Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-05-07
Correspondence Of the Rerald.l
Dogs Us. Ministers.

they should recollect that many pastors
have an irrepressible horror of the canine
species; and at many houses the first sa-
lutte the preacher meets is battery of
from one to FIVE dogs These contemplate
ours frequently meet him at some distance
from the residence and hold him al bay I'M
til some of the family are compelled to
come to the rescue.
Now | propose that all ministers publish
from time to time In their congregation
that they will visit none of their parishon-
ers who keep such useless stock about them.
There are many church members who de-
clare their utter inability to contribute a
single dime to the support OF the gospel
or any other benevolent church enterprise,
who nevertheless find means to feed dogs
enough to eat up at least one good minis
ter every three months.
Can any man tell the advantage of keep
ing these utterly worthless anu vicious
packs of eurs to modest their minister, and
deprive themselves of the pleasure of an
occasional pastoral visits There are men,
and some of them church members. who
seem to have very great difficulty in pro-
curing bread for themselves and children,
and yet feed from one to five contemplate
rayenous ours. Is it right? | am down
on the whole canine race. They are worse
than worthless, and / sometimes think if
they were all in one | should to take a
sword and chop the tail off right close up
behind tie ears.
These animals are positively annoying
to me, and honestly declare that | have
visited some families where it required tho
man to hold one dog in each hand until l
managed to get into the house. | am ac
Quainted with houses which would not at
tempt to approach unprotected for fifty
gold dollars-hard IS the times are. What
spectacle these dogs are to men and to
angels!
o! blessed is that minister in whose par
ish there is not a single dog TO wave his
unhallowed tongue. Papers friendly to
the cause of humanity will please copy
these remarks. Who will rise up against
the dogs? Sometimes these canine ami
mails will intrude themselves into the syna-
gogues of God, to the no small annoyance
of the devout worshipers.
/ have witnessed some most ludicrous
scenes with dogs IN churches. | was once
listening TO a preacher trying 10 enforce
the solemn truths of the gospel, while a lit
tie dog kept running from one to another
having bell tied to bis peck until he sue
ceeded in attracting the attention of nearly
the whole congregation. At length the
speakers patience became quite exhausted,
and he remarked, "if PEOPLE will bring
their dogs to meeting, | wish they would
leave off the bells"
When the writer lived in the State of
Virginia be was told of most laughable
scene which occurred in an old meeting
house on little Kanawha river A cur had
found his way into the house
Of the Lord, and quietly laid himself down
to sleep. As the speaker became animated
and warmed up with his subject be began
to smite with his hand and stamp with his
foot. These demonstrations suddenly
awoke his dog-ship, and planting himself
a abort distance down the aisle and facing
the preacher he commenced such furious
barking as to almost drown the voice ofthe
speaker Meanwhile, the tumult had sue
ceeded in awakening from his revere half
drunken man, who on looking round ana
,hestate of things, exclaim-
ed at the top of his voice, with an oath,
"why, the dog has freed our preacher"
The barking of the dog was about all the
could endure, but when the
man commenced to mingle his voice with
that of the dogs, it was too much for the
congregation to bear,and from suppressed
tittenng they broke forth into loud and up
rorous laughter. The preacher tried hard
to maintain the gravity of his position, but
was at length compelled to yield to the
oyerpowering influences surrounding him,
and Join in the tumultuous fit of laughing
that had seized the whole congregation,
aud the assembly broke up in the most
disorly manner.
One more scene which the writer wit
messed in large and respectable church
in the state of Pennsylvania. Thesexson,
an old and lame man, totally blind in one
eye, and could see but imperfectly with the
other was most inveterate dog-hater.
How often have | watched him in his fruit
less efforts at chasing dog from one seat
and aisle to apotherl But there was one
occasion the writer will never forget. 1t
was during the evening service. The house
Was large and we'll filed. The old sexton
at length discoyered one Of the very speci-
mems Of dogs that | recollcct ever having
seen. He made one very earnest and
powerful effort to grab him between his
large and powerful hands; then deliberate
" holding up his hands toward large
lamp, he seemed to be examining with
some ninuteness whether he had succeed
in alresting the little dog or not.
The whole seems was so overwhelming
" ludicrous, that II il had not bean for
studded and happy thought of the speaker
in diyerting the attention from the sight,
the matter would most probably have end
ed similar to that in Virginia.
Again | say, blessed is that minister
whose parish contains not single dog
May the time come whenit shall be true OF
pastors every where, Amen.
VINDEx.