Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-03-30

respectfully, Wiling 10 monty MS elstei i,
guess she amt burt much
"l'll catch her if you like" be added sud.
denly, in the hope that au offer Of service, OF
whatever kind, would help him out.
"'Tuin't that, you dreadful boy. You
know very WE'LL" laughed Miranda, trying to
assume that severity of countenance which
she felt the occasion and the offence de.
msnded. "What was the cat doing 10 your
pocket, you dreadful fellow?'
Cant ieller take bis cat to church with.
out you pitchip' into him p retort-d John, in
injured tones and then feeling that defense
was worse than useless in his case. aud see
ing, besides, the bay mare approaching, With
father and mother peering curiously at their
children, he judged it prudent TO renlount his
horse and ride of at sncb pace that be was
not likely to be caught But as he rode
Miranda noticed, with chuckle Of satisfac-
tioD, that be still held Que hand carefully
near the coat.pocket which had contained
the luckless cat.
III.
The Reverend Paul Clifton rose early on
this Sunday morning, and was the lrst man,
after the sexton, to enter the church. 10
say that he felt comfortable would be to make
him out a fool, which he was not. 1t was u
novel situations and | dare say it costs o
gentleman more serious thought 10 preach to
a congregation Of Indiana farmers than it
does Peter Cartwright TO eXpound bis Gospel
to Fifth avenue audience. When he bad
seen his church Tor meeting house when he
had made the acquaintance of the sexton,
and some others of the leading members
when he had slept upon his impressions
nnd now, on this bright Sunday morning, was
arrived at the climax Of his troubles the
reader who can realize that the Reverend
Paul was not only an honest Young fellow
but also a man who thought moGesty Of his
own abilities, will not be surprised that he
sat in uncomfortable anxiety for the result
For to fail here was to fail utterly. | am
ashamed to refer again 20 Mr.. Darwin Whose
philosophy, by.the.way, distinctly repudi
ate,) but here was what that eminent natu.
raiIst very properly calls struggle for
life"
1t was only in these two days that the
solemn question, What is the full force and
meauing of this Office | have taken upon
myself? began to crowd upon him in all It's
wide aud serious bearings.
And what, indeed, il is to be what we call
ind ltferently preacher, pastor, missionary!
The Natural History of the Clergyman is
still to be written. | do not intend to bore
the sufficiently impatient reader by interpo.
lating in this place any attempt ut so lmpor.
taut work. But pending the advent OF the
great ecclesiastical Agasslz, who shall pre-
vent me from setting down here my little
preliminary Essay on Classification 2 See (;
there is,
!. The wishy. washy young man, who would
starve in any other calling, and therefore
literoily "preacbes for living y
2. The fluent young man, who breaches
because that is the most Impressive way Of
saying nothing;
). The ambitions young man, who sees
that the prefix Reverend gives even 10 our
Protestant America, certain power aud
influence to its possessor;
4 The wide awake young man, who knows
that for hun there is no such easy way to
gain bread and butter and honor land u rich
wife, as the pulpit;
5. The studious young man, who turns
clergyman that he may gain leisure Tor bis
favOrite books and studies;
+. The young man who has certain in.
tellectual theory Of Christianity, with which
he thinks it desirable to quiet the world
This one, ! slmetimes think, lacks only q
/ little true pety TO be indeed the model
Clergyman OF the age;
Aud, lastiy-not to make this list too long
there is your man who. feeling not only his
neghbot's, but his own pride, and selhshness
aud arrogance, and iUrgetiuIuesS O: God, and
of all good words and works, feels also that
above all mere dickering for place, or power
or supernuous bread and butter, or any low
ambition whatever is the DIVINE Office o.
leading bis fellows from these abysses, where
devils lie in wait tor their souls, to those
green fields where Christ the Shepherd, ever
waits his sheep. To such men lie said o
old. ana saws to-day, "Go ye iGto all the
world and proclaim the Gospel to every
creature, Jeginning at JerUSGlcm.' To such
! Christ is lie who "came into the world Il
save sinners, Of trk0m / an chict," These are
( they, the true ministers Of lis Word, follow
! iug and teaching Him with that divine love
aud charity which compels the rudest souls
Shall we complain if any such go forth com
( pretending their great work vaguely-ioOklug
/ out upon it as through glass, darkIy =
/ MISUNDERSTANDING fear aud trembling
| Like Gideon, the son Of j Dash, asking vain
/ signs of their Lord? think few men even
| set out on their life wOrk-if II be Anything
/ higher than mere selfish toIl-with any clea1
! ideas of what they are 10 DO. lour logIcs
/ man is your thorough rascal. SO let US moi
! doubt OF Paul Clifton, il his heart sauk do"r
| into his boots as he sat in bis pulpit on thai
| Sunday morning, watching the entrance o
! his congregation; who now began TO slide II
! little awkward squads Of six or seven, bash
fully examining 1.-The new minister us the!
! pushed up the aisles into their seats.
They need not strain their eyes to see him
! Here was no dim religious light, such a
some of our city churches affect, and which i
so admirable sn annoyance that don't won
der weary Wall street cultiyAtes It, Ih
broad pleasant sunshine pours in boldl.
through that part of the open aud curtalnles
windows, not obstructed by the opaque bodie
OF sundry lIoosier lads Who preferred sea
in the window ledge6-a luxury refused then
on week days, when slabsided JehOram Ba
ker, the Yankee pedagogue, here taught th
young idea how TO shoot.
! And now as Miranda, her face composed
} and her hand holding her brothers aru
marched the reluctant youth up the aisle, be
, dress caught one Of the intellectual popgun
which lay at random about the floor where
at a small boy coming behind with bis mC
ther gave an anxious glance, then dove dow
r desperately into the crowd, crying out in hi
shrill treble, DOG on il. that's my speller
, Thea brandished aloft the precious dog care
' VI lume he had rescued and was incontineb
ly suppressed by bis irate mother, who locke
7 maternal thunders at the unlucky urchin wi
} bad dared to "holler out in meetin'w
I Paul smiled as his eyes took 10 the seen
Q who grotesque humor relieved him for u N
y mept from bis load of anxiety. A man wi
= has really laugh 10 him never carries
nearer the surface than when he is thorOug
J. ly wretched. And now the service began.
L,.l. \ -. q