Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-01-19

The subJoined communication was written
for the Lutheran Teachers Journal for Feb
ruary, but may without impropriety appear
in the Gazette in advance.
Lecture on Pew Rents
My Dear Hearers--IIave you paid your
Pew Rents? If you have not, open YOUR
heart first, then your purse, 90 and pay it.,
and after that sin no more. Perhaps YOU are
curious to know how came to pay mine some
years ago, and why have been punctual ever
since as young, middle-aged and perhaps old
ladies' are to their neighbors' bonnets and
dresses. Well, | will tell you. Mrs. Winkle
and L were setting in our cozy room one win
ters night some years ago a bright fire was
burning IN the stove, imparting q cheerful
temperature, though outside the window it
was cold and cheerless, with fitful gusts of
wind which moaned round the corners as
though the dark Spirit of Evil were abroad
Mrs. Winkle had not been in the pleasantest
humor during tho day, for in answer to de-
mand for new dress | had for the fortieth
time, perhaps, said, 81 can't afford it." Woll,
there she sat more than an hour, rocking her
self and looking straight into the fire, but not
word did she speak. Imagining for my
part that the dress was uppermost in her
mind, | did not disturb her reyerie, for be it
known that Mrs. w. occasionally gets her
dutch up and gives your humble servant what
used to be termed "Caudle Lecture
whether for justifable cause this deponent
will not here say, not considering it public or
teachers business. There however she sat.
rocked and looked, all the time supposing
storm was brewing within as old Boreas was
brewing one without; but bless her gentle
heart it afterwards appeared that she was
pondering over quite a different subject, for
she suddenly startled me with the question,
Mr.. WtnhFe, hare you paid yoU per- rent P'
This was such an unlocked for subject that /
fairly bounced off the chair, and after nv un-
just suspicious as to her cogitations felt small
enough to creep through keyhole, but |
managed to answer, mo, man." The truth
is, doubt whether pew rents had been a mat
ter of consideration in my mind at all at any
time, or if it did get in it must as speedily
have got out again. Then" said Mrs. W,
Il hope you will 60 tomorrow and pay it, for
happening to meet our preacher in a store the
other day, L was surprised to hear him saw
there were hundreds of dollars of unpaid new
rents due him, and that he found it impossible
to keep out OF debt in purchasing clothing and
necessary articles for his household. because
so large number neglected to paw them. I
was just thinking what a shame il was for
people to rent pew in church and not nav
for 1t regularly and punctually, when the
thought struck me that perhaps we were like
the rest of mankind, no better than we should
be--which means we were not good at all
wherefore | asked you", You had better saw
l didn't promise faithfully to attend to it as
soon as breakfast was over. And SO | did
not only paid my back pew rent, but six
months In advance, and then went and bought
Mrs W. the prettlest dress could find. And
now, kind hearers and readers, have yo1 paid
your pew rents7 If you haven't, hope some
mrs Vaudie will be after you with SHARP
stick to stir you mp. p w
In sight of Prospect Rock, Jan. l6, 1860.