Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-04-04
Aristocrafic Christianity.

It's enough to make one almost disguised
with the word christianity" when we see
how its professors are living in these last
DAYS" We do not wonder that sensible men
say, when referring to cases like the follow
ing account from the New York Tribune, " il
this is. Christianity, am well enough off
without it :"
TROUBLE IN AN UPTOWN CHURCH.
"Some time since a gentleman in good
standing in the community, who is member
Of an uptown Baptist Church, purchased 4
fashionably located pew, for which he paid
the muni.icent sum OF 81 900. In the course
of a little time he met with reverses, and
among other effects at the mercy Of his
creditors was his pew in the church. This
fell to the lot of practical working mechanic,
who decided that he would worship his God
in this ediice, and with his family would, on
the Sabbath, occupy the Sl,OOO pew for that
purpose. Accordingly, he and his family
attended regularly and respectfully the SER
vices of the sanctuary, but his social status
became known TO the ladies and gentlemen
who occupied pcws adjacent to his, the mid
die aisle, and they presumed to criticise
every and the minutest act OF the newcomers.
The mode of their eyes during prayer, their
unusual attention and apparent devotion
during the services, their uniform vulgar
practice Of remaining till the close OF the
sermon, their going 10 church IN stormy
weather without using i carriage, and other
extremely ill-bred peculiarities, all were
criticised. As the mechanic and his family
retired from the church, the grown boys OF
the congregation, together with some Of the
Younger misses, would crowd in the vestibule
and converse loudly about 'tallow,' grease
shoddy-coats, calico, 'leather-gloves,
and other kindred subjects, with which the
strangers were supposed TO be familiar. IL
appears that the humble but frugal mechanic
bore this contumely with creditable Christian
| forbearance, not yielding his rlgnts III any
degree, but continuing his attendance upon
religious ordinances as usual. The stoicism
| of the iron-pew-holder was an outrage to the
devotees of fashion; they appealed to the
trustees the trustees appealed to the me-
chanic; the mechanic offered to sell out at
cost price the trustees hesitated, and the
| mechanic retained the pew, attending the
church as usual. Being somewhat dcmocra-
tic in his notions of society, and firm be-
lever in the doctrine OF human equality, he
introduced to his softly cushioned pew two
colored brethren. This last act was the feather
that broke the camers back. So grave an
outrage demanded redress at the hands OF
the law as disturber of public worship
an act of annoyance Of Gods people under
their own vine and tS tree.
The mechanic continues his devotions, is
nassionately fond of music, and elects TO look
toward the choir while praise is being offered
from that locality. Meanwhile the trustees
have preferred charge against him before
nolice Justice for disturbing public worship,
on which Mr.. Mechanic had to find bail, and
the Grand Jury have found bill! against him.
His case will be tried soon in the Court Of
General Sessions. The trustees allege that
the reputation of the church demands that
thcy prosecute the case. They contemplate
forcing him to sell the pew at sacrifice,
which he considers would not be an equitable
financial transaction.