Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-05-27
THE EVENING STAR.
TAKING UP A COLLECTION.

Rarely have we heard = better story, or n
better tcld story, than this, from reverend
gentleman in Missouri.
TIE life OF. preacher in a nery country, rom
q secnlar Ssoilt CT view. Is naru:y rs smooth
a,.d tree frein diEicnlty - position "a more
cultivated and populoas communities usaaiiy
appear 10 be The people are thinIy scattered
here and Itele, engaged il different pursuits,
though chiefly agricultural. Being collected
frcm ailpa-ts OF the older States, ana gataeIsso
from every class OF society, they meet upon the
same common ground, upon terms oil easy
samii,arry and restrained ny no irkso,ne con-
venticnaiities. People IN . new country gene
orally have pretty hard time ofit. They i've
3 sort Of "rough and unable" life, wearing ont
tier bes. efforts IN a ssru gGie for existence.
Under these circumstances the material some
Times absorts completely the spiritual; ssno the
with the preacher they have to lie powerfully
..stirreG up from the pulpit
On one occasion we had visit from the pre-
siding elder OF our district, at one o. our Gar
terly meetings. We had not PAID our preacher
s.ary dine" as the boys say, and we expected
a seoTcher from the elder
Well, we were not disappointed. He preached
& moving discourse from me text "Olce 10
mon a,tRLf,eo" At the close Of the sermon ne
came at once 10 the subject III hand.
"Brethren, said he, shave You paid bfo.ler
- anything this year Nothing at ALI uh-
Gerstand Well, now, your preacher cantnS
on an, and you must pay up-pay mp, that's
the idea. He needs twrnty five doiiarsr nov,
and must have it! Steward. We'll lake up
collection now s7.-4.-as
Here some OF the audience near TIE ooof oc-
gan TO slide ont.
Don't run don't run ~ exclaimed the eider.
Steward, lock that door, ana fetch me the
keyr' he CONTINUED. coming 9o"u ous OF the
pulpit and taking his seat by the stand table In
The Steward locked the door, and then de-
posted the key on the table by the side OF the
elder.
..Ncw, Steward" said he, ago round with
ycpr hat / must have twenty-five dollars
out of this crowd before one OF you leave the
house"
Here was SIX, The congregation were
All ahack The old folks locked astonished
the young folks Uttered. The Steward grareiy
proceeded in the discharge Of his official duties
The hat was passed around and at length
deposited on the elders table. The elder poured
"the funds on the table, and counted the
amount.
Three dollars and half! A slow start,
brethren! Go round again, steward. We must
pull up heap stronger than .hat:''
Around went the steward with his hat again.
and finally pulled mp at the elders stand
mime dollars and three quarters. otenoush
vet. Go round again, steward
Around goes the steward the third time.
twelve dollars and a half! Mighty slow,
brethren s'Fraid your dinners Will all get cold
before You get home 10 eat them. 90 round
again, Steward 20
BY this time the audience begun to be fidgety.
They evidently thought the Joke was getting to
he serious. But the elder was relentless.
Again and again circulated the interchangeable
hat, and slowly but surely, the pile on the table
swelied towards the requisite amount.
"Twenty four dollars and a half. Only lack
half dollar. Go round again, Stewardn'
Just then there was tap on the window from
the outside, hand thrust in holding half
dollar between Il thumb and finger, and a
Young fellow outside exclaimed:
"Here, Parson, here's your money. Let my
gal out O. there, am tired Of waiting for her
1t was "the last hair that broke the cancels
back and the preacher could exclaim in the
language OF Ike Turtle, "This 'ere meetin'
COne.;'