The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-09-30
mistGIIaneOns Selections.
For the Fremont Journal.I
HOT CHIP 7 CHI.
BY FoGY.
In Church.

AANAO StAS w
comments on each.
No. l. Back ground: railfenced,
stumpy stubble-felds, with dense,
green forest in the distance; farm
wagons and teams and single horses
with riders, approaching, followed by
a long line Of rising dust, blue ex-
panse overarching all, athwart which
white, needle shaped clouds slowly
move, from which an August sun
pours his fervid rays, and under
which two or three large hawks on
balanced pinions cut graceful circles
almost beyond human sight. Fore
grounds: plateau Of under brushed
wood-ground, with clumps of shade
trees, a cleared space containing a
low, log, school and church build
ing, with rough door hung on
wooden hinges and fastened with
wooden latch; a low and smooth cut
stump for a doorstep, and another,
higher cut, for a horse block; well
beaten path leading a few yards to
the main travelled road, and other
paths leading to spots trod smooth
in many a game of marbles or pris-
ongoal. It is early morning, and
opening the creaking door we will
INSPECT the interior of the rude chap
ell and school-house. We find low
smoked ceiling, a half-dozen four
lighted windows, slab-benches and
rough desks, a puncheon floor,
plain deal table, rows of nails for
hanging bonnets, shawls and caps
and hats, and a large, iron boxed,
stove, cracked, in the center of the
room. Noting the cuts and scratch
es on the desks and seats, and the
coal and red-chalk sketches on the
walls, we wonder fthe children com
ing here get solid education, and if
their parents can render acceptable
worshipin atemple so unostentatious
and uncomfortable. Service-time
comes, and from various directions,
along the roads arrive, this Sabbath
morning, people in carts, wagons, on
horseback and on foot. In this
double-wagon is Deacon Pleasant
Face with his matronly wife, red
checked boys and bright-eyed girls;
there is Miss Angeline Winsome
Just alighting from her horse; here
is old neighbor Poor-Enough totter-
ing along, grey and stopped with
age, his thick coat on his left arm
and a homemade cane in his right
hand; and hitching his jaded horse
to the rail fence, is the circuit
preacher, Rev. John W. Common
Sense, who has come ten miles to
meet his appointment. How cordi-
ally he greets and is greeted by Bro.
So-and-so and Sister such-a-one and
all the rest. He enters the inviting
chapel and the people including our
selves follow him. AS he bows by
his rude chair in supplication to his
Heavenly Master, our composure Is
not disturbed by the thought, "HoW
much is this clergy mans devotion
intensified, by his salary of three
thousand a year| He rises and
looks out his text and hymns, while
we fall into the city habits of scan
ming the appeared of those present
We are shocked to see mon in their
shirt-sleeves and women with uncov-
cred heads, and cannot believe the
worship of such acceptable to the
Creator; but we see nobody looking
with scornful or envious eye at her
poorer or better dressed neighbors-
evidently nobody has come here to
see or to be seen, except us. The
minister gives out hymn; his voice
has a nasal twang but ills not motto
ed, except by us, some brother pitch
es the key of some messy old tune
and the congregation join in singing
with no instrumental accompanl-
ment or interlude the preacher
reads a passage Of Scripture in a ma
tural way, leads in fervent prayer,
the audience sings again, the text Is
announced, followed by an unpre-
tending discourse, simple, practical
and personal-aimed at the besetting
sins of protesting christians, rather
than the gross ignorance of Abyssi-
mans and Feejee Islands; disturbing
rather than protecting the self com
placency of hypocrites and and urg-
ging the necessity Of personal relig-
ion upon all. Another hymn is
sung, a short prayer follows, then a
few announcements, benediction and
the audience quietly breaks up and
disperses. Soon the log church is
empty and silent, and we turn away,
not understanding how people can
enjoy religion, who cannot build a
brick church, have a high-salaried
minister, dress in broad cloth and
satin, sing with an organ, and ride to
church in a coach and two.
No. 2:-Back ground; elegant re-
sidences, few scattering shade
trees, the tops of sickly forest trees
and struggling hunters and fisher
men in the distance. Fishing and
hunting are the Sabbath recreation
/ of the upper and lower ten in cities.
Countrymen rarely thus violate the
laws Of God and man. Foreground
dense blocks of buildings, paved
streets and sidewalks, open saloons
and other recruiting offices OF the
devil. This gothic, stone church Is
the central figure of the scene. we
will open the massive front door ano
examine the interior. We find lof