Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-07-02
Trouble IN an Uptown Church,

Some time since a gentleman in good
standing in the community, who Is MEM
Der of an uptown Baptist Church, pull
chased fashionably located pow, for which
he paid the manificient sum of $1,000
In the course of little time he met with
reyerses, and among other effects at the
mercy Of his creditors was his pew in the
church. This fell to the lot Of practical
working mechanic, who decided that he
would worship bis God in this editice, and
with his family, would, on the Sabbath,
occupy the 81 900 pew for that purpose.
Accordingly, he and his family attended
regularly and respectfully the services Of
the sanctuary, but his social status became
known to the "ladies and gentlemen" who
occupied pews adjacent to his, IN the md
die aisle, and they presumed to caticlse
every and the minutest act OF the new
corners. The mode of shutting their eyes
during prayer, their unusual attention, and
apparent devotion during the services,
their uniform vulgar practice OF remaining
till the close Of service, their going to
church in stormy weather without using a
carriage, and other extremely ill-bred pc
culiarities, all were criticised, AS the me-
cbanic and his family retired from the
church, the grown boys Of the congrega-
ton. together with some of the younger
misses, would crowd in the yestibule and
converse loudly about "taliow," 'grease,"
"shoddy coats, !" "calico," ''leather gloves"
and other kindred subjects, with which the
strangers were supposed to be faIniliar.-
Il appears that the humble but frugal me-
chanic bore this contumely with creditable
Christian forbearance, not yielding his
rights in any degree, but continuing his at
tendance upon religious ordinances as usual.
The stoicisln of the iron pew-holder was
an outrage to the deyotees of fashion; they
appealed to the Trustees, the Trustees APP
neaIed to the mechanic, the mechanic Of
fered to sell out at cost price; the Trustees
hesitated, and the mechanic retained the
pew, attending the church as usual. Be
mo somewhat democratic in his notions Of
society, and firm believer in the doctrine
Of human equality, he introduced to lbs
softly-cushioned pew two eolored brethren.
This last act was the feather which broke
the camers back. So grave an outrage
demanded redress at the hands of the
law as s.disturber of public worship
an act Of annoyance Of Gods people "un-
der their own vine and fig tree"
The mechanic continues his deyotions,
is passionately fond Of music, End elects to
look toward the choir while praise is being
offered from that locality. Meanwhile the
trustees have preferred a charge against
him before Police Justice for disturbing
public worship" on which Mr.. Mechanic
had to find bail, and the Grand Jury have
found a bill against him. His case will be
tried soon in the Court of General Ses-
sions. The trustees allege that the.repa-
tation of the church demands that they
prosecute the case. They contemplate
forcing him to sell the pew at a sacrifice,
which he considers would not be an equit.
able financial tfansaction.-N I. Iri6.
A plank four inches tnicAand one hum
lreM aud seventy feet long was recently