The mountain Democrat., 1863-06-27
----$-SN- N-N-----
Taking up n Collection.


Taking up Collection.
! Rarely have we seen n better story, or
! brttcr told story, than this, from a rev.
erend gentleman in Missouri:
The life of preacher in new country,
from secular point Of view, is hardly as
smooth and free from difficulty as posi-.
! tion in more cultivated and populouS com.
munitieS usually appears to be. The peo-
pie are thinly scattered here and there, in
different pursuits, though chiefly agricul-
tural. 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 ia
miliarlty, and restrained by no irksome
conventionaites.
People in a new country generally have
a pretty hard time Of it, They live sort
! Of rough and tumble life, wearing their
best efforts in n struggle for existence
Under these circumstances the material
sometimes ab>orbs the spiritual; and the
people not unfrequently get so ar behind
with the preacher, that they have very
frequently to be stirred up from the pul.
pit
On one occasion we had visit from the
presiding elder Of our district at one of
our quarterly meetings. We had not paid
our circuit preacher AIRY dime as the
boys say, and we expected scoring from
the elder. Well, we were not disappoint-
ed. The elder preached US amoving dis
course from the text, 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. lie needs twenty five dol
lars now, and must have it. Steward,
well take up collection now
Here some Of the audience near the
! door began to slide ont q
Don't run, don't run ! 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.
'Now. Steward said he, go round with
| the hat 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 ahack. The old folks looked as
toni>hed; the young FOLKS Uttered. The
/ Steward gravcly proceeded in the dis
charge Of his official duties. The hat was
passed around, and at length deposited on
the elner's table.
The cider poured out the funds on the
! table and counted the amount.
Three dollars and half! 4 slow
start, brethren! Go round again, Stew
ard We must pull up heap stronger
| than that
Around went the Steward with his hat
again, and finally pulled up at the elders
stand
Nine dollars and three quarters! Not
enough vet Go round again, Steward.
Around went the Steward again.
Twelve dollars and half Mighty
| slow, brethren! FraiI your dinners wall
all get cold before you get home to eat EN-.
Go round again steward
BY this time the audience began 10 get
tidgety. They evidently thought joke
was getting to be serious But the elder
vas relentless. Again and again circu-
lated the iadrtatigablc hat, and slowly but
surely the pile on the table swelled to-
ward the requisite amount.
'Twenty.four dollars and half! Only
lavk half dollar. 90 round again, Stew
ard
just then there was tap on the win
dow from the outside; hand was thrust
| in holding a half dollar between the thumb
and finger, and a young fellow outside
exclaimed:
Here, Parson. here's your money; let
my girl cut o there I'm tired with wait
ing for her
1t was the last hair that broke the CAM
els back; and the preacher could exclaim
in the language of Ike Turtle: This ere
neetin's done bust up !!