The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-05-23

Pulpit Gravity.

A minister was preaching to : large
congregation in one Of the Southern States
tes, on the certainty af . future judgment.
In the gallery sat colorcd girl, with
white child in her arms, which she Wa
dancing up and down with commenda-
bic effort 70 make the baby observe the
proprieties Of the place.-The preacher
was 50 much interested in his subject ~
not to notice the occasional noise Of the
infant; and at the right point Of his dis
course, threw himself into an intere sting
attitude, as though he had suddenly heard
the FIRST note Of the trump Of doom, and
looking towards that part Of the church
whore the girl with the baby in her arms,
was sitting, he asked in low, deep voice:
"What Is that hear!" @~
Before he recovered from the oratori-
cal pause so rs to answer his own ques-
tion, the colored girl responded in NOR
titled tone Of voice, but loud enough to
catch the ear of the entire congregation:
"l dom no, sa; spec it is dis here
chile; but indeed, AZ, has been a doin'
all could to keep him from 'sturbin'
you"
1t is easy to imagine that this uncx-
pected rcjoinder took the tragic out Of
the preacher in the very shortest time
Imaginable, and that the solsmnity of
that judgement day sermon was not a
little diminished by the event.
Another instance, equally confounding
to the minister, happened, we believe, in
Richmond, Va. A large congregation
had assembled to hear stranger of some
notoriety. Soon after he had introduced
his subject, the cry of "Firel FIRE" in
the street, very much disturbed the con-
grcgstion, and many were about to retire,
when an elderly lay brother rose and said
"If the congregation will be composed,
l will step out and see if there IL any FIRE
near and report.
The congregation became composed,
and the minister proceeded. Taking ad-
vantage of the occurrence, he called at
tention TO FIRE that would consume the
world--a ere that would burn in the lake
that is botto,nless; and had just conclud-
ed a sentence Of terrible import, and not
without manifest impression on his audi
ence, when voice from the other end of
the church, as if in fat denial of all he
said, ,bawled out:
"K is a false alarm"
The effect was ludicrous in the cx-
tremc The old man had returned; but
his inopportune response spoiled the force
Of the eloquent appeal FROM the pulpit,
and even the preacher could scarce refrain
from joining in the universal smile that
passed over the congregation.
Rev. Mr. s. was preaching in one Of
the Methodists Episcopal churches in
this city, and there was in attendance a
good Methodist brother, very much given
to responses. sometimes those responses
were not exactly appropriate, but they
were always we'll meant. The preacher,
usually lucid, was rather perplexed and
felt it himself He labored through his
first part, and then said:
"Brethern, 1 have now reached the
conclusion of my FIRST point"
"Thank God!" piously calculated the
old man, who sat before him, profoundly
interested. The unexpected response,
and the suggestive power Of it go confus
ed the preacher that it was with difficult,
he could rally himself to continuance O
his discourse.