The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-01-20
A SHEPHERD ASTRAY.
From the New York Herald, Jan,


The congregation of the Seventh street
Methodist Episcopal church is in rare state
of excitement owing to the sudden diSap
pearance from among its flock Of their pas
tor, Rev. Horace Cook, and the sensation is
not the less exhilarating from the fact that
he went not alone. Indeed, the scandal ex-
cavators have unearthed the shocking revel-
alton that when he went he was accompanied
by one Of the lambs Of the fold-a Sabbath
school teacher. the daughter of one OF the
leading members of the congregation, and
reported to be about seventeen years of age.
How it happened is not very clear, and
when it happened has been set down, with
reasonable approach to accuracy, as some
time between Friday evening and Saturday
morning last. Cook left his home about six
O'Clock on Friday evening, after which time
he was seen in company with the young
lady. He had previously offered an excuse
to his wife to avoid attending q religious
meeting that evening with her He was
away all night, and his wife was in a terrible
state of suspense until on Saturday she re-
ceived a note from him stating that she
would never hear Of him again. A similar
note was despatched to the father Of the
young lady, who had accompanied the Rev.
! shepherd, with the additional information
that the parent, in general terms, need eN-
| perlence no anxiety as to the welfare of his
daughter, as she would be well taken care
Of These letters We're mailed at ten o'clock
\. NJ, of Saturday, in this city. and reached
their destination about four o'clock P. NJ. of
the same day, and this fact gives rise to the
assumption that the sanity duo left by one
of the steamers that quilted the port on that
day.
| The sanctified Horace was one of those
"divincs" who have peculiarly ''taking''
way among the ladies, and was the pet of the
congregation. He was appointed to the
| pastoral care of the somewhat aristocratic
Seventh street church last spring by the an
nual Conference. Prior to that time he had
| dispensed morality and the cardinal virtues
in theory yto quiet little congregation at Nam
aroneck, Westchester comfy. during period
Of nearly six years. He is about thirty-six
years of age, a tolerabe looking specimen of
| anatomy, and it is reported had been married
to his now neglected and disgraced spouse
about fifteen years, which was about fifteen
years too long for her personal good. Up to
this late denoucmem no suspicion had ever
rested upon him as to his 'atfinities" or amor
GUS propensities, though it had been repeat
edly remarked that he was attentive and ex-
ceedingly courteous to his new companion
But then there are so many clergymen who
manifest this peculiarity and are privileged
to enjoy close converse, looking benignantly
into the depths of the eyes of the wives and
daughters of their constituents" that no
body ever thinks anything OF that. And theil
way of doing it is SO sleek and tame that it is
believed almost to be their duty to do it-ir
fact, it is y clerical accomplishment
When Cook was missed on Saturday there
was rare hubbub among the elders, and fol
fear that it his absence might be the result O
some unavoidable accident or detention,
supernumerary clergyman was drummed uI
and performed the sacred offices for the church
on last Sunday. But the arrival of the let
ters above referred to on the same day set thu
question at rest, and ''hush" was the watch
word and still continues to be the standing
order
All efforts yesterday to learn the name o
the erring young lady were met with replie
either evasive or denial of any knowledge
of the matter by prominent members of thu
church, but they cannot long conceal thu
true facts of the case. Some of them still
profess to believe that the clergyman ant
the truant daughter will yet be found not tt
have erred or to have absented themselves
with erring intent, and even the most dis
Interested persons connot fail to hope, fo
: the sake of society and the happiness of tw.
4 now detected families, that such will prov,
to be the case
lie leaves his family in rather an awkward
predicament' as he has made it a rule to live
almost upto the extent of his income. II,
has two children, one of whom, a youth O
some fourteen years of age, bears the reputa
ton of being bright and promising youu!
man.
| eve cannot see," says the Boston Herald
: "why the ordinary expenses of the nationa
f government should be more than twice a
much as they were before the war, wherea
they are three OF four times as much. Th
people of this country are paying into tn
treasury more than four hundred million dol
lars annually, which exceeds the revenue O
any European government. The revenues Q
the States probably amount to $3.50, 1000, 90
more, and the city and town levies increas
the burden of taxation by an amount that can
: not be estimated. No wonder that busncs