The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-06-10
Ia sinfaI Freak.

tainly. have often regretted it since,
and If the opportunity Of doing it
again were presented should hesitate
a long time before embracing it. But
I was young then. and cherished a
suecies of humor which have since
abjured. Still, when Remember fhe..
character of the people who were
burlesquing and bringing into dHhre-s
pute the letter and spirit Of our rclig-
ION, feel a certain satisfaction IN
having contributed one feeble effort
toward making them ridiculous In
consideration Of the little good may
have done in that way, | beg the read
/, er to JUDGE my conceded error as lent.
! emily as possible. The story is strictly
true. &8a> lJt+ = j ti.G hE.3 ..sFsl
Some years ago the town Of Harding
in Illinois. Experienced revival of
religIsn," as the people called it, II
would have been more accurate and
iiless profane to term it a revival ef
i sRampageanism, for the craze Qr'g3
ted in. and was disseminated by, the
sect which I will call the Rampagean
communion; and most Of the leaping
and howling was done in that interest
Amongst those who yielded to the in
fuence was my friend Thomas Dobsho.
j Tom had been pretty bad sinner in
{. a small way, but he went into, this new
thing heart and soul. At one OF the
meetings he made a public confession
OF more sins than he ever was or ever
could have been guilty of; stopping
: Just short of statutory crimes, and
even limiting significantly that he
could tell good deal more if he were
pressed He wanted to join the absurd
communion the very evening OF his
conversion. He wanted to join two or
three communions. In fact he was SO
carried away with zeal that some of
the brethren gave me hint to take
him home; he and [ occupied adjoin
ing apartments in the Elephant Ho-
Toms fervor, as it happened, came
near deteatingits own purpose; instead
of taking him at once into the fold
without preference or a character,
which was their usual way, the breth-
ern remembered against him his awful
confessions, and put him on probation.
But, after few weeks, during which
he conducted himself like a decent
mnatic, it was decided to baptize him
along with dozen other pretty hard
cases who, had; been converted more
recently, aud whom [ knew for a set
Of designing imposters Th S wretched
ceremony persuaded myself it was
my duty to prevent, though / think
now Ierred as to the means adopted.
1t was to. take place on Sunday, and
on the preceding Saturday called on
the parson. the Rev. Mr.. Narrogage
and craved an interview.
Il come said |. with simulated re
luctaDce and embarrassment, ION be-
half of my friend, Brother Dobsho, tc
urge very delitate and unusual re-
quest. You are, l think. going to bap-
tize him to morrow, and l.trustit will
be to him the beginning Of a new and
better life. But / don't know if yor
are aware that his family are all l'lung.
ers, and that he is himself taintee
with the wicked heresy of that sect
So it is. He is, as one might say. il
secular metaphor, on the fence be
tween the grievous error and the pur,
faith Of your church. 1t would be mos
melancholy if he should get down OF
the wrong side. Although, l confes
with shame, | have not myself EN-
braced the truth, hope | am not tot
blind to see where it lies ~ 4
t The calamity you apprehend, SAT-
the ignorant lout, after solemn redec
ton, would indeed seriously affec
our friends interest and endanger hi
soul. I had not expected. Brothe
Dobsho to SO soon give up the goo,
, fght.''5t bas stis.s9ssgoa IL.
I'll think, SIR | replied, reflective
ly, there is no fear Of that if til
matter is skillfully, managed. He j
heartily with YOU might | venture t
, say with us?-on every point but one
He favors immefsion! He has been S
vile asinner thathe foolishly a, ers til
more simple rite of your church wi
, not make him wet enough. Mould yo
believe it? his uninstructed scruple
: on the point are SO gross and materi
, alistic that he actually suggested soap
ing himself as a preparatory ceremony
, | belieye,a however, if, instead {
sprinkling my friend. you would pou
generous basiniul of water on h
i head-but, now that think Of it
your cnlightening presence, L see tha
such a proceeding is quite out OF tn
question. / fear we must let matter
! take the usual course, trusting to 0,
, after efforts to prevent the backslidin
, which may result. Era. Ts i
The parson rose and paced the fot
for moment, then. suggested that b
| had better see Brother Dobsho, an
labor to remove his error; told hi
: / thought NOT; [ was sure it would ~
be best Argumentm might only confr
: him in his prejudice. SO it was settle
( that the subject should not be broacl
. ed in that quarter. 1t would have bee
Z bad for me if ii had been. taat
e When | reflect now upon the gul
of conversation, the falsehood OF II
G representation, and the wickedness
t my motive. [ am almost ashamed i
$ 2 proceed with my narrative. Had ii
t parsun been ether than an aarral
$ humbug, hope [ should never ha1
e suffered myself to make him the dul
e of scheme SO evil III itself aud pros
e cuted with so disgraceful a disrcga1
c of honor. Aa3fl!s33t8E va 8E ia l9
d The memorable Sabbath dawns
i bright and beautiful. About o'cloe
the cracked old bell, rigged up {
: struts before the meeting house, beg;
i to clamor its call to service. and nea
! ly the whole population Of Hardin
S took its way to the performance. | b;
- taken the prccau,ion to set my wat'
/. fifteen minutes fast. Tenn was nervou
g ly preparing himself for the orde;
|. lie fidgetted himself into his best 81
d an hour before the time, carried b
e hat about the room in the most all
less and demented way, and consult
his watch a hundred times. | was
r accompany him to the church, and
+. spent the time fussing about the roc