The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-02-10
Speech Of the Contribution Box.

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Contribution Box, which the deacon had
just placed on the table:
"Wait moment, good friends, and give
me chance to speak. l have long had
something on my mind, and must unburden
myself The truth is, 1 am much abused
Sometimes for weeks together am allowed
no part at all in your Sunday services,
though prayers and aims should come up
together for memorial before God But
| am tucked away out of sight, where get
only dust and cobwebs.
"Worse still are my grievances, when |
am allowed to come around from pew to pew
in aid of your devotions. | always come
with heart full of good will, ready to con-
fer on you all the great blessing of giving.
Yet, 0, what treatment! | don't mean now
the tricks of fun-loving boys, who give me
old buttons for pennies. can put up with
their mischief, especially as l never get so
full but that 1 can carry a few buttons extra
"But do mean you, for one, Mr.. Blind.
Why do you never see me when l GOMEZ
Your face is turned toward the orchestra,
or you are hunting for something i'll the
hymn book, or your head is down, as though
you had just an extra touch of devotion.-
If it had been by accident, you would have
sought me after service. But you hurried
out right after the benediction. How much
of the benediction did you carry home p
You're rightly named Blind, for none are SO
blind as those who won't see" (Mr. Blind
here put his head down out of sight.)
"And what were yOu doing last night,
Mr.. Keeptight, after your clerks left the
store? Why did you look over the money
draw for that counterfeit bill, in anticipation
of the collection today You thought no
body would know who put it in. But saw
you, and I'm not bound to keep your secret.
l wonder if you think God doesn't know
counterfeit money and counterfeit charity
too. l shall give your bill to the church
mouse for his nest That's all its good for.
No, stay; I'll keep it as a'witness when God
shall put you on trial for passing counter
felt money. (Mr. Keeptight turned very
pale when the box spoke of trial
"Closefst, you put in this torn bill. You
wand no or a, 05Scount or tho hank
Don't tell me it was accidental. You have
done the same thing before, and it isn't for
for want of whole ones, either. You had
better 90 home and read what Rev. DR..
Malachi says in one of his discourses about
the man who brought that which was torn
as an offering to the Lord.
"Have you lost your large pocket-book,
brother Prudence?" Prudence clasps his
hand suddenly on his pocket. "Don't be
alarmed. You left it at home, and brought
only little wallet, for fear, as you said,
that your feelings would get the better Of
your judgment. You needn't be so prudent.
Your benevolent feelings are the last things
to get beyond your control"
"Whose turn next?" whispered the ex-
cited crowd.
"Loveself, why did you instinctively feel
for your cigar case first when l came? Con-
fess the truth, now, that you have spent
more for cigars the last three months than
you have contributed during the whole year.
"Where's Demas, Jr.? O! he isn't here
to-day. He is generally missing when a
collection is expected. His father, l remem-
Der, forsook Paul for the love of world.
"Drop that rich veil over your face,
Mrs. Display. You'll need it to hide your
bushes, while tell the congregation that
you have not given me so much this year
as you have paid out for those earrings and
that point-lace handkerchief, and here, to-
day, you have been thinking about buying
$500 diamond ring. And you profess tc
love the Saviour, and the heather who are
perishiug for want Of his gospel
"What now shall be said to yOu, the rich
est man in the whole society, member Of
the church. teacher in the Sunday School
a regular attendant at the prayer meeting
see I don't need to name you" Or. Pc
nurious is hitching nervously in his pew ii
the broad aisle. "You speak and pray
well. You have much to say of sound doc
trine and liberality, and conservation tc
Christ. But whenever you are asked te
give, you always say, 4 have too many calls
too many calls Yes but they get no an
swers. If you answered any of them lib
orally, l could excuse you. To day, yor
have given me one dollar, when fifty dollars
would be nearer your share. You have {
'cal to study that book which says, Gov
etousness is idolatry' And soon you'll
have another cali which you must answer
to leave those money bags, and go and set
tie accounts with Him who owns them all.
The perspiration starts out on the DOCTOR
face, he wipes it vigorously, but had moth
ing to say.)
CoLERIDGE, in one of the most beautiful
of SMILES, illustrates the pregnant truth, that
the more we know the greater our thirst fo
knowledge, and the more we love the more
instructive our sympathy: "The water lily
in the midst of waters, opens its leaves ant
D expands its petals, at the first pattering o
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