Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-05-29
Anecdote of Judge White.

Anecdote of Judge White.
| went up one evening, said the Judge,
10 the Methodist Church. A sermon was
preached by clergyman with whom | was
not acquainted, but Father Axley was in
the pulpit At the close of the sermon he
arose, aud said to the congregation, i am
not going TO detain you by delivering an
exhortatlon-l have arisen merely TO admin
lister rebuke for improper conduct which
l have observed here Tonight This of
course walked up the entire assembly, aud
the stiffness was profound, while Axley stood
and looked tor several seconds over the con-
gregatIon. Then stretching out his large,
long arm, and pointing with his finger siea-
Oily ~ one direction, lie said, Now | cal
culate that those two young men who were
talking IN that corner of the house while
the brother was preaching, think that | am
going to talk about them Well, IL is true
when well dressed young men. who. YOU
would suppose from their appearance, be-
longed to some respectable family, come
TO the house of God, aud, instead of rever-
enclng the majesty Of Him who dwelleth
therein, or attending TO the messages Of
His everlasting love, get together in one
corner of the house, (his fuger all the
while pointing steady and straight as the
aim of a riheman,) and there, during the
whole solemn service, keep talking and tit
terlng, laughing aud cycling, thus annoy
ing the minister, disturbing the congrega-
ton, aud SHINING against God, | am sorry
Tor the young men. am sorry for their
parents. | am sorry they have done so to-
night. hope they will never do so again.
But, however, that's not the thing was 20
ing TO talk about. It's another matter, 50
important, that ! thought it would be wrong
10 let the congregation depart without adj
ministerlny suitable rebnke. Now, said
he-stretchlng out his arm, and pointing in
another direction, perhaps that man, who
was asleep out there on the bench, while
the brother was preaching, thinks that | am
going TO talk about him | must confess
that II looks very bad for man 10 come IN
to worshippIng assembly, and instead of
taking seat and listening 10 the blessed
gospel, carelessly stretching himself out on
bench, and going to sleep. It is not on
ly proof of great lnsensbiliiy, with re-
gard 10 the obligations which we owe TO our
Creator aud Redeemer, but it shows "a want
OF genteel breeding. 1t shows that the
poor man has been so unfortunate IN his
bringing up, as not to have been taught
good manners. He does not know what is
polite and respectful in a worshipping as
sembly, among whom he has come TO min
gle. lm sorry for the poor man. Im sor-
ry for the family to which he belongs I'm
sorry he did not know better hope he
will never do so again. But, however, this
IS not what | was going to talk about
Thus Father Axley went on for some time,
boxing the compass, hitting number of
persons and things that he was not going
to talk about and hitting had, till the al
tenton and curiosity of the audience were
raised to the highest pitch, when finally he
remarked
The thing which | was going to talk a.
bout was, chewing tobacco. Now do hope
when any gentleman comes to church who
can't keep from chewing tobacco during the
hours of worship, that he Will Just take his
hat and use II for a spit-box. You all know
we are Aethodists. You all know that our
custom is TO kneel when we pray. Now
any gentleman may see in moment, how
exceedingly announcement it must be for a
well dressed Methodist lady 10 be compelled
TO kneel In puddle of tobacco spit
Now, said Judge White, at tins time |
had ia my mouth an uncommonly large quid
of tobacco. Alleys singular manner aud
train of remark, strongly arrested my alien
lion. While he was striking to the right and
left, hitting those things which he was not
going TO talk about, my curiosity was busy
10 find out what he could be aiming at. /
was chewing my large quid aud splitting
with much rapidity and looking up at the
preacher 10 catch every word and gesture
when at last he bounced upon the tobacco,
behold, there had great puddle of to-
bacco spit | quietly slipped the quid out
OF my mouth and dashed II as far as could
under the seats, resolved never again to be
found chewing tobacco in a Methodist
church.