Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-12-04
Misrfuanfoua.
~ From the Southern Christian Advocate.
BROTHER CROKER
--A AND
THE YOUNG PREACHER.

Old brother Crocker was specimen OF
the antique. If man of veracity had as
serted that he was dug up among the ashes
of Herculaneum, and restored TO life, YOU
might have almost believed it-so much
of an 'sold Roman" was he. 1t was said
of him that he never changed an opinion
in his life, but we know better. Yet he
rarely did such an inconsistent thing. He
had an easy way of settling matters in dis
pute. His formula was .Don't l see it;
and with me seeing is believing" This
settled all controversy. What he saw, or
thought he saw, he believed; and his "see-
ing" was the final settlement of all ques-
tons. From that there was no appeal
Error there could be none-for he saw: /:
logic was of no avail, for logic could not
prove that he did not see. 1t was thus to
certain period of life. We are now to
tell when and how change was wrought
in the good old brother. We say "good,"
for you must not suppose that he was a
bad man. Far from it. He was wrong
headed-obstinate, that is all; and he
thought he was right-believed and acted
right, and whoever did not believe and act
as he did was wrong. He may not be so
greatly at fault, for there is large family
connection of the Crockers, and they are
all wonderfully ''set in their ways"
Brother Crocker was church member
in the olden time, when broad-brims and
shad-bellies, and bachelorhood distinguish
ed the preachers he delighted to hear. A
curly-headed preacher was no better than
Absalom in his eyes. aPd just as soon,"
he would say, "brother Norris would wear
braces at once, as TO see him with his hair
reached up. Why don't he comb it down
like father A. g'. You see he lived
when suspenders coming into fashion, were
considered an invention of Satan.
Tongue cannot tell how he was sehock-
ed, when he heard that brother Price was
married, and would not locate, but contin-
ued travelling, and was sent to his circuit.
swell now," said he 'that is something
new. The Church is ruined The worst
example preacher could set is by marry
ing; for all of them now will do it-it
seems to come so natural. And what is
to be done! The circuit cannot pay him.
Who wants to Sc him here? No objection
to preacher by himself, but then I sup
pose he'll bring his wife along, and there
ant many of us have room for both. The
circuit I'm afraid is ruined and --."
But we cannot tell half he said; not that
he said it all at one time-for he was a
man of not many words, but he spoke at
many times, in sincere grief at the dark
cloud towering over the church-for such
he really thought it. But while he mourn
ed, he resolved to do his duty; and when
the preacher and his wife came along, he
cordially asked them to bis house. The
good sister was SO gentle, SO much of a
lady, so handy with her needle, and had
so many little recipes for bread, and pickles
and pies, etc., and withal could sing sc
charmingly the old camp meeting hymns
that she became quite a favorite in the
Crocker family. Once, indeed, our friend
became her champion. Nancy Sloan had
imbibed that prejudice against the little
lady which vulgar minds often entertain
toward their superiors. and spoke Of hel