Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-02-11

| the Idea Of concentrated nervous lorco
and energy, he wouid be picked out
from q score Of his clerical compeers
as a manSof more than average talent
and individuality. For eloqnenee OF
speech and gesture and delivery, he Is
head and shoulders above any other
city clergyman, and perhaps possesses
the affection of the congregation to al
extent unknown In the relationship Of
other churches to their pastors. Yet
outside Of his congregation, he has for
years been a target for ridicule and
condemnation, aimed at him by both
protesting Christians of other sscts, and
un~professing sinners of no sect at all.
The reason for this Is his sensational
ism. His moral jokes, comic anec-
dotes and josular narratives have been
a staple subject Of parlor conversation
for the last five years. His vocation
has been rather that of q jester, he has
made q comedy Of religton and of his
ministry, instead Of treating It as a
serious profession. Perhaps DR.. Scud-
der Is not wholly to blame for this. A
writer in the Neus-Letter, treating on
this same topic, very lately says "Pas-
tors and flocks are thermometers and
guages to each other-show us a mans
sermon'and we will describe his con-
gregatioi," and 1t Is more than likely
that the Doctor took his cue In the first
instance from his congregation, and
| finding that they liked the style, stuck
to 1t until 1t became his natural one.
Be that as 1t may, Howard Street
Church has long been regarded as a
kind of moral melodeon, q place where
one could pass away an hour and be
amused, with the possibility Of picking
up q good thing to retail to his &C
quaintances during the week. So peo-
| pie fiocked to 1t as they do to a free en-
tertainment of any kind, and DR.. Scud-
der accepted this popularity as a sign
that he was doing a great work. What
real good he has accomplished during
his ministry here, how many wounded
hearts he has healed with the balm Of
consolation, how many outcasts he has
reclaimed from the byways of sin, how
many Magdalens he has restored, how
much want he has relieved, how much
he has practically demonstrated the
goodness Of Christ's religion, neither I
nor others can tell. But his was a
fashionable church and a fashionable,
wealthy congregation. knowing the
Barbary Coast and Its inhabitants only
through newspaper paragraphs, and
acquainted with poverty and Its tempta-
tions only through hearsay. So l am
afraid that DR.. Scudder's gospel was q
gospel only for the rich, and that his
ministratlons were strictly confined
within the limits of his genteel flock.
AS the writer before mentioned says a:
".We do not suppose he has ever con-
yerted q sinner from the error Of his
ways, but VIC have no doubt he has in
duced many n goddess youth to behave
more circunspectly, and has convinced
his church members that godllness Is
great riches, and that the possession of
1t Is of great utility In the business of
life."
Tho Lsoal Omcer Sketch OF an
Autecrat.
During the trial of a petty thief In
the Police Court to-day, the offender
took the stand in his own behalf, and
testified, among other things, that the
local officer told him that he might
steal whenever he could, 80 long as he
did not steal on his beat, and further,
that there was one man who did not
pay him anything from whom he could
steal to his hearts content. This state
ment seemed to surprise Judge Saw
yer, rs revealing q depth of moral de-
pravlty that he had not expected to
find below the rank of a Supervisor.
Why, there Is no such autocrat as a
local policeman. He exercises a des-
| potlc sway OH his beat. He walks his
block with a consciousness Of irresisti-
BILE power. He represents respecta-
bility keeping crime In awe, and lie
feels the full weight of his RESPONSE
bility. Did you aver observe whit q
knowledge he affects Of human nature,
how well posted he Is In pioneer his
tory, aud how profoundly versed In
criminal lorep , He Is conscious that
he Is q natural-born detective, and
only wants opportunity to develop
into n Rose or Lees. He patronizes
the corne grocery man with the air of
n monarch, and drinks his whisky and
takes his cigar as II he was comforting
a favor by so doing. Perched on a dry
goods box In some dark corner, he and
the regular officer while away the
night In exchanging adventures or
planning deep plots, the denouemem of
which will DO In the Police Court.
Once a month, when collection day
comes round, our local sinks the official
and becomes n hard-working. illy-paid
and conscientious citizen. How freely
he then spends his two bits at the cor
ner grocery, condoles with the baker
about hard times, tolls Mr.. Smith about
the suspicious characters he watched
for three nights running, and nearly
throws Mrs. Jones into Mysteries by his
vivid account of the fellow he saw
lettering round her back yard. Woe
be to the mar that refuses to pay the
local. Calamity will dog his footsteps
and adversely oveItake his window
panes. Misfortune will be his heritage
and disaster his daily experience. 1
once knew ." -; ,'
A Man that wsuldnr Pay the Lecnl.
He was a Dutchman, and drove an
express, wagon. He lived near the
corner of Clay and Powell streets, and
delighted In dogs and chickens. The
retrlbution with which IN indignant
Providence visited that man was some
thing fearful. First his loaf of bread
left by the baker outside the door dis
appeared every morning. Then his
milk can would persist In upsetting
Itself and splitting the milk all over the
steps. Then his Chronicle was stolen
with the utmost regularity, and his
best rooster fell a victim to a prowling
Chinaman. About that time he spoke
to the local, and intimated that there
were some damn rascals around"
but that officer didn't know anything
about It, and couldn't worry himself
for a man that didn't pay. The next
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