Demoine courier., 1854-08-31
THE JOKING CLERGYMAN.

OT. Dyies WAS TIE most original COM
pound Of religion and mir,h, cons picu-
Gus in tie latter part Of the last centu-
ry. i'll New England. With a good
heart. a mind of stable principles and
decent reverence for his holy Office, he
nevertheless possessed buoy ant and
genial flow of spirits, consta n,ly running
over with puns, or witty conceits. He
maintained his connection with his (,he
Hollis streeO church for forty three
years. He was a hale, We, aged man
when the revolutionary war began, and
in his political predictions. leaned to.
ward the royal side.
In May, l777. it was deemed neces.
sary 10 arrest him as tory. He was
condemned TO be placed on board guard
ship and sen, to England. Subsequent.
ly the sentence was changed to con6ne
men. in his house. A sentinel was kept
at bis door, day and night, whom he
wont to call his observe a-tory. Atlasl
the vigilance of the board of war relax
ed. and the sentinel disappeared; after a
while he was replaced. and after little
removed altogether. The Doctor used
pleasantly to remark that he had been
guarded. regarded, and disregarded. -
Once ,he DR.. tried to have the sentinel
let him 60 after some milk for his family,
but he was firm, and would not; he then
argued the case with the homes, bu! sim
pie fellow. and actually induced him 10
60 after the milk while he, the Doctor,
kept guard over himself! The neigh.
bors were filled with wonderment TO see
their pastor walking before his own door
with the sentinels gun at his shoulder,
and when the story GO. aboad it furnish.
ed food for town gossip and merrimen.
for several days.
The Doctor had rather shire " wish
wife, so one day he called a. the old dis
tillery that used to stand on Lincoln
street. and accos.ed the proprietor thus:
"Do you s,ill!"
"Thas is my business replied Mr..
Hill the proprietor. .
"WelI, them" said the Doctor, II
should like to have YOU 60 and still my
wife,"
He served rather an ngallan, trick up
on this same good lady at another time.
He had some curiosilies which people
occasionally called to see. One day
two ladies called. Mrs. B. was in the
suds,' and begged her husband to shu,
her in closet while he after exhibiting
everything else, said:
"Now, ladies, have reserved my
greatest curiosity TO ,he last" and open.
ing the door, he exhibited Mrs. b. to the
ladies'.
There was an unusual 'slongh Of des.
pond before his door. in The shape of a
quagmire. which he had repeatedly ur.
ged the town authorizes to re move. At
last two of the town officers got fairly
stuck in il. They whipped the horse,
they hawed and geed, but they could no,
get out. DR.. By les saw them from his
window. He stepped out into the stree,
II am delighted, gentlemen, said he
rubbing his hanGs with glee. 80 see you
stirring IN this matter at las.!' The
sore in the ground was healed soon
after.
Going along the street one day he
found himself in grea. crowd near the
old North Church.
"What is the matter!" inquired he oil
bystander.
"Why sir there is man going to fly
from the s,eeple."
"Poh! poh!" said he. "do you all
come here to see man fly! Why sir
have seen horse fly"
A learned lady of Boston despatched
note to hlm on the Great Dark Day,
MAY 10. l7S0.) in the following style:
"Dear Doctor-How do you account
for this darkness!"
His reply was:
"Dear Madam am as much in the
dark as you are"