The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-08-03
A Perplexing Situation.


A friend has handed US the following, taken from
the Lexington (Ky.) Gazette, which be thinks gooc
Sunday reading, and agree with him so entirely
| our readers:
/ An acquaintance of ours, who has had most diff
cult time in settling his religious convictions for beiL
born Jew, raised Epscopalian and having married
a Presbyterian wife, he has been each by turns and
neither long, found himself in still more embarrass.
| ing situation lately, and it so worked upon him. that
he came to US for consultation and advice. He has
recently taken house most conveniently or rather
| for him inconvenienty, situated, between three
churches. one of which is more than one hundred
feet from his residence. During the present warm
weather the windows of bis three neghbors have been
thrown vide open and he has had the benefit of their
coniont sermons, psalms and prayers. Last Sunday
was TWO warm, as he thought 20 to either church,
so he took cool position in his yard to catch any
furtve breeze that mi ht along and it being the
hour of worship, his Methodist ueghbors opened with
one OF their veles airs and had not sung more than
few slaves, when the choir of the Baptists started
Old Hundred, to be Joined Immediately by the Pres
byterlans III Ortonvile at sharp but as the second
and third were assisted by foot organs. tbey soon
gained the unasssted brethren and pnt them bors
de combat The prayers OF the different churches were
also little mixed and if they bad been addressed to
him, he said that he would have no little difficulty in
answering them satisfactorily. But it was the preach |
nS epa pefpeAeu Nun most sorey. In this the lungs
OF the Baptist had the advantage aud when the Pres
oyteran started with by grace We are saved the for
mer drowned the remainder Of the sentence With
be immersed for the remission of your sins y
Methodist brother cried aloud "Glory to God. ~ and
the Presbyterian preacher this instant said lie
and be damned" as if finishing sentence The Ban,
ttst cried Repent and be baptized for the remission
of sins" to which the Presbyterian responded the
spirit testhes that ye born of God" The Method
list declared that they were falling from grace and
here he heard the Presbyterian say that az have
chosen you from the foundation of the world" One
said, he could not say which, except We have charity
ye are as sounding brass" to which the Baptist re-
Piled, contend earnestly" The Methodist cried
work out your salvation with fear and TREMBLING ~
which the Presbyterian replied, "by grace We are
saved, and this not of yourselves it is the eift of
God" The Presbyterian said, "suffer little children
to come unto me- and then he heard the Baptist saw
" We must be buried in baptism" This conflict went
on till our friend utterly bewildered and he said
be wondered if they all addressing the same God
and pointing to the Heaven. He said thew all
claimed to be Christians, but like the Egyptian yipers
in jar, each trying get bis head above water
without any special reference to his neghbor's we'll
being. We counseled him to practice that charity
that sutereth long and is kind and peace on earth
and good will to men, and he went away iu bette,
state of mind