The Placer herald., 1863-06-13
Taking up a Collection.

Asoi0ty uo'O Wc - OcttcI StOIN, UT u u6tteT
told story, than this, from reverend gen,lei
man in Missouri:
The life Of a preacher in a new country,
from secular point of view, is hardly as
smooth and free from difficulty as position
in more cultivated and populous communities
usually appear to be. The people are thn'y
scattered here and there, in different pursuits
though thiehy agricultural. Being collected
from all parts Of the older States, and
gathered from every class of society, they
meet upon the same common ground, upon
terms Of easy familiarity, and restrained ty
no irksome conventionalties. People in a
new country generally have pretty hard
time Of it. They live sort of trough and
tumble" life, wearing their best efforts in a
struggle for existence. Under these circum
stances the material sometimes absorbs the
spiritual; and the people not unfrequently
get so far behind" with the preacher that
they have frequently to be "stirred up" from
the pulpit On one occasion we had a visit
from the presiding elder Of our district at
one of our quarterly meetings. We had
not paid our circuit preacher "ary dime" as
the boys say, a-d we expected a scoring
from the elder. Well, we were not disap-
pointed. The elder preached US a moving
discourse from the next "Owe no man any
thing" At the close Of his sermon he came
at once to the subject in hand" Brethren" ;"
said he, "have you paid Brother - any
thing this year? Nothing at all, under.
stand. Well, now, your preacher can't live
on air, and you must pay up-pay up, that's
the idea. He needs TWENTY-FIVE dollars no ",
| md -
collection now"
Here some of the audience near the door
began ito slide out"
Don't run! don't rum" exclaimed the
elder. Steward, lock that door, and fetch
me the key" he continued, coming down
out of the pulpit and taking his seat by the
stand table in front.
The steward locked the door, and then
deposited the key on the table by the side of
the elder.
Nov, Steward" said he "go round with
the hat. l must have twenty-five dollars
out Of the crowd before one of you shall
leave this house."
Here WAS fix. The congregation were
taken all aback The old folks looked
astonished; the young folks Uttered. The
steward gravely proceeded in the discharge
of his official duties. The hat was passed
around, and at length deposited on The
elders table.
The elder poured out "the funds" on the
table and counted the amount.
"Three dollars aud half! A slow start,
brethren! Go round again, Steward. We
must pull up a heap stronger than that"
Abound went the Steward with his hat
again, and finally pulled up at the cid RS
stand.
mine dollars and three quarters. Not
enough yet Go around again, Steward.
Around went the Steward again.
"Twelve dollars and half! Mighty slow,
brethren! Fraid your dinners will all get
cold before you get home to eat 'em. Go
round again, Steward.
BY this time the audience began to get
fdgety. They evidently thought the joke
was getting TO be serious. But the elder
was relentless. Again and again circulated
the indefatigable hat, and slowly, but surely
the pile on the table sweled towards the
requisite amount.
"Twenty-four dollars and half! Only
lack half dollar. Go round again Steward"
Just then there was tap on the window
from the outside; hand was thrust in hold
ing half dollar between the thumb and
finger. and young fellow outside exclaimed:
Here, Parson, here's your money; let my
girl out O. there; I'm tired with waiting for
her"
1t was the last hair that broke the camel's
back; and the preacher could exclaim in the
language of Ike Turtle: "rhis ERE meetn's
done bust up"
GIVE 1T TO TnEM.--'rhe Yreka Union pitch
es into some of the slip patriots" of that
section in the following manner
We are disgusted at the miserable cant
and hypocrisy of few abolition "Union
shriekers" in this community, who stigma
tie us as a secession sympathis-r, because
we quote from their papers condemnations
of the abolition policy Of the present ad-
ministration which now appears to rule at
the bidding Of Greeley, Sumner Il Co.
These abolition traitors who don't like what
we publish because it has tendency to
damage the prospects of their party in the
coming campaign. were the first to bargain
for their country's honor at the brokers'
desk. They began by purchasing green
backs at ninety-five cents on the dollar
They watch the market quotations and make
business Of Wall street trafficking in
legal tenders on u small scale. They steal
from the Government for the purpose of
filling their own pockets; but raise aterfc
howl against those who do not believe their
abolition schemes are par excellence calculat-
ed to save the country and restore the
Union.