The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-04-22
Taking up a Collection.

paH.
Taking Gp a Collection.
Rarely have we had better story, OF
better told story, than this, from rev
srend gentleman in Missouri:
The life of preacher in new coun.
try, from secular point of view, is hard.
ly as smooth and free from difficulty as a
position in mere cultivated and populous
communities usually appears to be. The
people are thiply scattered here and there,
engaged In different rnr.-i,s. .hnues
chiefly agricultural Being collected
from all parts of the older States, and
gathered from every class Of society, they
meet upon the same common ground, up.
on terms of easy familiarity, and restrain
ed BY no irksoms conventionalities. Peo-
pie in new country generally have a
pretty hard time of it. They live sort
of "rough, h,and-tumbls" life, wearing out
their best efforts in struggle for exis-
tenca. Under these circumstances the
material sometimes absorbs completely
the spiritual; and the people not unfre-
qusutly "get so far behind" with the
preacher that they have frequently to be
powerfully "stirred up" from the pulpit.
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 "ary dime," as
the boys say, and we expected scoring
from the elder.
Well, we were not disappointed. The
elder preached us moving discourse from
the text "oaoe no man anything" AT
the close of his sermon he came at once
to the Subject in hand"
"Brethren," said he, "have you paid
Brother - anything this year 7-noth.
ing at all | understand Well, now, your
preacher can't live on the air, and you
must pay up-pay up, that's the idea
He needs twenty five dollars now, and
must have it Steward, we'll take up a
collection now."
Here some of the audience near the
door began to Slide out.
"Don't runl don't runw exclaimed
the elder. "Steward, lock that door and
fetch me the keyv' 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 be, ego round
with the hat. I must have twenty-five
dollars out of this crowd before one of you
shall leave this house"
Here was "6x" The congregation
were taken all aback. The old folks
looked astonished; the young folks tit
tered. 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 and a half! A slow
start brethren! Go round again, stew.
ard We must pull up heap stronger
than that p
Around went the steward with his hat
again, and finally pulled up at the elders
stand.
"Nine dollars and three quarters Not
enough yet. 60 round again, steward J"
Around goes the steward the third'time.
"Twslve dollars and half! Mighty
slow, brethren 'Fraid your dinners will
all get cold before you get home to eat
'sm Go round again steward p
BY this time the audience began to be
6dgety. They evidently thought tie joke
was getting to be serious. But the elder
was relentless. Again and again circu-
lated the indefatigable hat, and slowly,
slowly, but surely, the "pile" on the table
sweIled toward the requisite amount.
"Twenty-four dollars and half Only
lack half dollar. Go round again, stew
ard p
just then there was tap on the win
doR from the outside; hand was thrust
in holding half-dollar between the thumb
and finger, and young fellow outside
exclaimed:
"Here, Parson, here's your money
Let my gal out O. there I'm tired Of
waitn' for her."
SIT was the last hair that broke the
camers back" and the preacher could ex-
claim, in the language of "Ike Turtle"
This ere meetin's done burst up !"
A country school teacher, preparing
for an exhibition of his school, selected