The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-05-25
OUR MINISTER'S TRIAL.
IY REV. w. IL. HAYWARD.

A good man was our pastor, Rev.
Thornton Haven, and one Of no common
eloqucncc. Our best-I had almost
written gOod-church members loved
him. I'm sorry to say that few, thorn
ed 10y the words which fell from his lips
when he endeavored to excite his breth-
rem and sisters To
~ closer walk with God"
regarded him with other emotions than
the fruits of the spirit,
Like all other good men, he was care
fully watched by those who would have
been transported with fiend-I Ike delight
could they have found flaw in his con
duct.
well! WELT said Mrs. Monroe, the
wheelwrights wife, to her husband, as
they sat ut the breakfast table one morn
ing. suppose Mr.. Haven did kiss Fan
ny Lawton. She was almost one Of the
familv-what in the world WAS the
harm q
But" said the wheelwright, Il don't
believe that he did kiss her"
Fanny herself said that he did" re
piled the wife.
This seemed to he Il cliuchcr to Mr..
Monroe. He deliberately wiped his
face with his handkerchief aud with a
downcast, thoughtful look. ard with a
slower pace than usual, went to his shop.
lie had hardly taken his shave in his
hand, and begun TO ply it on an unfinis-
ed spoke before Deacon Brown came in.
The Deacon stood awhile chewing
small fragment OF a shaving and talking
about this, that, and nothing. suddenly
he said:
Brother Monroe, have You heard
about our minister?
Yes replied the brother"
Then there was not a word spoken for
several minutes The wheelwright lus-
tily worked on the spoke-the Deacon
looked out of the window.
At length Mr.. Monroe asked, in low
tone of voice.
What is to be done:'
'Something must" was the Dcacon's
answer, "or the cause viii suffer"
And then he walked rapidly up the
street
What is this story about Mr. Haven's
improper treatment of young ladies; -
asked the cynical lawyer Thompson of
Woodward the tavern keeper.
why said the mixer of sherry cob
hers and drawer of strong beer, the
parson is no better than 9th ers"
"IIavc YOU heard of the sanity priest
lTaven's fali.' was the question of one
infdcl 10 another.
~ es, just rs thought it would be
ha. ha, hat
Something must be done" were the
words OF Deacon Brown, land that soou,'
he thought, but did not speak.
So from the wheelwright's he went to
the house of another Decentralization
johnson. He had heard the story. and.
being an enemy. believed it. and was de
terminsd to deal with the offender
The dcacons called on the minister
Deacon Johnson was spokesman. The
story in full was that Mrs Barnard. q
grass widow-that l. woman whose
husband had gone Off because he could
not live with her-had heard, as she was
passing the parsonage, Fanny Lawton
sly to one of the children, ~ ON lost a kiss
from your father By not being in the house
when he got home this afternoon from
the lower village. and l got it
Mr. Haven denied ever having kissed
the girl, and suggested that the deacons
should write TO Fanny, who was teach
ing school about twenty miles distant,
and get at the truth OF the matter
The deacons did. They stepped into
the minister's study and wrote. In
few days there came the reply.
y on ask me If on enc occasion Rev.
Mr.. Haven give me kiss-vherc we
were, and who was present In answer
| state, Rev. Mr. Haven did one after
noon, while | was staying at his house
ana IN tue sitting room, give me kiss,
Nc person hrt ourselves ~erc present