Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-01-18
For the Fayetteville Observer.
Wealth and Poverty,
By W. II. sALIsNoRF.

~ on its poiiSucu uttScS ouC oft6ut
frosty morning in December, as a
wealthy merchant entered, clad in
purple and fine linen, who bad here
tofore been stranger to the House
Of God. Hardly had he closed the
doorsere dozen in. different parts of
the house Immediately arose and Of.
fsred the stranger a web cushioned
seat-each seeming to vie with the
other in their endeavors to obtain
the rich mans smile. Choosing the
lpew nearest. him, however, be was
Isoon comfortably seated With the
prayel-book in his hand, thepreyious
occupant Of the pew had given him.
1Diyine service had not commenced
within that lofty spacious edifice
whose festooned ceiling gave back no
echo to the noiseless tread upon the
1downy Turkish carpet: the rich dam
TASK curtains too, shaded .be bright
1 glare Of the liking Of the day. and
shed over the assembled multitude a
rich aud mellow light Of golden glo-
ry: and anon the swinging Of the
massive chandelier With its tasselled
! glass reflected a thousand primitive
4 hues conveying to the mind the
oriental splendor Of some enchanted
paradise. Listen! the slow measured
'lhum Of the chsrister falls softly on
} the listening ear, followed by the
louder, sweeter harmony Of the we'll
tuned instrument he sits before: then
!, from yon sacred pictured gallery the
paans Of praise well forth upon the
balmy air and reyerberate from wall
Ito wall until the entire building is
, filled with the song Of praise. A
! little while and all is quiet again
} There, fashions yotaries meet to scan
: THE merits Of each other s gaudy ex
terror, anG when at home 10 com
, ment on their sunday observa-
tons. There the "Bon-ton'" Of the
} city assemble weekly to hear some
; popular preacher" discourse elo-
quentIy upon spiritualism, or some
!, tother new-fangled ism, or any theme
on which a. ready discourse may be
prepared With very little labor; and
5 in whose delivery he labors to re-
!, tain the good will Of his audience fol
s the sake Of that $4,000 PEI year and
(free rent there the fast young
t man '-.sthe dandy" the rake =
rIethe libertinen all meet to stare at
I and comment upon the various youns
blades who roll out of a carriage band
! box into a church-parlor Such il
wealth and its nse; no matter how !,
comes, it is all the sams. No mat
ter who bankrupts, running the me
chanic. No matter who extortion.
and drives the beggarto desperation
liz it is only done genteeny, it is
!, sufficient. But we .digress: 'twa.
! but a little while after the choil
, ceased singing that sudden slam O
!, the door drew the attention Of .
. waiting, listless audience, who, turn
ling there, beheld a poor man, pale
dejected, With scarce sufficient rags
( to cover his Sinking emaeiated form
4 Weak from loss Of nourishment he
slowly tottered to the stove, where
for want Of a seat he was compelled
Ito stand and warm. His CHASTITY
land forbidding appearance did moi
escape the eye Of one single being in
that whole congregations, and yet
who arose to offer him q seat? VIVA,
man Of wealth Was there, who, mind.
/ full of heavens blessings had not for
4 gotten his duty to his fellow-man2 .
! What open protesting christian was
there, who deemed the approving smile
/ Of Mammon more desirable than a
clear conscience? Alas reader
not one: no one arose to offer the
/ 6eggdr q sea:-no pew-deor was
thrown wide open to him. whose lux
urious seat tefpptingiy invited him
Ito rest his wearied frame thereon
] Nc--alone and unnoticed he stood
until exhausted nature seemed ready
to sink with fatigue while with
swelling heart he cast an imploring
eye over that vast assemblage in
| search Of one secluded, welcome spot
! Of rest. That look was not in vain;
! the wealthy merchant, who had just
/ entered, saw it, and finding no one
willing to offer their seat, arose and
! rendered his. A thousand eyes at
once bsheld this-a thousand hearts
at once arose With mingled feelings Of
self-reproach and snothered wrath.
The poor man tottered slowly to the
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