The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-03-22
TnE DpxSrIoy yI-TT.
Ey Z. $ hRTHrR.

The congregation Of the Rev Jason Ed
wards was made @; q very good sort Of peo-
pie, rs the saying i Fhey liked their min
is,er very well only it did seem 10 them
that it took power" Of money to support
bis family.
They psii him. regularly, the hand.ome
salary of three hundred d,..ars "a wear, be
sides providing house far hi use. with
ground enoueh for garden; Vet no!witb-
s,andiny jhi,, the minister was always poor.
It vas PLAIN ihat he must waste hls money
in extravaganza % -o.ne sort or other; but
be vas a good MN. and preached the word
faithfully and So they bore with h;m and
endeayGrcd ,o make up the constantly oc-
Gu ring Deficiencies by forced efforts ot oue
kind or another Every fell he was favor
ed with D1nitiou Party, wh,ca wa- expec-
ted 10 pu, him beyond the reach ot wan,
for ,bc mex, SIX moEth---it not f,r ! whole
gear.
On the last occasion Of TINS kind, /, was
the pleasure Of those WHO hai ;hu ordering
OF public matters IN the congregation - d.
eide upon = 7 gular Donation Party, the
notice uf which was served 10 the minister
The ai;cruoon aud evening on which tue
aif.r Was to come oh, proved al,o-ether
propitiou- unfortunately for the minister y
and Ihsre was Of course large turn out OF
men. women and children.
Nr and Nrs A.. who contributed =
pair ot yarn stockings Tor Mr. Edwards.
and three pounds oi home made sauSages
felt entitled Of course, IT, bring her three
boys along, each Of whom. having saved bis
appetite since morning. could drvour III
tue way Of cakes. pies, aud more solid arti
cles o. ioad-the cJiitributions Of other
members -about three tunes the value u.
those articles
Mr. and Mrs. B., who furnished {
par India Tubher shoes FOX Nr. Edwards
and a worked cap for the BABY. also fell
privileged To bring their two daughter,
along. whose apYetitcS We're likewise sharl
ior the occasion And something after tht
same fashion was it with the C-s D-s
E. and F-s The conclusion o
the whole matter was the nln:Stl : family
after Suptriutcudlng = lavish cntertaiumeu-
the raw material IL which was furnished b
the congregation. aud the labor AID care b
themselves, vas IN possession ut the trag
ments of feast thst. by natural course .
Consumption, would disappear within
week
Beyond this, a iew pairs Of shoes an,
stoekings, numerous Ornamental, article
manufactured hy Young ladies. . couple e
loads Of wood, and sgudry uieilnackeries q
no grca. value, were nearly all that the ~
nation Party yielded
A. 1t was 70 be q party the majorlt,
af thos who came, brought such Things q
would bes. serve The occasion, bali forget
ting. in their anticipa,ions of pleasure, tn'
zeal objects thcy proposed to accompilsI
Eatables and d,inkables. therefore made nj
more than twothir1s at ail that was dlnai
ed; and these were mostly IN a.;icles =
present consumption.
Ona Old Farmer. more substantial III hl'
bottoms than the rest, did bring a 'whol'
hog and another provided 4 couple @
hams-sut one Of the latter disappeared :,
supper tune.
In fact. On the morning after the dona
ton party. Mr. Edwards, Instead ot feelin.
comfortable state II mind. 50 fac Is thI
worId's goods were concerned, felt consiI
erabl; poorer than before for q while tat
Visitation wh ca he had been favored witt
Vas of but little real benefit. he knew tha
TIE Impression had gone abroad through tn
congregation, thai hc was 50 over supplied
With eTery,hiag good for the natural man
TO De unable TO exbaus, the stock for s.,
Months
In consequence u this. individuals whl
would otherwise have remembered HIM
Soad nov omit their loads Of wood, ba.
o. potatoes or meal. and supiry othe
@ings Of like nature, uuicr the irppreS
san that such presents would be entirely 81
ierdIeus.
Mr. Edwards was hardly man suite,
W'a congregation ike that at EScrton -
he bad really too much refinement, delica
> aod independence of feeling, Thcs
lO'a''on visits aud parties were particular
=, unpleasant to hin, for they were attend
saW''h 50 much ,ha, was patronizing; :
auco' that bur; his selt-respect. that thei
@ehrrence, apart from all other considers
'0I, Is, Was especially annoying
h's salary was paid to hin. as someihin
which he had right. He received tia
lulh.ment of coutracr, aud therefor
'"oOuf sense of humiliation 1t vas ;nad
f1A,e 70 the supply Of his real wants, az
NC 0easis had. every year to be made u