard he was dead, and was glad
ont! My young brother don't let the
children be glad when you die
Wives Of America! think on these
things.