American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-05-01
CHAPTER ON I" ORIBBING."
AY A HEARER.

| pump. WIS leu W hiuulTe the Cuuee "
4 this strange appearance and was told thai
he was "cribber' or "wind sucker ," The
answer was altogether unintelligible to me
till one day saw him with his teeth grip
ing the top of fence post with a genera
contraction of the muscular system, when
with a sudden spasmodIc motion he took q
suck of wind, continuing the strange pio-
cess till thoroughly inflated, giving an APP
pearance of rotundity such as might be ex'
pected after grazing all day in clover field
Among farmers this singular habit of the
horse is called "erib6ing." and is known tc
be exceedingly difficult Of cure, very dam.
aging to the reputation of the animal, and
subtracts largely from its value.
But the horse is not alone guilty of ''crib>
6ing." We have known people otherwise
intelligent and sensible indulging in this
folly. Entertaining favorable opinion OF
themselves they are ever seeking commend
alton and praise from others; never salts
fed till they hear puff upon their perform
ances directly or indirectly, and the more
direct the better. Unless the puff of wind
comes along voluntarily and speedily, "crib,
bing' is commenced and continued till the
initiation is complete. Even good people are
plagued with this disgusting weakness. We
have been especially panied to witness it
among ministers of the gospel; men Of piety
and devotion, called of God ''to preach, not
themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord"
seeming to have a stronger regard for the
opinions and applause of man than for the
account they shall rerder to God in the
great day.
Having preached passable sermon they
cannot rest till they know by the testimony
of many Witnesses how it was received. If
no one among his attentive hearers" vols
unteers Immediately to pra Use his effort he
at once looks around for an available post
and at once nerves himself for " cribbing."
Wind he must have if he has to suck it,
Having selected his victim be begins by
some indirect allusion to the services. Psr>
haps apologizing for the length of the SER
mon; expecting TO hear this reply: 90 !
no brother, the people were not wearied in
the least; they would haYe listened to such
a sermon with pleasure an hour longer.
was delighted with it." Or, he may remark
to another: " was not prepared to preach
to-day, had given but little thought to the
subject" Then comes a significant pause
full of sweet expectation and at length fol
lows the delectable response: i" If you can
preach like that without preparation you
had better preach of hand altogether, it
was the best sermon have heard in a long
time" To another he complains of having
been indlsposed, had the headache all the
morning and was entirely unht to preach.
Again the looked for compliment comes as
a matter Of course. If he has filled the ap>
pointment of another, he cannot help saying
tosomebody how embarrassed he was Know.
ing how much the people were disappointed
Tho ready answer will be- "you did well,
brother; the people were pleased with the
change, l hope it will happen so again.
1t is also common for this class of men to
remark in relation to their credtable and
sometimes excellent pulpit efforts, II made
a miserable failure to-day, hope you will
not take that as a specimen OF my preach
ing" and again the wind will come in thro'
the quill.
These are examples of the thousand and
one modes of teasing and coaxing fer empty
praise inhaling tubes through which the
hollow puffs are drawn and enjoyed as a
delicious nectar.
Public apologies Except in rare cases) are
of the same piece and look strongly in the
same direction.
When fattery is sought it can always be
obtained, being cheap and worthless COM
modify. There is not one person in fifty
but that will praise you when he sees your
love for it, and especially when you ask him
to do 80.
The individual who pursues the course
above described feeds upon husks and wind,
but more largely upon the latter. The drift
of his mind is soon discovered by all sensible
people. de belittles himself in their just
estimation, and renders himself an object of
unmitigated disgust. He soon loses mis-
reputation for solid sense (if such Ieputa>
ton he ever had) and shears away his
strength and influence in the pulpit till his
weakness and folly are manifest to all men.
You may read the history of the church
and find that men afflicted with this weak
ness have never risen to any great sminenee
Thechrtstian minister above all other pub
lie men should prepare himself thoroughly
fo- his public duties, and having performed
them as best he could, 60 to his closet and
commune with God whose work he has been
doing, asking his blessing upon the sermon
instead of running around among the peo>
Pile like simplston to find out how it
took"
If we'll msrited compliment comes un>
sought and unsolicited by any roundabout
allusion ON your part, it is wei enough, and
If it does not come it is just as we'll perS
haps better. But should it come, be not
vain over it, aud above all do not 60 and tell
it to others.
The people themselves are often greatly
at fault in this particular Preachers are
but man and ara subieeus of temntation