The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-07-30
How Brother Pearce Converted Fenstsr.
machef.

The following amusing anecdole of the
distinguished ~ representative in Congress,
we clip from that excellent paper, the PhiIa.
delphia Sunday Mercury. The joke was per.
peirated by the inimitable New York Cor.
respondent of that paper, who gets off soms-
thing rich, racy and rare,' every week; and
who seems 10 be well acquainted with the
subject upon which he writes. The joke is
quite characteristic of the man. Read it,
4 see that the Rev. and Hon. ]. J. Pearce,
OF the northern part of POUR State, X. N.
member of Congress, has become subject
of serious animadversion. Your correspon.
dent knows him we'll, and would like simply
10 say that the only fault in John Pearce is,
that theology doesn't agree with his moral
constitution. In making Pearce a minister,
The materials which would have made glo-
rous landlord, an efficien, Stage proprietor
or an acute and successful auctioneer, were
sadly perverted. Pearce is Methodist min
lister, and his wife is possessed OF certain real
estate that will support him independently
of bis church. He bad, some years ago,
near Lockhaven, fine field of tobacco. He
was one day sitting a-slraddle the fence sur
rounding this field, whiting pine shingle,
and humming The Old Ship Zlon,' when an
old local preacher, whom will call Brown,
who had always regarded Pearce with a
iaundiced eye, thus accosed him:
Bother Pearce, don't you think you 4 a
helpin' along The devil a-raisiu' that. air 10.
baccoi Don't you think it makes sling in
the nosetrils Of the Lord p ...-
Pearce ceased whiuing. ...
'Whyp he asked.
'Whya Why? Why, hahn, you helpin'
the devil! Hadn't man-specally man
what's got grace-ought 10 do every thing
for the glory Of God. And does raisin' that
air cursed stuff elorify the Lord, eh?'
'Do you 60 everything with a special eye
10 Gods slory?'
'Wa-a-Il, yes alters pray to do tha, air
thng.'
whats that white stuff sticking ou, of
that bundle you have unde: your armp
THAT airs cotton muslin stuff for shirts
DO you believe that slavery glo.ifies
Godp
mo, no Hel's leetle loo good for the
shareholders. The devils sure to get 'em
when the Lord paris the sheep and the
goats 9
Sand yel,' said Psarce, you'll wear COL
ton shirts and eat sugar, the two very ari.
cles upon which all the negro's labor is ex-
pended And then jumping down from the
fence and tucking In a white rag which pro-
truded from rem. in the rear OF his nnmsn-
iion abies, he added, staring his would-be &C.
cuser in the eye : You gloriiy God, do you,
in all ) our actions? You wear cotton shirts,
and d-n the shareholders, and you sweeten
West India rum with sugar, the very objects
for which all the negro's sweat is expended,
and then curse me for raising my own to-
bacco! You're pretty Christian, you are. ,
The old local preacher sneaked away,
leaving Pierce TO take another chew from his
sheet-iron tobacco box, and expectorate to
his hearts content.
Pearce lie 'some' al campmeeling, and
when he gets bimself worked up into rap
turous phrensy, his red head and dilalng
eyeballs really assume remarkable aspect.
AT a campmeeiingin Nippenose Valley, some
four years since, there was one tough old
}customer named Fensiermacher, that never
could be induced to come TO the anxious seat.
Pearce had sriven hard TO gain him over to
the Lords side but as he owned a good dis.
tlery, and the church wouldn't receive him
unless he quit the business, old Fenslerma.
cher would not bulge an inch. 1t was The
last day and hour of the said meeting, and
Pearce was speaking from the top of a dry
goods box with his watch in his hand.
."Only ffty-fve minutes more, i" he shouted,
'and more than thousand sinners still uE-
converted
Old Fens,ermacher was in front Of him
and visibly quaiIed.
Then prayer and hymn followed, and
again Pearce cried, looking ct bis watch:
Only thirty minutes TO damnationp
The same process was repeated until but
five minutes of The time remained, when
Pearce, with hair disheveled, and Standing
out from his head in all directions, said, with
terrible solemnity, 10 q voice intended for
the Dutchman's special case:
'Only five minutes 10 Hans Fsnstsrmaehsr's
ddn,aafioni'
The old fellow turned pale as ashes for a
moment, and then blubbered out as he sank
10 his knees on some straw:
'Oh mine Cheesus, geeves s;sht away
up, and sells my dishiillery to Sam Yerkes
for sixteen tousanG toIlars TO morrow
Six months after that day the old man was
pillar Of the Methodist Church in Nippen.
ose, and probably is there yet.
Such is the character Of the Honorable Mr..
Pearce, a man who, doubt not, is much be-
lied, bot who, nevertheless, is not just 80 we'll
fitted for sacerdotal duties as some others of
softer heads and harder hearts.
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN MExIco.-The de-
cree tina, the clergy are not permitted 10 hold
property was published in Mexico on the
2sth nlimo. The people in general con-
graduated President Commonfor on that i'm.
portan, step. The Jssui,s are to leave the