Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-29
NUMBER A.
From the Christian Intelligencer.
THE MINISTER AND THE QUAKER.


long been current in various forms among
good people An authentic statement of it
with name and place, is given in the Pres
byterian Standard, by the Hon j. R. Snow
den He says that the minister in question
was Rev. DIR. Robert Smith, whose fame az
a learned and eloquent divine has been
overshadowed by that of his sons, John
Blair Smith and Samuel Stanhopc Smith
President of Princeton College.
Dr. Robert Smith, before he became Pres
ident of Hampden Sydney College, was
principle of a very successful classical
academy at Pegue. Penn. While here, he
had near neighbor, Friend, whom, Mr.
Snowden, having forgotten his real name,
calls William Jones
DIR. Smith and Mr.. Jones were very good
friends, and often visited each other. One
day, Dr. Smith said, Friend Jones, no,
ticed that, although we are good friends
and neighbors, yet have never seen you
at my church, or Westinghouse as you call
it," THAT is very true, friend Robert, but
thee knows the reason. We Quakers, as
we are called are not in favor Of hireling
ministers, who are educated especially for
that purpose. We favor those only who
preach by the Spirit" "Well" says the
Doctor, without entering upon the first
point of your objection at present think
| can say that we Presbyterians follow the
the people" 20 no, friend Robert, thee
knows very we'll that thee prepares thy dis
course before thee enters the pulpit" THAT
is quite true to some extent. but, neverthe-
less | can preach without such previous
preparation" "Well then," says the Quak-
er 81 will try thee will 60 to hear thee
preach on this condition, namely, that will
give thee text, which thee must not see till
thee goes into the pulpit. l accept the offer"
says Dr. Smith. VERY well, then, will
go to thy Westinghouse next first day ;
and will send up the text by the sexton af-
ter thee has made the long g-prayer which |
learn thee makes THAT is not quite what
| expected when you made the proposition"
says Dr. Smith, "but | accept it; and will
expect to see you at the Pegue Church ne xt
Sunday morning"
DR.. Smith entered his pulpit the next
Sabbath with some anxiety. Aglance over
the congregation showed him that his Qua
| ker neighbor was there and at the appoin-
ted time he expected the text. He com
menced his services in usual manner, and
after the "long prayer" he commenced a
very long Psalm. believe it was not the
| 10th Psalm Throughout, but ii was quite a
| long psalm. As soon as the precentor, or
| fine singer, rose, the sexton came up the
aisle, and handed to the preacher the text.
1t was from the book of Ezra, lst chapter
and latter clause of the 9th verse : "Nine
and twenty knives" A sharp as we'll as a
hard text thought the Doctor The singing
of the long Psalm gave him few moments
| for reflection when that was ended, he
arose and announced his text, and noticed
many a smile upon the faces Of his congre-
| cation, even some venerable elders could
not preserve the usual solemnity of their
countenances. But the preacher proceeded
with his discourse. He spoke briefly of the
captivity of the Jews in Babylon of their
condition there the proclamation of Cy
rus of the wonderful preservation Of the
utensils Of the Temple which had been Ia
ken from Jerusalem by the conquerors of
Judea none of the knives which were
used for staying and preparing the sacri-
fees, were lost mislaid, or destroyed. They
were, said DR.. S, under the special care
and protection Of God, and were in due
time restored to the Temple He then en-
larged upon the special Providence of God
"Not sparrow falls without his notice !"
"and the very hairs of our heads are num-
bered." THE Lord knows them that are
his, and none of them shall perish" The
Quaker was not only pleased, but he was
aroused and delighted
| The next day he sent for Dr. Smith to
dine with him. After dinner, he invited
Dr. S. to take walk around his farm, and
coming to pasture field in which were his
cattle, he stopped abruptly, and said, 81
was much pleased with thy discourse friend
Robert, last first day Now thee knows,
we follow our leader George Fox, who
bore his testimony against hireling min
istry We never pay our public friends, but
we sometimes give them presents. | wish
to give thee present have many good
milk cows. wish thee to select one for
thyself" DR.. Smith wished to decline the
git, but the Quaker insisted, and said, 81
will be offended at thee if thee refuse" The
Doctor having noticed small and ill-look-
ing COW, said, "Well, if must take one of
the cows, | will take that small red COW -
pointing to the one he had noticed, and
which he supposed the least valuable
''Well | do profess" says Friend Jones,
"thee does not only preach by the Spirit, but
thee can choose by the Spirit that little red
COW is the best one have my wife would
not sell it for one hundred dollars but thee
shall have it." And accordingly the same
evening, the little COW was driven to the
'manse," and proved to be valuable ac
QUESTION to the dominie's dairy.