The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-09
su N DAY BEADING.
POmpey's Conscience.

Several years ago, in New England
village might be found very fourishing
Congregational church, which was served
by an elderly pastor of great worth, and of
unusual ability as preacher. 1t was as
common then as it is now uncommon, for
the pastoral relation among them to grow
stronger with age, and not unfrequently to
last lifetime. But times change and
we change with them," the Roman poet
says and so our old friend the pastor
found. He was not at all disposed to yield
up his position, though he knew from the
cold looks of some, and averted faces of
old friends, members of his congregation,
that he did not stand SO well with the new
set, who had sprung up in the room of
their fathers. "Coming events cast their
shadows BEFORE" and the good man felt in
his bones that he was TO see trouble ere
long.
Matters came to a crisis in the following
fashion The malcontents had for some
time been finding fault-now with his doc
trines, which were "old fogy'' and "out
of date; y too prosy," without fire."
and "not of sort to touch the heart -
again with his manner, which was "cold,"
"too grave and monotonous," to suit the
young people; in fact they had pretty
much overhauled everything that could be
made a handle to get the good parson out
of his congregation. And lie did not or
would not pay any attention to what at last
came to his ears through some of the gos-
sips. Finally they resolved "to bolt"
They had borne it as long as they could.
They wouldn't endure it any longer.
They resolved on the "next Sabbath" to
rise in a body and leave "the meeting"
They did so, and took a pretty large pro-
portion of the congregation, not all decided
ly opposed to the parson, but several of
them of that class who are ready to follow
others to good or evil-mere "wax noses"
One of these was named Pompey, shortened
into Pomp, which in fact suited well with
his character for Pomp was well dressed
negro on Sunday, and felt himself "as large
as any white man." Pomp had heard the
conversations Of his white breathren and
had determined to go with them if they left
the congregation and he did.
! AS Pomp Joined the rebels on the outside
they were greatly taken aback. They did
not evidently consider him of as much
honor to their movement as he judged him
self. So one of them opened fire upon him.
Pomp what are you doing out here ?"
"Me, sab pse got tired of de parson." !"
"Tired what have you to say against
himP"
go muffin special against de man, but 1
doesn't like his teachins. His sermons is
too long, l goes to sleep, ye see. like
somfen more citing like and de fact is
my conshuns won't let me sit any longer
under his preachin."
Conscience, Pomp, that's too good" I"
eyes sab. Can't the gemman of color
hab conscience, I'd like to know?'
"Well spouse he can Pomp but what
do you know about conscienceP What is
conscience?"
|
shuns is. Conshuns, sab, conshuns,
ahem?" (Pomp here drew himself up, put
his hand upon his breast, with his fingers
pressed in firmly, and with his eyes rolled
up ina sanctimonious fashion, said with
energy,) "Conshuns is dat feelin in here
what says won't. OATS conshuns sab !'
There is great deal in our day that if
said and done under the sacred name of con-
science, and when reduced to its true
meaning, it is nothing more or less than
that feeling of sheer self-will, which says
emphatically, with eyes raised to heaven,
hand upon the breast, and fingers pressed
to the heart, 81 WON'T" It's Pomp's con
science. THE Church Journal
G58 Believe in travelling on step by step
/ 1n,,ff 30 Ia ol, In,